Zebralight 18650 confusion

So, I love my SC5 so much, I want an 18650.
But I'm confusing myself on the models.
I don't expect anyone to do my homework, but is there a concise explanation of the models anywhere?

If not, I'll just go through them and compare, no big deal.
(Not interested in the SC600 Mk III, I don't care to use unprotected cells.)

Thanks.

If you don't want to use unprotected batteries, you have to use one of the SC62 models or the SC600 II or older. As far as the SC62 models, they are as follows:

SC62 - Cool white XM-L2
SC62w - Neutral white XM-L2
SC62c - 4000K High CRI Philips Luxeon T
SC62d - 5000K High CRI Philips Luxeon T

For the SC600, the SC600w is neutral white while the SC600 is cool white.

If your are interested in the headlamps, they get a bit more confusing:

H600 Similar beam pattern as the SC62
H600F Basically the reflector underneath a frosted lens to diffuse the "SC62" beam pattern
H602 Reflector is that glow-in-the-dark stuff, but effectively a mule. Very wide 120degree beam with no hotspot

All of these come in a nuetral white with a 'w' designation on the end. There is also a High CRI version that i forget the model of.

Sc600 mk II is a great light, still quite small, great output with cool and neutral options. Long enough to fit protected Evva 3500 mah

Awesome guys! So what's the difference between the Sc62 and SC600? Not overly concerned about minor differences in output, so it must be size?

Don't be so quick to skip the SC6000 III and SC63.

Yes, they only use unprotected cells... but NO you're not actually getting less protection. The "protection" found on protected cells is a little cheap circuitboard sitting at the top of the cell. Zebralights have a similar, but much higher quality, circuit built right into their drivers. Protected cells simply aren't needed... you get better protection without it.

In my opinion, the best Zebralight ever made is the SC600w III HI (and I've probably owned close to a dozen different Zebralights at different points): It features high output, perfect tint, great spill, great throw, compact size, anti-roll, grippy, tailstands, etc. The build quality inside and out is flawless ... so good that even Vinh gave up on modding it as none of the mods he tried were noticeably better than the stock light.

The SC63w is a little more of a mixed bag. It's a compact ultra-light flooder. Heats up fast though so max output declines quickly.

Yes, Size. The SC600 bezel diameter is larger than the light body. I think its the same length as the SC62. The body may be a slightly thicker than the SC62 as well..

Not that you are interested in the SC63, but going to unprotected batteries with the SC63 puts that one's length about 40% the gap between the SC52 (the AA one) and the SC62. So, much shorter, but it, like the SC62, is same diameter bezel as the body. The output isn't really noticeable though, so if you use protected cells, get the SC62 now while you can.

jdhermit said:

Awesome guys! So what's the difference between the Sc62 and SC600? Not overly concerned about minor differences in output, so it must be size?

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SC62 - smaller and thinner with a smaller head. Lighter weight. Floodier beam due to the smaller reflector and less mass to sink heat so won't stay at max as long.

SC600 - larger with a wider head. Has knurling for a grippier body. For some, this may be too big to comfortably carry as a pocket EDC light.

MX421 said:

... The output isn't really noticeable though, so if you use protected cells, get the SC62 now while you can.

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I had both an SC62w and SC63w at the same time.

The SC63w was noticeably more compact and also noticeably brighter than the SC62w.

Will second Fireclaw's comments on the SC63(w or otherwise) heating up fast. Turning on the SC62w and the SC63w side by side, the difference is very noticeable.

Also agree that the protection circuitry inside the Zebralight is very good, probably better than the protected circuits. If you already have invested in protected cells though, I'd get the SC62 especially if they are on sale.

All the rave reviews on the Hi version have me interested in that light, but i have quite a few throwers that probaby out throw it.

One last note, Zebralight probably went to unprotected cells for warranty purposes. Out of the 6 or so protected cells i have, i've had one go out on me and i haven't been into 18650 lights for a year yet. Not that Zebralights have magnets or anything, but i understand that some protected circuits can be affected by magnets. If Zebralight sold someone a light and cells, it takes one thing out that can go wrong. Most people who have Zebralights understand the Lithium-ion cell danger and charge with the proper gear.

Fireclaw18 said:

I had both an SC62w and SC63w at the same time.

The SC63w was noticeably more compact and also noticeably brighter than the SC62w.

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I'll admit i haven't had it that long, but mine wasn't that much brighter. Admittedly it was a close wall i compared it to...

Agree that its much smaller, as i said, its a little longer than the median of the SC52 and the SC62 (ie 40% of the length difference between the SC52 & SC62 shorter than the SC62 length)

Again, great info...I'll have to look at the sc600 size, and compare to my existing lights. I prefer bigger lights though in general.

Fireclaw- that really makes me consider the new ones, but I'm lazy and have been getting 18650s from easy sources (GG Mainly) and get the olight brand since I've had good luck with them... Guess I should look if GG sells unprotected since I'm going there next weekend.

jdhermit said:

Again, great info...I'll have to look at the sc600 size, and compare to my existing lights. I prefer bigger lights though in general.

Fireclaw- that really makes me consider the new ones, but I'm lazy and have been getting 18650s from easy sources (GG Mainly) and get the olight brand since I've had good luck with them... Guess I should look if GG sells unprotected since I'm going there next weekend.

Click to expand...

To add to what Fireclaw mentioned one poster on here emailed ZL about the parts used in their lights, possibly CelticCross? Anyways they basically responded with a complete overview and added that the protection circuits used are a much high quality than the Seiko circuits used for protected 18650 cells. In essence you get a shorter, more compact light that's just as safe. I have the SC600 HI, SC63w, SC62w, SC5, and SC5fd and out of all of them the SC600 HI is by far my favorite. For more compact EDC use the SC62w would be my next choice as it doesn't heat up as quickly as the SC63w. If you want brighter then the 63w would be a better option.

For unprotected cells I recommend the Panasonic NCR18650GA cell. It's usually pretty cheap, well made and works great in the Zebralights requiring unprotected cells.

No specific reason...thread just needed a photo

My dilemma is that the SC63 doesn't come in a 4000k high cri. The SC62 does.

Brasso said:

My dilemma is that the SC63 doesn't come in a 4000k high cri. The SC62 does.

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It would be nice if there were some options...maybe in the future, I hope.

sweet and proper photo mark6r...umm the ZL site is really hard for people with really bad eyesight like myself to read over but as far as I know 99 percent of all the needed data is there for everything even though reading over the specs for just one of their billion feature multi PID etc etc lights reminds me of surprise tests I would get in opticianry school...ZL makes good solid profit should have a much stronger site.

Car parts? Oh yes another member cannot remember the name inquired what nmlength LED stop lights averaged on most cars. Dug deep on that one as man...every manufacturer is stuffing whatever fits and turns red into their LED braking systems now. Top of my head the average I came back with for LED brake lights(while lit)was something like 630ish nm it was the NHTSA number or one of them. Some cars are running crazy 750nm range LED brake lights and as low as 420. Once again I am pretty much totally color blind but I understand the numbers and light theory etc but even for me that range is crazy!!

After many years of testing my color perception averages 2-5 shades off what a color actually is depending on factors. Running such low and high nm in brake lights is just damn dangerous I literally cannot see the lower range stuff. Why I love high output throwers so much. OP with the question was trying to choose between a ummm h502r or a h502pr I THINK that is correct. I believe the OP went with the brighter pr(photo red). Man I have been a trained and licensed optician for near 20 years now and literally just cannot see the color red anywhere near properly it REALLY sucks. I go out along the Potomac for a bike ride on the miles long asphalt trail along the waterfront forget any fiddly piddly red something LED that at best looks golden brown to me I bolt on 2 PD35's front those cheap Nite Ize spoke lights are actually okay. Had an awesome LED Lenser headlamp I gave to a poor friend in need of a good work like was the 14.2 model I think it was amazingly good...and expensive. Now ride with lights bolted front and back and fry my forehead with the TN TH10. Anything more than that draws police attention. Freaking Alexandria cops tried to say I was casing the rich townhouses when I was taking beam shots across the river with my then new M3X which just like my camera was pointed directly out across the water. 4 young big fresh Alexandria PD recruits. Man I am 42 now I respect the police but when they are green and being stupid I have no issue pointing out how badly their Surefires plain suck. Pointed the M3X out across the water said "look this is what Im trying to photograph" they shut up totally for the 2 minutes I nearly lit up Maryland on the other side. Politely put my gear back in my pockets told them I was going home and that their new Surefires were POS and to look into buying better lights for themselves....got back on my lit up bike made it back to my now dead Mercedes dodging the common utter biking lunatic that ride the waterfront at 57 mph with either no lights at all or some tiny POS and catch an attitude if you are in their way. The LED adventure continues. Recent purchases have been freaking stellar. MH20GT...actually so damn bright on max I can barely crank it that high. ZL MkIII HI I can almost see the true tint! I think...man is that tiny thing BRIGHT!!! Amazingly Armytek Predator standard warm white V3 XB-H some of the best tint I have ever seen out of anything at all. Its still bright golden brown but the beam is just as defined as my expensive far higher output Pred Pro V3 HI. XB-H beam actually looks dare I finally say it? Halogen like(I am going by kelvin ratings etc)does not seem half the output of the HI at all either use it and the MkIII HI all day currently love it. Cleaned up all my neutrals, fresh cells etc(mostly Eagtac)loving that as well they are all totally bright golden browns the T25C2 HI I scored the NW HI accidentally. Amazing beam and output sweet throw. I believe the correct K designation I see in it is close to rose. Very nice.

Brasso said:

My dilemma is that the SC63 doesn't come in a 4000k high cri. The SC62 does.

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I have an SC62d, but never use it. Sure it's high-CRI, but the output is soooo loooow.

With 4x the lumens, the SC63w and SC600w III HI are in a whole different class in output and I find them far more useful.

I also find the tint on the SC600w III HI to be more pleasing than that of my SC62d.

300 lumens is more than enough for me. I've never felt the need or use for a 1000 lumen pocket light.

I seriously can't fathom what people need that much light for in an edc pocket light. Every edc light I own is a high cri and none of them put out more than about 300 lumens. And I rarely ever us them on high except to play with. 99.9% of what I need a light for I get by just fine with about 10 lumens.

Brasso said:

300 lumens is more than enough for me. I've never felt the need or use for a 1000 lumen pocket light.

I seriously can't fathom what people need that much light for in an edc pocket light.

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Have you actually tried an 1100+ lumen pocket light? Once you've actually tried it, the extra light is actually quite refreshing. Also a light, like the SC600w III HI throws much further than the SC62d, if you're looking at anything in the distance.

Of course it could be personal preference. I tend to gravitate towards mini pocket rockets. My current EDC is a modded Sunwayman C10R that produces around 2500 lumens ... and it's smaller than any of the 18650 Zebras.