Zebralight SC600w IV Plus

[StarHalo]

we are still using the same 18650 3500 mah 10 watt batteries

I'm using 2500 mah 80 watt batteries..

 

[Tachead]

I'm using 2500 mah 80 watt batteries..

Those are probably overkill for this light. A GA, MJ1, or 35E, should be fine and give considerably better runtimes on most modes. And, if you want to use a high discharge cell, I would go with the Samsung 30Q or Sony VTC6 as they have much better performance.

 

[Tachead]

I have the SC600w Mklll Hi now and am thinking about the new SC600w MK IV Plus with the XHP50.2 Emitter. My question is with the XHP50.2 emmiter what do you think the run times max on high could be! I assume this emitter is more efficient than the XHP35 but we are still using the same 18650 3500 mah 10 watt batteries so what is your guess that the max run time could be with this emitter pumping out 2300 lumens on HI 1. I am ready to pull the trigger but just want some opinions from those in the know about possible run times before I pre order.

The 2300 lumen mode is thermal regulated so runtimes will vary based on conditions(ambient temperature, passive/active cooling, etc.). But, in average conditions, it will not run long at full output before being greatly reduced due to temperature. I would guess it will run less then 60 seconds before output is significantly reduced. It just isn't possible to run these kinds of outputs out of a light this small with current technology. The good thing with ZL's though is they will constantly adjust output to give you the max output that conditions(temperature) permit unlike many lights that just use a timed step-down. They also do this "throttling" very smoothly so there isn't harsh changes in brightness.

 

[ven]

Thats one thing with ZL's it quite possibly has the most elegant step downs or ramp downs i have ever seen. The sc63w on H1 is super bright, maybe 1100+ lumens, i can focus on it and i can not for the life actually see it ramp down the brightness. I can tell after a little while with the overall light not being as bright, more so when stepped back up. But the way ZL does it is art!!!

2300lm is crazy, maybe 30s or 60s if outside and cold. Run time is n/a on this level as it will drop and run a lot lower output(in comparison anyway, still obviously be bright!). Its a bonus wow mode, used for short blasts of lighting up a large area. The little sc63w gets toasty fast(not D4 fast) but it gets hot, with twice the output.............well it will be a hand warmer, all be it a very cool(looking)useful one

 

[TCY]

Thats one thing with ZL's it quite possibly has the most elegant step downs or ramp downs i have ever seen. The sc63w on H1 is super bright, maybe 1100+ lumens, i can focus on it and i can not for the life actually see it ramp down the brightness. I can tell after a little while with the overall light not being as bright, more so when stepped back up. But the way ZL does it is art!!!

2300lm is crazy, maybe 30s or 60s if outside and cold. Run time is n/a on this level as it will drop and run a lot lower output(in comparison anyway, still obviously be bright!). Its a bonus wow mode, used for short blasts of lighting up a large area. The little sc63w gets toasty fast(not D4 fast) but it gets hot, with twice the output.............well it will be a hand warmer, all be it a very cool(looking)useful one

That's one of the "hidden" good stuff about Zebralight. ZL's PID steps down with a whopping 384 brightness levels (and surprise, ZL's main brightness levels are picked from 768 internal levels, that sounds even more impressive), over 2.5 times than that of the D4 which is 150. If the R&D folks at ZL decides to put a ramping mode into their lights it would be a smoother experience.

 

[Tachead]

That's one of the "hidden" good stuff about Zebralight. ZL's PID steps down with a whopping 384 brightness levels (and surprise, ZL's main brightness levels are picked from 768 internal levels, that sounds even more impressive), over 2.5 times than that of the D4 which is 150. If the R&D folks at ZL decides to put a ramping mode into their lights it would be a smoother experience.

The problem with ramping UI though is that there is no way to tell really what output you are at and what runtime you can expect. It's easy to use a higher level then you need and drain the battery quicker then you wanted to. It is also much faster and more convenient to be able to go immediately to a desired level instead of having to ramp every time. A combination of the two might be nice but, personally I would always want access to at least a few levels immediately without ramping and know what the runtimes for those levels will be.

 

[moozooh]

I have the SC600w Mklll Hi now and am thinking about the new SC600w MK IV Plus with the XHP50.2 Emitter. My question is with the XHP50.2 emmiter what do you think the run times max on high could be! I assume this emitter is more efficient than the XHP35 but we are still using the same 18650 3500 mah 10 watt batteries so what is your guess that the max run time could be with this emitter pumping out 2300 lumens on HI 1. I am ready to pull the trigger but just want some opinions from those in the know about possible run times before I pre order.

Although useless for practical purposes, optimal performance isn't hard to calculate. 2440lm is the maximum OTF brightness achievable without overdriving the LED, minus optical losses. The light will pull ~19W from the battery. Assuming you use a top of the line ~13Wh battery which keeps the mode up until 10–15% of its nominal capacity, your runtime at maximum brightness will be <35 minutes.

The actual runtime, however, will almost always be a lot longer as there are no practical means of controlling the light's temperature, so power consumption will drop accordingly, thus increasing runtime.

 

[tompen41]

Although useless for practical purposes, optimal performance isn't hard to calculate. 2440lm is the maximum OTF brightness achievable without overdriving the LED, minus optical losses. The light will pull ~19W from the battery. Assuming you use a top of the line ~13Wh battery which keeps the mode up until 10–15% of its nominal capacity, your runtime at maximum brightness will be <35 minutes.

The actual runtime, however, will almost always be a lot longer as there are no practical means of controlling the light's temperature, so power consumption will drop accordingly, thus increasing runtime.

The battery Zebra sells is 10 watt. Are there 13 watt unprotected flat top batteries available?

 

[twistedraven]

Ordered 3! Will only keep one.

 

[JoeRodge]

We can pre-order now! Wohoooo!
http://www.zebralight.com/SC600w-Mk-IV-Plus-18650-XHP502-Neutral-White-Flashlight_p_225.html

 

[iamlucky13]

The battery Zebra sells is 10 watt. Are there 13 watt unprotected flat top batteries available?

A couple electrical terms are getting mixed up. 10 Watt or 19W is a power level. 13 Wh is an energy capacity level, equivalent to a 3500 mAh battery. The standard unprotected battery that Zebralight sells, the Panasonic NCR18650GA, is rated for 10 Amps, which is the current draw. That's equivalent to a power level of 30 Watts when the battery is nearly depleted, and over 40 Watts when freshly charged.

So the NCR18650GA should be a good battery for this light.

 

[Tachead]

Ordered 3! Will only keep one.

I am surprised you went with the "c". I thought you were a "d" guy?

 

[moozooh]

The battery Zebra sells is 10 watt. Are there 13 watt unprotected flat top batteries available?

You're confusing watts (W) and watt-hours (Wh).

Watt-hours—ampere-hours (Ah or mAh) multiplied by nominal voltage (3.6~3.7V)—reflect energy capacity of a battery, i.e. how much energy it can store. Watts reflect power draw, i.e. how quickly the light can pump that energy out of the battery and into the LED. So in order to approximate runtime, you need to divide energy of a freshly charged battery by the maximum power (13Wh / 19W = 0.68hrs).

 

[twistedraven]

I am surprised you went with the "c". I thought you were a "d" guy?

Over time I've grown to like the warmer lights more and more.

 

[EDness]

I pre-ordered it. I love my sc600w and 2300 lumens in the same form factor...I have to get one.

 

[tompen41]

You're confusing watts (W) and watt-hours (Wh).

I meant to type amps but used watts instead! Thanks for the detailed explanation though.

Watt-hours—ampere-hours (Ah or mAh) multiplied by nominal voltage (3.6~3.7V)—reflect energy capacity of a battery, i.e. how much energy it can store. Watts reflect power draw, i.e. how quickly the light can pump that energy out of the battery and into the LED. So in order to approximate runtime, you need to divide energy of a freshly charged battery by the maximum power (13Wh / 19W = 0.68hrs).

 

[Tachead]

Over time I've grown to like the warmer lights more and more.

I find that is the evolution for most flashaholics. Warm CCT's are much nicer, imo, for indoor and outdoor night time use because they closer match the ambient lighting and aren't harsh. But, I still like around 5000K for daytime use. I use my H600Fc MKIII at night and my H600Fd MKIII for supplemental lighting during the day. Because most of my flashlight/headlamp use is at night, 3500-4500K has become my favorite CCT range with 4000K being the sweet spot.

 

[twistedraven]

I tend to like a wide range of CCT, but it needs to have a beam quality with no tint shift within it, and no trace of green. That's why I either go floody beam with no hotspot to spill transition, or I go with a shaved dome or flat dome emitter for no tint transition.

 

[ma tumba]

I tend to like a wide range of CCT, but it needs to have a beam quality with no tint shift within it, and no trace of green. That's why I either go floody beam with no hotspot to spill transition, or I go with a shaved dome or flat dome emitter for no tint transition.

^this!

 

[JoeRodge]

What are some good 18650s to use with this flashlight? Whany specific brand/model in mind? I guess it might be a bit off topic: what are good vendors? Know of any non shady Amazon dealers?