Zebralight mode problem: High mode vanishes

[Singh]

I have a Zebralight SC52 and just recently I've been having this weird problem: sometimes it only goes on two modes: low and medium.

Usually what happens is that I cycle though low-med-high (I do this by holding down the button until I get to the mode I want), then I play around with the mode setting on Medium 1 and medium 2... and when I do that, the light seems stuck. it'll go on Low1 and low2, then Med1 and Med2, but it won't progress to High.

The only solution I've found is that I unscrew the cap, screw it back on, and everything is fine.

I think somehow, I must be buggering things up but I can't figure out what I'm doing to cause the issue.

[enki_ck]

Silly question, but have you tried fresh batteries?

The high mod vanishes when the batteries are going low and it's meant as a safety feature to provide you with longer run time with empty batteries and a warning to change them.

Hope it's something as simple as that and not a more complicated problem.

[Syph007]

Ya all my zebralights do that when the batteries start dying.  If its doing that with fresh batteries though then its something else.

[captain spaulding]

Another one that suggest the batteries are dying. Mine does the same on almost dead batteries. If they are fresh batteries I have no idea whats wrong. 

[David]

Another for a low battery.

Hold Fast

[Singh]

Low battery? Huh.. I'll put the eneloop on the charger and see if it's low.

[captain spaulding]

Low battery? Huh.. I'll put the eneloop on the charger and see if it's low.

If you click the switch 4 times on the Zebralight it will flash 1,2,3, or 4 times referring to how much life is left in the battery.

[JAfromMn]

What he said ^

[captain spaulding]

What he said ^

You should of used one of these.



 

[enki_ck]

I'm guessing that's a new feature from the 52/502 series, right? I have a SC51 on my desk right now and it doesn't do that. Haven't tried it on the headlamp.

[captain spaulding]

I'm guessing that's a new feature from the 52/502 series, right? I have a SC51 on my desk right now and it doesn't do that. Haven't tried it on the headlamp.

I'm not 100% sure. I do it on my SC52 so you are most likely correct.

[Singh]

Low battery? Huh.. I'll put the eneloop on the charger and see if it's low.

If you click the switch 4 times on the Zebralight it will flash 1,2,3, or 4 times referring to how much life is left in the battery.

too late. I already got the battery on the charger.    The battery is being discharged on my c9000. So far I've discharged 600MaH from an 1800 battery.

I really think I might have bungled something by double clicking too many times between M1/M2, H1/H2, etc. Usually I just keep things at L1,M1, and H1, and hold the button down to cycle through the modes. I seldom try my hand and the double-clicky dance.

[captain spaulding]

Low battery? Huh.. I'll put the eneloop on the charger and see if it's low.

If you click the switch 4 times on the Zebralight it will flash 1,2,3, or 4 times referring to how much life is left in the battery.

too late. I already got the battery on the charger.    The battery is being discharged on my c9000. So far I've discharged 600MaH from an 1800 battery.

I really think I might have bungled something by double clicking too many times between M1/M2, H1/H2, etc. Usually I just keep things at L1,M1, and H1, and hold the button down to cycle through the modes. I seldom try my hand and the double-clicky dance.

It's possible something is messed up.  Give it a full charge and see what happens. If it is still disabling your High mode then I would see what kind of warranty service they offer. 

[gregozedobe]

I really think I might have bungled something by double clicking too many times between M1/M2, H1/H2, etc.

I vote for this.  Sounds like you have double clicked your way into the programming mode and were switching between sub modes (eg M1, M2, M3 etc) instead of switching to a different level (eg M1 to H1).  Removing the end cap disrupts and resets the programming mode back to normal mode.

Look at "Second sub-level programming" in the ZL user manual for more info:
http://www.zebralight.com/assets/images/USER_GUIDE_V30_2012.pdf

[Singh]

According to the charger, the battery was  more than 2/3 fully charged. So that wasn't the problem.

I really think I might have bungled something by double clicking too many times between M1/M2, H1/H2, etc.

I vote for this.  Sounds like you have double clicked your way into the programming mode and were switching between sub modes (eg M1, M2, M3 etc) instead of switching to a different level (eg M1 to H1).  Removing the end cap disrupts and resets the programming mode back to normal mode.

Look at "Second sub-level programming" in the ZL user manual for more info:
http://www.zebralight.com/assets/images/USER_GUIDE_V30_2012.pdf

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that was it. Because when  I try to replicate the mistake, I can't make it happen.

 

[captain spaulding]

According to the charger, the battery was  more than 2/3 fully charged. So that wasn't the problem.

I really think I might have bungled something by double clicking too many times between M1/M2, H1/H2, etc.

I vote for this.  Sounds like you have double clicked your way into the programming mode and were switching between sub modes (eg M1, M2, M3 etc) instead of switching to a different level (eg M1 to H1).  Removing the end cap disrupts and resets the programming mode back to normal mode.

Look at "Second sub-level programming" in the ZL user manual for more info:
http://www.zebralight.com/assets/images/USER_GUIDE_V30_2012.pdf

Yeah, I'm pretty sure that was it. Because when  I try to replicate the mistake, I can't make it happen.

Glad to hear you cannot replicate the problem. Quit clicking that thing like a mad man. 

[Singh]

Welp, I just had another problem, and it wasn’t from clicking too much, and the light has a freshly charged eneloop in it.

The very first time today that I turn on the light, I press and hold, and the light stays in Low1.  It doesn't progress to the higher modes when you press & hold.

So I tried double clicking and it switches from L1 to L2, but that’s it. No progression to the higher modes. Only L1 andL2.

I unscrew the battery cap and screw it back on… and now everything is fine.

[gregozedobe]

Is this all happening with the same battery as before ? 

If it is, then I'd be trying a different battery (regardless of whether it is supposed to be fully charged or not).  If not, look at cleaning all the contact points in the current circuit (especially both sides of the tail cap).

If the problem still persists then it may be a switch or driver problem, which may require sending it in to ZL (if it is still covered by warranty).

[Syph007]

Ya sounds like your ZL is haunted!

I would suspect at this point thats is a problem with the light.

[Singh]

Ya sounds like your ZL is haunted!

I would suspect at this point thats is a problem with the light.

Haunted? Haha! I’m not sure about that. Weird things happen to electronics when they are around me. In several jobs, I’ve stumped the  IT folks with odd issues on my computers. Computers, cell phones, cameras… I’ve had weird things happen with all of them.  Maybe I exert a funky electromagnetic field.

Regarding my first problem, I’m almost 100% sure I was stuck in the programming mode for medium. But this latest problem, I have no idea. Maybe the cap wasn’t screwed on tight enough? I know if you loosen the cap just a teeny bit, the light won’t work. 

I checked and the inside of the light was clean, but I cleaned the contacts anyway with a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol. Maybe some lubricant got on the contact spring? After cleaning, the light works just fine.

If I get any more problems, I’ll switch out the battery. It’s been using the same eneloop since this whole thing began.

And if that doesn’t work, then I’ll have to assume there is something wrong with the light. But I’d think if there was something wrong, the problem would occur regularly.

[Singh]

Update: I’ve been testing it every day so far and no problems.

[enki_ck]

Update: I’ve been testing it every day so far and no problems.

Now stay out of the programming mode.

Glad to hear you have your light in working order again.

[David]

 

[Singh]

Update#2: I’ve functioned-checked the light every morning and it works perfectly. Yeah, I’m 99.997658% sure that all my problems were because I bungled into programming mode.

[captain spaulding]

Update#2: I’ve functioned-checked the light every morning and it works perfectly. Yeah, I’m 99.997658% sure that all my problems were because I bungled into programming mode.

Glad to hear everything appears to be good. 

[sawman]

Update#2: I’ve functioned-checked the light every morning and it works perfectly. Yeah, I’m 99.997658% sure that all my problems were because I bungled into programming mode.

Glad to hear everything appears to be good. 

Even my 47's Mini is a little cantankerous about selecting modes. It is for this reason I don't care as much for twisty lights...

[JAfromMn]

Glad to hear that it isn't broken.

you almost turned me off wanting to get one.