Zebralight H600, H600w, H600F, H600Fw Mk III XHP35

[Andrey]

After extensive research I came to conclusion that unprotected NCR18650GA are the best cells available for use in Zebralights and bought 10 of them.

 

[Koam]

Just received a shipping notification for a H600w Mk III. Any reason not to buy a NCR18650GA? Curious because this is not the cell listed by ZL in the related items.

Also so got a shipped notice for the same light.

 

[PB Wilson]

Just received a shipping notification for a H600w Mk III. Any reason not to buy a NCR18650GA? Curious because this is not the cell listed by ZL in the related items.

I've been using these unprotected cells with my H600Fd and it's worked flawlessly. Good price too!

 

[Koam]

I just received my H600w MKIII and noticed that the only marking on it is CE. ZL doesn't have model #s on their headlamps? My SC600w MKIII HI and SC5w both have the model #s. Mainly just curious.

My Nitecore protected 3400 18650 is a very tight fit going in the tube and a bit of a hassle to remove. Can both protected and unprotected cells be used?

The light output compares favorably to my SC600w MKIII HI. The only other lights I own are the two versions of the Nitecore HC30. I do like the Zebralight but the Nitecores at $30 less seem like a much better deal. Not sure I see the quality difference with the ZL but I'm new to these lights and need to use the ZL headlamp more to see if I notice a bigger improvement over the Nitecores. Maybe I had my expectations raised too much from the SC5w and SC600w MKIII HI, which to me are amazing lights.

 

[tex.proud]

Wow! I made a simple comment about getting an AT headlamp that has actually worked as advertised, stated runtimes, and....Whew! I don't care to share my thoughts on that.

I'm not opposed to getting a ZL headlamp! I actually have in my "Wishlist" links folder the H603w. I'm not a brand snob! I was just stating my own experience with AT thus far. Sorry that struck a nerve!

Carry on!

Edit: I just ordered one!

 

[Sphinxxx]

Has anybody gotten an Fw yet? I ordered on 7-11, it said shipping starts 7-15, and on 7-15 it went straight to back order. I'm not experienced with pre-orders from ZL. Any thoughts on what i should expect?

 

[scs]

I just received my H600w MKIII and noticed that the only marking on it is CE. ZL doesn't have model #s on their headlamps? My SC600w MKIII HI and SC5w both have the model #s. Mainly just curious.

My Nitecore protected 3400 18650 is a very tight fit going in the tube and a bit of a hassle to remove. Can both protected and unprotected cells be used?

The light output compares favorably to my SC600w MKIII HI. The only other lights I own are the two versions of the Nitecore HC30. I do like the Zebralight but the Nitecores at $30 less seem like a much better deal. Not sure I see the quality difference with the ZL but I'm new to these lights and need to use the ZL headlamp more to see if I notice a bigger improvement over the Nitecores. Maybe I had my expectations raised too much from the SC5w and SC600w MKIII HI, which to me are amazing lights.

Well ZLs are potted; NCs aren't. Also read in another thread that ZL has switched to a stronger lens. ZLs have more efficient drivers so longer run times than NCs at comparable levels. Lastly ZL offers more tint options and perhaps even better tint.

 

[Sphinxxx]

They responded to my request yesterday, 7-21, regarding the Fw, and said it would ship out in about 10 business days. In case anybody was curious.

I really need to know if i like the neutral white so i can decide which sc63 mkiii to order. Or i just need my monthly flashlight fix.

 

[insanefred]

Has anyone gotten their H603w yet, how do you like it so far?

 

[tex.proud]

Has anyone gotten their H603w yet, how do you like it so far?

I've had one about a week now. Haven't put it to a lot of use yet, but liking it. 120 degrees of flood. Doesn't throw much at all. The reflector has a diffuse GITD coating on it. If you look closely you can see a very slight hotspot in the beam, against a white wall. No beam shots yet, but a bad pic at least showing the GITD reflector.

 

[Sphinxxx]

This is the longest i have ever waited for anything. I lost my HC30, this is really cramping my after dark playtime. I have resorted to holding a flashlight in my hand like a pilgrim.

 

[Thacker]

My H600w MK III has a nasty green donut hole. Once seen, cannot be unseen. The hole doesn't just show on a white wall, it appears on everything. The remainder of the spot and spill is perfect, but I've started a return. Not keeping a light I'll never use...

FYI - It looks just like this sc63 beamshot from another thread. http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...-Spot-Normal&p=4936899&viewfull=1#post4936899

 

[Sphinxxx]

I finally get my 600Fw, and it shipped with dead batteries. I have very little patience left for charging after waiting three weeks for the light. All my other batteries are big protected ones. I definitely think i can get used to the neutral light and the floodiness. So far it seems like i will be a lot more likely to use the higher outputs, because it doesnt melt my eyeballs like cool white does. This forum finally talked me into something Neutral, with all the beam shots in nature, and i am very grateful for that. This is a game-changer. And wow this thing is weightless. I am not a real beam/tint snob (yet), but from what i am seeing there is absolutely nothing offensive about the spread and the tone of the light.....flawless. I am inclined to use it for everything but i think this light will live on my bike handlebars. This will likely be my headlight for a 3000+ mile bicycle tour through the south this fall, charged directly with two 3.5w Voltaic panels and a nitecore F1 mounted on my panniers.

On a side note, i was trying to find an 18650 tail light, and this little headlight will mount neatly to my seatpost, with a red ping pong ball for a filter. H600 ordered. 1300 lumen strobe. Problem solved. Hopefully drivers won't have a stroke and run me over lol, that would totally defeat the purpose.

 

[Collins]

What's the big differences between H600 Mk II XM-L2 vs H600 Mk III XHP35?

 

[maitre]

So I FINALLY got my H600w MkIII after over 2 months of waiting. It should have arrived on August 17 but the post office messed up and it took an extra month. Anyways, just charged it up last night and used it to walk the dog. The tint is definitely cooler than the original H600w. I wouldn't call it cool white but it definitely leans away from warm.

The difference between the MkII and MkIII is the emitter. The new emitter is brighter and I think it has slightly longer run times?

 

[Andrew479]

I just want to share my 2c regarding XHP35-powered Zebra MK3s
I don't own any of them, but I'd advice against purchasing one.

First off, it seems that SC600 in its MK3 continuation has shorter shaft which makes it impossible to insert protected cells.
That's at least what people have been complaining in the respective thread.

Secondly, XHP35 is a 12V chip, rather unsuitable for single-18650 flashlight. Even Zebra cannot bend industry standards, which is at best 90% step-up conversion efficiency.
As the lm/W figures for XM-L2 are pretty much the same, it's clear XHP35 runs at higher current = more heat produced at 1100lm for neutral white.
The SC600 thread mentioned current ramp-up between generations at about 2A (MK2 - 3A, MK3 - 5A), which seems just about correct.
Given the numbers that's 5W more to be dissipated by passive means.
It's also unclear how these XHP's are driven. Low frequency (<300Hz) PWM strobing is not entirely out of question (something that makes LED flashlights impossible to use).

Bottom line, get MK2.

 

[lampeDépêche]

On a side note, i was trying to find an 18650 tail light, and this little headlight will mount neatly to my seatpost, with a red ping pong ball for a filter. H600 ordered. 1300 lumen strobe. Problem solved. Hopefully drivers won't have a stroke and run me over lol, that would totally defeat the purpose.

Have you looked at the NiteFlux Red Zone 800 from Fullbeam in Australia? It runs 4 red XPE's from an 18650. The cell is permanently wired into the enclosure, so that you cannot replace it with other cells, but it charges just like any other 18650 via a USB mini port.
Incredibly bright on high, with many lower levels and many flash patterns (as well as constant on/ no flash).

A lot of the links show you an older version with a carbon-fiber tube and silicon end-caps. I had a couple of those, and the light was great, but the end caps degraded from use. Make sure to get the new version from Fullbeam, in which the entire enclosure is a unibody piece of clear plastic.

It will be brighter than your H600 with a red filter, because the 4 XPEs generate a lot more red light than the single XML2 does--they convert all of the current into red light, at the LED and not through phosphors. With the XML2, the LED is making blue light, then the phosphors convert some of it to red light, then the red filter throws the rest of it away.

 

[lampeDépêche]

I just want to share my 2c regarding XHP35-powered Zebra MK3s
I don't own any of them, but I'd advice against purchasing one.

First off, it seems that SC600 in its MK3 continuation has shorter shaft which makes it impossible to insert protected cells.
That's at least what people have been complaining in the respective thread.

Secondly, XHP35 is a 12V chip, rather unsuitable for single-18650 flashlight. Even Zebra cannot bend industry standards, which is at best 90% step-up conversion efficiency.
As the lm/W figures for XM-L2 are pretty much the same, it's clear XHP35 runs at higher current = more heat produced at 1100lm for neutral white.
The SC600 thread mentioned current ramp-up between generations at about 2A (MK2 - 3A, MK3 - 5A), which seems just about correct.
Given the numbers that's 5W more to be dissipated by passive means.
It's also unclear how these XHP's are driven. Low frequency (<300Hz) PWM strobing is not entirely out of question (something that makes LED flashlights impossible to use).

Bottom line, get MK2.

Hi Andrew! Welcome to the forum. I see that this is your first post.

Your note has a couple of interesting points, but also some misleading points and some evidence-free speculation.

1) Misleading: the SC600 uses pogo-pins and requires unprotected cells. Some don't like this, some do (lower resistance, smaller light). But this has nothing to do with the H600 Mk III, which explicitly says on its web-site "One 18650 size (up to 69mm long) ". Up to 69mm means that it takes protected cells. So the case of the SC600 has nothing to do with the H600 Mk III, and it is misleading to compare them on this front.

2) Speculation: You write "It's also unclear how these XHP's are driven. Low frequency (<300Hz) PWM strobing is not entirely out of question (something that makes LED flashlights impossible to use). " Zebralight has never used PWM in any of its lights, and now without any evidence you accuse them of using PWM, and then back that up by saying "it's not entirely out of the question"?

You might as well say, "it's not entirely out of the question that MacDonalds is using human flesh instead of beef in its hamburgers." That is also evidence-free speculation that damages a company's reputation in an irresponsible way (or would if I were saying it seriously). It is also not something that anyone should toss around without very, very good reason. I don't see what reason you have to allege that ZL is using PWM, and you admit that you don't have one.

I hope that your future contributions to the forum will be less inflammatory and stay closer to the facts.

 

[Andrew479]

Zebralight has never used PWM in any of its lights, and now without any evidence you accuse them of using PWM, and then back that up by saying "it's not entirely out of the question"?

I don't accuse ZL of using PWM in that sentence, but since H600w MK2 does have high frequency >50kHz PWM, there's a possibility this frequency was lowered to meet the demands of switching step-up transformer, which could leak some of its switching current to the LED in form of IMD as well, if improperly filtered.

I don't see what reason you have to allege that ZL is using PWM, and you admit that you don't have one.

I never said I don't have a ZL lamp. I stated I don't own any MK3 lamp made by ZL.

I hope that your future contributions to the forum will be less inflammatory and stay closer to the facts.

I hope that what I say in the future won't be twisted to prove contradictory points and subjectively assessed without evidence.

Thanks for the "warm" welcome though.

 

[lampeDépêche]

I never said I don't have a ZL lamp. I stated I don't own any MK3 lamp made by ZL.

No, and I never said that you ever said that you do not have a ZL lamp. You are not denying what I asserted.

I said:

"I don't see what reason you have to allege that ZL is using PWM, and you admit that you don't have one. "

"you don't have one" in this sentence means "you don't have a reason to allege that ZL is using PWM". That's how reading works.

You admitted that you did not have a reason when you said "it is not out of the question" that XYZ. That's the weakest sort of evidence-free accusation you could make; if you had any solid evidence, you would bring it forward.

Now you are back, misreading what I said, and suggesting that I am twisting things and assessing things without evidence.

I'm not going to reply to you again, but I have asked the moderator to have a look at this exchange.