pink poodle
気が狂っている男
His lights will look like a pizza...I had a buddy way back made a nite ride light with a car head light. Battery set up was.heavy!
LIGHTS MEGATHREAD - all questions on riding lights asked and answered here!!!
- Thread starter Oracle
- Start date
captainmorgan
Likes Dirt
Not sure if this has been posted before, but has anyone tried this setup?
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Trustfir...cycle_Accessorries&hash=item3a8d640682&_uhb=1
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Trustfir...cycle_Accessorries&hash=item3a8d640682&_uhb=1
The Reverend
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Looks like it will get hot enough to fry an egg on it. The heat off my SolarStorm X2 is pretty high and that's running two bulbs / Crees.
That said, I'm strangely attracted to it but wouldn't run it on a bike with carbon bars. Might well be too much heat for them, I'm just speculating.
Knuckles
Lives under a bridge
It'd be a smooth ride. Pretty sure it'd vaporise anything in a hundred foot radius.
Somewhere in this thread there is a person who is using one of them, if you back-read.
For me that shit is waaaaay overkill. You'd have to be wearing sunglasses when using them and there's very little point in night riding with that much light. Although, I started off night riding due to time constraints in the day, so I understand that not everyone is after the challenge of hitting trails in the dark. Maybe if you don't care about the "night" aspect of it all maybe these lights are for you.
For me that shit is waaaaay overkill. You'd have to be wearing sunglasses when using them and there's very little point in night riding with that much light. Although, I started off night riding due to time constraints in the day, so I understand that not everyone is after the challenge of hitting trails in the dark. Maybe if you don't care about the "night" aspect of it all maybe these lights are for you.
redbruce
Eats Squid
For what its worth some suppliers seems abit more realistic about light claims.
http://www.fasttech.com/categories/1603/bike-lights
I haven t bought lights off them but have bought hike gear and their service and pricing has been great.
http://www.brightbikelights.com/solarstorm-x2-1500-lumen-flexible-light-set
http://www.fasttech.com/categories/1603/bike-lights
I haven t bought lights off them but have bought hike gear and their service and pricing has been great.
http://www.brightbikelights.com/solarstorm-x2-1500-lumen-flexible-light-set
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OK now I am a little confused...
I was looking for a 1800lm to mount on my helmet to go with the solar storm I have for the handle bars, but then I noticed it came with a 4.2v battery pack, so I thought I would check what the solar storms came with only to find conflicting reports some sellers were quoting 8.4v and others 4.2 of various man for the battery packs.
I would like to get a new light with a battery pack that can be compatible with either light.
So does anyone know which volt battery the solar storms come with? Or doesn't it matter?
I was looking for a 1800lm to mount on my helmet to go with the solar storm I have for the handle bars, but then I noticed it came with a 4.2v battery pack, so I thought I would check what the solar storms came with only to find conflicting reports some sellers were quoting 8.4v and others 4.2 of various man for the battery packs.
I would like to get a new light with a battery pack that can be compatible with either light.
So does anyone know which volt battery the solar storms come with? Or doesn't it matter?
redbruce
Eats Squid
A quick google search seems to show that 8.4V is the common voltage (actually I couldnt find any at 4.2, you sure thats right? - whats the charger voltage) for solarstorms, as it is for all decent lights designed for offroad use.
Power is current (amps) x voltage (volt). To get high power from lower voltages you need high current, which is limited to 3 ish amps for the LED discussed in this thread but unless they have a good regulator (ie high cost and generally deliver the high outputs claimed) will only run 2 amps max to prevent frying the LED due to poor current management.
For example:
http://www.brightbikelights.com/solarstorm-x2-1500-lumen-flexible-light-set
Apart from actually being realistic/honest about the light output, specs show 2.3A at 8.4V.
Therefore to get the same light output from 4.2 V you would need approx. twice the current (~4.6A), which is well above the max current for the LED anyway.
So, all things being equal, these cheap lights will operate at no ore than 2 ish amps so your 4.2V light will produce approx half the light output of the higher voltage version.
The lower voltage goes with lower output lights light commuters use rather than what we use for offroad.
Given the low prices, you might be better to just buy two new 8.4v lights.
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$99 shipped looks like a pretty decent deal if anyone is keen on some slightly better quality yum cha. Bigger battery too. http://www.cyclingdeal.com.au/buy/xeccon-spiker-1207-bike-bicycle-2x-front-head-ligh/XE-SP1207
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redbruce
Eats Squid
Yes. Warning sign appears to be when they start to make a slight humming sound. I've had two fail on overnight charge, one of which actually had started to melt.
Only three of our original six cheapy chargers still going, but because of the meltdown I only use the quality unit that cam with my Gloworm light and an aftermarket one (Jaycar) which cost as much as the whole cheapy light set.
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Yeah well these were the single light I was looking at for a helmet mount, description says 4.2v
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/310949176224?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649
These Solarstorm description shows 8.4v
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/251336793619?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
But these show 4.2V
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SolarSto...Bicycle_Accessorries&var=&hash=item2a3c4cd228
Art Vanderlay
Hourly daily
Got mine in the post today, will test it out tonight. Will be used on the road bike.
onlock
Likes Bikes
Did abit of a test last night with my solarstorms. I have one that all 3 leds stay on for a fair while and another that drops to 1 led after 5 minutes like some others have reported. I ran both lights on high with a fan running behind them to keep them cool like and fairly cruisy ride or something slow going. The light that drops to 1 led ran for 2hrs 30mins. The other ran for 2hrs 45mins
Im pretty happy with this as running on low for climbs and for general trail riding.
Hope this helps
Also has anyone found any ways to helmet mount a solarstorm or have another cheap solution?
Im pretty happy with this as running on low for climbs and for general trail riding.
Hope this helps
Also has anyone found any ways to helmet mount a solarstorm or have another cheap solution?
foxpuppet
Eats Squid
Let us know ASAP how they go, very keen to buy some for my wife's bike but would like a first hand report
Sent by courier pigeon
No way in hell will I leave my SolarStorm chargers running without constant observation. They've been fine so far but I am not interested in risking waking up to my kitchen being remodeled by flame.
YEah, I gotta say, I'm pretty darned happy so far at how long my SolarStorms run for.
I use cable ties to attach my lights to my lid. I'm going to switch to some decent rubber bands instead though as cutting ties each time I go for a day ride seems like a waste of resources.
Can take pics if you want.
ChopSticks
Banned
Art Vanderlay
Hourly daily
Ok, used the sanguan thumb 1000 lumen on the road bike tonight. It is a very small light and is about the size of your thumb!
I was using a cheap 900 lumen light off ebay before this and the thumb is much brighter. For the majority of my ride I was running it at 70% and was more than adequate for the road. I ride country roads out the middle of nowhere, so no street lights.
I think it would be a good light for mountain biking, will test it out in the next few days in the bush (though it will mostly be used for the road). I normally use ayups for mountain biking.
1 year warranty, pretty good for $70 light. Battery comes with a good pouch that can be strapped to the bike easily.
Yep, happy to recommend this light. I got mine through pushy's (same price)
Oh, and one for the fuckwits thread, it only comes with about 30% charge. I was 25km from home and battery went flat. Luckily, The missus was able to come and pick me up....
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The bottom of mine isn't flat, it's arched to fit a handlebar. Doesn't seem suitable for velcro without significant mods.Look ok into some double sided velco!
works a treat