The big LIGHTS thread 2011-2014

Jimx26

diy wrote:

@Jimx26 what light and how much was it?

@SS Lumen is pretty easy to calculate based on the known LED, bin and current consumed. You are not going to be too far off with that calculation, providing you go with a warmed up lumen claim rather than the max.

2 Ultrafire U2 501b's
2 Batteries
and a charger

It was £42 all in with delivery IIRC

Ouija

You can pick up 501's/502's from british sellers for a tenner or more. Better batteries can be had too, as well as chargers for only 5 to 10 quid. Beats me why people order from half way round the world (unless it's significantly cheaper, which in this case it isn't).

diy

Looks like this is a fed ex problem. had you ordered the items Hong Kong post they would be under the £15 limit. I have ordered loads from dx bob lm and never had any problems. But I dint buy 18650s form china because they are junk normally.

UPDATE: I think you can dodge this... how much is VAT and how much is admin?

I don't think you are legally obliged to pay anything other than VAT due. Fed Ex should have gained your agreement to pay at the point of delivery, if you haven't previously agreed to pay their fees. I think you can just pay the vat and tell them to whistle for the fee. They are effectively offering you a service. If you refuse they'll go after LM.

See : http://www.fedex.com/gb/rates/ratesinfo.html#dt

apreading

diy wrote:

Looks like this is a fed ex problem. had you ordered the items Hong Kong post they would be under the £15 limit. I have ordered loads from dx bob lm and never had any problems. But I dint buy 18650s form china because they are junk normally.

UPDATE: I think you can dodge this... how much is VAT and how much is admin?

I don't think you are legally obliged to pay anything other than VAT due. Fed Ex should have gained your agreement to pay at the point of delivery, if you haven't previously agreed to pay their fees. I think you can just pay the vat and tell them to whistle for the fee. They are effectively offering you a service. If you refuse they'll go after LM.

See : http://www.fedex.com/gb/rates/ratesinfo.html#dt

That was my arguement with them last time - when a cousin sent the kids a couple of T-shirts from USA and FedEx wanted to charge me something like £25...! Told them that I had no contract with them and therefore no obligation to pay them any money and that the stuff inside wasnt worth enough to be eligible for VAT and that they could come take it back as it wasnt worth £25 either...! Spoke to 3 or 4 people but they all said that by accepting the goods we had agreed to the T&Cs. But the bill came 2 weeks later I said - we didnt know there would be a bill when the goods were delivered, otherwise we would not have accepted them... And so it went on until I kept insisting to go up the chain to supervisor, then boss of supervisor etc until at last someone said they would waive it on this case as a gesture of good willl!

I NEVER use FedEx, nor does my company, nor do I order anything that I know is going to be delivered by FedEx.

diy

I couldn't find anything in their terms that allow them to make that assumption. The goods could be accepted by anyone at the address or a mail room.

Jimx26

diy wrote:

Looks like this is a fed ex problem. had you ordered the items Hong Kong post they would be under the £15 limit. I have ordered loads from dx bob lm and never had any problems. But I dint buy 18650s form china because they are junk normally.

UPDATE: I think you can dodge this... how much is VAT and how much is admin?

I don't think you are legally obliged to pay anything other than VAT due. Fed Ex should have gained your agreement to pay at the point of delivery, if you haven't previously agreed to pay their fees. I think you can just pay the vat and tell them to whistle for the fee. They are effectively offering you a service. If you refuse they'll go after LM.

See : http://www.fedex.com/gb/rates/ratesinfo.html#dt

Thanks

I will have to rey and find it as I threw it in disgust

Neal_

Any thoughts on this?

Bit pricey for Chinese stuff and not clear if T6 or U2 but it seems to have proper high/med/low with all LED's rather than just full power on 1,2,3 or 4 LED's and no strobe. 6 cell pack is good too but even so not great run time.

£71 4500-Lumen 4T6/4U2 4xCree XM-L 3-Mode LED Front Bicycle Light With 6*18650 Battery Set And Charger


Working Voltage :9~12V (Maximum 15V)
Power: 35W
Light Emitter: 4xCree XM-L
Brightness :3500~5000LM
Battery pack: 6 * 18650/4400MAH
Runing Time: 60~80Minutes On High Mode,
Modes: 100%High - 50%Mid - 10%Low
Protection: lithium low Voltage protection, overheating protection
Size: 58MM* 76MM
Weight: 800 g
Bracket: Fit Fot 22~35MM handlebar
Protection function and the prompt signal:When the light working,the mode change to Low mode and we can not change it and flash in 5 seconds,it means the temperature is too high, Now We need to reduce the brightness or offer better cooling conditions; if the mode change to low mode,and flash 2 in 5 seconds,it means no electric, Now we must charge the battery set or it will damage.

diy

A bit too expensive given the 2 and 3x XM-L alternatives

smashed

I bought the 1600 XML and it is up to the job Thanks for the advice.

However,

I now want a matching rear light as I have had 3 rear lights and all 3 have switched off for no reason (1 x usb revolution , 2 x Smart Lunar R1). I don't really want to dice with death so a battery pack connected rear seems more sensible.

Any idea where I can get the matching rear (can probably find the splitter myself)?

Thanks

-Archie-

smashed wrote:

Any idea where I can get the matching rear (can probably find the splitter myself)?

One light I'd call "matching" is probably MagicShine MJ-818:
http://www.magicshine.hk/ShowProduct.aspx?id=43

You can buy it on DealExtreme or eBay; the Y-cables are avaiable as well...

jairaj

re - lights switching off randomly this might help:

-Archie- wrote:

It is well (not sure whether that word is suitable here) known flaw of many tail lights I've seen. But it can be eliminated by minor modification.

The problem is, that manufacturers are saving cost and decided not to put the electrolytic capacitors in the light's electronic: respectively, even small power interruption caused by battery wobbling will reset the circuit to its initial (that is, "off") state.

I've modified many rear lights by soldering little capacitor in parallel with power input contacts of control PCB: this completely solved the "self-off" problem...

smashed

Thanks, I am rubbish at that kind of thing. (soldering etc).
Taking a look at the magicshine.

I am looking at the light on here but this is more than I paid for the 1600lumen front with battery pack etc etc..
http://www.candb-seen.co.uk/bikehead-li ... ights.html

coursemyhorse

diy wrote:

@coursemyhorse
1. Tighten the end cap, there is an internal thread on the cap that sometimes works loose.
2. Tighten the spring on the drop in

watch my vid for how to:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJpQAvum0bM

DIY thanks for your help. Very nice vid. I couldn't see the two tiny mentioned holes to wind the tailcap piece up on mine. However, I took mine fully apart and put it back together and it stopped doing it. I did notice the battery is able to rock ever so slightly up and down the main chamber which can switch through the modes sometimes. Perhaps I might pack it out. Interestingly, this is my 502-b that is causing problems. My two older 501-b's are rock solid. I think they all have the same XML LED mind, or very similar, but the beam pattern on the 502 is ever so slightly different as I think the diffuser might be different.

I never did get round to trying one of those orange peel reflectors to assist in limiting the center spot and allowing more flood. I might do this at some point, but with two 501s on the bars and one 502 on the helmet, they merge nicely into a good overall coverage.

As for the laptop batteries I posted up earlier in the thread, I will post back what packs they are from in a bit.
Thanks

Ouija wrote:

You can pick up 501's/502's from british sellers for a tenner or more. Better batteries can be had too, as well as chargers for only 5 to 10 quid. Beats me why people order from half way round the world (unless it's significantly cheaper, which in this case it isn't).

I noticed this last year when I bought some. I saved a lot of wait and hassle by purchasing from ebay UK. It was slightly more expensive. At the time I think some people were finding things were taking absolutely ages though from China. Perhaps I left it too late and it was near to the Chinese New Year thing...can't remember.

I just checked DealXtreme and they have a 501-b with XML-T6 emitter for $12.20. That's about £7.60. If you buy 3 or more, that goes down to $10.76 each, which is £6.70. Shipping is free and actually at the moment that item states only 7-10 day delivery. UK ebay - as you linked yourself - is about £14 for a reputable seller at the moment.

EDIT: Just checked ebay and there seems to be a Uk seller of the 501-b for £10 incl P&P.

prawny

I got a 501-b from a uk seller on ebay for less than a tenner from ouyou2010 came quick, no bother.

tincaman

Don't think it's been mentioned for a while but if your torch battery is a bit loose length ways you can add a rare earth magnet to take up the slack
http://dx.com/p/super-strong-rare-earth-re-magnets-8mm-20-pack-4248?item=14

jairaj

Anyone know where to get textured reflectors for the Ultrafire 50X torches? I've got a smooth reflector and would like to try out a textured one to see what difference in beam pattern is.

Ouija

Possibly

sparky.2002

Update to previous post
Cheers DIY... the skyray king arrived today
1st, had to make a mount for it. Used an Electron mount from CRC, chopped it up a bit and screwed some pieces of aluminium to it

fitted mount to the light using huge cable ties

In comparison to a 501b

On the bike


You might notice that this thing is quite large!! weighs in at 570g with 4 18650's and the mount. Cant be doing with a seperate battery pack though.

completely unscientific shot taken in daylight!!


Well impressed!!

Shame there is no med mode. Low is somewhere between loa and med on the 501b xpg but the spot is a lot larger.

Cant wait to take it out!!

Ouija

It's dark now..........................................GO.......GO.......GO.

Ouija

GO.......GO.......GO.

mcnultycop

I hope this is just a quick question, I bought one of these Cree XML-T6 (although for £33, not £80 as they guy appears to be selling them for now) following Supersonic posting the link to them. I've just got it and it seems pretty decent.

In terms of charging this am I OK just to charge it for 3 hours before I first use it, then just use it (likely to be only 2 hour maximum rides at night) and keep charging it without letting it go flat?

Thanks in advance.

VWsurfbum

i charge mine until the light goes green on the charger (always observed by someone in the house)

MrGrumpy

prawny wrote:

I got a 501-b from a uk seller on ebay for less than a tenner from ouyou2010 came quick, no bother.

is it this one ? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UltraFire-100 ... 4566wt_902

had this in my watchlist with a view to buying it! My MS clone died and bought another of the bay which proved to be faulty, so decided that the torch route is probably best. Is it any good? Will be buying two of them if I do go for it.

mcnultycop

VWsurfbum wrote:

i charge mine until the light goes green on the charger (always observed by someone in the house)

Nice one, cheers. I'll do the same.

prawny

MrGrumpy wrote:

prawny wrote:

I got a 501-b from a uk seller on ebay for less than a tenner from ouyou2010 came quick, no bother.

is it this one ? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UltraFire-100 ... 4566wt_902

had this in my watchlist with a view to buying it! My MS clone died and bought another of the bay which proved to be faulty, so decided that the torch route is probably best. Is it any good? Will be buying two of them if I do go for it.

That's the fella, just refixed to my lid, good torch, seems much better put together than the first one I got from dx, oddly enough.

diy

Skyray look awesome. Please, please take beam shots on manual mode and post up. For the comments on cells you can just top up and use. They won't need to be emptied. Always charge in fire proof area, under supervision or on a timer. The risk is low but it does exist

wishitwasallflat

prawny wrote:

MrGrumpy wrote:

prawny wrote:

I got a 501-b from a uk seller on ebay for less than a tenner from ouyou2010 came quick, no bother.

is it this one ? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UltraFire-100 ... 4566wt_902

had this in my watchlist with a view to buying it! My MS clone died and bought another of the bay which proved to be faulty, so decided that the torch route is probably best. Is it any good? Will be buying two of them if I do go for it.

That's the fella, just refixed to my lid, good torch, seems much better put together than the first one I got from dx, oddly enough.

I just ordered one of these tonight on the advice of having two torches - I am begining to think torch buying may be a bit addictive though!

sparky.2002

Just tested sky ray king in back garden.... its like a security light!! Beam shots to follow

sparky.2002

ok lets be straight.. i know bugger all about photography but i have managed to take the following two photos with identical settings
1st up
501b xpg-r5

and secondly
skyray king


hmmm ... those settings arent identical!!

Ouija

xpg's are a joke these days.