The big LIGHTS thread 2011-2014

stellamandude

Cheers for the "beam shots" Ouija, once again a very informative post !!

My SolarStorm arrived today from Ebay, went with a UK seller that also included a rear light for £32 delivered.
I'm currently running 2 Chinese magicshine copy's, both XML-T6, one being 8.4v and the other 4.2v, which is more than plenty for me on my short 30min journey to work in the morning (5am)

In the same boat as you with regards to swapping lights over from bike to bike, hence the purchase of this, so I'll be taking the new bike tomorrow morning and see what I think of it in comparison

Bryn_Mawr003

stellamandude wrote:

Wormishere1 wrote:

Just received my TR D002 following Ouija's recommendation. This thing is tiny!



Never received anything from a Chinese supplier before and was not expecting the packaging it arrived in...



But, it arrived safe and in working condition so cannot be too bad!

Not use this 'for real' yet but all looks good so far (bright!). The only thing I would say so far is that the beam has about 4 rings in it...will see how it goes on Friday.

How did it go ?
Got any "beam shots" as I really like the look of this 8)

I bought one of these too. Lasted about 10 seconds before it stopped working. The mode button was still illuminated so took the back off the head unit to have a look and immediately spotted that a very fine green wire from within the power cable has broken off a small circuit board. It appears to have been attached by only a couple of strands of the wire.

Legeen

Where are people getting this privacy film to put over the lens to make the beam spread out?

Ouija

Wilkinson or B&Q. In the bathroom department. Comes on big rolls like wrapping paper. For covering windows and glass shower doors with frosted patterns to stop people being able to see in. Also find it on ebay.

Legeen

Thanks Ouija

neilus

Ouija, what is better at diffusing the light, an OP refelector or the privacy film? How do both work together?
Cheers!

apreading

neilus wrote:

Ouija, what is better at diffusing the light, an OP refelector or the privacy film? How do both work together?
Cheers!

I imagine that the privacy film diffuses the light more but probably more than you need, indiscriminately and light is lost at the same time. The orange peel will diffuse the light a bit, but still point it forward in the same general direction, which is probably better. But if OP isnt an option then privacy film is a great DIY option, largely because the sheer power of the lights overcomes the downsides of it.

Ouija

OP reflector is better for taking a small hard spot and softening it a little. Privacy film (depending on just how dimpled it is) covering the entire glass can diffuse the light to the point there isn't a spot at all, just a very diffuse glow that goes everywhere (pure flood). It's usually better with the privacy film to experiment with only partially covering the glass. On a typical sized head unit, puting a circular piece of film over the glass with a penny sized hole cut out of the center will often widen the spot with a more diffused outer edge. Covering the whole lens but cutting out a tiny bite sized gap at the edge will leave the spot the same size but drop it's brightness and transfer more of the light into the outer penumbra (the bigger the chunk you cut out of the edge, the brighter the spot will become).

On twin head units and units with multiple emitters in one head the results can be different again. Covering one emitter completely but leaving the other(s) uncovered essentially gives you a simultaneous spot and flood working together (as seen in the photos i posted at the top of the page).

neilus

Ha, youve really given this a lot of thought havent you?? Brilliant! But as the guy above said, im guessing there is some apparent loss of brightness with the privacy film, but i cant imagine its significant...?

Ouija

neilus wrote:

Ha, youve really given this a lot of thought havent you?? Brilliant! But as the guy above said, im guessing there is some apparent loss of brightness with the privacy film, but i cant imagine its significant...?

Yes. Which is why i've used OP reflectors on my dimmer 4.2v XM-L's and resorted to using the minimal amount of privacy film on those lights where OP reflectors aren't available.

Should point out i have around twenty XM-L lights in various configurations. Must of experimented with getting every kind of beam pattern, remote switches, different mounting solutions, battery pack configurations etc.

stellamandude

I'm going nuts here !!!

Trying to source a Y splitter cable (in the UK) to run 2 lights off one battery, other than the "overpriced" Magicshine ones, £6 !! :x



Can someone please point me in the right direction

johnmcl7

When it say XM-L2 on the 501b on the previous page, which LED is it? If I'm understanding the naming system correctly the XM-L2's have the same rating system for the LEDs up to U3 but I can't see any mention on the page as to which emitter it is. I'm just wondering if it's worth getting an XML U3 or the XM-L2 based light.

Also what is the difference between the 501B and the 502B? I've currently got a few 502B's with XML-U2's which seem fine for size although I can only see 501B's with the XM-L2 while the 502B isn't, only the U3.

Thanks,
John

Ouija

My understanding (probably wrong) was that the XM-L T6/U2/U3 are the same emitter sorted into different bins according to how well the manufacturing process went, with the U2/U3's being the ones that tested brighter/cooler after manufacture, where as the XM-L2 is a new design (even looks slightly different to the naked eye) . I'm sure someone on here knows the ins and out of it and will come along in a minute and enlighten us.

apreading

Yeah, you are right Ouija - except I think from what I have seen that they dont currently quote bins for the XM-L2. I guess this may be because it is 'new' and they think that telling us its an XM-L2 is impressive enough that we havent started looking at which XM-L2s are better than others as they are all better than the best XM-L?

The XM-L2 is supposed to be both better in terms of output and in particular more efficient, as far as I understand it.

johnmcl7

This is the page I was looking at which lists bins for the XM-L2 with the same names as the XML's but obviously different outputs:

http://flashlightwiki.com/Cree

If that's right then the XM-L2 T6 is around the same as an XML U3 so I guess there's nothing lost going with the the XM-L2 assuming it's no worse than a T6? It sounds like they're worth a go anyway although not found a UK source yet.

John

Ouija

Got four XM-L2's in two head units i bought recently. They certainly seem as bright as my XM-L T6 lights (with a whiter caste) and seem to give noticeably longer run times, so the lights are probably running at a lower amp draw yet achieving the same brightness as a XM-L T6 running at a higher amp draw. For that reason alone, i'd upgrade my 502's to XM-L2's as i imagine you'd get more mileage out of the single battery than with a standard XM-L T6, assuming the new drop in head runs at a lower amp draw than your old one. If not, then you could still run the torch on it's medium setting instead. Which would be brighter than before so that you might never feel the need to run the torch on full.

biggy7

Ouija wrote:

Got four XM-L2's in two head units i bought recently. They certainly seem as bright as my XM-L T6 lights (with a whiter caste) and seem to give noticeably longer run times, so the lights are probably running at a lower amp draw yet achieving the same brightness as a XM-L T6 running at a higher amp draw. For that reason alone, i'd upgrade my 502's to XM-L2's as i imagine you'd get more mileage out of the single battery than with a standard XM-L T6, assuming the new drop in head runs at a lower amp draw than your old one. If not, then you could still run the torch on it's medium setting instead. Which would be brighter than before so that you might never feel the need to run the torch on full.

are these the ones you have?

http://www.manafont.com/product_info.ph ... ed-p-13542

after some lights as for my commute in the coming darker days, i have a road bike and take some dark cycle paths and lighted main roads.. If so where have you mounted the switch?

will be buying these for the rears: http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/LIPHBPDRL/p ... rear_light

i was very close to buying the Commuter Kit from C & B Seen but at nearly £80 its above my budget

thanks

Ouija

Yeah, that's the ones i got (did some beam shots of them on the previous page). Owning a XM-L T6 twin head unit and also sometimes using two single head units merged with a splitter cable to a single battery i know that two XM-L T6's will drain a four cell pack in around an hour, yet the twin head XM-L2 head unit i just bought gets two hours out of the four cell battery pack that comes with it, which is either down to the efficiency of the XM-L2's or a really awesome battery pack (i'm inclined towards the former more than the latter). And you don't really need to run it on full brightness anyway as the medium mode is plenty bright enough.

As for the switch. I mount mine on the start of my grips so that the button is just above the upshift button on my SRAM X9 shifters. That way i don't have to take my hand off the grip to change mode, no more than you do to change gears.

And those Phaart rear lights are damn bright (and cheap). Just as bright as the similar Cateye light that costs almost £15. I have one and you really don't need much else.

biggy7

thanks Ouija

had a think ove rnight and im not sure i want a light with the seperate switch, do they do that model wihtout the seperate switch?

have been doing more reading and found the SolarStorm X2 which looks good, so you have any views on it?

http://www.manafont.com/product_info.ph ... ed-p-12865

again will not be used off road, only on my commuter road bike and i use lit roads and some dimmly lit cycle path ways.

thanks

stellamandude

biggy7 wrote:

thanks Ouija

had a think ove rnight and im not sure i want a light with the seperate switch, do they do that model wihtout the seperate switch?

have been doing more reading and found the SolarStorm X2 which looks good, so you have any views on it?

http://www.manafont.com/product_info.ph ... ed-p-12865

again will not be used off road, only on my commuter road bike and i use lit roads and some dimmly lit cycle path ways.

thanks

I have the SS x2, fantastic little light for the price, It'll be more than enough for your commuter.
If you already have a battery pack you can buy just the "head unit" for £13

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281169489654? ... 1497.l2649

Hmmm, it would seem he has put his price up since I bought mine, I paid $21 and not the $30 he's charging now.

I run 2 of the cheap XML T6 chinese lights on my other bike and the SS x2 is easily on par with those, with the added benefit of being smaller, lighter and not having to use/run 2 battery packs.



I opted for the SSx2 because I didn't want the switch option that came with the ddr 002
The only negative I have with the SSx2 is the "lead length", it's very short and will only allow mounting of the battery to the "stem" or "bar" area as appose to my favorite area on the seat post

stellamandude

Check this thread out too..........

viewtopic.php?f=20005&t=12942897

biggy7

many thanks stellamandude

theres so much choice im getting way confused lol

part of me just wants to buy a simple be seen light setup and the other a to see with setup

but why pay £80 for say a Hope 1 front light when can get a cree t6 front and led rear for way less...

Ouija

biggy7 wrote:

thanks Ouija

had a think ove rnight and im not sure i want a light with the seperate switch, do they do that model wihtout the seperate switch?

have been doing more reading and found the SolarStorm X2 which looks good, so you have any views on it?

http://www.manafont.com/product_info.ph ... ed-p-12865

again will not be used off road, only on my commuter road bike and i use lit roads and some dimmly lit cycle path ways.

thanks

I would say the remote switch is one of the key features of a light for commuting. These XM-L and XM-L2 lights are eye wateringly bright and blind oncoming traffic something chronic. You can't take your hands off the bar to keep dipping the lights brightness for oncoming traffic, largely because it becomes irritating and also because it's hard to do when climbing or descending hills or going over bumpy ground. I always run my lights on their dimmest setting when in town and on their brightest setting when i get to the country lanes, keeping an eye out for the occasional car coming in the opposite direction so that i can dip the lights. Remote switches make that easier. Especially with a road bike if your down on the drops (what you gonna do, press the mode setting button with your nose or climb back up out of the drops, take your hand off the bar try and press the button without wobbling on the bike or accidentally over pressing the button so that it goes into flash mode and then have to go back down to the drops again). That would be really irritating once you've had to do it two or three times a minute (which is why i suspect many cyclists just leave the light on full and say "f*ck it")

If all you want is a be seen light then the XM-L are overkill (they outshine most care headlights). You'd be better off getting an all in one package such as a torch and simply run it on it's low mode.

As for the SolarStorm light. It's ok but does use a funky connector which isn't compatible with most battery packs. Which is one of the reasons i didn't get it, even when they were selling them separately from the packs. Bit of a battery guzzler too, i imagine (though i did see a 4.2v version going for just over a tenner that i'm sorta tempted with).

biggy7

thanks mate for the explanation.

where would you mount the switch on a road bike handle bars?

stellamandude

Ouija wrote:

As for the SolarStorm light. It's ok but does use a funky connector which isn't compatible with most battery packs.

Works fine with my other packs Ouija, it may look different but it's essentially the same as all the other connectors, the only difference is the "screw lock" part, which has 2 benefits over the standard locking connectors, those being that once you have screwed them together not only will they not come apart accidentally but it's also waterproof thanks to the tiny little O-ring

Ouija

biggy7 wrote:

thanks mate for the explanation.

where would you mount the switch on a road bike handle bars?

For drop bars i'd put it just under the hoods so you can reach it with your fingers when on the hoods and still get it (hopefully) with your upper fingers when in the drops. Kinda depends on where you rest your hand when down on the drops.

stellamandude wrote:

Ouija wrote:

As for the SolarStorm light. It's ok but does use a funky connector which isn't compatible with most battery packs.

Works fine with my other packs Ouija, it may look different but it's essentially the same as all the other connectors, the only difference is the "screw lock" part, which has 2 benefits over the standard locking connectors, those being that once you have screwed them together not only will they not come apart accidentally but it's also waterproof thanks to the tiny little O-ring

The ones on the Trustfire and some other higher end lights use the same click lock connectors that Magicshine use. Essentially a female connector that covers the male connector with a click ring inside that latches onto a ridge on the male connector, making it waterproof and stopping it pulling apart. Similarly, most non click lock male Chinese plugs will fit inside the female connector (tight fit) but simply wont 'click' though are still have enough not to come out accidentally. The SolarStorm connector always looks too chunky to me. I can imagine it banging and rattling against the top tube of my frame as it goes down the tube towards my battery pack.

Like i mentioned above, i did see a 4.2v version of the SolarStorm the other day with regular connector and the ability to only run one of the two lights for longer runtimes. For £12 i might buy one (though i would be tempted to mod it).

bigmitch41

morepower wrote:

VWsurfbum wrote:

Just ordered another light because it looked pretty and light for the noggin.


Whats the worst that could happen?

That is the light I have just bought and they are great... On high it is bright enough to ride like you would in the day time off road. The medium power setting is good enough for me and the battery on mine lasted just under 3 hours on the medium setting. Low power is fine for road work if there are some street lights. I am really impressed with mine.

How's the light doing mate, im looking at ordering one of these off fleebay, just noticed it comes with a 2 pin Charger(AC100-240V) so willl need an adapter, but for just over £20 delivered from China........whats the worst that can heppen... :shock:

andy46

BigMitch41 wrote:

morepower wrote:

VWsurfbum wrote:

Just ordered another light because it looked pretty and light for the noggin.


Whats the worst that could happen?

That is the light I have just bought and they are great... On high it is bright enough to ride like you would in the day time off road. The medium power setting is good enough for me and the battery on mine lasted just under 3 hours on the medium setting. Low power is fine for road work if there are some street lights. I am really impressed with mine.

How's the light doing mate, im looking at ordering one of these off fleebay, just noticed it comes with a 2 pin Charger(AC100-240V) so willl need an adapter, but for just over £20 delivered from China........whats the worst that can heppen... :shock:

I've just ordered one today from a UK seller and it looks to have a 3 pin charger, here's the link if your interested

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ultra-Bright- ... 2eca23aec7

croptonboy

BigMitch41 wrote:

How's the light doing mate, im looking at ordering one of these off fleebay, just noticed it comes with a 2 pin Charger(AC100-240V) so willl need an adapter, but for just over £20 delivered from China........whats the worst that can heppen... :shock:

Exactly!



But in all seriousness, I's also like to know, as I'm tempted. I'd also like to know what the runtime on high is like as well. Anyone tested it?

Ouija

Croptonboy wrote:

But in all seriousness, I's also like to know, as I'm tempted. I'd also like to know what the runtime on high is like as well. Anyone tested it?

1hr 10min according to user 'morepower' on the previous page, which sounds about right for the older XM-L's and a four cell pack.