Zebralight SC600 MKIII HI BUY IT!

[Connor]

How about:

Since I write web sites for a living, I'd be happy with that.

But .. it's right there on the ZL website:
http://www.zebralight.com/SC600w-Mk...Neutral-White-High-Intensity-XHP35_p_179.html
-Main Features and Specifications
-Battery

:candle:

 

[snowlover91]

How does the light react when the battery voltage drains and can no longer support the higher output modes?

Asking because the only other Li-ion compatible lights I have experince with are my Olight S1 & S2 Batons... With these the light will power on the higher output modes but immediately shut off...

Thanks...

Thats one of my favorite features of the ZL.. Instead of immediately shutting off it will step down to a much lower level. This serves two purposes, it lets you know it's time to recharge the battery while also giving you a few mins of usable light, at reduced output, before stepping down again. For example if you're using one of the high modes it usually will step down to medium and after a few minutes down again to a lower medium or moonlight mode, it's hard to tell which. I've never run my light long after this point so I'm not sure at what point it would cut off due to the over discharge protection but I did get about 3-4 minutes at least when I first discovered it by accident.

 

[KeepingItLight]

So there's nothing about the electronics that would stop a protected 18650 from working, and the light wouldn't be damaged using a protected 18650?

Note that the protection circuits built into the ZebraLight SC600 Mk. III HI are better than the protection circuits in a protected battery. Some of the specific components used in the SC600 Mk. III HI are described by ZebraLight in this post.

Note, as well, that protected batteries are not all equal. The Panasonic NCR18650B battery, for instance, has its maximum continuous discharge current spec'ed at 4.875 amps by its manufacturer. In its brightest mode, the SC600 Mk. III HI probably pulls at least that much current or more.

ZebraLight has said that using an unprotected Pany "B" is "okay" in the SC600 Mk. III HI. That does not mean, however, it will give you the best performance possible. If you compare the discharge curve of the "B" with for those of medium-draw batteries such as the Panasonic NCR18650GA (10-amp continuous discharge) or the Samsung INR18650-30Q (15-amp continuous discharge), you will see that voltage sags significantly more in the "B."

The extra headroom given by the "GA" and the "30Q" is nice to have. IR (internal resistance) in a Li-ion battery increases as a battery ages. When that happens, voltage sag (at moderate and high currents) also increases. Using the Pany "B" you don't have any headroom to spare. With the "GA" or the "30Q," you do.

When you consider these things, it is not a surprise that ZebraLight is recommending the "GA."

How does the light react when the battery voltage drains and can no longer support the higher output modes?

Asking because the only other Li-ion compatible lights I have experince with are my Olight S1 & S2 Batons... With these the light will power on the higher output modes but immediately shut off...

You get plenty of warning with a ZebraLight. This flashlight, and other ZebraLight models, as well, use forced step-downs as battery voltage declines. First, High steps down to Medium. About 10 or 15 minutes later, Medium steps down to low. After another period, which I believe is longer than 15 minutes, the final step-down from Low turns off the flashlight.

This is a "low-voltage" cutoff that turns off the flashlight completely (except for a minuscule standby current). This is the cutoff circuit that ZebraLight describes as using better components than the same cutoff circuit in a protected battery.

How about:

"Battery: One unprotected 18650 size (i.e. 65.0-65.2 mm long), 3.6-4.35V li-ion rechargeable. This light does NOT support longer, protected cells. Batteries are not included in the package."

Since I write web sites for a living, I'd be happy with that.

I agree with your approach. I think ZebraLight is too cagey with the language it uses.

 

[wolfgaze]

Thank you for the responses SnowLover and KeepingItLight....

 

[recDNA]

So there's nothing about the electronics that would stop a protected 18650 from working, and the light wouldn't be damaged using a protected 18650?

kj2's "no" answer is strictly related to the difference in lengths of the two batteries which I acknowledged in my first post?

The protection circuit on most protected 18650 would trip on H1 due to high current draw. Only a new high output protected cell would work. Must be able to handle steady 6 amps at least.

 

[davepen]

I agree with your approach. I think ZebraLight is too cagey with the language it uses.

At least they used "i.e." correctly.

 

[LimuHead]

My MKIII HI showed up last Friday!

It's pretty much spot on for what I was expecting after reading the reviews here on CPF and around the web.

I wanted a throwy light to complement the superior flood of my H602w, and the wonderfully wide, but not so throwy hot-spot of my SC63w. The MKIII HI is the perfect light to fill this niche.

Me likey very much!

Now I'm trying to decide where it will ride in my EDC. It will most likely either ride in my LFP, or hang out in the front panel of my sling pack. Either way it's coming with me.

Aldon

 

[TheRealSpinner]

My MKIII HI showed up last Friday!

It's pretty much spot on for what I was expecting after reading the reviews here on CPF and around the web.

I wanted a throwy light to complement the superior flood of my H602w, and the wonderfully wide, but not so throwy hot-spot of my SC63w. The MKIII HI is the perfect light to fill this niche.

Me likey very much!

Now I'm trying to decide where it will ride in my EDC. It will most likely either ride in my LFP, or hang out in the front panel of my sling pack. Either way it's coming with me.

Aldon

Hah! That's exactly why I ordered mine. :twothumbs I carry my H602w in my bag (when it's not on my head), along with the SC600w MKIII HI. The SC63w lives in my front left pocket, next to my wallet. I'm looking into making a clip like this one I found in another thread:

Thanks!

It's this one:

http://usaknifemaker.com/ti-pocket-clip-formed-tumbled-040-low-rider-thin.html

I'll post some pix when I get them on other Zebralights.

 

[wolfgaze]

Has anyone tried carrying this light with a Maxpedition 4" Flashlight Sheath??? Wondering about the fit... Head diaeter of the SC600 is 1.2 inches, the diameter of the sheath is 1.1 inches (but I'm not sure if it will elastically expand)...

http://www2.knifecenter.com/item/MX1430B/Maxpedition-1430B-4-inch-Flashlight-Sheath-Black

 

[Equitymind]

Has anyone tried carrying this light with a Maxpedition 4" Flashlight Sheath??? Wondering about the fit... Head diaeter of the SC600 is 1.2 inches, the diameter of the sheath is 1.1 inches (but I'm not sure if it will elastically expand)...

http://www2.knifecenter.com/item/MX1430B/Maxpedition-1430B-4-inch-Flashlight-Sheath-Black

YES it does. I have the Maxpedition 4" sheath and it is an absolute perfect fit for the ZL SC600 series.

 

[wolfgaze]

YES it does. I have the Maxpedition 4" sheath and it is an absolute perfect fit for the ZL SC600 series.

Great to hear... Thank you!

Do you place the flashlight in your sheath with the head facing upward or tail up?

 

[cp2315]

Finally got mine today. It is one nice little light with a pack of power! Very happy with it.
The button is a lot softer than sc600 mark I. I like this change.

 

[Equitymind]

Great to hear... Thank you!

Do you place the flashlight in your sheath with the head facing upward or tail up?

I normally place it with the head facing upward but I just tried it head inserted first (facing downwards) and it fits either way. Clarification, this is for the ZL SC600 Mk III Series. I have no idea if it fits the original SC600 Series.

 

[wolfgaze]

One of the better SC600 MK3 HI reviews and which has lots of beamshots:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=FGuSiwIoOU0

(EDIT: I see this review was already posted earlier in the thread by the Reviewer himself)

 

[GunnarGG]

Anyone replacing an SC600w MK III with a HI?

Btw, I don't see it listed in stock at any stores at the moment.

I did.

First got the SC600w MkIII but for me it had to bright spill.
With that beam profile I didn't like it in the higher levels and therefor it didn't ad much to me compared to my SC52w and my SC62d (with a more throwy beam).
I now have the HI version and think it's great. I can use it on max without getting to blinded by a super bright foreground and it gives pretty good throw.
For almost all my use my SC52w and SC62d is enough, usually don't even use hi on them but the SC600w MkIII HI is fun.


Haven't seen anything about "accidental on" problems.
In the earlier SC models that was a common problem, I have a SC30 that I always needed to lockout the tailcap on.
On the newer lights with more recessed switch never had that problem (well maybe once or twice in a couple of years).
But yesterday walking around with the new SC600 in my jacket pocket I put my hand in the pocket and it was really warm with the light on.
The battery tester still showed 4 blinks so it hadn't been on to long I'll guess.

When comparing to my SC52 and SC62 the SC600 had the switch that needed least pressure to activate.
No big difference but maybe the reason it switched on in my pocket. :thinking:

 

[legendofzelda]

gunnar do you have any beamshot comparisons of the sc600w mkIII vs SC52w vs SC62D?

I did.

First got the SC600w MkIII but for me it had to bright spill.
With that beam profile I didn't like it in the higher levels and therefor it didn't ad much to me compared to my SC52w and my SC62d (with a more throwy beam).
I now have the HI version and think it's great. I can use it on max without getting to blinded by a super bright foreground and it gives pretty good throw.
For almost all my use my SC52w and SC62d is enough, usually don't even use hi on them but the SC600w MkIII HI is fun.


Haven't seen anything about "accidental on" problems.
In the earlier SC models that was a common problem, I have a SC30 that I always needed to lockout the tailcap on.
On the newer lights with more recessed switch never had that problem (well maybe once or twice in a couple of years).
But yesterday walking around with the new SC600 in my jacket pocket I put my hand in the pocket and it was really warm with the light on.
The battery tester still showed 4 blinks so it hadn't been on to long I'll guess.

When comparing to my SC52 and SC62 the SC600 had the switch that needed least pressure to activate.
No big difference but maybe the reason it switched on in my pocket. :thinking:

 

[roger-roger]

I did.

First got the SC600w MkIII but for me it had to bright spill.
With that beam profile I didn't like it in the higher levels and therefor it didn't ad much to me compared to my SC52w and my SC62d (with a more throwy beam).
I now have the HI version and think it's great. I can use it on max without getting to blinded by a super bright foreground and it gives pretty good throw. ....

Great comments, observations. With my (second try) forth ZL coming in, I'm close to switching from experimentation to user-mode. However I m-i-i-i-ght have to grant an audition for the SC600 HI. :O)

 

[GunnarGG]

gunnar do you have any beamshot comparisons of the sc600w mkIII vs SC52w vs SC62D?

Sorry, no beamshots. At least not at the moment.

I do not have the SC600w MkIII anymore, have the HI version now.
IIRC the beam looked about the same as SC52w but of course brighter on the high modes.
The HI version looks pretty close to the SC62d in beamprofile.
The 62d have a LED that is smaller than the one that the w and coolwhite have and therefor a tighter and brighter hotspot.

I did a little test yesterday.
With the lux meter in my phone I measured the intensity of the center of the hotspot and then about halfway out in the spill.
On my SC52w the lux of the spill was about 13% of the center lux.
On the SC62d it was 5% and on the SC600w MkIII HI it was 3%

That would give that if I use brightness levels on the SC52w and the SC600w MkIII HI that gives an equally bright foreground (from the spill), then the hotspot of the SC600 HI is about 4 times as bright as the SC52, and the throw then about the double.

Hope it makes sense.

 

[legendofzelda]

would love to see beamshots of your sc600 HI

 

[eekazum]

Just got my hi this morning, charged up the bat and am currently playing with it.

First things first, this is my real first neutral white light and I'm not really liking it. The tint looks way too orange and gives me the impression I've got cardboard walls. My walls were painted some off-gray color so that doesn't help but all this talk about CRI and making things look more alive... I'm not getting it.

In all fairness, I have grown up under the light of cool white fluorescent lights so perhaps 6500k is my "normal" as opposed to most others who have fond memories of bedtime stories under incandescent or even candle lighting. I know I've had this argument with past roommates who complain my room is too bright as I complain that they keep the dining room too dark and orange and the sleepiness kills my appetite.

Whatever it is, this orange light really isn't doing it for me.

Other than that, my other complaint is that the light does get hot faster than the mh20. I didn't do a scientific assessment on how many degrees and how much faster than the mh20 but I guess I was expecting something more from the praises I read about regarding thermal management in this light. The funny thing is, the whole light warms up as opposed to just the head on the mh20. I know I read that somewhere also and yes that speaks volumes about the engineering that went into this light. In hindsight, (and before the flaming starts, please keep in mind I'm still quite a newb at flashlights) I suppose the engineers of ALL these lights are smart enough to not let their product overheat to the point where they damage themselves. My mind is still in the era of those hondas where the solder on the main fuel relay would melt and resolder themselves after decades of use.

OKAY, now, after all this complaining, I still think this is an awesome light.

There UI is definitely not as cryptic as I originally thought it was. Seriously, that review by mhanlen was probably the best I've seen of this light and he and some others have explained it in so may other ways too but its not that hard once you have it in your hand It's much better than having to scroll through a billion different brightnesses and having a direct shortcut to high, med, and low is all I really ever need.

As for size, it is definitely smaller than the mh20 and it feels somewhat more solid/balanced in my hand than the mh20. Looking at the construction of the mk3 hi, it is obvious that they looked at every possible angle and made the light as small as physically possible for an 18650 light. I seriously wonder how thin that wall on the tailcap is. Also, much care was taken to make sure the mk3 hi doesn't accidentally turn on. The button is nested deep in the head just enough to prevent anything foreign from turning it on.

Anyhow, just sharing my thoughts on my new light. Hopefully, this orangy tint is just a phase or its something that shows it's true meaning outdoors more than the little 120 sqft room i'm renting.