The big LIGHTS thread 2011-2014

diy

If you cant sew use a stapler. Its just two inch wide elastic - about 50p per meter at any haberdashery shop. Its not necessary to use velcro you can just use the elastic with two stapled loops at each end. I'm sure if you were polite and took your helmet with you they'd probably run it off on one of their demo machines.

samsbike

I am going to need a light to commute on an unlit crappy canal path. My choices are the lezyne super drive (which has the advantage of being an in one package etc but very expensive) or this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Twin-Torchy-X ... 43b16b9ed5 - Twin Torchy XM-L T6 Wide/Spot Zoom 1750 Lumen lights +batteries +charger


the latter is much cheaper and I am not going to go off-roading etc.

Any advice appreciated

thanks

leaflite

I would go for the latter. It will be significantly brighter than the lezyne

diy

I would also only go for the zoom option if you have experience of XM-L Lights in a small host and have decided that you need to change something.

standard lens in a small head is pretty good for road use. I use two on low-med for riding on road, never needed more than that.

1@ATIME

Hi just noticed these on ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170887816892?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_1959wt_1153 could I power with this? http://www.dealextreme.com/p/4400mah-external-battery-pack-with-pouch-for-sku-29489-30864-4-18650-32756?item=24

samsbike

leaflite wrote:

I would go for the latter. It will be significantly brighter than the lezyne

thanks

diy

1@ATIME wrote:

Hi just noticed these on ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170887816892?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_1959wt_1153 could I power with this? http://www.dealextreme.com/p/4400mah-external-battery-pack-with-pouch-for-sku-29489-30864-4-18650-32756?item=24

impossible to know what the required input voltage is.

tincaman

1@ATIME wrote:

Hi just noticed these on ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170887816892?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_1959wt_1153 could I power with this? http://www.dealextreme.com/p/4400mah-external-battery-pack-with-pouch-for-sku-29489-30864-4-18650-32756?item=24

It's a magicshine lighthead, 8.4 v input

1@ATIME

Cheers just ordered one so let you know how I get on might splash out & get the magicshine digital battery as the lamp's so cheap.

allthegearnoidea

Anyone know the reason for the ultrafire 4000mah 18650 batteries being cheaper than the 3000mah ones?? Have been looking for some spares but could see why the difference was such!!

fungus_the_muffin_man

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/p7-water-resistant-ssc-p7-3-mode-1200-lumen-white-led-bike-light-with-battery-pack-set-82734

Just received this during the week. The light itself is perfect for what I want ( commuting and maybe try night riding)
The only problem with it is that the connection wire must be lose on the battery pack wire where it is attached to the connector. As when the wire moves it loses connection. From having a fiddle it seems to be inside the connector.

How easy is this to fix or where could I take it to get it sorted?

The other option would be to buy a new battery pack. Can anyone recommend one for me please?

kevinharley

If you've just got the light, and there is suspected loose connection, I'd be inclined to send it back, or at least contact dealextreme and ask their advice!

I received this last week:

http://www.dealextreme.com/p/t6-waterpr ... 10?item=30

It’s a pretty narrow, but powerful beam. As a single light, for off-road night riding, it would have some limitations because of this, (although I have used it twice now on its own whilst I wait for a new battery for my other light, and I can certainly find my way around!) but paired with my existing light from mtbbatteries, it should be a very good combination. Good value too – only £28, and it was delivered in under 2 weeks.

diy

allthegearnoidea wrote:

Anyone know the reason for the ultrafire 4000mah 18650 batteries being cheaper than the 3000mah ones?? Have been looking for some spares but could see why the difference was such!!

They will be around 2.1ah to 2.5 irrelevant of the claimed output. I'm not even sure 4ah is possible in an 18650. The best I have ever seen real world is around 2.9ah at 1.5a

allthegearnoidea

That's great, thanks for that fella, so the mah ratings are just random guesses to boost sales???
Have found a local Company that suPply ultrafire red protected cells for a couple of quid each so will grab a couple dreckly!

Ouija

allthegearnoidea wrote:

That's great, thanks for that fella, so the mah ratings are just random guesses to boost sales???
!

They are when it comes to UltraFire. A lot of other companies like Yezl, Panasonic and Sony actually underrate their mAh ratings. It's one of the reasons their batteries tend to cost more.

allthegearnoidea

That would explain why the yezi ones I've seen were close to £20 a cell! I guess like everything, you get what you payfor! When I used to use the RC truck it was always sanyo or GP cells to go for, as you said, they always lasted Far longer than cheaper higher rated ones! Guess the same applies!
Thank you!

diy

Basically there is no point quoting an mah rating unless we also know under what load it is.

e.g. 4000mah at 250ma cell could also be 2000mah at 1.5a.

Given the usage we need cells that perform well at higher amp loads. Hence a 2.5Ah laptop cell which may be rated at 2.5Ah at 2A is going to be better than a 4ah cell at 250ma.

leaflite

allthegearnoidea wrote:

That would explain why the yezi ones I've seen were close to £20 a cell! I guess like everything, you get what you payfor! When I used to use the RC truck it was always sanyo or GP cells to go for, as you said, they always lasted Far longer than cheaper higher rated ones! Guess the same applies!
Thank you!

Try senybor 2800mah.

Not too expensive on ebay and the seller's tests put them up there with the panasonic ones

Jomox

I've read the threads in FAQ and have been using similar/or same torches for the front which are posted, however I have a problem with durability with the cheaper torches like the Cree ones etc, really bright but easily break for me after a couple of weeks use. Recently had a UltraFire WF502B for example but have gone through many similar. (Not tried the MTE SSC P7-C 1, dunno if it will be durable?)

I live in the country side and often out at night so the torch is used often (for general use and on bike) I just need a very bright (Has to be bright as possible as it's pitch black out here at night) but it needs to be very durable and well built. Even at night there is so many little bumps and off road trails to go down to get to places (Best quickest routes) that the torch has to be able to handle allot of punishment in terms of shocks/vibrations. I have a nice rubber mount that absorbs some of the shocks but it only does so much.

I'll spend up to £40-£60 as long as it lasts and possibly has warranty if it does break as I keep spending below £30 on a front torch and every one ends up with problems. I don't mind about batteries and what it can take, and I don't mind if it just has one mode (Keep it simple) though sos and less dim mode are handy but for me this is more parts to go wrong so not sure, I guess if it's well built should be okay.

jairaj

how are your torches breaking?

I've been using one as a helmet mount for two years now. It's survived many bumps from falls and hitting low branches. been used regularly in the rain and mud and still working fine.

Jomox

I have no idea, just use them on bike and countryside (Lots of wet weather , surrounded by woods, hills, rocks and everything) I thought it's just because I keep buying the under £30 torches which do seem flimsy (Very happy others can make them last though) But I've not used one as helmet mount. (I guess would last longer like that?) But can't use the helmet one in all cases (Only away from the cars etc) Thought I've only been using them on a bike again more recently (They seem to fade away even on walks after a while)

Need something more durable for me personally so willing to spend a bit more money on one that will last and with warranty if possible.

leaflite

What is going wrong with the torches you already have?

Mine have been fine. One even survived falling out of a particularly flimsy mount onto rocks with only a few chips to the aluminium.

diy

Jomox wrote:

I've read the threads in FAQ and have been using similar/or same torches for the front which are posted, however I have a problem with durability with the cheaper torches like the Cree ones etc, really bright but easily break for me after a couple of weeks use. Recently had a UltraFire WF502

See my video on how to fix: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJpQAvum0bM

sounds like a connection issue. I have more than 10 501bs and I have only had problems with 1 and that was after droping it while it was on and hot, which broke the driver.

Jomox

Usually it's something to do with the switches that go (Or something with the contacts) for example latest one it seems the switch is loose inside or something as it's got a mind of it's own. Have one I don't know whats up just died though works with just battery and console thing.

I'll check your video out and go about repairing, I've honestly got around 10 laying around that don't work so hopefully can learn how to fix at least one or two from your video. Thanks.

tincaman

Just ordered on of these, look interesting, less than £18 and a bit of a wait
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/170892542079?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_2696wt_993

tincaman

Looks like they are these made by NiteFighter
http://www.nitefighter.com/product_view.asp?id=6

Nobby Nic

Hi, thanks for all the information on this thread its been very helpful. I eventually (after lots of reading) ordered 2x 501b U2 from lightmalls, I`m really pleased with them so far and the NEW-S06B XM-L T6 5-Mode 900LM from dealextreme just to try out for the helmet / spare, I`m still waiting for this (near 2 weeks)
Lightmalls as others have stated are a lot quicker in delivery (around a week) also the dealextreme euro warehouse was around the same.

Has anyone tried out this light yet ?

3600-Lumen 3T6 LED High Power Bicycle Light For 3*Cree XM-L T6 4-Mode LED bike light Kit
http://www.lightmalls.com/3600-lumen-3t ... -light-kit

boothuk

anyone got any ideas on modifying these cree torches so that they are linked to a battery pack?

Sure I saw a guide on this somewhere.

diy

You can link them to a magic shine pack by connecting + to + on 1, - to + on 2 then - to - on the pack to connect two torches to a pack. Personally I just run extra torches if I need longer run times and carry spare cells.

For me the advantage of the torches is that they are single cell, so no crappy 2p2s pack to explode when it get wet.

I have been experimenting with a drop in only option for my road bike.

Jomox

Just a side note, I got a energizer torch couple years back for b-day present. It's not very bright at all and has a standard bulb, just one switch very simple and surrounded by rubber. (This one: http://www.play.com/Gadgets/Gadgets/4-/ ... d:20211229
) But it's out lasted 5 of the other cree type torches I've had and it still works fine. So I just think all these below £30 torches I've had just don't have the build quality (It's around the switches/contacts, seems allot have issues) for what I use them for personally.

Will try find some time at weekend to go about repairing some (With video from the video above, thanks for that)