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Is there any good non-rechargeable headlights anymore?



 
 
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  #21  
Old May 11th 17, 12:25 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
DougC
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Posts: 1,276
Default Is there any good non-rechargeable headlights anymore?

On 5/10/2017 10:21 PM, Andy wrote:
On Wednesday, May 10, 2017 at 11:05:06 AM UTC-5, Doug Cimperman wrote:
A couple of my old headlights died due to batteries accidentally being
left in them long enough to leak. The old lights were Cateye HL-EL530s,
that took 4 x AA batteries.
http://www.cateye.com/en/products/detail/HL-EL530/
tho mine wasn't that one, mine was the previous-generation that had a
rectangular beam due to a second focusing cone inside the main
reflector. I cleaned them up a bit with some vinegar and water, but
they're probably toast. The reflector surfaces look pretty gray.

So I'm shopping around for ANY kind of headlights that take 4 x AA
batteries, and there is none. The best I can find is one that takes 3 x
AAA, but that doesn't put out anywhere near what the previous lights did.

The best that Cateye offers now is the EL135, which is 3 LEDS and only 2
AA batteries.
http://www.cateye.com/en/products/detail/HL-EL135/

I don't need a whole lot of light, I had two headlights just in case one
failed. And I don't want anything with an external battery pack, even
for free.

Years back the rechargeables cost too much ($100+ just for the smallest
systems). Now they're cheap enough, but they suck compared to the
disposable-battery ones.

At Nashbar, the Nashbar-brand Wedge headlight is 100 lumens, costs $20
and uses 3 AAA batteries. The run time is given as 15 hrs on high, 30
hours on low and 60 hours on flashing.

Nashbar also sells the Cateye Volt 100, the lowest-end Volt model. It is
USB rechargable and the output is given as 100 lumens... But the runtime
is given as "2 to 30 hours depending on mode". Uhhh... no sale.

I'm trying to spend money here and just not seeing a lot that's
interesting.

Plus--on the LWB recumbent, the lights have to be mounted upside-down.
And the old Cateye lights were "waterproof", while almost all of these
new ones are just "water resistant", and I'd bet, not nearly so if
mounted upside down in the rain...

So far the best candidate is the little 3-AAA flashlights with handlebar
mounts. They're round beams but have a spot-flood focusing lens at
least. Plus they all have high/low/flash modes now.


You might want to ignore bicycle lights per se and be creative. :-)

There are many flashlights that meet you light needs.

One produces 1000 lumens.

And they are way cheaper.

All it takes to mount them are 2 adjustable clamps.

Use NiMh batteries.

I made a light system using a SLA battery that was as bright as a car headlight.

Andy

Well I did order a couple 'normal' flashlights with handlebar mounts. I
just preferred a bicycle-specific light, because decent ones usually had
a rectangular beam rather than a round one.

The aversion I have to rechargeable things is that they're never charged
when I need them to be. With things like a laptop or a tablet I can just
hook them to the charger and keep using them (assuming I'm wherever the
charger is) but you can't do that with bicycle lights. If a light has
the *option* of rechargable batteries that's okay, but I don't want
anything that is limited to using rechargeable batteries only.

Also we note that the Cateye HL-EL530s that died were probably at least
8 years old, and maybe older. They probably weren't very bright compared
to what modern lights/LEDs are now. And the reflectors looked rather
gray anyway.

The failure of most of the China lights is that they have poorly
designed reflectors (like those used for incan bulbs). I do like the B&M
lights, just because of the LED-specific reflector design. And the
reflectors of the other two Cateyes aren't looking real good either.



Ads
  #22  
Old May 11th 17, 12:43 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
[email protected]
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Posts: 6,374
Default Is there any good non-rechargeable headlights anymore?

Front end bike lights are removed after use n stored in container. Batt contacts lightly coated with dielectric grease.

If your use pattern is dayly then u need 2 units
  #23  
Old May 11th 17, 01:11 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
AMuzi
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Posts: 13,447
Default Is there any good non-rechargeable headlights anymore?

On 5/11/2017 1:30 AM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Wed, 10 May 2017 23:02:09 -0700, Jeff Liebermann
wrote:

On Wed, 10 May 2017 22:55:24 -0700, Jeff Liebermann
wrote:

Will this work for you?
http://www.11junk.com/jeffl/pics/bicycles/misc/slides/k1009%20light.html
https://internetkaufhaus24.de/Produkte/frontscheinwerfer-led-30-lux/6168332
https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fintern etkaufhaus24.de%2FProdukte%2Ffrontscheinwerfer-led-30-lux%2F6168332&sandbox=1


One mo
https://www.amazon.de/Frontscheinwerfer-LED-LUX-FRONTSCHEINWERFER-40208/dp/B01J9NWJHU


Really awful "enhanced" photo of the maker and model number text:
http://www.11junk.com/jeffl/pics/bicycles/misc/slides/K1009%20light%20text.html
I'll make a better photo tomorrow.

I found the manufactory:
http://www.monz-international.de/index.php/en/
Here's the light:
http://www.monz-international.de/images/sortimente/fahrrad/technik/monz-technik-04.jpg
the manual on the light set:
http://www.monz-international.de/index.php/en/customer-support/downloads/category/22-bikes-and-parts?download=327:93146-22203-po30000081-fahrrad-lampenset-bikemate-de
Now, all you need to do is find a distributor or dealer.


There aren't any on German ebay this morning.

http://www.ebay.de/sch/i.html?_from=...hrrad&_sacat=0

He might check that again in a few days.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971


  #24  
Old May 11th 17, 02:43 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
[email protected]
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Posts: 6,374
Default Is there any good non-rechargeable headlights anymore?

On Thursday, May 11, 2017 at 8:11:33 AM UTC-4, AMuzi wrote:
On 5/11/2017 1:30 AM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Wed, 10 May 2017 23:02:09 -0700, Jeff Liebermann
wrote:

On Wed, 10 May 2017 22:55:24 -0700, Jeff Liebermann
wrote:

Will this work for you?
http://www.11junk.com/jeffl/pics/bicycles/misc/slides/k1009%20light.html
https://internetkaufhaus24.de/Produkte/frontscheinwerfer-led-30-lux/6168332
https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fintern etkaufhaus24.de%2FProdukte%2Ffrontscheinwerfer-led-30-lux%2F6168332&sandbox=1

One mo
https://www.amazon.de/Frontscheinwerfer-LED-LUX-FRONTSCHEINWERFER-40208/dp/B01J9NWJHU


Really awful "enhanced" photo of the maker and model number text:
http://www.11junk.com/jeffl/pics/bicycles/misc/slides/K1009%20light%20text.html
I'll make a better photo tomorrow.

I found the manufactory:
http://www.monz-international.de/index.php/en/
Here's the light:
http://www.monz-international.de/images/sortimente/fahrrad/technik/monz-technik-04.jpg
the manual on the light set:
http://www.monz-international.de/index.php/en/customer-support/downloads/category/22-bikes-and-parts?download=327:93146-22203-po30000081-fahrrad-lampenset-bikemate-de
Now, all you need to do is find a distributor or dealer.


There aren't any on German ebay this morning.

http://www.ebay.de/sch/i.html?_from=...hrrad&_sacat=0

He might check that again in a few days.

--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org/
Open every day since 1 April, 1971


amazing how riders....and drivers but not truckers ..... can nickel n dime to see or not to see .....
  #25  
Old May 11th 17, 02:45 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Joerg[_2_]
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Posts: 6,016
Default Is there any good non-rechargeable headlights anymore?

On 2017-05-10 19:53, sms wrote:
On 5/10/2017 9:44 AM, Joerg wrote:

snip

Quote "4 rechargeable Ni-MH batteries, each 2100 mAh, no memory
effect. Charging time approx. 5 hours using provided charging unit.
Power supply by 4 non-rechargeable AA batteries possible".


For a lot of lights, the output is significantly less on primary cells.
Alkaline batteries have high internal resistance and can't provide the
current that NiMH AA batteries provide.


For a light as expensive as the Ixon I sure hope the engineers have
figured out how to design a proper switch-mode converter for constant
LED current. Else they should be moved to the dog house for a while.

However, alkaline don't last long for high light output. Just like with
digital cameras where NiMH provides for more shots despite having lower
capacity.


There are some good 4AA flashlights that could double as a bicycle light
but these are high-end lights and are expensive
https://www.fenixlighting.com/product/ld41-fenix-flashlight/.

There is this 3xAA bicycle specific light:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06X6FXCLN

Someone selling a NOS HL-EL530:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cateye-opticube-hl-el530-cycling-light-/172654249234


There's also the option of powering a light with an external battery
pack made up of AA cells rather than Li-Ion cells. For example,
http://www.herrmans.eu/start-english/products?familyId=2208 will run
on a 6-12V pack. But again, alkaline batteries will leave something to
be desired.



I never saw the need to make a battery holder for AA. 18650 Li-Ion cells
pack so much punch that four or eight of them provide enough hours even
for a really bright 1000 lumen light. If I did longer treks I'd invest
in a hub dynamo or a solar cell and build an MPPT converter.

On the road bike the battery ride in the right pannier (but only until
the next mod) and on the MTB in an ABS box that can take rock hits.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
  #26  
Old May 11th 17, 03:57 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
[email protected]
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Posts: 3,345
Default Is there any good non-rechargeable headlights anymore?

On Wednesday, May 10, 2017 at 5:44:56 PM UTC-7, Doug Cimperman wrote:
On 5/10/2017 7:12 PM, Frank Krygowski wrote:
...
I've done custom mounts for several different headlights, mostly because
I almost always have handlebar bags mounted. Those interfere with most
handlebar mounted lights . But I'm pretty content when fabricating a
mechanical solution to such a problem.

Welp, I ordered a couple of tactikewl flashlights and some mounts off
Amazon for about $50 (for two of each). The flashlights are 18650 or
3xAA and come with the rechargeable stuff, but also have the 3xAA insert
too. They are claimed as waterproof and have no USB charging ports, so
they /should/ (might?) keep working in the rain.

There is not a great amount of choice it seems.

Apparently roughly 95% of all the flashlights listed on Amazon is one of
maybe 6 different China models, just sold under different names and
prices. And if you disregard the "all-rubber-band-mounts" and the
"fake-Two-Fish-mounts" that don't hold, then there's only about four
different kinds of handlebar-flashlight mounts--a couple of which were
only big enough for the 3xAAA lights, and so were clearly too small for
the flashlights I got.

I can make mounts too but don't really wanna.


I used these and there is a problem with them - the beam is too narrow. But they are so bright that God can see them in heaven. So I have a second light that is much less bright and has a wide beam. This one has a rather large battery that hangs off of the top tube. Now that I'm driving again I don't need a grocery bike so it is all sitting around.
  #27  
Old May 11th 17, 05:17 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Jeff Liebermann
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Posts: 4,018
Default Is there any good non-rechargeable headlights anymore?

On Thu, 11 May 2017 04:03:29 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

If the OP uses 4 1.5V Lion in a parallel batt carrier wired
in series to a second same carrier the V is 3.0
3 in series is 4.5V

Correct ?


No. Most (not all) LiIon cells are a nominal 3.7V. Plug one of these
into something made for a 1.5v akaline battery and you will have a
smoking ruin. This is a very real problem. I have several
flashlights that use 14500 LiIon cells which are exactly the same size
as a AA battery. If I accidentally plug one of these into a AA
battery holder, it will probably destroy the device.

So in potential possibility repairing a failed proprietary
integral batt device is possible.


Nope. Plugging in the wrong battery does not make things go better or
fix them.

I have 2 devices, a Pioneer 2DIN receiver and a new Amprobe
510 multimeter asking connect to ground first. I had operated
under the auto batt standard of grounD last.

Is this a current sea change ?


No. It is also wrong. In a car, I'm told that you connect the ground
(negative) battery terminal last. That's because when you tighten the
positive battery terminal with an un-insulated wrench, and you
accidentally hit the grounded chassis or grounded battery frame, if
the ground (negative) terminal is disconnected, there will be no
spark, arc, smoke, or exploding battery. Of course, grounding the
ground lead with a wrench will not do anything dangerous.

With a voltmeter, you connect ground (negative) first, and then apply
voltage. Pretend you're measuring that output of a solar panel or
battery powered vehicle, where the voltages are rather high. If you
connect the positive lead first, the leakage inside the voltmeter will
deliver most of that voltage to the ground (negative) lead, which is
currently just dangling. Grab the dangling lead while trying to
connect it to ground, and you can get zapped by the high voltage.

AA multimeter ground first is a PITA with insulation penetration.
The 2DIN is deadly. Why is there not a safety relay turning off
power if no ground ?


If there were no ground, you would not have a place to stand.


--
Jeff Liebermann

150 Felker St #D
http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558
  #28  
Old May 11th 17, 05:18 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
SMS
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Posts: 9,477
Default Is there any good non-rechargeable headlights anymore?

On 5/11/2017 7:57 AM, wrote:
On Wednesday, May 10, 2017 at 5:44:56 PM UTC-7, Doug Cimperman wrote:
On 5/10/2017 7:12 PM, Frank Krygowski wrote:
...
I've done custom mounts for several different headlights, mostly because
I almost always have handlebar bags mounted. Those interfere with most
handlebar mounted lights . But I'm pretty content when fabricating a
mechanical solution to such a problem.

Welp, I ordered a couple of tactikewl flashlights and some mounts off
Amazon for about $50 (for two of each). The flashlights are 18650 or
3xAA and come with the rechargeable stuff, but also have the 3xAA insert
too. They are claimed as waterproof and have no USB charging ports, so
they /should/ (might?) keep working in the rain.

There is not a great amount of choice it seems.

Apparently roughly 95% of all the flashlights listed on Amazon is one of
maybe 6 different China models, just sold under different names and
prices. And if you disregard the "all-rubber-band-mounts" and the
"fake-Two-Fish-mounts" that don't hold, then there's only about four
different kinds of handlebar-flashlight mounts--a couple of which were
only big enough for the 3xAAA lights, and so were clearly too small for
the flashlights I got.

I can make mounts too but don't really wanna.


I used these and there is a problem with them - the beam is too narrow. But they are so bright that God can see them in heaven. So I have a second light that is much less bright and has a wide beam. This one has a rather large battery that hangs off of the top tube. Now that I'm driving again I don't need a grocery bike so it is all sitting around.


Find a flashlight with a spot to flood adjustable beam. These have an
almost ideal beam pattern for illuminating mostly straight ahead, but
with sufficient spill for side and upwards illumination, but without
blinding oncoming traffic. Not a lot of choices with AA batteries
though. 3C is more common, but that's a little big for handlebars.


  #29  
Old May 11th 17, 05:57 PM posted to rec.bicycles.tech
Sepp Ruf
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Posts: 454
Default Is there any good non-rechargeable headlights anymore?

wrote:
On Thursday, May 11, 2017 at 8:11:33 AM UTC-4, AMuzi wrote:
On 5/11/2017 1:30 AM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Wed, 10 May 2017, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Wed, 10 May 2017, Jeff Liebermann wrote:

Will this work for you?
http://www.11junk.com/jeffl/pics/bicycles/misc/slides/k1009%20light.html
https://internetkaufhaus24.de/Produkte/frontscheinwerfer-led-30-lux/6168332
https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&tl=en&u=https%3A%2F%2Fintern etkaufhaus24.de%2FProdukte%2Ffrontscheinwerfer-led-30-lux%2F6168332&sandbox=1

One mo
https://www.amazon.de/Frontscheinwerfer-LED-LUX-FRONTSCHEINWERFER-40208/dp/B01J9NWJHU

Really awful "enhanced" photo of the maker and model number text:
http://www.11junk.com/jeffl/pics/bicycles/misc/slides/K1009%20light%20text.html
I'll make a better photo tomorrow.

I found the manufactory:
http://www.monz-international.de/index.php/en/
Here's the light:
http://www.monz-international.de/images/sortimente/fahrrad/technik/monz-technik-04.jpg
the manual on the light set:
http://www.monz-international.de/index.php/en/customer-support/downloads/category/22-bikes-and-parts?download=327:93146-22203-po30000081-fahrrad-lampenset-bikemate-de
Now, all you need to do is find a distributor or dealer.


There aren't any on German ebay this morning.

http://www.ebay.de/sch/i.html?_from=...hrrad&_sacat=0

He might check that again in a few days.


Optimistically priced, differently branded, different K number, no LED
details, but this one also resembles Jeff's "Star Q" StVZO sample lamp a lot:
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Fahrradbeleuchtung-Set-50-Lux-LED-Scheinwerfer-Akku-Ladegerat-Rucklicht-/381853331980
(not recommended, especially not mounted upside down inverting the beam
pattern, and allowing water to seep in through the usual "step-rails divided
housing" construction)


amazing how riders....and drivers but not truckers ..... can nickel n dime to see or not to see .....


The regular (Aldi/ Lidl/ ...) price for these kinds of sets, minus junk
NiMH's and charger:
http://www.lidl.ie/en/Offers.htm?action=showDetail&id=55066
(not recommended either)
 




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