Zebralight H600Fc Mk IV - First Impressions

[maukka]

If you want to describe the light's color accurately, you could use the xy or u'v' coordinates on CIE colorspaces or state the CCT (correlated color temperature) and duv (deviation from the black body radiator which i call tint). I also try to present this information in my reviews. CIE president Yoshi Ono has given many good presentations about the subject and what people actually prefer, this being one of them:

https://www.energystar.gov/sites/de...Energy Star webinar Presentation - Ohno 2.pdf

 

[NPL]

Reading that some users have issues with their lights on H1. Anybody experiencing issues with their FC?

 

[likethevegetable]

For my H600Fc IV, H1 works fine until about 80% charge then after a few seconds it starts flickering for a moment and drops the output to maybe 300 lm. Sometimes a tailcap reset will fix it temporarily. I don't know if this is a real issue or just sensitive low voltage protection. In any case, I don't have enough reason to get a replacement.. I might be the only one so far

 

[Nuppet]

Reading that some users have issues with their lights on H1. Anybody experiencing issues with their FC?

I get better performance when using a SC64c tail cap instead of the original one.

I did some tests and posted in the "Defective-zebralight H600FD MK IV" thread:

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/v...H600FD-MK-IV&p=5183403&viewfull=1#post5183403

 

[NPL]

I am thinking about cancelling my pre-order due to these issues. The whole point of PID and what makes this feature on Zebralights fantastic is that it appears stepless to the human eye. The way H1 is acting seems to be an either poorly designer driver or poorly implemented PID in that setting...

 

[likethevegetable]

I agree NPL, if my H1 was acting like others have reported, I would definitely have choked down the international shipping costs and sent it back. Based on what I've seen, I'm pretty lucky to even have a functioning H1, even if it's only available for cell charge >80%.

If ZL flat out deleted the 1568 lm mode, I would have still ordered it and would be completely happy with it. The light runs impressively well at 980 lm and that is bright enough for all my (and probably most others) applications.

It's a funny scenario... To recieve a light and have one advertised setting not work would be enough for me to send it back, but if that one setting did not exist in the first place, I would be content with the product..

 

[evgeniy]

If ZL flat out deleted the 1568 lm mode, I would have still ordered it and would be completely happy with it. The light runs impressively well at 980 lm and that is bright enough for all my (and probably most others) applications.
It's a funny scenario... To recieve a light and have one advertised setting not work would be enough for me to send it back, but if that one setting did not exist in the first place, I would be content with the product..

"The light runs impressively well at 980 lm"

Are you see any low-freq. flicker / thermocontrol problems in 980lm and 590 lm modes, similar to problem, that founded by NPL in 1568lm mode ?

 

[NPL]

Does anybody NOT have issues in H1 mode?

 

[twistedraven]

My H1 works fine on all 3 samples I received.

 

[likethevegetable]

"

Are you see any low-freq. flicker / thermocontrol problems in 980lm and 590 lm modes, similar to problem, that founded by NPL in 1568lm mode ?

Haven't seen any flicker below H1. PID seems to work fine for all modes. Used a fresh cell and H1 quite a bit outside today and it worked well.

 

[Sherbona]

My H600Fc's H1 mode is fine. As far as batteries so far I've used zebralight's ZL635 and sony VTC6

 

[likethevegetable]

My H600Fc's H1 mode is fine. As far as batteries so far I've used zebralight's ZL635 and sony VTC6

My H1 works fine on all 3 samples I received.

Does your H1 work with lower cell charges, say, "2 flashes"?

 

[evgeniy]

Haven't seen any flicker below H1. PID seems to work fine for all modes.

thanks.
With new firmware we can simply change H1 from 1560lm to 980lm and resolve this issue.

 

[Sherbona]

I left it on H1 for quite awhile just now and then turned it off for a bit. After coming back to it, the battery check had "1 flash". I then it turned back on to H1, after a few seconds it flickered for half a second and then dropped down to what looks like M1. I'll try again maybe later this week to see what I get when the battery is at 2 flash. Oh, the sony vt6 battery voltage for this 1 flash test was at 3.10v according to a MC3000 charger (measured before charging).

 

[likethevegetable]

Thanks for the reply. I'm running a test to find the actual cutoff cell voltage for mine. I gave the contacts a better clean than before and so far so good at 3.6V, which according to some people is about 50% charge.

 

[likethevegetable]

My NCR18650GA was at 3.55V when the battery indicator was giving 2 flashes.

It would give one or to flickers when first turning it on and some small intermittent flickers, but it held on or 30 seconds before cutting out. The light was also very hot by this point so PID might have had something to with it. Wow this thing gets hot!

So for my light, I would say it runs H1 reliably for NCR18650GA cell voltages >3.6V, (about 50%) after that it's a few seconds burst.

 

[NPL]

Thanks for all the additional feedback. Up to 50% is not bad, but sounds like Zebralight cut some corners here and could have done a better job with implementation. I wonder on a full battery in a cold environment, how long H1 will last before it steps down visually?

 

[psychbeat]

I think non "high drain" batteries are sagging so much under the heavy load that they're hitting the low voltage cutoff earlier than many people expected on H1.

Try a fresh VTC6 or 30q etc.

 

[likethevegetable]

Thanks for all the additional feedback. Up to 50% is not bad, but sounds like Zebralight cut some corners here and could have done a better job with implementation. I wonder on a full battery in a cold environment, how long H1 will last before it steps down visually?

FWIW I've ran H1 at -25°C for at least two minutes without visual step down, it was pretty hot and I turned off manually at that point. Next time I go for a night walk I'll push it further.

I think non "high drain" batteries are sagging so much under the heavy load that they're hitting the low voltage cutoff earlier than many people expected on H1.

Try a fresh VTC6 or 30q etc.

I unfortunately gave my only 30Q to my vapaholic nephew for Christmas. Might buy some VTC6s in the future when they go on sale; Li-ion's in Canada are a tough pill to swallow... I like to buy multiple items from Illumn to spread the shipping fees.

 

[twistedraven]

Does your H1 work with lower cell charges, say, "2 flashes"?

No, it doesn't. I run only unprotected cells with the H600FC. Anything protected will have too much resistance and thus give less voltage to the light after its drained a little bit, triggering the low voltage cutoff too early. The H600FC is the heaviest driven Zebralight I've had so far, it definitely needs unprotected high discharge cells for optimal H1 performance.