Zebralight Reliability

[KeepingItLight]

Hello KeepingItLight, it would be good if you posted this query in the Recommend Me A Light Forum. It is off topic for the purposes of this thread's subject matter.

Bill

Thanks, Bill. Probably you are right. My question, however, is not about what flashlight to buy. I have already made that decision (Zebralight H600Fw). My query is about the reliability of circuit-controlled flashlights in general, and about the reliability of Zebralights in particular. My sense from reading this forum is that circuit-controlled flashlights fail much more often than the simple incandescents from yesteryear. Yet they cost much, much more.

What do the respondents of this poll say? Most of the time you expect a light to last longer than 6, 12, or 18 months, but in case one does not, is that just par for the course? Do you take the failure of your Zebralight as an "acceptable" event, which merely means you must go out and buy another Zebralight to replace it? Or does it cause you to switch brands?

 

[Amelia]

Thanks, Bill. Probably you are right. My question, however, is not about what flashlight to buy. I have already made that decision (Zebralight H600Fw). My query is about the reliability of circuit-controlled flashlights in general, and about the reliability of Zebralights in particular. My sense from reading this forum is that circuit-controlled flashlights fail much more often than the simple incandescents from yesteryear. Yet they cost much, much more.

What do the respondents of this poll say? Most of the time you expect a light to last longer than 6, 12, or 18 months, but in case one does not, is that just par for the course? Do you take the failure of your Zebralight as an "acceptable" event, which merely means you must go out and buy another Zebralight to replace it? Or does it cause you to switch brands?

I have had my pair of H501w, my H501R, and my H51w for several years, no problems with them. However, even if one of them does fail (after the 1 year warranty has expired, of course!), Zebralight will fix them for $15, so it won't be the "writeoff" or loss to philosophy or however you put it. That's one thing I really like about Zebralight - even after the warranty is up, they still (eventually) take care of you. Takes some time, from what I've heard - but they do seem to eventually make it right.

 

[KeepingItLight]

Zebralight will fix them for $15, so it won't be the "write-off" or loss to philosophy or however you put it... Takes some time, from what I've heard - but they do seem to eventually make it right.

That's good to hear. I was taken aback somewhat by LessDark's tale of the defective switch: "[I had an] H51 where the switch stopped working after 2 minutes in use...Being a bit disappointed I just threw it in the trash." Nevertheless, I sympathize with his frustration!

I suppose there are shipping costs to consider, so the cost of repair will be a bit higher than $15. Given the fast pace of innovation, were a light to fail, I might consider it as an opportunity to upgrade to a newer model! I would also undertake the repair, so I could have the old light as a backup or as a gift for a friend.

 

[Mr Floppy]

I never said it was the SC52. It was in fact a H51.

That was unlucky. I waited until the third revision before I got one so it was all current regulated by march 2012.

 

[KITROBASKIN]

I have had great luck with zebralight, and no, I didn't include those in my vote. I just said something about the sc62w going missing to say how much I liked it and miss it that thing was in my pocket or within reach 24hours a day and used all the time. I need to order another.

Oh, OK. I should have asked how you voted.

I think this poll also reflects just how many CPF members will take the time to put in a good word in for ZL. NiteCore gets a few of these reliability threads and I don't think nearly as much defending of the product.

Regarding the question of electronic switches: I've read some members say electronic switches are more reliable than standard switches.

 

[chicken dave]

I had an H501w that failed after about 9 months. Zebralight replaced it, and the replacement has been flawless for about three years. I have an SC51w that is currently at ZL for repair - the lens and retaining ring fell out. Have an SC50w that has had no issues, and have an SC5w that is my new favorite light.

 

[snowlover91]

An interesting observation about the Zebralight SC62w I have is that on high it puts out a great deal of heat not just at the head but also from the lens out front, enough to make dark paper start smoking! Anyone else notice this with their SC62? After about 30 seconds the output drops enough not to anymore due to the PID but I found this observation quite interesting!

 

[markr6]

An interesting observation about the Zebralight SC62w I have is that on high it puts out a great deal of heat not just at the head but also from the lens out front, enough to make dark paper start smoking! Anyone else notice this with their SC62? After about 30 seconds the output drops enough not to anymore due to the PID but I found this observation quite interesting!

Yes it's a blowtorch on the highest mode! I keep mine in a Jetbeam holster, perfect fit! I once turned it on in the holster and it started smoking the soft material within 3 seconds!

 

[InspectHerGadget]

Mmm. It would be good for lighting my BBQ.

 

[snowlover91]

I wonder if in a survival situation this turbo mode on the SC62 would produce enough heat to start a fire? I imagine being out camping or something and you get lost and need a fire you could possibly use this light to get one going and then the lower modes you could use sparingly until you find help? Interesting concept that could make this light another benefit for hiking/camping out.

 

[WalkIntoTheLight]

I wonder if in a survival situation this turbo mode on the SC62 would produce enough heat to start a fire? I imagine being out camping or something and you get lost and need a fire you could possibly use this light to get one going and then the lower modes you could use sparingly until you find help? Interesting concept that could make this light another benefit for hiking/camping out.

Probably wouldn't work. When I use a magnifying glass to light a fire, I'm concentrating about 5 watts of sunlight into a small area about 1 or 2 square millimeters. Yes, it starts a fire easily.

But the SC62 will be using about the same 5 watts of light energy, but spreading it out over an area 100x as large. I don't think it has the concentration of heat needed to start a fire.

You'd be far better off to crush the lithium-ion battery, and start your fire with that.

 

[snowlover91]

I guess the only way to know for sure is to find out If it makes paper and other materials start smoking then I would assume given a material with a low enough combustion temperature that it might be just enough heat to do so?

 

[PoliceScannerMan]

Out of the 15 or so ZL's I have bought, only one (H600) has died. It was well over a year or two out of warranty and they replaced it for $15. Can't argue with that.

 

[geokite]

Gum wrapper to the rescue, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Tny2rPAoPc

Ok, back to the topic.

Steve

 

[ahtoxa11]

I wonder if in a survival situation this turbo mode on the SC62 would produce enough heat to start a fire? I imagine being out camping or something and you get lost and need a fire you could possibly use this light to get one going and then the lower modes you could use sparingly until you find help? Interesting concept that could make this light another benefit for hiking/camping out.

I don't think that you can do so in its stock form, meaning as-is. You won't have enough heat, in my opinion. Now, if you take the battery out, you can use the battery to start a fire. You might be able to short it to generate enough heat. Depends, but the light might not be usable any longer, unless you have a spare battery.

 

[Woods Walker]

Probably wouldn't work. When I use a magnifying glass to light a fire, I'm concentrating about 5 watts of sunlight into a small area about 1 or 2 square millimeters. Yes, it starts a fire easily.

But the SC62 will be using about the same 5 watts of light energy, but spreading it out over an area 100x as large. I don't think it has the concentration of heat needed to start a fire.

You'd be far better off to crush the lithium-ion battery, and start your fire with that.

If it can make paper smoke odds are punkwood, chaga or hoof fungus will take a coal. That coal could then be blown into flames using a tinder bundle of fluffed up cedar or Tulip poplar bark. The ability to blow a coal into flames mitigates many challenges of using marginal means of ignition. Toss some Yellow or White birch bark into the mix if conditions are wet as to ignite the kindling for the next step. Then again I would probably just spin a coal which can even be done on ice.







More on topic. How many H50s are alive out there. Mine still runs. A very old pic of me wearing my H50 from the dawn of Zebralight. Back when you could decide between a P or Q Bin.

 

[snowlover91]

SC32w is about to get a great durability test. Gave my copy to my father as an early Father's Day gift and he put it on his keychain. He had an old light I gave him years ago that he used daily and dropped numerous times and it has dents all over while the anodizing is completely gone. The SC32w went on this keychain as his new light so it will be drop tested, tossed around and used frequently providing us with a good idea on how durable this light really is.

 

[run4jc]

SC32w is about to get a great durability test. Gave my copy to my father as an early Father's Day gift and he put it on his keychain. He had an old light I gave him years ago that he used daily and dropped numerous times and it has dents all over while the anodizing is completely gone. The SC32w went on this keychain as his new light so it will be drop tested, tossed around and used frequently providing us with a good idea on how durable this light really is.

GREAT Father's Day gift! You, sir, are a good son. It'll be fun to hear how the little Zebra holds up to your Dad's daily use.

:twothumbs

My Dad is 86 years old, but he still enjoys getting a flashlight. Perhaps my fascination with lights came from him.

 

[zozo]

I'm at 2/3 failure rate. Had an SC50w that developed a bad switch at about 10 months. I contacted Zebralight, and they replaced it, but that one's switch crapped out in about 6 months. I picked up an SC51, and that's been working pretty well. Maybe the SC50w's had issues.

 

[Mumbojumboo]

2 cold weather spontaneous cracked lenses on sc52s... 2 h502s with switch problems.... 1 random dead h600. with that being said my lights get hammered and I would expect anything to survive. I'm a fan.