The big LIGHTS thread 2011-2014
Comments
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VWsurfbum, thanks. Can you measure the current consumed by this light in different modes? I'm very interested in determining whether the LEDs are connected in parallel or in series. Knowing the fact that modes are changed by selective switching of the individual LEDs, I almost certain it is parallel connection, but exact information is highly appreciated.0
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coursemyhorse wrote:15 x red from Toshiba 9 + 6 cell packs
12 x green from 2 x Sony 6 cell packs
If anyone wants any of these give me a shout and I will list them on the forums for sale.
The pink one's look like 2.6Ah Samsung cells - pretty good cells. The Green ones look like old 1.6Ah/1.8Ah Sony so not that great. Though some green sony cells are around 2.5Ah.
It would probably help people to know the Wh on the pack or the Ah on the pack, in order to value you cells.0 -
I was editing as you posted..
can't be certain without knowing about the pack. but most of the sony 6 cell packs are fairly low ah.0 -
ive done a run time test on my 501b 1300 lumen and C8 1300 lumen.
C8 full power 50 mins then dimed and would not cycle modes.
501b full power 55mins then dimed and would only cycle 2 modes.
501b half power 2hrs 45 then dimed and would spaz through some modes.
i used trustfire 2400mah 3.7v protected cells.http://www.lightmalls.com/trustfire-pro ... ies-1-pair
the experts on here say that if an unprotected cell runs untill it dims then its ruined but does that mean my protected cell is fine or will it also suffer from running so low????
thankaBoardman comp 20120 -
so took the beast on its first outing tonight, soVWsurfbum wrote:
this is mode 1
mode 2
mode 3
then all my lights
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Has anyone got any experience of these?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5000-Lumens-3 ... 3f16de131c
Seems like a not bad option if you've already got charger and cells (ie, you are me) But I can't find any beam pattern shots.Uncompromising extremist0 -
Looks like the Skyray I posted a few pages back. It wont of course be 5K lumen it will be more 2k.
http://www.lightmalls.com/sky-ray-king- ... ht-4-18650
or there is a 5 T6 version here:
http://www.lightmalls.com/solarstorm-5- ... ch-4-18650
The ebay price looks better. (but they are quoting 1 month delivery)0 -
Thanks for the pictures! How quickly it become "too hot" on max mode? Is there a remarkable difference between max and mid modes? Photos give the impression that they're very similar, but maybe it's just because of different camera settings or something like that...VWsurfbum wrote:so took the beast on its first outing tonight,0 -
I ended up using it on mid mode as the difference was minimal.-Archie- wrote:
Thanks for the pictures! How quickly it become "too hot" on max mode? Is there a remarkable difference between max and mid modes? Photos give the impression that they're very similar, but maybe it's just because of different camera settings or something like that...VWsurfbum wrote:so took the beast on its first outing tonight,
I was a perfect bar mounted light, loads of spread and throw! very pleased.
I wasnt out for long last night, so i need to go out on a long ride and time the run times on my two new additions.0 -
One 80 wrote:ive done a run time test on my 501b 1300 lumen and C8 1300 lumen.
C8 full power 50 mins then dimed and would not cycle modes.
501b full power 55mins then dimed and would only cycle 2 modes.
501b half power 2hrs 45 then dimed and would spaz through some modes.
i used trustfire 2400mah 3.7v protected cells.http://www.lightmalls.com/trustfire-pro ... ies-1-pair
the experts on here say that if an unprotected cell runs untill it dims then its ruined but does that mean my protected cell is fine or will it also suffer from running so low????
thanka
I'm not convinced that the protection is working. What voltage did they end up at. the drivers tend to cut out at 2.9-3.2v Protection is supposed to cut out at 3.6v
I reckon your drivers are driving at 2.4A on 4.2v, and this will drop as the voltage drops giving you the run times you experienced. Sensible output for single cell lights. the 2.4Ah UF are probably only pushing 1.8Ah-2.1Ah under this kind of load.0 -
Generally, discharge of cell to the voltage lower than 3.0 volt will cause reduced cycle life and capacity loss. The protection PCB will not prevent that: its main purpose is, to avoid dangerous conditions - in case of discharge, it means really deep discharge. Typical level of voltage for the cell to be disconnected by its protection circuit is around 2.75 or lower...One 80 wrote:the experts on here say that if an unprotected cell runs untill it dims then its ruined but does that mean my protected cell is fine or will it also suffer from running so low????0 -
That's interesting! Do you see the reduction of brightness of two LEDs when third one is switched on?VWsurfbum wrote:I ended up using it on mid mode as the difference was minimal.
Great. What's about the intensity of spread light if compared to the hot spot? Is it sufficient to see the sides of trail?loads of spread and throw! very pleased.0 -
That's interesting! Do you see the reduction of brightness of two LEDs when third one is switched on? [/quote]VWsurfbum wrote:I ended up using it on mid mode as the difference was minimal.
Not that i noticed
enough to see the side of the trails easily, no real hot spot-Archie- wrote:
Great. What's about the intensity of spread light if compared to the hot spot? Is it sufficient to see the sides of trail?loads of spread and throw! very pleased.0 -
Good point on the protection circuit - Protection is really fire safety protection, not something you can rely on to save your cells. There are some drivers which will do that, but you wont find them in these cheap lights. One of the reasons I don't bother with protected cells.
Just a point on the beam shots above the exif shows that these were not taken on the same settings, so the full power shot looks darker than it should compared to the first shot.
first shot is 1/8 sec ISO 1000
Last shot is 1/10 sec ISO 320.
and these are probably simulated.0 -
jairaj wrote:Yes a few of us have done such a thing, I think someone posted a picture of their creation a few pages back. If you use the 501/502 bodies, you can glue the tail cap to the head for a good fit. Then drill a hole in the side and solder wires to the + and - battery connections.
Mine took a few hours of work and have been using it for a couple years now no problems at all.
Thanks, I was unable to find the details mentioned on this site (i went back about 20 pages and used search, I probably missed it) however i found a suitable easy torch to modify - no messing with threads or glue. thanks to this: http://forums.mtbr.com/lights-night-rid ... 74842.html
Anyone used a solarforce-l2m - basically unlike the 501s the tail can screw into the back you can also buy extension tubes for 2 ore more cells (not that i want this option)
http://www.lightmalls.com/solarforce-l2 ... ch-1-16340
I'd would imagine its fairly similar to the 501 in output being the same LED0 -
diy wrote:Looks like the Skyray I posted a few pages back.
Aye, very similiar at least... Doesn't seem to be any real world experience of them though.
Kinda torn between grabbing one, since they're so cheap and I've already got decent cells for it, or getting one of the 3T6 lights. Comes down to beam pattern basically, I've already got an MJ-872 so if these are more spotlighty then it'd make sense to get the smaller, bikelight one ands stick it on me head, but if they're floody then the enormo-torch should work well on the bars.Uncompromising extremist0 -
Think I will go for the road commute on one of these..
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SSC-P7-1200Lm-LED-Bicycle-bike-HeadLight-headLamp-Light-UK-STOCK-/200683623190?pt=UK_SportsLeisure_Cycling_Bike_Lights&hash=item2eb9ad1316
However, been reading horror stories of batteries exploding on charget etc etc... Are these fairly safe now or am I playing with fire so to speak? Charging at work and taking out 1000 employees from working would be bad, and I will not be awake for 7 hours at home before it finishes charging.
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smashed wrote:Think I will go for the road commute on one of these..
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SSC-P7-1200Lm-LED-Bicycle-bike-HeadLight-headLamp-Light-UK-STOCK-/200683623190?pt=UK_SportsLeisure_Cycling_Bike_Lights&hash=item2eb9ad1316
Nope. No safer at all - same risks apply as always - its a feature of charging 4 cells together without 1 a balance circuit or individual charge circuit and 2 a thermister.
Also that is a fairly old LED now - SSC p7 has had its day and only around 700 Lumen max. (i say only, that is lots)
Check out the T6 lights in my wiki guide (see sig.) The double XM-L and tripple XM-L are much better for the same money.
But still no safer in terms of battery.
There are some basic precautions that need to be made.0 -
smashed, total safety can not be guaranteed of course, but many members of our local cycling club are using such lights (both P7 and XM-L based) without any problems for quite long time. As additional precaution, you may put the battery in metal box or pot during charge.0
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Thanks all. I had been reading about people using other chargers / batteries (e.g. RC cars). Has anybody tried that approach?
Thanks DIY, having a read.
I fancied the slightly more expensive but all in one and bought from UK approach (at a slight premium) as they would arrive quickly.0 -
Ah, hell with it, ordered a Sky Ray King for the bars to replace my aging P7- it's not expensive and it's a pretty comical bit of kit. Might take a while to get here though. £37.66 it cost, without batteries or mounts- it ought to fit on my existing QR mounts.Uncompromising extremist0
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diy wrote:One 80 wrote:ive done a run time test on my 501b 1300 lumen and C8 1300 lumen.
C8 full power 50 mins then dimed and would not cycle modes.
501b full power 55mins then dimed and would only cycle 2 modes.
501b half power 2hrs 45 then dimed and would spaz through some modes.
i used trustfire 2400mah 3.7v protected cells.http://www.lightmalls.com/trustfire-pro ... ies-1-pair
the experts on here say that if an unprotected cell runs untill it dims then its ruined but does that mean my protected cell is fine or will it also suffer from running so low????
thanka
I'm not convinced that the protection is working. What voltage did they end up at. the drivers tend to cut out at 2.9-3.2v Protection is supposed to cut out at 3.6v
I reckon your drivers are driving at 2.4A on 4.2v, and this will drop as the voltage drops giving you the run times you experienced. Sensible output for single cell lights. the 2.4Ah UF are probably only pushing 1.8Ah-2.1Ah under this kind of load.
i dont have a test meter so no idea sorry. i wont be running them so low again then i guess.
thanksBoardman comp 20120 -
One 80 wrote:ive done a run time test on my 501b 1300 lumen and C8 1300 lumen.
C8 full power 50 mins then dimed and would not cycle modes.
501b full power 55mins then dimed and would only cycle 2 modes.
501b half power 2hrs 45 then dimed and would spaz through some modes.
i used trustfire 2400mah 3.7v protected cells.http://www.lightmalls.com/trustfire-pro ... ies-1-pair
the experts on here say that if an unprotected cell runs untill it dims then its ruined but does that mean my protected cell is fine or will it also suffer from running so low????
thanka
Gotta say, those run times aren't very impressive. Been using SenyBor 2800mAh (4.8A drain) protected batteries with my 502's and have never had the lights power down to a lower setting even after an hour and a half (don't know what the full run times are because i've never tested them).
Remember to use a good charger with a trickle mode as the last ten percent of a batteries charge actually makes up the majority of it's runtime (batteries work in a more logarithmic than linear fashion). Cheap chargers with only one mode and no cut off only tend to charge a battery to 70/80% which actually cuts the run times in half.
In fact, if it doesn't rain tonight, i think i'll take them out and see just how long i can run them for before they cycle down.0 -
Some 502bs run at 3 amps, others just 1.4 (or anywhere inbetween). That is the only problem, with them really, the stated current does vary.0
