Zebralight with serious problem - ideas?

[matrixshaman]

I was late in discovering the Zebralight but with all the great reviews by many I know here I had to try this light as I have a need for a headlamp anyway now. So it arrived today. Unfortunately I didn't even get to try it out at night and only a few seconds of run before it was dead for the most part. I put in an Alkaline (new battery) and it seemed to work dimly but flickered. I then tried a freshly charged NiMH Eneloop. Nothing. NADA. I pulled out the Eneloop, checked the voltage (OK) and then put the Eneloop back in it and put it in my pocket. I didn't know it was screwed down enough to be on but apparently it was even though there was NO light. After a half hour or so I pulled it out of my shirt pocket to find that it was hot. Yikes! I pulled out the Eneloop and it was quite warm but not totally drained. It was discharged quite a bit but not all the way. All this with NO light. Since Zebralight has a great reputation for service I assume this will be taken care of but in the mean time of course I can't use a headlamp that would have really been helpful now with the work I am doing.
So if anyone has any familiarity with this problem or quick fixes I'm all ears Otherwise I guess I'll contact Zebralight for another trip half way around the globe

 

[mike2g]

I was late in discovering the Zebralight but with all the great reviews by many I know here I had to try this light as I have a need for a headlamp anyway now. So it arrived today. Unfortunately I didn't even get to try it out at night and only a few seconds of run before it was dead for the most part. I put in an Alkaline (new battery) and it seemed to work dimly but flickered. I then tried a freshly charged NiMH Eneloop. Nothing. NADA. I pulled out the Eneloop, checked the voltage (OK) and then put the Eneloop back in it and put it in my pocket. I didn't know it was screwed down enough to be on but apparently it was even though there was NO light. After a half hour or so I pulled it out of my shirt pocket to find that it was hot. Yikes! I pulled out the Eneloop and it was quite warm but not totally drained. It was discharged quite a bit but not all the way. All this with NO light. Since Zebralight has a great reputation for service I assume this will be taken care of but in the mean time of course I can't use a headlamp that would have really been helpful now with the work I am doing.
So if anyone has any familiarity with this problem or quick fixes I'm all ears Otherwise I guess I'll contact Zebralight for another trip half way around the globe

I feel your pain. I too recently received a Zebralight which worked only dimly and with one mode. I did notice though that, although I put in a fresh Eneloop at night for reading, by morning the battery would be compeltely dischared and would not produce any light. The battery never felt hot during my use and I hope it wasn't damaging my battery overnight. I read about this light as it was coming out and enjoyed the positive reviews on it. I just wish that the QC was better. I've contacted Zebralight and they've asked to have it sent back and said that a replacement will be sent soon. My only question now is who pays for return shipping? Good luck with your return.

Edit (2-4-08): Zebralight has offered to reimburse me for my return shipping upon receipt of my defective light, presumably because the light which they sent me was immediately defective (sx: draining batteries, short circuit?) Awaiting a new light by regular mail, ETA 3 weeks.

 

[Rzr800]

Sorry to hear that guys but no fix to offer here, unfortunately. I would be pretty bummed also with all the hype and distance between fixes. Maybe they are closer to being set up in Plano?

 

[DM51]

Matrix, you obviously have a fairly serious short in yours, so you should contact the company about returning it and getting a replacement. The last I checked, Zebralight were quite good at attending to their thread, but a PM or e-mail would probably be the answer here.

mike2g, it sounds like you had a short in yours too, although by the sound of it not such a drastic one. You did right to send it back, and I hope you get your replacement soon.

I don't think I have seen any other reports of serious problems with Zebralights, but of course I may have missed them.

 

[MikeLip]

I'm willing to bet that even if he doesn't contact Zebralight, they will contact him! I mentioned here that I had gotten mine but it was missing a glare shield. In a matter of hours, Zebralight contacted me asking where to send a shield!

Awesome. Contact them, but I am quite sure they will take good care of you.

 

[matrixshaman]

Thanks for the help - I did send them an email last night both here in PM and through their website contact form. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing any thing or having a SUE (Stupid User Error) moment. That would be really great if they setup in Texas. I haven't heard anything yet but I don't expect any problem with their good reputation. I was also just hoping I might be able to fix it myself as I've done enough modding to be comfortable with disassembling and working on circuits. However this is a tiny design and I'm not sure how the head comes off. I haven't seen any one that has modded this - probably since it's such a cool light as it is. Also really looking forward to their H30. I sent them an email a couple weeks ago about that and they said it would be about 3-4 weeks.

 

[iocheretyanny]

A short like that with a Lithium may be more dangerous....

 

[GaryF]

My second one had the "low level only" problem. I probably never left a battery in it long enough to see if it would self discharge. Zebralight shipped out a replacement the next day, and I've had no problem with that one or the original, which easily has 30-40 hours of use on it.

I know it's frustrating to wait on a light like that only to have problems, but Zebra will make good on it for you.