Zebralight Reliability Poll Revised for 2012

[Bolster]

Re: Revised Zebralight Reliability Poll for 2012

wasn't the defect limited to the models that had the screw down type switch ring?

I've never been able to nail this down for certain. I have never seen a screw-down ring on an H501, do they exist?

 

[robostudent5000]

Re: Revised Zebralight Reliability Poll for 2012

I've never been able to nail this down for certain. I have never seen a screw-down ring on an H501, do they exist?

oh snap. i have confused the H501 and the H60. i know the first version of the H60 had a screw down switch ring and was later updated to a permanent switch ring. i guess the H501 has always had the permanent switch ring.

ugghh... i totally screwed the pooch on this one.

so, as a result, i now agree with all the points Bolster made in post #19 - this poll does NOT exclude the bad batch of H501's.

i'm tempted to start another poll that corrects this error... but i don't know. Admins, do you have any thoughts?

Note: added a note "Note 2" to the OP to explain the error and its effects. this poll should still be kind of useful for the info gathered on the other models, but the info on the H501 might be useless now.

 

[Henry50]

Re: Revised Zebralight Reliability Poll for 2012

I think restarting the previous poll is a good idea, but I have doubts whether we can determine much of an answer via this forum's limited polling feature:
"The failure rate is high."

why not a google docs form with public results? that way we can tailor all the results to answer all the questions.. like a zebralight census.

 

[bluegreen]

I've had my H501 for six months now and use it every day, both around the house and backpacking. Never missed a beat. I even quite like the UI now and its is my new favourite torch. I'm not sure what the fast flashing modes are for. A much slower flash would be make more sense as rescue beacon when out hillwalking.

 

[finn]

Sending a h600w back. There's either an LED dome damage/phosphor problem or a piece of reflector/circuit junk has attached itself to the dome. It still provides usable light, so I'll wait a couple months, or until the supply catches up, to RMA.

 

[Glock27]

Can you remove the garbage the user put for the 502? This shows how little these pols actually tell you.
G27

 

[speedsix]

Can you remove the garbage the user put for the 502? This shows how little these pols actually tell you.
G27

Yes, remove any negative comments or votes. Who do they think they are for casting a vote based on personal experience?

 

[robostudent5000]

Can you remove the garbage the user put for the 502?

wish i could, but i don't think the poll system allows that.

Yes, remove any negative comments or votes. Who do they think they are for casting a vote based on personal experience?

no one's asked for negative comments to be removed. as for the vote, please read before you type.

it looks like one member decided to vote that he had a failure with every model listed including the as yet unreleased H502.

 

[Glock27]

Yes, remove any negative comments or votes. Who do they think they are for casting a vote based on personal experience?

Dude..the 502 isn't even out yet and it already has a reported failure. This is obviously a lie. Every vote that this user cast is suspect.

G27

 

[speedsix]

Dude..the 502 isn't even out yet and it already has a reported failure. This is obviously a lie. Every vote that this user cast is suspect.

G27

Why is a light that is not even out yet in the poll?

 

[Bolster]

I find one-quarter failures for H501s to stretch credulity. If I own/gifted/track nine of them, shouldn't two or three have failed by now, based on these reports?

Why is a light that is not even out yet in the poll?

When I used to do research, we'd always put a "gotcha" question in there to see if people were paying attention. If they failed the "gotcha" question we were justified throwing that poll away; it was clear evidence the data that subject gave was worthless.

 

[robostudent5000]

I find one-quarter failures for H501s to stretch credulity. If I own/gifted/track nine of them, shouldn't two or three have failed by now, based on these reports?

as i noted in Note 2 of the OP and post #22, i made a mistake which failed to exclude the bad early batch of H501 from the poll. the 3 to 1 ratio here mirrors the ratio in the first Zebralight Reliability poll which also failed to exclude the bad early batch of H501.

Why is a light that is not even out yet in the poll?

this poll is intended to be open until the end of the year. the H502 is planned for release sometime this year. i cannot make changes to the poll once it goes up. that's why i included the H502 even though it hasn't been released yet. i explained this in the OP.

 

[robostudent5000]

When I used to do research, we'd always put a "gotcha" question in there to see if people were paying attention. If they failed the "gotcha" question we were justified throwing that poll away; it was clear evidence the data that subject gave was worthless.

i'm pretty sure that one prankster is responsible for giving every model a bad vote, so if we throw that out, the results after 61 voters are as follows:

H501 models - 15 owners reported no failures, 5 owners reported failures - ratio of 3:1 - this probably includes some bad early H501 units.

H51 models - 28 owners reported no failures, 1 owner reported failures - ratio of 28:1

H31 models - 17 owners reported no failures, 1 owner reported failures - ratio of 17:1

H600 models - 8 owners reported no failures, 4 owners reported failures - ratio of 2:1

H502 models - not released yet

the poll doesn't tell us how many units each owner owns, so we can't say what the failure rate is per unit. this is just based on how many owners have had problems or no problems.

this is not a great poll, i just think it's better than nothing. if you can make a better poll, i think we would all welcome that, me included.

 

[swan]

I have the h31 which i edc-great light, no failures.

 

[Bolster]

If you think about it, these results add credibility to Zebralight's own explanation. They said they had a bad batch of H501s in early 2009, and that's where you see the majority of failures. Once you take out the H501s, it's hard to make the case that Zebralight is, across the board, a manufacturer with horrid reliability, as has been implied countless times here at CPF.

I'm not considering the H600 at the moment because it's new, and the 'n' is low. But I sure as heck hope that isn't history repeating itself...rushing a new light out the door before it's been completely tested? That would border on unforgivable, given that the lesson should have been learned with the early H501s.

Honestly, the results as they stand (caveats aside about the methodology, as has been noted) make me wonder if I want to be first in line for the H502, or do I want to wait a couple months? If Zebralight is using the marketplace as their quality control testing laboratory, then that tells me to wait, and let someone else be the experimental subject...!

 

[Glock27]

I'll order a 502w the day they take orders! My replacement H600w has went swimming several times with no problems.

G27

 

[finn]

My impression of zebralight quality is that their QAQC is lacking given the complicated nature of their headlamps. Most of the failures seem to happen with brand new lights. The reliability is good IF you get a working one. They really should do a little burn-in at the factory, but with demand higher than supply there is little motivation to do so.

 

[whiteoakjoe]

Just came out of hunting season and part way through trapping season with a H51Fc, I have had the light for almost a year now and it gets used as a headlamp most of the time. Best light I have ever owned for walking in the woods. Not one issue yet so reliable I rarely carry a backup headlamp. (i do keep a Olight AA in my pack just in case) I wouldn't change a thing about mine.

 

[Dmitriyrus]

15/06/11 me and my friend bought two Zebra H31Fw to the site www.zebralight.com
The first lamp stopped working after three uses !
I replaced the battery, but the lights did not work. A month later I decided to turn the lantern again.
A miracle happened! It works again!
The second lamp has worked 6 month and died.
The last 4 months from 6 months, Zebrahad a problem with the switch.
Now from the lantern burning smell.
I am disappointed !

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[RGB_LED]

I own both the H50 and the H30 and I have no complaints since both are functioning perfectly. Knock on wood!

The only minor complaints I have are: as previously mentioned, especially with the H30, the light abruptly turns off once battery capacity drops below a certain point. It would be nice to have some sort of warning. The other complaint is that the headband appears to have been sewn on and is starting to wear out so replacing it will be a nuisance. I notice you can buy a replacement on Zebralight's website - too bad you can't just replace the band instead of the band / holder.