The Official Zebralight Thread .

[SYZYGY]

sounds defective? i've only used 18650 and 21700 ZLs, but i think they're all supposed to have pretty low parasitic drain (similar or less to self-discharge of cell).

you can also slightly unscrew tailcaps of lights not being used frequently.

 

[Mr. LED]

I have a question for you all about my SC53c. It seems to be draining batteries with no use. I put in a new Energizer AA Lithium and after a month or two of little to no use, it is completely dead. This has happened maybe three times. Any thoughts?

Seems like it's defective, I would contact Zebralight. If you have a multimeter that can measure current in uA, try it, I always measure my new Zebralight to make sure new ones I buy do not have high parasitic drain. I've seen a few cases over the years in here.

 

[vadimax]

I have experienced the same issue and I was sure the light was malfunctioning... until I tested the NiMH battery. Turned out it was the battery failure -- a new one, but with very high internal resistance.

 

[Megalamuffin]

That definitely should not be happening. Sounds like a warranty issue.

The parasitic drain on the sc53c n should be lower than the self discharge of the battery itself, which takes a very looooong time.

 

[id30209]

Been playing with old SC62. User with defective UI, only H1 and H2 so i thought it's a perfect host for SFT40 5000K emitter.

Before^^^^

After^^^^ (it's not yellow at all to my eyes, it's a bad camera on Iphone 7)

 

[Mgizler]

Lost my SC64LE…….

I had it clipped in my pocket last night….. realized this morning it was gone. It must have came unclipped from my pocket at some
Point last night. I'm bummed. I can't find it anywhere.

 

[PoliceScannerMan]

Dammm hope it turns up!

 

[holygeez03]

Always leave your ZL on in Moonlight Mode when carrying it... if you drop it, you can find it in the dark.

 

[Mgizler]

It's gone boys……. It must have fell out somewhere on Sunday when I was at my boys hockey rink. I have searched everywhere around the house, garage and outside. Nothing……..

 

[ohio72]

It's gone boys……. It must have fell out somewhere on Sunday when I was at my boys hockey rink. I have searched everywhere around the house, garage and outside. Nothing……..

That sucks big time. Going to order another one then?

 

[Mgizler]

That sucks big time. Going to order another one then?

I think I will. It's crazy. I have been EDC'ing a flashlight everyday since 2006 and I have never lost one…… ever. Until now. I guess I had a good run

 

[ilikeguns40]

Good excuse to try out the new SC65 HI

 

[ohio72]

I think I will. It's crazy. I have been EDC'ing a flashlight everyday since 2006 and I have never lost one…… ever. Until now. I guess I had a good run

You sure did👊🏻🍻

 

[raggie33]

im hoping they design something new. but i love my zebra ..i love there drivers how they have great battery life the E word

 

[StephenD]

Hi all,

~Five year flashlight fan and lurker of this website (thank you for everything you've taught me about batteries, voltage, amps, watts and LED's and lumens vs candela vs lux etc etc etc etc etc), but new zebralight owner with my new EDC the SC53c N --- this is genuinely the first EDC I've ever loved after swapping back and forth between an Olight i3t (too limited) and the Wurkkos TS10 (too plasticky, I just can't love it). I like this AA size also because I stick my EDC light in my mouth 20 times a day, just for convenience to have both hands available, and the ridges on this and length / width are just perfect for that.

Anyway, I have seen earlier in this thread that there is some talk about the strobe on zebralights -- I get that it is set at 'true' H1 (or G5 H1) so that's not my question --- however it looks to me like this is a lot less bright than H1. This is with an AA battery, so H1 being ~260 lumens. Strobe looks more in the 50/100 range to me. I first wondered if strobe just looks less because it's on and off so my eyes are 'averaging' or something, but this isn't the case with other lights e.g. on my Acebeam eC35 gen ii the turbo and strobe look about the same. My second thought is if it is ramping up and down and only hits ~260 very briefly or never quite gets there? I know with the Olight i3t plus and i5t that it's hard to get AA / AAA lights to hit those kinds of lumens -- those lights therefore have a very noticeable slow ramp up to ~250 / ~300, which I can't detect on my zebra, but maybe there is a bit of a ramp up which means the strobe doesn't have time to get all the way up to ~260 in between flashes? 🤔

Anyone know anything about this, or has the SC53c N and is willing to have a look and give me your thoughts?

PS. I don't want to come across as some kind of 'strobe' guy haha, I don't really plan on using it, I'm just a bit of an obsessive person so I want to know what's going on / that I don't have a defective light - if it is more like 50 / 100 that's probably actually better as a bike flasher light, my most likely use case.

Thanks!

Stephen

 

[jon_slider]

> the Wurkkos TS10 (too plasticky

fwiw, the only plastic on a TS10 is the optical lens.. the tail button is actually metal

> strobe on zebralights -- I get that it is set at 'true' H1…

that might not be true for every Zebra model

> Strobe looks more in the 50/100 range to me.

I trust your observation that the SC53c N does not use H1 for strobe

> I want to know… that I don't have a defective light

hopefully someone with an SC53c N will confirm your observation that strobe does not use H1... your light does not sound defective, just different strobe brightness than what you read about a different model

I agree that lower than H1 is better for battery life when using it as a bike flasher.. fwiw, there are 4 different blinkies:
Beacon Low, Beacon High, Slow Strobe, Fast Strobe

maybe try them all, to find the one you like best ;-)
congrats on finding a light that suits your personal preferences
Enjoy!

 

[Lips]

Anyone know anything about this, or has the SC53c N and is willing to have a look and give me your thoughts?

PS. I don't want to come across as some kind of 'strobe' guy haha, I don't really plan on using it, I'm just a bit of an obsessive person so I want to know what's going on / that I don't have a defective light - if it is more like 50 / 100 that's probably actually better as a bike flasher light, my most likely use case.

Thanks!

Stephen

I think it hits H1 at 4Hz. Pretty wicked disorienting strobe and definitely not a bike flasher... Brighter on Lith-Ion than Eneloop by 200 + lumens. You have all new software on your "new batch SC54" light so who knows...

Maybe try and take a short video of it and show what it's doing...

PS. I don't want to come across as some kind of 'strobe' guy haha, I don't really plan on using it,

I love a hidden strobe and use it any chance I get!


.

 

[StephenD]

Thanks guys, good point that it could be another change they've made with this latest modification of the SC53c N.

Jon yes true, there's lots I love about the TS10 - anduril, aux lights and a nice tint but it is obviously a relatively cheap build quality compared to zebra and I just can't get on with the tailcap button at all I really like the Zebra UI for EDC too, I like being able to choose particular levels with known lumens and runtimes rather than just 'X steps between n and m' with anduril.

Haha Lips, one reason the old semi-supported 14500 version might have been nice ...

 

[jon_slider]

there's lots I love about the TS10 - anduril, aux lights and a nice tint but it is obviously a relatively cheap build quality compared to zebra and I just can't get on with the tailcap button at all I really like the Zebra UI for EDC too

I respect that you are happier w your Zebra option. No judgement on differences in personal preferences.

fwiw, Zebralight is a USA company, that is probably doubling the price of the Chinese manufactured light they sell.

What makes a Zebra a step above the TS10 in build quality is that the Zebra is potted, the TS10 is not. Otoh, what usually breaks on a Zebra, is the glass lens. The TS10 optic is not glass, and does not break when dropped.

I personally prefer tailswitches over side switches, and I absolutely Hate the Zebra UI. I agree the Zebra is a nice compact host, and has a nice button, among sideswitches I have tried. If Zebra ever offers an Anduril version, I will be very tempted. ;-)

fwiw, I set my TS10 to 12 steps (homage to Zebra). I have a light meter, and I know the output of each step, same as I would with a Zebra (even when they dont publish outputs).

The Zebra is an AA only light, the TS10 is a 14500 only light... They are different and people have different preferences.

De Gustibus Non Est Disputandum..

 

[indigon]

Thanks guys, good point that it could be another change they've made with this latest modification of the SC53c N.

Jon yes true, there's lots I love about the TS10 - anduril, aux lights and a nice tint but it is obviously a relatively cheap build quality compared to zebra and I just can't get on with the tailcap button at all I really like the Zebra UI for EDC too, I like being able to choose particular levels with known lumens and runtimes rather than just 'X steps between n and m' with anduril.

Haha Lips, one reason the old semi-supported 14500 version might have been nice ...

I'm using the SC53c N on an eneloop pro and the strobe seems to be hitting H1 well in the array of dizzying flashes, it could be an optical illusion but it seems more than adequate for this AA light .. Not that I use the fast strobe very much.

Agree the ZL UI is very flexible once you get used to it. I have both the SC53c N and SC65c HI, they are both terrific EDC lights. You can fine tune them to your exact preferences. They are well built and if you are a pocket carrier you never have to worry about it going off accidentally sticking it into your pocket.

Sorry to hear some folks have trouble learning the ZL UI. I think once you get it programmed the first time you're gold. Then it becomes second nature to fine tune it to your exact preference.

And if anyone is still having trouble programming a ZL you can always start with this old classic reference guide to get going:

ZL programming for dummies