Best light (AA batteries)

smacl

doozerie wrote: »

I've yet to find a (affordable) battery tester that'll tell me accurately how much charge a battery

Probably because there isn't one. In terms of discrete measurement, you can measure voltage, or current drawn across a load. You can also record usage since last full charge, voltage drop across a load over a time, current drop across a load over time. Very difficult to accurately predict when the battery will become exhausted through typical usage using any of these methods. This article on the subject isn't bad.

Ghost Estate

doozerie wrote: »

Mind you, I've yet to find a (affordable) battery tester that'll tell me accurately how much charge a battery has so I remain a bit sceptical about the 4-bar LCD display on one of my battery chargers and the results displayed by the two cheap and cheerful battery testers I have.

Its very hard to know how much exactly is left in a battery other than by emptying it completely. with laptop batteries the gauge is reasonably accurate because it continuously monitors the voltage on the battery and how much current is being drawn from it but even if you gave it a different battery it would take a charge or 3 to calibrate properly.

the best to see if a battery is full is a multimeter to measure the voltage on it, even that can be deceptive as freshly charged batteries have a higher voltage than ones that have been sitting around for a while and the voltage on empty batteries tends to creep back up if leave them idle for a while

langdang

Hence one of the downsides of the Hope Vision One - no warning of low battery or imminent shutdown

Fan

Thanks for the help. TBH if I get a good year or two of use from a pack I'd be happy.

SurferDude41

Ghost Estate wrote: »

What is the best light for a bike i could buy that runs on AA's. Is the cateye el-520 any good? Lumen ratings seem low on those things

I was half thinking of buying one of these, running it off a 10-pack AA's and making my own case for it. bad idea?

Please think about the plannet man, before you buy 10-pack AA's:(
Most of these dry cell batteries end up in landfill sites, eventually their contents leach into the water-table.

Please, Please, Please, consider buying rechargable nickle-metal hydride AA batteries. You can recharge these 1000 times:)
Look for the high density ones 2200 mAh Digital camera cells.
These are only €5 for a pack of four, in Aldi.

Just think of all the money you will save, and you will be doing your bit for our plannet.

carry your non rechargable batteries for a back-up, just for emergencies.

Happy cycling:)

Ghost Estate

SurferDude41 wrote: »

Please think about the plannet man, before you buy 10-pack AA's:(
Most of these dry cell batteries end up in landfill sites, eventually their contents leach into the water-table.

Please, Please, Please, consider buying rechargable nickle-metal hydride AA batteries. You can recharge these 1000 times:)
Look for the high density ones 2200 mAh Digital camera cells.
These are only €5 for a pack of four, in Aldi.

Just think of all the money you will save, and you will be doing your bit for our plannet.

carry your non rechargable batteries for a back-up, just for emergencies.

Happy cycling:)

what made you think i was using disposables?

SurferDude41

Ok thats great:)
A few years ago cycling plus, did a feature on a homemade high output front light that used one of those LED low voltage plastic encased bulbs.
If memory serves, they used a battery from an electric remote controlled car they then mounted these battries in a cut down waterbottle.

Hope this helps. SD..

Redjeep!

SurferDude41 wrote: »

Ok thats great:)
A few years ago cycling plus, did a feature on a homemade high output front light that used one of those LED low voltage plastic encased bulbs.
If memory serves, they used a battery from an electric remote controlled car they then mounted these battries in a cut down waterbottle.

Hope this helps. SD..

If it was a few years ago, it was more likely to be a 12volt halogen bulb rather than an LED. That was common practise back then. I could be wrong though. It was easy enough as all you needed was some form of 12v battery and a bulb, and then put it in a waterproof container of some sort.

The LED's tend to need voltage or current regulators which make it a bit more complicated, but you get much better battery life. There's no reason why you couldn't make a halogen light as they still work well, but you'd only get an hour or so battery life (even with a fairly heavy battery).

I think the dynamo is the way to go if you're serious.

blorg

IMO, talk of using 10 packs of NiMh AAs in preference to lithium ion is simply nuts. Nuts!

Ghost Estate

blorg wrote: »

IMO, talk of using 10 packs of NiMh AAs in preference to lithium ion is simply nuts. Nuts!

lithium ion has to be one of the worst types of battery available. it has certain advantages that make it appeal to manufacturers but thats about it

BostonB

tomasrojo wrote: »

I use the Cateye EL-530 and I like it.

Depends on what you want it for, but I got it for going down the poorly lit roads of the Phoenix Park, a purpose for which it's ok. There are much brighter lights though. It's more than bright enough for normal city cycling, and is very conspicuous because it's so much brighter than most bike front lights in use.

These review seem accurate enough, both on the positives and negatives:
http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews118341.html

Me too, and also for the Phoenix Park. EL-530 its been through lots of rain, and I've had no problems with it. Mount moves a little, but then its a biggish light. Battery life if great too. However one thing I don't like about is the light pattern. One bright spot with a Halo. Theres some info on the web about modding them to give a bright and more even spread of light. Initially I didn't use it in the city, but I noticed after using it late one night, that, cars definitely react to it, more than when I just had the Smart light below. React as in not pull out across me, or slop and give way more. That said I knocked off when using it, but thats another story.

I've also got a Smart Polaris II 5 LED as a flasher and its been great too. Through rain and great battery life. Unfortunately its not bright enough to see the road, so hence I bought the EL-530.
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/accessories/lights/front/product/ii-5-led-32399

I've considered buying a 2W (I think) Smart Lunar 35 Lux Front Light.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Smart-Lunar-Lux-Front-Light/dp/B002Q4TZDG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1298241023&sr=1-2 but just didn't do it yet.

I've been off the bike a while, but I did get two of these, 1W 2-Mode 50-Lumen lights. http://www.dealextreme.com/p/1w-2-mode-50-lumen-led-bike-light-with-mount-4-aaa-18307 . Arrived in something like 3 or 4 days from HK. they are brighter and more even than the EL-530. Takes AAA's though, no idea how good they'll be in rain, or battery life yet. I hope to try them this week.

I really need to get some decent battery chargers now though...

tomasrojo

I'd be interested to hear how you get on with the 1W 50 Lumen lights.

blorg

If it is for cycling in the dark you can get substantially brighter than 50 lumen from DealExtreme for not very much more money (they have ~250 lumen torches for $20 or so.) 3xAAA is not a great idea for a light IMO, very bad energy density and a hassle to charge.

BostonB

Ideally I'd like this...when funds allow....

http://www.bike24.com/p214244.html
http://www.xs4all.nl/~swhs/fiets/tests/verlichting/Philips_LED_bike_light/index_en.html

kleefarr

Guys,

I recently bought 8x Energizer Recharge-EXTREME-AA-2300mAh-Batteries.
I had to charge them when they arrived and have used one so far in a small battery powered kitchen clock. This battery needs charging again now where as before other rechargeables and normal batteries would last months.
I have checked all the others and they are all the same, out of charge after being charged to full capacity. Two weeks.
Any ideas? Strange that all 8 batteries are behaving the same.

tomasrojo

For a clock I'd use a standard battery, as the rechargeables I have lose charge over the course of a few weeks (maybe ten or twelve weeks). I think there are newer rechargeables that don't discharge like this, but I don't have them.

I've never had a rechargeable discharge fully after two weeks and never used.

smacl

Worth reading some reviews on rechargeable batteries, decent article here; http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-rechargeable-batteries/

tomasrojo

Interesting that kleefarr's very batteries are top of the class in that link. Maybe kleefarr got a dud set? Maybe give them one more chance? Charge them again and see how long they retain charge.

smacl

tomasrojo wrote: »

Interesting that kleefarr's very batteries are top of the class in that link. Maybe kleefarr got a dud set? Maybe give them one more chance? Charge them again and see how long they retain charge.

Could be a different type of charger is required, e.g. higher amps, switch mode etc... AFAIK NiCad chargers will not work for NiMh batteries.

tomasrojo

I recharge NiMH batteries with an old recharger from the NiCd days. But it's a slow charger; twenty hours or so to recharge a battery. Batteries seem to last from ten to five years with this charger though, so I've never changed it.

kleefarr

Firstly, sorry, didn't realise that this was the cycling forum.
Did a search for rechargeable batteries and this was best result.

I bought two packs of these. I had checked the reviews prior to buying and these came up as one of the best, so I am surprised.
I checked all the other batteries that came in the two packs which were also fully charged when received them and they also had lost approximately 95% of their charge according to my charger.

Now this charger is a good 7/8 years old:
Universal Charger Model UT-2110 Like this one
Input: 12v - 1A
Output: 4x 1.2v-850mA
PK Green Enterprise Ltd
www.pkgreen.com

May be it is time to upgrade, but as I said before all other other batteries charged and lasted quite well.

I have contacted the supplier and will see what they say.

tomasrojo

The only thing I can think of is the charge indicator on your charger might be faulty? Did you try the batteries in a device to see if they perform? (I guess the clock served this purpose, actually.)

kleefarr

tomasrojo wrote: »

The only thing I can think of is the charge indicator on your charger might be faulty? Did you try the batteries in a device to see if they perform? (I guess the clock served this purpose, actually.)

Apart from clock, no. Will test in Xbox controller later.
I also bought 4 x AAA and they have also not held their initial charge.

smacl

kleefarr wrote: »

Apart from clock, no. Will test in Xbox controller later.
I also bought 4 x AAA and they have also not held their initial charge.

Could be a compatibility issue with the charger and batteries, I'd tend to pick up an Energizer charger.

kleefarr

Well, so far the batteries have been lasting well in the Xbox controller. Will monitor over next few weeks and then decide what next course of action to take, change the charger may be, we'll see.