Zebralight SC52 & SC52w

[DaFABRICATA]

This is a SC52 driver with most of the silicon like thermal potting compound ZL uses...

Every Zebralight that I have ever had apart ALL had the same grey silicon like thermal potting compound, going back to the H30.

 

[shelm]

You have literally seen all the electronics removed from a newer model ZL?

argh i never said that.

i checked, the pics were from the older L2 nw model.

so you call a splash of grey silicone "potting"?

oic

oh i see


and i think you just dissed me. for no good. pease man.

 

[jimboutilier]

A few minutes ago E2FieldGear still listed SC52L2CW in stock. Ordered a couple on Sunday, they shipped yesterday and should be here on Thursday. I've been happy with them before and have gotten items no one else appeared to have at the time.

Order arrived on Thurs as scheduled. SC52L2CW as ordered. Nice tint. Darker shinier anodizing. Softer button but still a preceptable click. Nice.

 

[whoofit]

I really doubt anyone had left over stock from the "non-L2" batch.
Also, seeing as the SC52w already had an XM-L2 and the output hasn't changed, it makes sense that they didn't see the need to update the page or have simply overlooked the changes.
They have stated it has the new UI which would make it an L2 (which the product is listed as) and therefore it would also be potted and sealed…

All I see on the SC52w L2 page at E2 is still a Pre-Order.. I see the SC52 L2 page showing out of stock. So this means, to me at least, the NEW SC52w-L2 still has not arrived there.

Am I wrong?

I looked for where "they" said it was the new UI and couldn't find it. Where did you see this?

 

[whoofit]

This is a SC52 driver with most of the silicon like thermal potting compound ZL uses...

Every Zebralight that I have ever had apart ALL had the same grey silicon like thermal potting compound, going back to the H30.

My understanding of potted is filled. I feel the gray that you show is not potted. At least not the potting we do in the manufacture of temperature probes where I work. We fill cavities and housings for vibration, shock, moisture ingress and impact resistance using thermally conductive materials.

This feature was key to me when I pre-ordered the SC52w-L2.

 

[Fireclaw18]

Those pictures are of an old-model SC52 cool white. It's not the updated L2 model. Notice how the emitter is an XML and not an XML2.

Zebralight never claimed the early model SC52s were potted.

However, Zebralight does claim that the newer L2 version IS sealed and potted. I assume the new version is completely filled with some kind of potting compound.

 

[DaFABRICATA]

My post above should have said: "before most of the compound was removed."
All ZL that I've had apart were all FILLED with the stuff. It's rubbery and comes off using a toothpick to carefully remove it.
So, to me, I feel its potted.

 

[Fireclaw18]

My post above should have said: "before most of the compound was removed."
All ZL that I've had apart were all FILLED with the stuff. It's rubbery and comes off using a toothpick to carefully remove it.
So, to me, I feel its potted.

What's interesting is that until the SC62d, Zebralight's official feature listing never mentioned potting. Since then, their feature list includes "Sealed and potted LED driver circuitry".

This makes me wonder if their sealing and potting in the newer lights (SC62d, SC52 L2, SC52w L2) is any different from the rubbery grey stuff they used on all their earlier lights.

 

[DaFABRICATA]

Good point!....and we shall eventually find out.

 

[LEDburn]

I don't see "potted and sealed" in the product description. Not sure this is the latest version?

We're clearly discussing the newer (dubbed L2) version..

i've seen driver disassemblies and lemme tell you the driver is most definitely not potted

argh i never said that.

Seems you did. Maybe you deliberately left the part out about not having seen the electronics from one of the ones which are actually claimed to be potted.

Pretty simple really: we're discussing the newer "potted" version; you chime in that they aren't potted and have seen so yourself; I call you out; you're wrong and now look like a fool or someone deliberately spreading misinformation; clearly I am having a dig..at a fool..

 

[shelm]

The SC52w L2 is out of stock everywhere, found only 1 place with current stock (NKON) and quickly placed an order, they go fast!!

I'll let you know how i like the SC52w L2!!

 

[NutSAK]

I ordered an SC52W L2 from ebay user eyebrowse on 4/26 and received it on 4/28. The seller is Zebralight authorized.

Excellent service, and I got a nice, neutral white tint. I'm very pleased with the purchase.

 

[cyclesport]

I ordered an SC52W L2...and I got a nice, neutral white tint...

Really?! As in no green/yellow tint? Would you characterize it as a slight rose tint similar to Nichia's 219? My hope is that ZL is starting to use the same great 4400K XM-L2 that so consistently present in the H52w. I had given up hope that that I'd ever be able to acquire a good neutral tint in the SC52w L2 platform...

 

[NutSAK]

Really?! As in no green/yellow tint? Would you characterize it as a slight rose tint similar to Nichia's 219? My hope is that ZL is starting to use the same great 4400K XM-L2 that so consistently present in the H52w. I had given up hope that that I'd ever be able to acquire a good neutral tint in the SC52w L2 platform...

It is yellowish. If I were being very picky, I would say the spot's corona is slighty greenish at lower outputs, but that is only evident when comparing directly to other warm tints. It never appears green to me by itself, but it also isn't "rosy" like a Nichia. Comparing other lights, the tint appears nearly identical to a 5B2 XP-G that I have in a Nailbender drop-in.

I consider myself fairly sensitive to greenish and bluish tints and, like yourself, was concerned with all the disappointing comments about the tint of the SC52w's, but I'm completely satisfied with the tint of this one. With that said, I don't want to give anyone a false sense of security, as I think there is good evidence that a "tint lottery" is at play. Also, it's my opinion that the AR coating that Zebra is using on their lights is creating some tint shift across the beam profile, causing the spill to be cooler than the spot.

 

[markr6]

Also, it's my opinion that the AR coating that Zebra is using on their lights is creating some tint shift across the beam profile, causing the spill to be cooler than the spot.

I wonder if that is true, and maybe why they left the coating off the SC62d? At least it appears that way:

 

[cyclesport]

Thanks for the honest detailed assessment NutSAK! Sounds like your newest gen SC52w L2 might be similar enough to the older SC52w, though maybe somewhat improved, that I guess I'll hold off for now. Like many, the SC52w is one of my fave 1 X AA lights due to the great UI and I keep hoping ZL will latch on to one of the same XM-L2 reels they use for the existing H52w that is vastly better than my older SC52w *(tint lottery not withstanding....seems most owners of the recent H52w report the same slightly rose tint). I like it so much I've started to carry it in place of my SC52w(s) even though I prefer the SC52w platform.

I don't have any of nailbender's XP-G drop-ins but do have his XM-L2 T6 3C 5000k and like all XM-L/XM-L2's it too has some green if one looks very hard but the overall beam profile and tint is very good. I'd be very satisfied with the same emitter in an SC52w! I'm really not that picky but some XM-L/XM-L2 reels are just ghastly yellow/green and better relegated to budget lights...or rejected for production flashlights altogether. I still believe ZL could improve it's SC52w's tint consistency if they chose to do so.

 

[NutSAK]

I wonder if that is true, and maybe why they left the coating off the SC62d? At least it appears that way:

It's just a theory. There is a lot of tint shift across the beam of my SC600 II L2, which has the very noticeable purple coating that you show in your picture. However, now that I look closer at my SC52w L2, it doesn't appear to have that coating either so, even if it is true, it shouldn't be a factor.

That's a great pic, BTW, to show the size difference in between the two 18650 lights.

 

[funkychateau]

Your post is complete and utter nonsense and has nothing to do with the one of mine you were attempting to respond to.

Then choose lights that use PWM at lower levels. Problem solved. (If you really believe that current is the only determining factor in perceiving tint. I bet after you try out a few PWM lights, you'll change your mind.)

What Etsu said actually does make sense. Checking a lower intensity produced by on/off modulation (PWM) of a fully-driven emitter would separate the two variables in question.

If the PWM-dimmed version appears to color-shift substantially, then it may truly be a function of eyeball saturation rather than emitter performance. This is because the emitter current (when "on") is approximately the same between the two modes. One unavoidable difference, though, would be the thermal environment. Not sure how junction temperature alone affects the emitted spectrum.

 

[Fireclaw18]

My understanding is that tint shift at low current is an actual physical effect in the emitter. It's not in the eyeball's perception of the light.

You can see this with Nichia 219As: 92 CRI at 1.5 amps. But when you reduce the current the CRI drops to 90 and lower, suggesting there's an actual difference in the wavelengths of light emitted.

None of my PWM lights color shift at all at low power. The tint looks the same. At very very low power colors may wash out a bit due to lack of saturation, but they never shift towards green.

In contrast, my current control lights tend to shift very dramatically towards green at low currents. This is especially so for ones with CREE leds. The exceptions tend to be current controlled lights that already had very warm tints (3000 and 4000k XML2). Interestly, I didn't notice much tint shift with my SC62d, so perhaps the luxeon is less vulnerable to tint shift than the CREEs.

 

[Mr Floppy]

My understanding is that tint shift at low current is an actual physical effect in the emitter. It's not in the eyeball's perception of the light.

Bit of both. At low currents the relative spectral power of each frequency will change and your eyes may or may not perceive that difference. The CREE docs shows the relative spectral power distribution at 350mA and 700mA for their LED's. Compare that to the spectral distribution power of the Nichia 219 and you can see that the 219 has a much more even spread where as the CREE has high peaks.