1st ZebraLight - SC32 runtime anomalies...

So I finally got my first ZebraLight. I've always been a Surefire - Malkoff guy so I've resisted the ZLs...until now. I've been carrying an MD2 M61 daily for several years but since I have a slightly different job now I don't really need much throw at work anymore. And frankly the older (and fatter) I get I am getting more and more tired of carrying around so much extra weight with my EDC. I changed my pistol from an XDm 3.8 9mm to a svelte S&W Shield 9mm. So now I'd like to do the same for my EDC flashlight. I still love my MD2 but I'd like to try something a lot smaller at least for my crappy 10 hour a day walking-on-concrete floors warehouse day job.

I will very likely try a Malkoff MDC eventually as it looks really nice too but I want at least two modes and the Malkoff has PWM which I don't want. Ideally for me would be two modes - a medium with about 25-70 lumens and a high with at least 250. For the purpose of this compact/lightweight carry I think a single CR123a is ideal (all my other lights use 18650 protected cells). So I got my ZebraLight SC32 in the mail yesterday (pretty quick turn around from ZL and free First Class USPS shipping).

I been doing comparison & run-time tests on it half the night. Here are my conclusions and results:

ZL website says H1 mode is PID controlled 480 lumens and "about" 1.4 hours. First thing I see is that compared to my MD2 (325 lumens) the SC32 is noticeable brighter with nearly as much spill but of course less throw. So far so good! I also see that when compared on a whitewall the SC32 is a couple of degrees whiter/cooler than my MD2. The M61 looks downright warm compared to the SC32! Both lights are the cool versions. Both lights have very clean and nice beams. No problems here. After about 30 minutes the SC32 got warm but not hot. After about 45 minutes it was cool again and within 60 minutes it was NOTICEABLY dimmer. A LOT dimmer. So obviously this was the thermal sensor voodoo doing it's thing. This was very disappointing to me. I don't really care for the idea of a high mode that can't maintain a strong brightness for at least a solid hour. I was using a fresh new Surefire CR123a and this was in my cool air-conditioned house. I was pretty bummed and it was at this point late last night that I was considering selling this tiny marvel on the forum and then saving for the difference to get my Malkoff MDC.

But then I started looking at the UI and different mode options. A quick double click from H1 will get me to H2 which the ZL site lists as 262 lumens for 1.6 hours...and if I understand the engineering right this mode is NOT PID controlled. So I put in a new SF CR123a and restarted my test in H2 mode. I put a fresh 18650 in the MD2 and compared them again. Running in H2 the ZL was slightly dimmer than the M61 but still a respectable amount of brightness so I do think the 262 claim is accurate. In fact walking around my house in the dark it does seem like an ideal amount of light for my needs. So I am happy with that! Now here is where it gets kind of weird. I left the SC32 on in H2 for 3 hours straight before I gave up and went to bed. The light NEVER got warm the entire time! And the brightness looked to be 100% the whole time! Now I don't have a light-box or any other way to measure output so it's very possible I'm wrong but it sure APPEARED to be the same to my naked eye. I just now turned it back on and made sure it was in H2...still looks bright and I will try to finish draining this battery.

So my conclusion so far is that 480 lumens is a little too much to ask of such a tiny light and a single CR123a...at least for MY needs and my ideas about reasonable run-time and balanced usage. The 262 lumen H2 mode is the ideal "real" high mode for me. Also the Medium M1 mode of 54 lumens is probably ideal for when I'm trying to read something fairly close. I'll carry this little light to work with me on Monday and Monday night I will report back.

I would have thought the cr123a would be pushed to kick out 480lm and would have tired the cell out fairly quick. iirc they are good for around 1.5a, and more suited to lower output(like your H2 level). Have you considered a couple of 16340 cells(or is that swearing). These wont last as long as a cr123a, usually around 6-700mah. But within a few cycles.................as good as free lumens. They should get you through a shift easy, swap out, recharge and rotate the cells. Just a thought, congrats and enjoy your new ZL.......I am new to ZL as well, and love them

Heh. I'm not in the dark much per day....hopefully a battery will last me all week (4 days). I'm just fussy about such things and I like it to be capable....just in case!

Nothing wrong with that i may be a little fussy to

Thanks for your thoughts WH.

Ven, the SureFire cell is what PK uses due to its ability to hold a good, steady output. Streamlight batteries hold up fairly well too. I agree that output is asking an awful lot from that little battery.

It sounds like the ZL goes into self protect mode (like so many these days) by throttling itself back. Unlike some, it sounds like the ZL has a respectable time of high output instead of some 'turbo' that lasts a few seconds so the maker can boast crazy output numbers. Good on ZebraLight. 480 is certainly do-able, but it's pushing the envelope of todays current crop of emitters.
Disappointing I suppose, that it dims over time but the alternative is to carry an oven mit if radiation were chosen to allow the light to remain at full output.

I use a 1 cell light daily and a NiteCore RCR 123 does the trick. Running the light a few minutes here, a few minutes there, I swapped out a cell once this summer while working at night. That was from late May to late August. I keep a pair of primaries in my truck in case the RCR were to give out (and I forgot to charge the backup).

Oh, and I usually find the medium setting (200+/- lumens) of my edc is plenty. But at times, lighting a crevice in a well lit situation requires full output. Sounds like the H2 setting is an ideal output for most situations.

I think ven was right on, the cr123 cell can only put out full brightness for a short time on H1, as WH described very well. The dimming over time wasn't PID ("self protect mode"), it was just a drained cell (good evidence for that theory: the light was no longer warm). On all my ZL, I've seen the same thing, whether they are AA or 18650: H1 mode is neat, but comparatively short lived, and H2a or H2b seems to have a freaky-long runtime with only slightly dimmer output.

Welcome to ZL, WH, I predict more in your future! If you want something significantly smaller than the MD2 (not TOO much bigger than the SC32), but with the brightness and runtime of 18650, I'd consider checking out the SC63.

Defo another vote for the sc63(loving my 'w' which is the 4500k xhp35).The size is so compact..........i would have never believed it was an 18650 light!

And that cell is finally drained! It ran for an additional 65 minutes this morning before finally dropping to a very low output. So in total I got 4 hours and 15 minutes of full brightness (or nearly full brightness) on the 262 lumen H2 mode. So why does ZL only claim 1.6 hours for this mode when I got more than DOUBLE that? Just being conservative? Or am I just not detecting the earlier dimming on this mode with my naked eye?

I would suspect your on a lower level,maybe M1 or M2 for that run time. The sc62d gets 3hrs at 320lm and thats 18650 fed.

I'm fairly certain I had H2. I will run the test on one more CR123a and see if I can duplicate those earlier results! Here goes again.

My PKDL PR-1 doesn't dim at full output. Hence why I figured the ZL has a self protect mode. Also why I mentioned the oven mit.

Plus an over taxed battery will get noticeably (read scarey, possible hand grenade) warm.

ZL has some really smart ideas. One of which would be a way of not overtaxing a lithium battery.

And from what I've read they tend to cite conservative numbers.

WebHobbit said:

I'm fairly certain I had H2. I will run the test on one more CR123a and see if I can duplicate those earlier results! Here goes again.

Click to expand...

From the ZL website:
High: H1 480 Lm (PID, approx 1.4 hr) or H2 262 Lm (1.6 hrs) / 108 Lm (4.1 hrs)

Seems your H2 was set to 108 lumens (H2 has two possible settings, 262 and 108).

That makes sense Connor, 108lm

OK guys....so how do you get to H2 108? I know you go in with one click from OFF -that's 480...then a double click to 262 -right? So then how do you get to 108?

WebHobbit said:

OK guys....so how do you get to H2 108? I know you go in with one click from OFF -that's 480...then a double click to 262 -right? So then how do you get to 108?

Click to expand...

• Advanced Operation and Configuration
  • Press and hold to cycle from Low, Medium and High, release at the desired level to set. When press and hold, the light always cycle from Low to High regardless which level you are currently in.
  • Double click to toggle and select between the two sub-levels for that main level. Sub-level selections for the 3 main levels are memorized after the light is turned off and through battery changes.
  • The second sub-level (H2, M2 and L2) of each main levels can be further programmed to different brightness levels. At a main level, double-click 6 times to start configuration. On subsequent double-clicks the light will cycle through different brightness levels. Short click to turn off the light when finishing configurations. The selections for the second sub-levels are memorized after the light is turned off and through battery changes.

Yeah....I've read that like 20 times now.......this tells how to program it.....I didn't double click 6 times. So how did I inadvertently get to 108 mode?

WebHobbit said:

Yeah....I've read that like 20 times now.......this tells how to program it.....I didn't double click 6 times. So how did I inadvertently get to 108 mode?

Click to expand...

I think the lowest H2 mode (108) is the factory preset on all Zebralights. If you want it to be 262 lumens you need to program it as per the instructions above.

Oooooooooooh. So just by double clicking I am simply switching from 480 to 108?

So I haven't even seen 262 yet?

WebHobbit said:

Oooooooooooh. So just by double clicking I am simply switching from 480 to 108?

So I haven't even seen 262 yet?

Click to expand...

Yes and nope. ;-)
You can program it that the double click either switches between 480 and 108 OR 480 and 262.

Welcome to the club. I have been into lights for many yrs but just bought my first ZL a couple months ago. A SC600W Mklll Hi and loved it. So much in fact that I now own the SC63W, SC5W MKll, SC53W, and SC32W. I ended up buying the whole family! Now looking forward to seeing what the SC64 will be. The ZL's satisfy all my light needs except my one other passion which is good quality Titanium Lights which I am now starting to collect. So far I have the Eagletac D25C and Olight S1 Baton, Fenix RC09 Ti, and looking for more! It truly is an addiction!