Zebralight sc600 Won't come on to low setting

new-b

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Just got it...Awesome H1 and H2. Problem is I can't get it to come on low (longer hold). Even when I cycle it through (on and hold) I can't get the super low. I really want it to come on with a quick push to high and a long push to super low. Is it defective or am I doing something wrong?

Thanks,
J
 

Derek Dean

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When you cycle through the levels (long hold), stop at the low level, then double click. That should take you to super low (moonlight) mode (if it's day time you may actually have to look at the LED to confirm that it's on, because it's THAT dim). Then turn off the light (single click), and that should memorize the super low.

Same thing with medium. Cycle through, stop at mid level, and then double click to change between Med 1 and Med 2, then turn off the light to memorize that level.
 

new-b

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Thanks Derek,
I get that that is the way it supposed to work, but no matter how I press it it comes on high. When I cycle, it never cycles to really low. On the lowest it is pretty bright and a double click makes it brighter.
 

Derek Dean

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Hmmmm.......... what kind of battery are you using? Have you tried a different 18650 cell?

Are saying that you can't get it to go to low from off? That would be a long hold, but not long enough to cycle through the levels. It took me a while after I first got my light to really get the hang of how the levels worked.

OR, are you saying that you can do the double click when you are on the low level, and the lowest of the two low levels is still very bright? On my light, I can look at the LED and see the lines on it when it's on the super low level.
 

new-b

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I've tried two different batteries.
Yeah, I can't get it to low from off, and when I cycle through, when it is on low, the "low" is still bright...no way I can look at it!
 

speedsix

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Zebralight has had more than their share of quality control problems. Great idea and wish I could like them but I can't see spending good money for lights that may or may not work when you want it.
 

moshow9

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I've tried two different batteries.
Yeah, I can't get it to low from off, and when I cycle through, when it is on low, the "low" is still bright...no way I can look at it!
Stop once you are on the lowest setting and then double click, doing so will take it to the lowest setting. Take a look at this video from Marshall:

[video=youtube;-e8Nim8CTqE]e8Nim8CTqE[/video]
 

gcbryan

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Is everyone (Derek) talking about the same model? I ask only because I don't have that particular model. I do have several Zebralights though. They all work the same way but I was just curious if the low output was the same on all lights.

It's a little confusing reading the OP. You say that you can't get it to come on low with a long hold but you are able to get it to cycle. It only cycles from low so you must be able to get it to low.

It's brighter than you think it should be and when you double click it gets still brighter so you must have had it on the lowest low. What is the lowest low listed at on that particular model? I have the H51 and the lowest low is .2 lumen and the other low is 2.5 lumens. Is that the listed output for the SC600 as well?
 
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new-b

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I can cycle it once it is on, but the "low" in the cycle is not the low in the video. It is far brighter than a lumen (I'd guess 50+). It actually came on on the low low once (looked just like the video), but I haven't been able to do it again. I absolutely cannot get on to any kind of low from off. I am pretty sure the switch is defective and I am going to get it fixed. There is no way I could have it at bedside for the low. If I turned it on I'd wake up my kids in another room!
 

pjandyho

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Nobody can really help you if your definition is not clear. When asked what batteries you are using, your answer is that you have tried two different batteries. And may I ask what's that two batteries you are talking about?
 

pjandyho

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I can cycle it once it is on, but the "low" in the cycle is not the low in the video. It is far brighter than a lumen (I'd guess 50+). It actually came on on the low low once (looked just like the video), but I haven't been able to do it again. I absolutely cannot get on to any kind of low from off. I am pretty sure the switch is defective and I am going to get it fixed. There is no way I could have it at bedside for the low. If I turned it on I'd wake up my kids in another room!
You are saying that when you press and hold, you actually do get to see it cycle through 3 different output? And you are able to access low output but it is just not as low as what you see in the video? Have you tried doing a double click when you are on low output? I don't mean double click from off, but when you are in low output.
 

Derek Dean

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new-b, the way you are describing this, it sounds like the switch is functioning correctly. Forgive me if I'm repeating myself, but I want to make sure that you realize that when the light is on any of the 3 main levels (low, med, or hi), that it can change between 2 SUB LEVELS by double clicking.

Say you've got it on the medium level, double clicking will alternate between Medium 1 (65 lumens) and Medium 2 (21 lumens). So, if you keep keep double clicking it will go back and forth between 65 lumens and 21 lumens, and when you decide which of those you want for the medium level, you simply turn off the light (single click), and the light will memorize that as it's medium level (either 65 or 21 lumens).

Then, when you cycle through the 3 main levels by holding down the button, the sub level you just memorized will show up as the Medium level.

Same thing with the low level. First, do this in a dark room, maybe a closet. When you are cycling through the 3 main levels (holding the button down) , stop when the light is at the lowest of those 3 levels (let off the button), but leave the light on. At this point it should be either 2.8 lumens or.1 lumen.

Now, double click and light should change to the other sub level, then double click again and it will go back, alternating between 2.8 lumens and .1 lumen each time you double click. When you've decided on the sub level you like, turn the light off (single click), and it will memorize that sub level as the low level, and now when you cycle through the 3 main levels it will use that newly memorized sub level as the Low.

And of course you use the same procedure with the high, but with an added twist that we won't discuss now.

I just want to BE SURE that before you send your light in for repair that this simply isn't a matter of understanding the UI. I'm not meaning to insult your intelligence, just wanting to clarify the situation, as this type of UI can be perplexing at first.
 

FlashKat

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One thing I have noticed is that everyone is saying to double click, but make sure you double click quickly. It has to be a fast double click.
 

new-b

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OK, Sorry if I was unclear, and a do really appreciate the help:

I have tried a Trustfire and Ultrafire 18650 (both of which work great in my other 18650 lights).

Fast click(from off) brings it on high. double click brings it to sub level. Can program high with the 6 double clicks and choose the three levels of high or strobe.

Double click from off brings on medium and I can double click here and bring on the sub level of medium.

Longer press from off still brings on high. I have varied pressure and length of time pressed and no low.

While on, if I press and hold I appear to cycle through 3 levels The lowest of these levels is medium. It is not low. I can double click here and it looks like the higher level of medium (between 21 and 65 lumens).

I'm not sure how, but at one point I got to the low...I could look at the led without hurting my eyes. I have never been able to reproduce this.

When I watch the videos I see people just turning it on to low from off (which is what I really want to be able to do). My goal with this light was a bedside light so I could turn it on super low and not wake anyone up and turn it on high if I really needed to.

I am pretty sure something is wrong with the switch, it should not be this hard. I just really want to make sure before I send it back.

Josh
 

new-b

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At 2:22 of the video, how the guy just presses and holds and it turns on to low...that's what I want, but can't seem to do :scowl:
 

B0wz3r

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Zebralight has had more than their share of quality control problems. Great idea and wish I could like them but I can't see spending good money for lights that may or may not work when you want it.
That's not a completely accurate statement, and can be said for ANY manufacturer. Plenty of other high end light have their share of QC issues. Just take a look at Thrunite... I'd say your statement applies to Neutrons much more than to Zebralights. The simple fact is, the experiences that we report and discuss here are only a small fraction of all the lights any given company makes, and are not a valid sample of their entire production run of any given model.
At 2:22 of the video, how the guy just presses and holds and it turns on to low...that's what I want, but can't seem to do :scowl:
The timing on the Zebra UI can be tricky to pick up at first. If you're sure it's not an issue with that, then you probably have a bad switch.
 

mrlysle

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New-B. One more thing to try before sending it back for replacement, would be a thorough cleaning of all contact surfaces. For instance, the tailcap down inside where it contacts the main body, and the contacts under the head, where the cell makes contact. Sometimes very minor contamination will affect operation greatly. After cleaning, if still no luck, I'd say your due a replacement. The low on the SC600 should be low enough to look right at that XM-L, and not hurt your eyes. It seems you're doing everything right. Good luck, and let us know how it goes.
 

pjandyho

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Ok, the reason we asked what batteries you are using is because we want to be sure you are not loading 2 x CR123 in there as a couple of folks here have done that without knowledge that it is not made to.

Here's what you can try. Take out the battery and leave the light alone for 15 mins. Insert battery and try again. Once in a rare and long while, my Zebralights do face some intermittent problems but when I removed the battery and let the circuitry sort of reset itself, things go back to normal. Hasn't happen to both my SC600 though but it's at least worth a try.
 

Derek Dean

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Hmmmmm....... yes, you were clear, I just don't recall hearing of this particular issue before.

However, it certainly does sound like you understand the UI. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be to keep trying these suggestions and have nothing work.

Anyway, here is what I'd do. Contact your seller and request an exchange, and give them a link to this thread so they can see that you really do understand the UI, and then you won't have to go through the whole explanation again with them.

By the way, I've bought lots of electronic stuff on-line, and even the top manufacturers can let one slip by occasionally. I've had to exchange quite a few things that arrived with an issue, but I figure it's simply part of the game.

Good luck, and let us know how it turns out.
 

new-b

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Thanks Guys, I will try a thorough cleaning, a battery rest and a few more tries. If I can get this thing to work as in the video, I may be done flashlight hunting for some time!!!
 
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