Zebralight SC30 Review (w/pics, runtimes & indoor comparo beamshots)

[THE_dAY]

Re: Zebralight SC30 (Review w/tons of pics & indoor comparo beamshots)

@The Coach, great comparison pic!

@scott, yeah thats the Duracell screwdriver🙂

 

[The Coach]

Re: Zebralight SC30 (Review w/tons of pics & indoor comparo beamshots)

Thanks THE_dAy and scott (for jumping in). It's the perfect size for taking the clip off. :devil:

 

[turboBB]

Re: Zebralight SC30 (Review w/tons of pics & indoor comparo beamshots)

Hi guys,

Headband use comparo vs. H501 now added to the review.

Cheers,
Tim

 

[JJohn]

Re: Zebralight SC30 (Review w/tons of pics & indoor comparo beamshots)

Great review turboBB. I love this light so far but was wondering how the headband thing would work on camping trips. Sounds like it would be fine but, not quite as good as a "real" headlamp because of the limitation of vertical beam angles.

 

[StandardBattery]

Re: Zebralight SC30 (Review w/tons of pics & indoor comparo beamshots)

Zebra hits another one OUT OF THE PARK! 😱 :thumbsup:

This might be a flashlight regular people would adopt CR123 cells for. In AA this would be a killer consumer light I suspect, if not for the price.

Oh Well... Flashaholics will just have to enjoy these on their own!!

 

[olrac]

Re: Zebralight SC30 (Review w/tons of pics & indoor comparo beamshots)

Great review Tim! :thumbsup:

 

[PJD]

Re: Zebralight SC30 (Review w/tons of pics & indoor comparo beamshots)

Is that a screwdriver with a duracell-looking handle? Or is that a AA battery and there happens to be a screwdriver behind it???

It's a screwdriver with a Duracell handle. They come as a "freebie" in some promotional packs of Duracell batteries. I think I saw one at either Home Depot or WalMart.

I tried bending the pocket clip out on my SC30 a little to reduce the extent of pocket-fray, and it seemed to work great! The clip is still making contact with the cooling fins of the light, but I succeeded in greatly reducing the tightness. Now it stays clipped to my pocket, but slides out with very little effort. I've pocket carried it all week at work and it has stayed where it's supposed to without incident (and to clarify, I do a LOT of climbing in and out of forklifts and tractor trailers all day long). OTOH, if you do not lock out the tail cap, accidental activation WILL be an issue. The times when I forgot to lock out my tail cap the light was activated while in my pocket. Not some of the time, not most of the time...but EVERY time. So the lock-out feature of the tail cap is not just a "plus" on the SC30, IMHO it's a NECESSITY.

PJD

 

[parnass]

Re: Zebralight SC30 (Review w/tons of pics & indoor comparo beamshots)

.... OTOH, if you do not lock out the tail cap, accidental activation WILL be an issue. The times when I forgot to lock out my tail cap the light was activated while in my pocket. Not some of the time, not most of the time...but EVERY time. So the lock-out feature of the tail cap is not just a "plus" on the SC30, IMHO it's a NECESSITY.

Thanks for sharing this info. I was interested in obtaining an SC30 to use as an EDC light with one hand operation. But, having to twist the tailcap to unlock and lock the flashlight each time you deploy it from your pocket causes me to reconsider.

 

[scott]

Re: Zebralight SC30 (Review w/tons of pics & indoor comparo beamshots)

I REALLY want the AA version of this light, but accidental activation is a deal breaker for me. I want a clicky switch for the convenience. If I have to tighten the head or tailcap before hitting the clicky, it defeats the purpose of the clicky (for me.) I hope Zebralight solves this.

 

[Lagerregal]

Re: Zebralight SC30 (Review w/tons of pics & indoor comparo beamshots)

Has anyone yet measured the driving current on max and min level?

 

[turboBB]

Re: Zebralight SC30 (Review w/tons of pics & indoor comparo beamshots)

Has anyone yet measured the driving current on max and min level?

I tried doing that but am not able to get the switch to operate correctly hooked up inline with the DMM. 😕

Anyone else tried and had some luck with this?

 

[uplite]

Re: Zebralight SC30 (Review w/tons of pics & indoor comparo beamshots)

I tried doing that but am not able to get the switch to operate correctly hooked up inline with the DMM. 😕

1) Make sure your DMM is capable/configured for high amperage (e.g. 10A range). Read the manual if you aren't 100% sure how to do this.

2) Open your DMM and check that the fuse is not blown. Replace it if necessary. Radio Shack is an easy source.

-Jeff

 

[turboBB]

Re: Zebralight SC30 (Review w/tons of pics & indoor comparo beamshots)

1) Make sure your DMM is capable/configured for high amperage (e.g. 10A range). Read the manual if you aren't 100% sure how to do this.

2) Open your DMM and check that the fuse is not blown. Replace it if necessary. Radio Shack is an easy source.

-Jeff

Hi Jeff, thx for the tips but here's the thing, I can't even get this light (or another one) to work in 10A mode. Only in mA mode do I get a reading but even then the switch behaves erratically and I can only get it to stay in L1 or L2.

On a VX Ultra, I'm seeing the following readings in mA:
L - 20.22
M - 69.4
H - 183.2

Am I correct to interpret this by shifting it one decimal spot to the right as: 202 mAh, 694mAh and 1.83A respectively?

Thx,
Tim

 

[uplite]

Re: Zebralight SC30 (Review w/tons of pics & indoor comparo beamshots)

Tim - Something is broken here. Which multimeter are you using, and what is it set for?

 

[turboBB]

Re: Zebralight SC30 (Review w/tons of pics & indoor comparo beamshots)

It's an old Micronta 22-167 that I got from Radio Shack a while back. Nothing will work on 10A mode (ie. on the VX Ultra, it won't turn on unless I switch to mA mode).

Thx,
Tim

 

[uplite]

Re: Zebralight SC30 (Review w/tons of pics & indoor comparo beamshots)

First, make sure the leads are connected to the high-current ports on your multimeter.

If it still doesn't work, open your multimeter and replace the fuse. Then try again with the high current (e.g. 10A) setting.

And make your readings BRIEF. Most consumer multimeter will only take 10 seconds or so of high amperage readings.

Let us know how it goes! 🙂

-Jeff

 

[turboBB]

Re: Zebralight SC30 (Review w/tons of pics & indoor comparo beamshots)

Thx Jeff, I'll give that a shot tomorrow and report back.

Cheers,
Tim

 

[JJohn]

Re: Zebralight SC30 (Review w/tons of pics & indoor comparo beamshots)

I REALLY want the AA version of this light, but accidental activation is a deal breaker for me. I want a clicky switch for the convenience. If I have to tighten the head or tailcap before hitting the clicky, it defeats the purpose of the clicky (for me.) I hope Zebralight solves this.

I have not had it come on in my pocket for this first week that I have owned it. I only lock-out the tailcap when I am putting it into a backpack or the drawer. I love this light. I will get the AA version if it comes out. I think it is no easier to activate accidentally than any other clicky. That said, the ergonomics of the side switch is far superior to a tail switch.

 

[paulr]

Re: It's here! Zebralight SC30 (mini review)

Just saw this. Heh, the head and clip look like an old time McLux TK 🙂. Good to know Don has fans way over there.

 

[turboBB]

Re: Zebralight SC30 (Review w/tons of pics & indoor comparo beamshots)

@ Jeff, ok so I checked the 10A fuse in the DMM and it's fine. Any other ideas? Maybe just bad DMM?

Thx,
Tim