Zebralight SC600 mkII arrived DOA? I think? Any suggestions?

After waiting 10.5 weeks after it was shipped, my Zebralight SC600 mkII finally arrived. Zebralight actually gave me a refund because they thought it was lost, even though I never asked for a refund. So days after I get the refund, the light arrives.

The problem is, it won't turn on. I inserted an Orbtronic protected 3400 mAh 18650, button towards the head of flashlight. Nothing. I tried another Orbtronic (taken from my C8 which works fine) and the ZL still won't turn on. I tried a Thrunite 3400 mAh protected, same thing.

I know that others use protected batteries in the ZL SC600 mkII and I know some use the Orbtronic (which is why I bought them). So, it can't be because the batteries are protected.
Is there a trick to getting the light to work for the first time? Do I need to configure something? Or, is it DOA?

I was wondering what to do if I ever received it (pay Zebralight again?) because I've never been in this situation. If it's DOA, they would have given me a refund or something anyways, so now I don't know what to do with the light. :shrug:

Does anyone know why my ZL isn't working, out of the box? I'm wondering if it got damaged during the 10+ weeks trip to Canada. Is there something I need to do before inserting the battery or turning it on? I don't understand why it isn't working. :thinking:

Refund has canceled its functionality... Just kidding

I have no idea of ZL anodizing. What if it accepts unprotected only and batteries in your possession are just too long? I open here: http://www.zebralight.com/SC600w-Mk-II-L2-18650-XM-L2-Flashlight-Neutral-White_p_122.html and read -- "Battery: One 18650 size (up to 69mm long) 3.6/3.7V li-ion rechargeable."

vadimax said:

Refund has canceled its functionality... Just kidding

I have no idea of ZL anodizing. What if it accepts unprotected only and batteries in your possession are just too long? I open here: http://www.zebralight.com/SC600w-Mk-II-L2-18650-XM-L2-Flashlight-Neutral-White_p_122.html and read -- "Battery: One 18650 size (up to 69mm long) 3.6/3.7V li-ion rechargeable."

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Yes, I saw that about battery length before ordering the ZL (and researched CPF for which battery to use). The batteries I have fit into the light but I feel like they're getting squished a little (by the tail cap spring) when I screw on the tail cap. I can close it though.

Could they still be considered too long, even if I can close the tail cap? Maybe? I really don't know. Other people use Orbtronic protected 18650 in this light so I don't know why mine wouldn't work. It's strange! :thinking:

Wendee said:

Yes, I saw that about battery length before ordering the ZL (and researched CPF for which battery to use). The batteries I have fit into the light but I feel like they're getting squished a little (by the tail cap spring) when I screw on the tail cap. I can close it though.

Could they still be considered too long, even if I can close the tail cap? Maybe? I really don't know. Other people use Orbtronic protected 18650 in this light so I don't know why mine wouldn't work. It's strange! :thinking:

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I would remove the tail cap and try to make contact from battery tail to the light body (non-anodized spot). Then press the switch. If there is no effect then I consider the light DOA.

You need to screw the tailcap all the way in before it makes contact. If the battery is too long, you wont get contact between the tailcap and body, and the light wont work.

vadimax said:

I would remove the tail cap and try to make contact from battery tail to the light body (non-anodized spot). Then press the switch. If there is no effect then I consider the light DOA.

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You mean put the flat bottom part of the battery (not the button top) against the area around the bottom of the flashlight (no anodizing), then turn on the light? The positive end of the battery doesn't need to touch the light at all?

It's not dangerous for me to try this, I assume? If not dangerous, I'll try it.

Update: Tried it. Light still won't turn on.

vadimax said:

I would remove the tail cap and try to make contact from battery tail to the light body (non-anodized spot). Then press the switch. If there is no effect then I consider the light DOA.

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This.

• Remove the tailcap completely.
• Place the battery in the light without the tailcap on.
• Use a bent paperclip, screwdriver, or piece of wire instead of the tailcap. Touch one end to the exposed back edge of the battery tube and the other end to the back of the battery.
• Hit the power switch to turn the light on.
• If it works then the problem is your batteries are too long. Either get shorter batteries, or bend a strip of metal or piece of exposed wire into a ring and place it at the back of the endcap to slightly extend the distance you have to make contact.

With the battery in and tail cap off wendee, put something metal across the neg end of the cell to touch the end of the body(of the light). This will possibly tell you if its the tail cap or not.

Multi meter will do it also, or simply a hair pin/knife etc.

I have a feeling it might be the cell, possibly being too long so the tail cap is not making contact. Unprotected or a short cell may help.

Double check all contacts, nothing on them, quick clean whilst doing so........

jorn said:

You need to screw the tailcap all the way in before it makes contact. If the battery is too long, you wont get contact between the tailcap and body, and the light wont work.

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It worked!! I thought I had it screwed all the way because it was very hard to turn anymore. So, I counted how many turns to screw on the tail cap without a battery inside (5 turns), then put in the battery and found it tight after 4 turns. I took a chance of going "boom" and gave it another turn. It worked! The light came on!

Now for the dilemma of what to do about ZL. It feels weird to pay again yet feels weird to not pay again. I don't know what to do now.:thinking:
At least the light works! Yay!

The battery is REALLY squished in there though! Possible that the protection circuit on the bottom of the battery will get damaged. Is it safe to use with a battery jammed in there like that?

Wendee said:

It worked!! I thought I had it screwed all the way because it was very hard to turn anymore. So, I counted how many turns to screw on the tail cap without a battery inside (5 turns), then put in the battery and found it tight after 4 turns. I took a chance of going "boom" and gave it another turn. It worked! The light came on!

Now for the dilemma of what to do about ZL. It feels weird to pay again yet feels weird to not pay again. I don't know what to do now.:thinking:
At least the light works! Yay!

The battery is REALLY squished in there though! Possible that the protection circuit on the bottom of the battery will get damaged. Is it safe to use with a battery jammed in there like that?

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Awesome! Glad to hear it worked.

It should still be fairly safe though it may damage your batteries slightly.

To avoid squishing other batteries you may wish to buy shorter ones. Orbtronics are some of the biggest around. Protected cells are not necessary for Zebralights as the Zebralight driver contains its own much higher quality protection circuit.

Incidentally, this thread shows good service on Zebralight's part. You got the light and a full refund! :twothumbs

I would get a nice shiny new sanyo/panasonic GA Wendee, treat it! 10a 3500mah................and nothing to worry about. Depending on use, just top it back up, be it daily, every 3 days or a week...........what ever works for your uses. I will presume after you have hit the WOW button, it will mainly be used in lower modes and you will find a top up once a week probably works

If your charger has a V read out, makes it even easier or a cheap multi meter(MM) to learn the light and how much mah/V your using.

The battery is inside the light. Tail cap removed. All you need is to connect battery's metallic tail and light body. Then you press the switch. Something like that:

Wendee said:

Now for the dilemma of what to do about ZL. It feels weird to pay again yet feels weird to not pay again. I don't know what to do now.:thinking:

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Well if you plan on keeping the light I think the honorable & honest course of action is to pay for it as you had originally intended to do....

Wendee said:

It worked!! I thought I had it screwed all the way because it was very hard to turn anymore. So, I counted how many turns to screw on the tail cap without a battery inside (5 turns), then put in the battery and found it tight after 4 turns. I took a chance of going "boom" and gave it another turn. It worked! The light came on!

Now for the dilemma of what to do about ZL. It feels weird to pay again yet feels weird to not pay again. I don't know what to do now.:thinking:
At least the light works! Yay!

The battery is REALLY squished in there though! Possible that the protection circuit on the bottom of the battery will get damaged. Is it safe to use with a battery jammed in there like that?

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Battery is nothing. You may damage you light that way.

And please don't hurry next time My video shows how to do it safely, not damaging a battery or light.

wolfgaze said:

Well if you plan on keeping the light I think the honorable & honest course of action is to pay for it as you had originally intended to do....

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Yes, you're right. It's the right thing to do. I had only asked them if my flashlight was sent air mail or by ship because it had been 10 weeks since shipped and according to the post office, the flashlight hadn't entered Canada yet. They checked into it and didn't even answer my question about how it was shipped and gave me a refund. I was surprised. I then assumed that they thought it was lost or that they sent to wrong address but didn't tell me (why they did a refund without answering my question). After that, I really wasn't expecting it to ever arrive (really).

I'll send them a message now to tell them that I received it and see what they say. In the past even though I was friendly and put smileys and everything, the replies I got were one line, short & curt, and unfriendly. No "Hello" or anything. It didn't give me a cozy feeling, at all. Maybe they'll be nicer now since I'm offering money.

vadimax said:

Battery is nothing. You may damage you light that way.

And please don't hurry next time My video shows how to do it safely, not damaging a battery or light.

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I didn't know you were going to post a video after....ooops! Thanks for posting those videos. I'll learn how to do it for next time.

When you say "Battery is nothing. You might damage the light". Do you mean by doing the test wrong or by using batteries in the light that are a bit too long (hard to close tail cap)? I sure don't want to damage the flashlight! I hope you meant by doing the test wrong....

Wendee said:

I didn't know you were going to post a video after....ooops! Thanks for posting those videos. I'll learn how to do it for next time.

When you say "Battery is nothing. You might damage the light". Do you mean by doing the test wrong or by using batteries in the light that are a bit too long (hard to close tail cap)? I sure don't want to damage the flashlight! I hope you meant by doing the test wrong....

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If you damage a battery you lose roughly $10 (sooner or later it is supposed to come to an end). And the the light is 8x of that That's what I mean saying "nothing".

Next, damaged battery protection may lose or have poor contact -- not so dramatic. Being short is just compromises protection. On the other side damaged flashlight driver always connected to "+" and "-". Being short it produces fireworks almost immediately.

So, theoretically, by applying extra force you could destroy battery protection and flashlight's driver making them short == kind of a pipe bomb in a second.

vadimax said:

[...]
So, theoretically, by applying extra force you could destroy battery protection and flashlight's driver making them short == kind of a pipe bomb in a second.

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Oh NO!!!!! oo:
I thought I was safer using protected batteries, even if a bit longer! So, I'm actually safer using shorter unprotected batteries? Great! I purposely bought protected batteries. Arghh! :shakehead I guess I can still use them in my other flashlights.

I heard the EagleTac protected battery is shorter. I wonder about the quality though. I saw a video comparing batteries and the EagleTac weren't wrapped well. It could have been a single instance though because that's the only time I've heard that.

Maybe it's time for me to take the plunge and get an unprotected battery then. Oh boy, I hate the thought of that. But, I hate the thought of a ZL pipe bomb more. I guess I'll buy one unprotected 18650 to try it out.

yes some protected cells are not only to long but to thick for it. My SC 600 MkII currently has a 3500mah Orbtronic STUCK inside the body I cannot get it out without destroying the cell. ZL sells the unprotected flat top 3500mah 10 amp GA. Get one or two of those and youll be fine. ZL sells them for a mere 7 bucks. Have one in my MkIII HI love it. Now back to trying to get the protected cell out without damaging anything.

Wendee said:

Oh NO!!!!! oo:
I thought I was safer using protected batteries, even if a bit longer! So, I'm actually safer using shorter unprotected batteries? Great! I purposely bought protected batteries. Arghh! :shakehead I guess I can still use them in my other flashlights.

I heard the EagleTac protected battery is shorter. I wonder about the quality though. I saw a video comparing batteries and the EagleTac weren't wrapped well. It could have been a single instance though because that's the only time I've heard that.

Maybe it's time for me to take the plunge and get an unprotected battery then. Oh boy, I hate the thought of that. But, I hate the thought of a ZL pipe bomb more. I guess I'll buy one unprotected 18650 to try it out.

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You know, brute force does bypass any protection For example, this connector is considered safe:



it has a "key" that should protect wrong polarity... Well, I saw people that manage to break the metal key and stuff them wrong (90° rotated)