Latecomer to this, I see, and apparently lucky they had one in stock on 9/28. Really nice they shipped 10/3, and it got to me the day before the power went out in Raleigh, NC from Hurricane Matthew. It was out for some here for 5-6 days, mine just like 6 hours. Bad for flashlight, good for my frozen food. INCREDIBLE for walking out to the street, with all power out, no streetlights, to "look at the powerlines". I said to wife. To play with flashlight, despite risk of being hit in the head with a tree limb, in truth.
I finally decided to write to ZL about the switch getting flaky on the old SC600w. Might still get that repaired, rate is reasonable although where I'd find a "check" to write them for the fee is going to take work. A check? Really?
Anyway, had to look at the new SC600s. Mk II never sold itself to me, or the SC63. LOVE my SC62w. Love it more after programming the PID down 5 degrees cooler. But XHP35? That looks cool. What's a "HI"? Found datasheets, figured it out. Neat. More throw, Neutral tint? Even better. OK, shouldn't spend the money but let's try it...
Amazed how small it is vs the original SC600. LOVE the new beam profile. Been reading the mkIII plus frosted-lens thread and happy not to like that beam. I love the ZL flood/throw balance and like this one even more. The SC600Fd isn't the perfect companion to the HI, the SC62 or 63 are, IMHO. Would never call the HI a "thrower", apart from it having enough sheer output to put my 1st run XM-L thrower lights to shame. At 2-3x the battery drain, but still.
Went way overboard on battery choices. New pairs of GA, MJ1, in hand; and if BangGood isn't Bad, 35E as well soon.
Also playing with PKCell 2200mAh (4.4A rated), an unknown 2000mAh SZNH cell from a PocketJuice USB power bank (is it 1C or 2C max?), and some Shenzhen ZhuoNeng SZNS 2500mAh cells sold as 25A but with a lot of research found to be 2.5A max with 5A trip PTCs. But honest 2500mAh capacity.
I get 4.5-4.9A tailcap on a 50% down MJ1, 4.1-4.5 with a fresh one, and batteries lower than that don't seem to be able to do full H1 so draw <4A. I'm in the 4.4A PKcell limit within 30-45 seconds, and willing to tax the 2.5A limit ones at 3A after about 3 minutes of rapidly dropping drain. Gotta try it once to see if H1 triggers the PTC (then never again). This all goes with a new MC3000 charger that has me all experimenty again. I need to get back to that thread.
Anyway, finding this light pretty flexible on batteries. I only have 3 protected cells to my name. Using a wire vs. the tailcap, the Trustfire red flame ( test recently at 1900mAh) must trip at 4A -- light blinks on in H1 and then quits (highest H2 is fine). The Readilast 2900 (NCR18650? Tests 2700mAh recently) works fine in H1. The power bank 2000mAh cell got to 40C after 30 min in the light at H1, no cooling, which is cooler than the outside of the light. In the MC3000 at 2A, it rose 8C over ambient over 30 min (33C I think). So it's probably a 4A cell not a 2A one. Impedance about 60mohm. Not really worried about any of them. H1 for the 30 sec I ever use it for, except when testing batteries, isn't likely to be an issue, and H2 starts below 2A.
All just for fun, anyway. Mostly I use the MJ1 or a little older LG E1 4.35V cell to play with it. The MJ1 on H1, cooled by the light sitting in a glass of water, gave me about 40 minutes runtime before step-down. That's incredible. Water wasn't even _that_ warm afterwards.
I still like my SC52 and 52d size and clip style best for pocket clipping, but it's nice to now have a "tiny" ZL that outdoes every single other light I have in tint, throw utility, and floody-enough versatility. And, bless the PID 5C drop, one that runs in H1 without ever scalding my hand. That was a (literally) sore point with the SC62w before I learned the trick.
It's on back order now, so I feel very special to have stumbled onto "the greatest light ever". Credit to the MC3000 charger and the nifty iOS app for getting back my interest in 18650 batteries instead of AAs. The Xtar VC2 was cool, but OMG... this new one... like I said, other thread for that.
So yeah, "Buy It!", indeed (when it comes back in stock).
