Zebralight SC600Fd III Plus - XHP50

[staticx57]

 

[Flashlight Junkie]

If you plan on running the light on high you are better off with a higher drain cell than the GA. Less voltage sag means the battery will not be working as hard to provide current meaning it will physically degrade less and run cooler.

I'm looking for a 3200+ mAh hybrid IMR. Safe chemistry, laughs at heat, and can handle 15 Amps.

I doubt it drops that low unless used in a warm environment or somewhere with little to no air circulation. Keep in mind the quoted runtimes for the PID modes are HIGHLY variable and dependent upon numerous factors. My best guess is that if it operates similar to the MK3 HI that the step-down will be to the 700-1000 lumen range after a few minutes depending on air circulation, temperature, etc. and possibly lower if used in warmer conditions or with no air circulation. Mileage will vary on this one and until we have it in our hands all we can do is guess.

Agreed. It won't drop to ~400 lumens unless battery is getting low or you're using it in the Sahara desert. Even though we won't, at first, be able to access the 1000 lumen mode, I'm guessing that's the level it will drop to after 1500 lumens gets to be too much.

The 429 lumen high mode is PID controlled - I guess that means it cannot sustain this level under normal conditions?

429 lumens is nothing for the SC600 form factor. I think Zebralight just threw in the 429 PID for extra LED protection.

 

[Flashlight Junkie]

Thanks so much for the photos, staticx57. Very helpful. [emoji4]

 

[staticx57]

I'm looking for a 3200+ mAh hybrid IMR. Safe chemistry, laughs at heat, and can handle 15 Amps.

Err those don't exist just yet. You can either get the 3500mah GA or MJ1 which won't handle 15 amps or you can get the 3000mah 30Q HG2 which will. As of this point in time there is the capacity/amp tradeoff.

If you want to run the light on high you are better off with the 30Q/HG2 and if you want to run it on low you are better off with the MJ1/GA. That tradeoff does still exist, both INR and NCR are "safe" chemistries at least compared to ICR.

 

[Flashlight Junkie]

Err those don't exist just yet. You can either get the 3500mah GA or MJ1 which won't handle 15 amps or you can get the 3000mah 30Q HG2 which will. As of this point in time there is the capacity/amp tradeoff.

If you want to run the light on high you are better off with the 30Q/HG2 and if you want to run it on low you are better off with the MJ1/GA. That tradeoff does still exist, both INR and NCR are "safe" chemistries at least compared to ICR.

Thanks for your help. Much appreciated. Looks like 30Q or HG2 are in my future for this light and maybe my Astrolux S41 (it draws almost 10 Amps). Curious, do you have a preference between the 30Q and HG2?

 

[akhyar]

Thanks for your help. Much appreciated. Looks like 30Q or HG2 are in my future for this light and maybe my Astrolux S41 (it draws almost 10 Amps). Curious, do you have a preference between the 30Q and HG2?

mooch at ECF has tested the 30Q, HG2 and the new Sony VTC6 and his testing seems to indicate that the Sony is slightly better over the 30Q and HG2, but very minimal difference.
The 30Q is slightly better over the HG2 but in real life usage for flashlight, I'm not sure if we noticed any different between these 3 cells

 

[oKtosiTe]

What is normal? Gripped in someones hand? Sitting on a table? Ambient 20deg C or 25deg C? I think there is no normal, but a very wide range.

Accidentally activated in my pocket? If it prevents ouchies and LED degradation in that scenario, I am all for it. PID regulation doesn't have to mean that it has to step down under normal use, but can mean that the light can step down under specific circumstances.

 

[oKtosiTe]

Pictures snipped.

Thanks, will definitely add some 30Q's to my next battery purchase. Then I can compare the GA's, MJ1's and the 30Q's.
Also interested to see how the positive ends will fare on these. So far, my GA's have been fine, but I could just have been lucky.

 

[lampeDépêche]

I have a couple of red-label AW IMRs that say "20A" on the label. They are flat-tops that come in just a hair over 65mm, and look like pic #3 from staticx57 (only he doesn't show the label).

Are these generally regarded as safe? I'm a little puzzled that no one has mentioned them, but maybe people are just referring to them by a different name/number.

Also--is the 20-amp rating credible? If so, sounds like a good choice for the high-draw ZLs.

 

[psychbeat]

Unless yer running it in the snow it's unlikely with PID to draw 7a constantly.
Until someone does some tail cap measurements w good leads we won't know Just how much it's drawing at room temp after it heats up.
Any of these IMR or "hybrid" or whatever should be fine & it's unlikely you'll see much visible difference.

 

[StandardBattery]

Accidentally activated in my pocket? If it prevents ouchies and LED degradation in that scenario, I am all for it. PID regulation doesn't have to mean that it has to step down under normal use, but can mean that the light can step down under specific circumstances.

I agree I don't know if you were replying to my post by mistake or you mis interpreted what I wrote. I have no problem with all levels being PID, does not mean anything; the more the merrier. It specifically does not mean what the manufacturer thinks is 'normal', it's only one indicator of the range of conditions under which they are considering the operation of the device.

 

[oKtosiTe]

I agree I don't know if you were replying to my post by mistake or you mis interpreted what I wrote. I have no problem with all levels being PID, does not mean anything; the more the merrier. It specifically does not mean what the manufacturer thinks is 'normal', it's only one indicator of the range of conditions under which they are considering the operation of the device.

I know. I was just trying the add an example for the person you were replying to (Connor).

 

[tops2]

The 429 lumen high mode is PID controlled - I guess that means it cannot sustain this level under normal conditions?

I'm guessing all their lights are calibrated for the same PID predicted conditions (otherwise it'll make engineering tracking hard). When used at the same condition as all their other lights, I'm guessing they expect the Plus to generate enough eat to put in PID for this level. The runtime for the 429 lumens is just "slightly" (in my opinion) longer than the 666 lumens level and not appreciatively longer than the H1 level (in my opinion for the extra ~36 minutes). I'm guessing the light may "settle" at about the 429 lumens (or a bit lower).

But I guess we won't know until the Plus ships.

 

[oeL]

Not going to happen with the NCR18650GA. Mind that the ZL is not able to sustain the 1500 lumens for very long (except in a freezer/Antarctica). It will drop brightness and current consumption pretty quickly and settle at ~400 lumens after a few minutes.

Did you change the PID target temperature, or did you leave the default value? With my SC62/SC600 I noticed a nice increase of brightness over time with +5° (the maximum possible).

 

[Flashlight Junkie]

Okay, I was getting so frustrated about what battery chemistry I should be buying, especially for this new SC600Fd, that I did up an infographic to help me. I want to match the popular batteries listed to their chemistries but getting so little information from the web. Maybe some of you guys have the answers. What do you think?

 

[Connor]

You didn't get the more/less safe part quite right. All proper cells regardless of chemistry will have a predetermined breaking point and should not explode because the canister breaks open before enough pressure for a "real" explosion can build up.

Some chemistries are more prone to doing that than others, but it's not like these vent and those explode - they all "vent with flame" once a certain temperature/pressure is reached.

Except when the predetermined breaking point fails .. then they go

 

[StandardBattery]

You didn't get the more/less safe part quite right. All proper cells regardless of chemistry will have a predetermined breaking point and should not explode because the canister breaks open before enough pressure for a "real" explosion can build up.

Some chemistries are more prone to doing that than others, but it's not like these vent and those explode - they all "vent with flame" once a certain temperature/pressure is reached.

Except when the predetermined breaking point fails .. then they go

I think he did OK except for the yellow, it should be more towards the less save region it seems based on reported events. I agree with the current distinction between the IMR and standard chemistry not because of how they respond under regular use, but how easy they are to trigger into thermal run away. Testing has showed that IMR is much better at handling physical damage.

 

[Flashlight Junkie]

I think he did OK except for the yellow, it should be more towards the less save region it seems based on reported events. I agree with the current distinction between the IMR and standard chemistry not because of how they respond under regular use, but how easy they are to trigger into thermal run away. Testing has showed that IMR is much better at handling physical damage.

Not bad for version #1. LOL. It's a work in progress and certainly not meant to cover every chemistry, just those chemistries flashaholics use most. It's a general guide and any positive feedback will be used to improve it. Maybe, once complete, we could have a permanent place for it as a helpful reference. Just wish I could get the listed batteries in their correct spots. Manufacturers aren't forthcoming about their chemistries. Anyone out there know their chemistries?

 

[markr6]

Getting close!! Hopefully they ship this week or early next.

 

[fnsooner]

**Twiddling fingers**
**Looks down at watch**
**Continues twiddling fingers**