indigon
Enlightened
SC53c/54c N are pretty close, with the 54c slightly better. The Zebralight specs are fairly close to reality IMO, your readings seem a little high.
The Official Zebralight Thread
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jon_slider
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I agree my SC54 model has very similar outputs as my two SC53:
my meter is calibrated to an HDS, it is surprisingly accurate
Notice how level 7 and 8 more closely match spec of SC54 to my measured H53. And notice how spec of H53 model more closely matches my measured SC54 model.
(disregard level 12 on my H53Fc N as it was running LiIon)
flipyflop2
Newly Enlightened
I just received a modded SC65c by McBob, so I compared it with my stock one.
I didn't go for a led change, I asked to keep the stock 719A but just run it a bit harder to get more lumens out of it.
Stock:
McBob:
Compared mode by mode:
It's just a little bit more everywhere. RA and R9 suffer a bit on the highest mode, but if you use mode 11 you get better numbers than mode 12 on the stock one.
The runtimes are obviously wrong for the modded one, but keeping in mind I am running a 4000mAh battery and those official runtimes are probably with the recommended 3500mAh cell I might not be too far from the stock runtimes.
I didn't go for a led change, I asked to keep the stock 719A but just run it a bit harder to get more lumens out of it.
Stock:
McBob:
Compared mode by mode:
It's just a little bit more everywhere. RA and R9 suffer a bit on the highest mode, but if you use mode 11 you get better numbers than mode 12 on the stock one.
The runtimes are obviously wrong for the modded one, but keeping in mind I am running a 4000mAh battery and those official runtimes are probably with the recommended 3500mAh cell I might not be too far from the stock runtimes.
indigon
Enlightened
Congrats on the new light. Great info, are you getting any heat on the 10-12 levels?
It's just a little bit more everywhere. RA and R9 suffer a bit on the highest mode, but if you use mode 11 you get better numbers than mode 12 on the stock one.
The runtimes are obviously wrong for the modded one, but keeping in mind I am running a 4000mAh battery and those official runtimes beamare probably with the recommended 3500mAh cell I might not be too far from the stock runtimes.
Looks like a modest increase in throw also.
I have the 5000k 90 CRI XHP35 SC65. Well balanced beam/spill that's near neutral with excellent CRI compared to my 719A SC65c. Basically an SC65 on steroids.
I prefer the 5000k over the 4000k SC65c now that I've used it for a while. Mine gets quite hot on the upper levels as expected but I can use it there for brief periods with no problem. Looks like very similar output to yours overall. Thanks again for posting this.
Trying out a vinyl end cap for drop protection that's working very well.
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jon_slider
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Congrats!
does the stock one flicker visibly on level 1, and does the modded one NotFlicker visibly on Level 1?
someone posted this video of SC65c flicker:
flipyflop2
Newly Enlightened
Do you have beamshots of the stock SC65c vs the XHP35 one? I was thinking about the XHP35 mod for a while, but at the end I decided to just go with the 719A with a boost, as I quite like the 4000-4500K stock tone.Congrats on the new light. Great info, are you getting any heat on the 10-12 levels?
Looks like a modest increase in throw also.
I have the 5000k 90 CRI XHP35 SC65. Well balanced beam/spill that's near neutral with excellent CRI compared to my 719A SC65c. Basically an SC65 on steroids.
I prefer the 5000k over the 4000k SC65c now that I've used it for a while. Mine gets quite hot on the upper levels as expected but I can use it there for brief periods with no problem. Looks like very similar output to yours overall. Thanks again for posting this.
View attachment 81507
Trying out a vinyl end cap for drop protection that's working very well.
View attachment 81509
It gets HOT in 10-12, like for real. Not sure if maybe McBob increased the temperature limit on the flashlight, but it's also worth noting it was hot in the room where I was doing the tests (I had it on 12 until it ran out of battery, most of the time it was running at something around 7000-7500cd unless I was actively cooling it and then it jumped back to around 10000cd).
Stock:
McBob:
Stock flashlight on mode 1 has VERY visible flicker. The modded one has no visible flicker at all. But it's also way brighter, mode 1 on the mod is almost mode 3 on a stock SC65c.
That's fine by me as I don't really use the super low modes. Most of my Zebras have the lowest on mode 5 for G6.
This is the mod I bought:
And this is the other one he offers with the XHP35:
I might have to get myself one of those too, the SC65c is the perfect EDC flashlight.
indigon
Enlightened
I'm using levels 9,11 for my XHP35 HI highest modes, seems to be working out pretty good. The 5000K XHP35 HI mod has a crisp, clean well balanced beam and is quickly becoming my favorite EDC light. Run-time on a N40 4000 mAh battery is exceptional.
Nice beamshots of XHP35 HI 5000k from a Reddit user (not mine) :
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indigon
Enlightened
I have no visible flicker on level 1 of my stock SC65c 719A, and it's an early one.
Just lucky I guess. TBH I don't use level 1 much, I know a lot of folks like it for their nightstand use.
Ymmv: My Quick-ref G6/(G7) ZL chart
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jon_slider
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thank you for the details, including the Flicker Index tests
here is someone elses tests of a stock SC65:
thats about 5 lumens.. I also use it in my G6
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For XHP35 lights I increase the temperature limit by 2°C to compensate for the PID tuning. This makes it run a little hotter, but also significantly increases the stepdown time on H1. I probably did the same to your light. If you prefer, you can reset it to the default by following the instructions here.
indigon
Enlightened
I like my XHP35 HI setup the way it is. Stays high for a long while without stepping down. If it gets too hot for my hands, easy enough to back it down. If it's marginally hot for my hands it's because I need it to be, without it stepping down.
.
@Bob_McBob
Opened Chat on reddit to order one of these if you have any left
Zebralight SC65 with 5000K CRI 90 XHP35 HI: My favourite mod, available just in time to avoid tariffs!
I'll take one of these if you still have inventory!
.
@Bob_McBob
Opened Chat on reddit to order one of these if you have any left
Zebralight SC65 with 5000K CRI 90 XHP35 HI: My favourite mod, available just in time to avoid tariffs!
I'll take one of these if you still have inventory!
.
jon_slider
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Observation about my 18650 Zebra Level 12 output change as battery is now at 1 blink and reads 3.4V on my DMM
With a full charge, on Level 12 on my particular SC64c w sw45k, thanks to mcbob, reaches 650 lumens. Now that the battery is less than half full, Level 12 gives 460 lm, which is the same as what my light gives on Level 11.
There is no step down, the max output is simply limited to Level 11.. I dont mind, as I dont use Level 12, because I dont like how hot the host gets. I prefer to use my lights in ways that do not cause Thermal Step Down.
Im very impressed that the Zebra is able to Sustain 460 lumens from sw45k, without Thermal Step Down.
With a full charge, on Level 12 on my particular SC64c w sw45k, thanks to mcbob, reaches 650 lumens. Now that the battery is less than half full, Level 12 gives 460 lm, which is the same as what my light gives on Level 11.
There is no step down, the max output is simply limited to Level 11.. I dont mind, as I dont use Level 12, because I dont like how hot the host gets. I prefer to use my lights in ways that do not cause Thermal Step Down.
Im very impressed that the Zebra is able to Sustain 460 lumens from sw45k, without Thermal Step Down.
indigon
Enlightened
Impressive numbers Jon, sounds like you have a winner. Was going to ask if you were getting heat on that light on the upper levels, I'm surprised it's not getting hot at 460 lumens.
My McBob XHP35 HI starts getting noticably warm at level 10 which is in the 350 lumens range after about 20 minutes, with no step down but entirely usable at that level for long periods. (My numbers are conservative).
My McBob XHP35 HI starts getting noticably warm at level 10 which is in the 350 lumens range after about 20 minutes, with no step down but entirely usable at that level for long periods. (My numbers are conservative).
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jon_slider
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Level 11 of 460 lm does build heat, but not hot enough to feel scary when touched
that was only a 3 minute test, and output got thermally reduced to about 415 lm when the light was freestanding for a minute. Then I held the head in my hands.. which brought output back up to about 450 lm
thats my first experience of the sensitivity of the Zebra to handheld heat reduction and the resulting output increase
note these output changes are being measured on a meter, and would not be noticeable in actual use
I definitely feel more heat if I use the Level 12 output (650 lm) on a fresh battery, and that is why I left Level 12 out of my G6 program.
I like using sustainable outputs, that do not trigger thermal step down (Level 10 and below).
Unrelated:
I wrote to Zebralight asking to buy an SC53c N tailcap to use on my SC54c N, for AAA compatibility.
Zebra says: there are no more SC53 Tailcaps available..
oh well :rolleyes:
I will now covet my SC53 light with added tenacity.. lol
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When I die and they empty my pockets, they will find a Zebralight.
I washed my SC64c LE today. It made it all the way through to the dryer. I had it locked out so it wouldn’t turn on when I pushed the switch. Spooked me at first. Tightened the end cap and all is well.
For whatever reason, it reminded me of this place. What up?
I washed my SC64c LE today. It made it all the way through to the dryer. I had it locked out so it wouldn’t turn on when I pushed the switch. Spooked me at first. Tightened the end cap and all is well.
For whatever reason, it reminded me of this place. What up?
Replied to you on chat
jon_slider
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has it ever turned on in your pocket before?
congrats on a clean recovery, inspires confidence ;-)
indigon
Enlightened
I've washed a lot of money and a few pens but no flashlights yet. I'm surprised it maintained watertight integrity with the tailcap loosened, I would have at least expected the battery to have shorted out. Looks like you got a mulligan this time around.. Lucky!
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I was also a little surprised. But when I inspected the battery, it was dry as a bone. Keeping the light locked out with a quarter turn of the tail cap is second nature. I suppose that the o ring was still sealing at that point. I hate hot pocket and the embarrassment of "is that a flashlight in your pocket or are you just happy to see me" when it gets accidentally activated.I've washed a lot of money and a few pens but no flashlights yet. I'm surprised it maintained watertight integrity with the tailcap loosened, I would have at least expected the battery to have shorted out. Looks like you got a mulligan this time around.. Lucky!
The Sc60w was very easy to accidentally activate. Been locking them out ever since I carried one of them.
