ZebraLight Mods
- Thread starter Shorty66
- Start date
Help Support CPF:
Help Support Candle Power Flashlight Forum
varuscelli
Flashlight Enthusiast
Thanks, edc3. I toyed around with about a half dozen ways of doing that and finally decided on the strike plate thing. But, I updated my original post with the thought that it would have probably been better to use a cheap money clip, if I could have found one. I'll probably do one of those as well. And the magnet addition gives it even more potential uses, especially coupled with the trimmed down silicon holder for all the lamp rotation possibilities (360 degrees in vertical or horizontal or any chosen angle in between). I like the way it came together.
I have good news for those who don't want to glue a magnet to your ZL headlamp. You can use magnets without gluing them to the tail cap, or without using a removable magnet mod. This is possible because of the ingenious swiveling clip.
Attach 1 magnet to the clip, then attach that magnet to another magnet. The angle of the beam can be adjusted by swiveling the clip/light.
Because the wood is thick, 3 magnets were needed here: 1 on the clip and 2 on the inside.
Beam angle adjustment is much better with the new way.
My removable magnet mod, while unnecessary now, is not a total waste. I can store 2 magnets on it. There are instances where extending the light out has an advantage over the flat layout. However, the new way allows for a more precise control of the beam angle. In short, the new way is better than the old one without the hassle of gluing and making a mod. But you need a way to EDC some magnets.
Attach 1 magnet to the clip, then attach that magnet to another magnet. The angle of the beam can be adjusted by swiveling the clip/light.
Because the wood is thick, 3 magnets were needed here: 1 on the clip and 2 on the inside.
Beam angle adjustment is much better with the new way.
My removable magnet mod, while unnecessary now, is not a total waste. I can store 2 magnets on it. There are instances where extending the light out has an advantage over the flat layout. However, the new way allows for a more precise control of the beam angle. In short, the new way is better than the old one without the hassle of gluing and making a mod. But you need a way to EDC some magnets.
Last edited:
perregrintuk
Newly Enlightened
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2011
- Messages
- 1
@varuscelli: The cap holder is such awesome! Love it...
varuscelli
Flashlight Enthusiast
EXCALIBUR1
Newly Enlightened
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2007
- Messages
- 122
I just received my H51F from GG using the ggcpf10 discount code. I'm lovin' it. Right now, I have my H51F set up with the GITD holder, black 550 paracord, and cord lock ala varuscelli. As we all know, this set up works well for neck and head wear when using the H51F.
I would like to thank davidt1, Bolster, varuscelli, et. al. for their contributions and mod ideas. I am now a CPF headlamp user.
I would like to thank davidt1, Bolster, varuscelli, et. al. for their contributions and mod ideas. I am now a CPF headlamp user.
Last edited:
varuscelli
Flashlight Enthusiast
Very cool! But I think once you get one of these things, I think you're hooked. Of the different lights I own, I think the ZebraLight headlamp and SC600 are my favorite own/two punch with their compact size, power, versatility and bang for the buck.
EXCALIBUR1
Newly Enlightened
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2007
- Messages
- 122
davidt1 and varuscelli,
Thank you. It is an honor to be in the presence of such venerable flashaholics. I am finding more and more uses for my H51F. With the neck and head wear options afforded by the H51F, there is no more need to hold the flashlight in my mouth anymore. I am planning to buy some magnets next. I am still on the prowl for an elastic sleeve, but my local Wallygreens does not have them in stock.
Please keep those mods and new ideas coming.
Thank you. It is an honor to be in the presence of such venerable flashaholics. I am finding more and more uses for my H51F. With the neck and head wear options afforded by the H51F, there is no more need to hold the flashlight in my mouth anymore. I am planning to buy some magnets next. I am still on the prowl for an elastic sleeve, but my local Wallygreens does not have them in stock.
Please keep those mods and new ideas coming.
Last edited:
miyagi
Newly Enlightened
David - Much thank you for your great ideas!! I think you should package a "Dave's Accessory" for like $20 payable via PayPal. :wave: This includes everything up to your last post in this thread. I definitely would be interested. 🙂
The H502 and H502W are around the corner and quite hard to resist in getting H501 which has been out for a while!!!
The H502 and H502W are around the corner and quite hard to resist in getting H501 which has been out for a while!!!
Thanks for the kind words. A cord lock, shoelace, elastic sleeve and some magnets should cost you no more than $5 to put together by yourself. I can not believe I have spent months using the light with a magnet glued to the tail cap and not realizing sooner a better way to use magnets is through the rotating clip. Thanks must go to Zebralight for including this ever-so-useful clip. I hope they will update it to a beefier stainless steel one on their upcoming lights.
Since I lost my H501, I have a need for an all flood ZL light. The H502/H502W is the logical light to get in so many ways. The new light should be an improvement over both the H501 and H51F with more brightness and better efficiency over the H51F while retaining the true flood beam and size of the H501. I can't wait.
Last edited:
Okay creative geniuses, I've been wanting a removable diffuser for my Zebralight headlamps for a long time. A couple of weeks ago I ordered an 18mm UCL lens with Light Diffusion Film. My first attempt to make a holder for it (out of velcro) was partially successful. It spread the beam out pretty nicely and was easy to make - no sewing. The problem was that it is too bulky and not secure enough. I'm afraid the lens could pop out too easily. Anyone got any ideas for a holder for this lens? Also, I'm wondering if anyone has a source for plastic diffuser material like in the Surefire diffusers.
Anyway, here are some pics:
Anyway, here are some pics:
LED_Thrift
Flashlight Enthusiast
The SC51 was near the top of my short list of favorite EDCs. It has a great UI, with easy to access high mode - too easy actually. The only thing keeping it from being at the top of my EDC list was the fact that it would come on in my pocket when it bumped up against a pocketknife, keys, my phone or whatever else was sharing space with it. To make matters worse, with the great UI it has it will come on in high mode with the kind of quick bump the switch gets when dancing with other objects in your pocket. Since the high is really high for a single AA light, it also means that the battery gets run down fast while lighting up the inside of your pocket. Twice when I needed to use my light, it had very little juice left. It used to come on accidentally about once a day. Until...
Since I did the mod over two weeks ago, it hasn't come on once by accident, yet turning it on isn't any harder than it was before, although I haven't tried it with gloves. It is now my favorite EDC, passing a D10 [ramping w shortcuts] and a Peak Rainier. The mod will be reversible, though I can't imagine why I might want to do that!
It wasn't that hard once I figured out where to get the raw material. I needed thin wall aluminum tube of just the right diameter.... SKI POLES. I had a few second string ones I had saved - always knew they would come in handy. They taper near the bottom, giving me variable diameters.
Cut a thin slice, sand it a little, some carefully placed epoxy - problem solved!
Regards,
Thrifty
Since I did the mod over two weeks ago, it hasn't come on once by accident, yet turning it on isn't any harder than it was before, although I haven't tried it with gloves. It is now my favorite EDC, passing a D10 [ramping w shortcuts] and a Peak Rainier. The mod will be reversible, though I can't imagine why I might want to do that!
It wasn't that hard once I figured out where to get the raw material. I needed thin wall aluminum tube of just the right diameter.... SKI POLES. I had a few second string ones I had saved - always knew they would come in handy. They taper near the bottom, giving me variable diameters.
Cut a thin slice, sand it a little, some carefully placed epoxy - problem solved!
Regards,
Thrifty
LED Thrift,
Good stuff there! I am glad it worked out well for you.
edc3,
The Zebralight angle head is so hard to add any mod to because it's not circular and there is no protrusion to attach anything to. I use DC-fix on my H51w. The thin film fits right inside on top of the lens. This is the easiest way to diffuse a ZL light, IMO. I have come up with a mod that might work for you. For this mod, a keyring and some elastic material are needed.
Cut an elastic string to fit and sew both end to fit through keyring. Elastic string is removable and keyring of different sizes can be used.
Glue diffuser on top of keyring and attach to light. Here I used a magnet to illustrate. There is some light leakage on the side. It shouldn't be a problem, I don't think.
My H51w providing hand-free light for this mod.
Good stuff there! I am glad it worked out well for you.
edc3,
The Zebralight angle head is so hard to add any mod to because it's not circular and there is no protrusion to attach anything to. I use DC-fix on my H51w. The thin film fits right inside on top of the lens. This is the easiest way to diffuse a ZL light, IMO. I have come up with a mod that might work for you. For this mod, a keyring and some elastic material are needed.
Cut an elastic string to fit and sew both end to fit through keyring. Elastic string is removable and keyring of different sizes can be used.
Glue diffuser on top of keyring and attach to light. Here I used a magnet to illustrate. There is some light leakage on the side. It shouldn't be a problem, I don't think.
My H51w providing hand-free light for this mod.
Last edited:
varuscelli
Flashlight Enthusiast
Re: ZebraLight Mods (Money Clip Visor Holder)
Hey, as continuation from post 100 earlier in this thread, I've done the "money clip" version of a hat visor holder for the H501w. I found a black anodized aluminum money clip (very light weight for its size) and rigged it the same way as I did the glass door strike in the earlier thread with a trimmed down ZebraLight headlamp holder. Money clips are often overpriced, but this one was less than $5.
Although the money clip version looks a lot longer/bigger than the glass door strike version, it weighs the same (they're within a gram of each other) and it will also allow the headlamp to do a tailstand while still in the holder even though it looks like it would be unbalanced. This version holds to the hat visor firmly and could also be rigged with a magnet if the magnet were glued into place.
One of the photos below shows the door strike version next to the money clip version for perspective. As with the glass door strike version, I Super Glued the trimmed ZL lamp holder into place on the money clip and it seems to be holding firmly.
Hey, as continuation from post 100 earlier in this thread, I've done the "money clip" version of a hat visor holder for the H501w. I found a black anodized aluminum money clip (very light weight for its size) and rigged it the same way as I did the glass door strike in the earlier thread with a trimmed down ZebraLight headlamp holder. Money clips are often overpriced, but this one was less than $5.
Although the money clip version looks a lot longer/bigger than the glass door strike version, it weighs the same (they're within a gram of each other) and it will also allow the headlamp to do a tailstand while still in the holder even though it looks like it would be unbalanced. This version holds to the hat visor firmly and could also be rigged with a magnet if the magnet were glued into place.
One of the photos below shows the door strike version next to the money clip version for perspective. As with the glass door strike version, I Super Glued the trimmed ZL lamp holder into place on the money clip and it seems to be holding firmly.
Last edited:
