Is there any good non-rechargeable headlights anymore?

http://www.gsmdrilling.com/Content/u...6448087837.jpg

On 5/10/2017 7:51 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:

Incidentally, 3 AAA alkaline batteries have the same capacity as 2 AA
alkaline batteries:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AAA_battery
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AA_battery
A AAA battery has about 1000 ma-hrs of capacity while a AA does about
2500 ma-hrs:
AAA 3 cells * 1000 ma-hr * 1.5v = 4.5 watt-hrs
AA 2 cells * 2500 ma-hr * 1.5v = 4.5 watt-hrs

Your calculator is broken.

AAA 3 cells * 1000 ma-hr * 1.5v = 4.5 watt-hrs
AA 2 cells * 2500 ma-hr * 1.5v = 7.5 watt-hrs

But the difference is even bigger when you look at NiMH cells, since the
development of higher capacity cells has centered around AA cells.

On 5/10/2017 9:05 AM, DougC wrote:

snip

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.

That premise is incorrect.

What there is is a limited number headlights with internal rechargeable
batteries. There are many low cost headlights with external rechargeable
battery packs that work just fine {though you may want to spend extra on
higher grade batteries, or buy one where you supply your own 18650 cells).

There are a few good headlights with internal rechargeable batteries for
$100, though not many. One such light is the Lezyne Super Drive 1250XXL
which is about $84 on sale
http://www.artscyclery.com/Lezyne_Super_Drive_1250XXL_LED_Front_Light_/descpage-LZSD25F.html?crumb=RDMACCESS.
Even the lowest power setting is not as low as the HL-EL530's highest
setting, 25 hours at 150 lumens. The two internal 18650 batteries are
much higher capacity than the four AA batteries in the HL-EL530. The
next model up is the 1500XXL, which I have, but it was over $100, though
not by much. While the batteries are replaceable, they are not field
replaceable, they are sealed in because it makes it easier to waterproof
the unit, much like most smart phones have now moved to
non-field-replaceable batteries.

The Cateye HL-EL530 is actually not very highly rated by users, and
while Cateye doesn't specify the output, it's estimated at around 110
lumens.
http://www.mtbr.com/cat/accessories/lights/cateye/hl-el530/prd_415454_130crx.aspx
https://www.amazon.com/Cateye-HL-EL530-LED-Bicycle-Headlight/product-reviews/B000R5NR8K
https://www.rei.com/product/745539/cateye-hl-el530-front-bike-light

Still, there are times when a light that runs on AA batteries makes
sense, i.e. on a tour through the middle of nowhere where you can't
charge batteries, though in that case a dynamo light makes some sense. A
high-end AA flashlight and a good mount is another option. Or as I, and
a few others have pointed out, there are still a few AA powered bicycle
lights being sold. If you can believe the lumen numbers,
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06X6FXCLN sounds acceptable, and is much
better than the old Cateye HL-EL530.

The advantage of a flashlight is that there are still AA flashlights
with the newer, more efficient LEDs, but it appears as if the bicycle
light makers have not put any resources into new AA models with the more
efficient LEDs.

On 5/10/2017 9:05 AM, DougC 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.

If the issue is being able to buy disposable batteries, rather than just
being able to use AA batteries, some newer bicycle lights can run off of
two or four CR123A primary cells (8.4WH or 16.8WH) or one or two 18650
rechargeable cell(s) (about 9.6 WH or 19.2WH). CR123A cells are about $1
each.

Look at the Fenix BC21R
https://www.fenix-store.com/fenix-bc21r-led-bike-light/ and the Fenix
BC30 https://www.fenix-store.com/fenix-bc30-led-bike-light/. You can
charge the 18650 internally on the BC21R, but not on the BC40R.

I remember when camera users were lamenting the lack of AA powered
digital cameras, but they finally accepted the fact that Li-Ion
batteries had such enormous technical advantages that it was worth the
proprietary nature of them. The use of CR123R lithium primary cells is
the compromise for those that want disposable batteries

On 5/14/2017 9:22 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Sun, 14 May 2017 15:50:35 -0500, DougC
wrote:

...
Lead-acid battery guts eats aluminum too. That was the thing that ruined
a few of my flashlights through the years... The battery would leak that
acid dust, it would work its way into the front end somehow and eat
holes in the reflector coating.

Umm... I don't think anyone uses lead-acid batteries in modern
aluminum flashlights. Methinks you mean alkaline batteries, which use
potassium hydroxide (KOH) as an electrolyte. KOH doesn't really
directly attack the aluminum metal, which is coated with a somewhat
protective layer of aluminum oxide. The KOH first attacks the oxide
coating, which exposes the base aluminum metal to attack by water
(H2O). This article should explain how it works:
https://stab-iitb.org/newton-mirror/askasci/chem07/chem07376.htm


What I meant was what was common before alkaline dry cells: zinc carbon
cells:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc-carbon_battery

As kids friends and I just figured that the paste stuff was acidic,
since it would eat not only paint and most metals, but it would eat
holes through a lot of textile materials also.

On 5/15/2017 5:24 AM, DougC wrote:

snip

What I meant was what was common before alkaline dry cells: zinc carbon
cells:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc-carbon_battery

Still a lot of carbon-zinc cells, sometimes called zinc-chloride cells,
being sold, or given away.

Harbor Freight routinely has 24 packs of those batteries for free with
one of their coupons
http://mylitter.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/free-batteries-harbor-freight.png.

And of course the infamous Radio Shack Free Battery Club got you one
free carbon-zinc battery every month
http://images.dailytech.com/nimage/Battery_Card_Radio_Shack_Wide.jpg.

On 5/13/2017 4:52 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Sat, 13 May 2017 16:33:40 +0000 (UTC), Ralph Barone
wrote:

"A thing of beauty and a joy to behold."
Not quite...

I beg to differ. The uglier it looks, the better it works. When I
see a beautiful work of mechanical art, I suspect that something
important has been sacrificed to gods of art and beauty. It might be
a joy to behold, and simultaneously be pure hell to operate. It's
much like concept bicycle designs, which (to me) are generally quite
beautiful, but also impossible to ride.

Form follows mal-function:
http://802.11junk.com/jeffl/pics/bicycles/slides/bicycle-flashlight.html
Incidentally, the Maglite in the photo is no more. I tried to use it
last night and discovered that the D cells had leaked and are now
corroded and firmly stuck in the flashlight tube. Sniff...

Time to join the 21st century. Get yourself to Costco.

On 5/14/2017 7:22 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:

True. I retrofitted my various 2D and 3D Maglites with aftermarket
LED conversions. The reflector design was obviously all wrong but
worked well enough to be usable. There are now Maglite conversion
kits which replace everything from the light bulb, to the entire head
assembly.

Convert your film camera to digital too: http://www.siliconfilm.com/

On Mon, 15 May 2017 01:57:34 -0700, sms
wrote:

On 5/10/2017 7:51 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:

Incidentally, 3 AAA alkaline batteries have the same capacity as 2 AA
alkaline batteries:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AAA_battery
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AA_battery
A AAA battery has about 1000 ma-hrs of capacity while a AA does about
2500 ma-hrs:
AAA 3 cells * 1000 ma-hr * 1.5v = 4.5 watt-hrs
AA 2 cells * 2500 ma-hr * 1.5v = 4.5 watt-hrs

Your calculator is broken.

AAA 3 cells * 1000 ma-hr * 1.5v = 4.5 watt-hrs
AA 2 cells * 2500 ma-hr * 1.5v = 7.5 watt-hrs

Oops. My calculator is fine. I did the math in my head. Maybe I'll
look into getting a brain transplant.

But the difference is even bigger when you look at NiMH cells, since the
development of higher capacity cells has centered around AA cells.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eneloop
Using 4th generation numbers:
AAA 3 cells * 800 ma-hr * 1.5v = 3.6 watt-hrs
AA 2 cells * 2000 ma-hr * 1.5v = 6.0 watt-hrs

--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

On Mon, 15 May 2017 06:16:07 -0700, sms
wrote:

On 5/14/2017 7:22 PM, Jeff Liebermann wrote:

True. I retrofitted my various 2D and 3D Maglites with aftermarket
LED conversions. The reflector design was obviously all wrong but
worked well enough to be usable. There are now Maglite conversion
kits which replace everything from the light bulb, to the entire head
assembly.

Convert your film camera to digital too: http://www.siliconfilm.com/

$700. For that, I can buy a fairly decent digital camera. The sensor
size is not specified, but I doubt it will cover the entire 36x24mm
frame size.
http://www.siliconfilm.com/faq.htm
http://www.siliconfilm.com/fov.htm
Resolution is 1.3 megapixles (1280x1024 in 36 bit color) but no clue
if that's the sensor resolution or if it has been upscaled from a
smaller sensor. Probably useful for someone who has a large
investment in a compatible film camera system.


--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558