Zebralight SC600-III (XHP35, 1x18650) Review: RUNTIMES, BEAMSHOTS, VIDEO and more!

[akhyar]

+1

I agree with you. :thumbsup:

+2

 

[scout24]

Out of respect to Selfbuilt, and his review thread, I deleted 39 posts made today. Most of the players are aware of what transpired. None of it was productive or related to this review. Any questions, please PM me. Carry on.

 

[fnsooner]

Great review selfbuilt. Thanks.

 

[Tachead]

Great review selfbuilt. Thanks.

+1

 

[18650]

You shouldnt have to rewrap cells to make them work properly in a flashlight. I never have had to with any of the many flashlights I have used and owned. You are one of the lucky ones Mark. Many others have complained about connection issues, battery rattle, and crushed cells in lights with this design(even recently shipped ones). Even Nkon, one of the largest European ZL dealers, has a warning on these lights that they may not work with some cells including the one you listed that ZL sells. "This light needs batteries of 65mm long, it does not work with protected batteries (like from Keeppower, EagleTac or Enerpower) because these are too long. Unfortunately it also does not work with the Sanyo NCR18650GA, because it is a little bit too short. This causes the light to turn off when you shake the SC600w a little bit." That is cut and pasted from the HI model too(one of the newest releases). So some, although not all, still have issues. It wasnt just the initial batch. People can argue or tell themselves whatever they want in their head but, this design does have issues. It is no where near as reliable as a duel spring design with or without jumpers or a second inner spring. It also has the tightest cell tolerances I have ever seen on a flashlight in 25 years of being in this hobby(0.2mm tolerance). ZL could have used a design that wouldnt have caused these issues and would have even allowed for more cells, even protected cells of adequate continuous amp output, they just didnt. It was a bad decision imo and that 4mm reduction in length has come at a cost. It will be interesting to see what they do with new models going forward. I for one hope they change to either a more traditional design or a new one that is more forgiving and still maintains the many advantages of a traditional design.

Don't make tube long enough to accommodate varying length cells? Complain! Make tube wide enough to accommodate varying width cells? Complain! They can't win! Judging by SB's review, there's not much wrong with this thing.

 

[newbie66]

39 posts deleted? Wow! What happened?? Never mind. No need to tell me.

 

[bodhran]

I was there and not involved, but my post about how much I like the MK III was also deleted.

 

[sidecross]

I was there and not involved, but my post about how much I like the MK III was also deleted.

I would call that "collateral damage' and would not be surprised if your comment and mine are deleted too.

 

[scout24]

Bodhran- Your post mentioned the rattle issue and your solution to it. My intent was to remove the posts that were off topic to Selfbuilt's review, mine included, and those that beat the dead horse of the battery fitment issue to death. These included my posts, another Mod's posts, and posts supporting both points of view. I asked for questions to be sent to me via PM... Please, let's let this one go...

 

[jondextan]

Great review selfbuilt!

 

[EBuff75]

Thanks a lot for this review! I ordered one about three weeks ago after doing some reading and this thread helped me decide to pull the trigger on it. Hoping that they get them back in stock soon to fill the backlog of orders!

 

[CelticCross74]

Have had my MkIII HI for almost two months now and overall it is freaking stellar with top notch design for the size and shape of the light. I also bought the Sanyo GA off of the ZL site. I thought the GA fit fine at first but after reading through this thread about battery rattle I just ckeck my MkIII HI out and to my surprise yes there is indeed battery rattle. A couple days ago I pulled the HI out to use clicked it on H1 which came on then just went out after 2 seconds. Perplexed I tried tuning it on 2 more times and it would not turn on. Totally at a loss I double checked the tailcap was tight then tried it again it came back on again. This only has happened once in my time with the light. Am at a loss as to what caused this. The GA was fresh off the charger when this happened. Somehow someway something was not making full contact with the cell. Could it have something to do with the cell being off angle or just off proper connection by being a touch off center inside the due to the clearance around the cell that allows it to rattle I am assuming this may be the case. Does anybody have any suggestions with what I can wrap the cell in to eliminate the rattling? All that being said the HI is flat out amazing. ZL design team down in Texas must be one of the best in the industry. Cutting edge electronics design that is top shelf everything from PID to having all the necessary protections built into the electronics somehow all fitting into the tiny amount of space in the head and potted to boot. It does get hot but does not get as hot as my MkII and takes just over twice as long to get almost hot vs the MkII. Totally fascinating stuff. I have heard the light make zero noise at any output level. Switch feel vs the MkII is better on the MkIII. MkIII switch material feels like a softer material than the MkII. MkIII switch in my observation requires a touch less pressure to click and seems to have a touch less travel to click it vs the MkII which seems I need to press a touch harder and the switch presses in deeper to click.

Still pleased as punch with the HI. Even at $99 I see it as a very high value light. I do not know of any other light made by anybody else that packs such high output, stellar electronics into this small a package let alone potted. All the anodization on my HI matches color from head to tail cap. Build quality on mine in ingot like. Still would love to hear anybody suggest what wrap is needed to eliminate the rattle...

 

[markr6]

Does anybody have any suggestions with what I can wrap the cell in to eliminate the rattling?

Gotta get the clear wrappers! $1.00/10 pack at Illumn, but available all over the place online. Slip it on, trim a few mm, hit it with a hair dryer. PERFECT fit. Other colors may fit, but can't say for sure. They could be slightly thicker. I just know the clear is a perfect fit. I did have one that made the cell not fit out of 6 I tried...the tolerance is that close! There is a seam on the wrapper, which can be "shaved" down afterwards using scissors of a knife if you're real close on the fit.

 

[newbie66]

Nice! But I would leave it as it is. Luckily rattle does not bother me too much.

 

[mico]

Or you could have NASA send a Mk 3 to outer space where the temperature is minus 455 degrees Fahrenheit, but it still would not help in using the flashlight on the highest output in daily use.

It would be the worst thing to do. Space isn't cold. There's nothing there in space, so nothing at minus 455 degrees to cool the torch down: No conductive cooling, no convection currents, it could only cool down through thermal radiation which would be pretty slow. The Zebra would be otherwise thermally insulated in space...

 

[InspectHerGadget]

Thanks a lot for this review! I ordered one about three weeks ago after doing some reading and this thread helped me decide to pull the trigger on it. Hoping that they get them back in stock soon to fill the backlog of orders!

Up to their old tricks being six weeks behind in orders. Very nice light though. Had mine since they first came out. I lost my SC11

 

[recDNA]

Why doesn't Zebralight make flashlights that accept both protected cells and CR123.

I love their design, customizable UI and everything else, but this.

I just bought a SC62w so that I can use my protected cells. I can't use CR123 in either of them, anyway. :mecry:

Sc32w does.

 

[Mr. LED]

I know, I have one. But I was talking about 18650/2xCR123 configuration.

 

[recDNA]

Oh, I agree. I wish they adapted the circuit for 2 X CR123 even if H1 were excluded.

 

[GunnarGG]

If you are in a pinch the Sc62 works with 1xCR123 and a spacer or a tin foil ball.
Works fine at low and medium at least.