Lights = manufacturers moving to non-replaceable batteries

I've been looking at some lights to supplement my Cygolite Rover II (250 real lumens max) and am noticing something. A lot of manufacturers are moving to non-replaceable batteries in their lights. In a way this is too bad because it means that for long rides of over 2 hours duration you can't carry a spare battery to swap out nor can you use a spare battery when it's really cold out and the internal battery has less capacity. I looked at a SON hub dynamo but at lower speeds it flickerd far too much - in fact it looked more like it was on a strobe setting than on a steady on setting.

It looks like I'll be getting another Cygolite product.

Cheers

On 2/14/2016 3:46 PM, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
I've been looking at some lights to supplement my Cygolite Rover II (250 real lumens max) and am noticing something. A lot of manufacturers are moving to non-replaceable batteries in their lights. In a way this is too bad because it means that for long rides of over 2 hours duration you can't carry a spare battery to swap out nor can you use a spare battery when it's really cold out and the internal battery has less capacity. I looked at a SON hub dynamo but at lower speeds it flickerd far too much - in fact it looked more like it was on a strobe setting than on a steady on setting.

It looks like I'll be getting another Cygolite product.

Cheers


Their EXP series have removable LiIon cells and a USB charge
port. Nice design, USA made.

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

doahn panic avoid..


https://www.google.com/#q=cateye+bic...:pd&tbm=sho p

On Sun, 14 Feb 2016 13:46:15 -0800 (PST), Sir Ridesalot
wrote:

I've been looking at some lights to supplement my Cygolite Rover II (250 real lumens max) and am noticing something. A lot of manufacturers are moving to non-replaceable batteries in their lights. In a way this is too bad because it means that for long rides of over 2 hours duration you can't carry a spare battery to swap out nor can you use a spare battery when it's really cold out and the internal battery has less capacity. I looked at a SON hub dynamo but at lower speeds it flickerd far too much - in fact it looked more like it was on a strobe setting than on a steady on setting.

It looks like I'll be getting another Cygolite product.

If the light can be charged by a 5v USB charger, then you can get an
external cell phone battery charger and just plug it in when you need
more battery power.
https://www.google.com/search?q=external+cell+phone+usb+battery&source=ln ms&tbm=isch

Watch out for the ma-hr ratings as they all lie (to varying degrees).
I think one of the smaller batteries will be sufficient. Something
inexpensive like this and add your own 18650 battery:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/301694045938

There are also hand crank dynamo, but methinks that would require too
much cranking to be useful:
https://www.google.com/search?q=usb+hand+crank+charger&tbm=isch
I carry one to loan or give to anyone that wants to borrow my AC
charger (and who never seems to give it back).

--
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 Sunday, February 14, 2016 at 4:46:23 PM UTC-5, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
I've been looking at some lights to supplement my Cygolite Rover II (250 real lumens max) and am noticing something. A lot of manufacturers are moving to non-replaceable batteries in their lights. In a way this is too bad because it means that for long rides of over 2 hours duration you can't carry a spare battery to swap out nor can you use a spare battery when it's really cold out and the internal battery has less capacity. I looked at a SON hub dynamo but at lower speeds it flickerd far too much - in fact it looked more like it was on a strobe setting than on a steady on setting.


The Fenix BC30 and BC21 use non-proprietary 18650 li-ion cells. I bought the BC30 so that I could use the stash of cells I had accumulated for various headlamps, and I'm very pleased with it. You'll need to buy a separate li-ion charger, but they can be had for $20 or so.

On Sunday, February 14, 2016 at 6:37:28 PM UTC-5, Gary Young wrote:
snip

The Fenix BC30 and BC21 use non-proprietary 18650 li-ion cells. I bought the BC30 so that I could use the stash of cells I had accumulated for various headlamps, and I'm very pleased with it. You'll need to buy a separate li-ion charger, but they can be had for $20 or so.

Correction: the Fenix BC21R has a built-in usb charger (or you can use an external charger).

On Sunday, February 14, 2016 at 3:37:28 PM UTC-8, Gary Young wrote:
On Sunday, February 14, 2016 at 4:46:23 PM UTC-5, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
I've been looking at some lights to supplement my Cygolite Rover II (250 real lumens max) and am noticing something. A lot of manufacturers are moving to non-replaceable batteries in their lights. In a way this is too bad because it means that for long rides of over 2 hours duration you can't carry a spare battery to swap out nor can you use a spare battery when it's really cold out and the internal battery has less capacity. I looked at a SON hub dynamo but at lower speeds it flickerd far too much - in fact it looked more like it was on a strobe setting than on a steady on setting.


The Fenix BC30 and BC21 use non-proprietary 18650 li-ion cells. I bought the BC30 so that I could use the stash of cells I had accumulated for various headlamps, and I'm very pleased with it. You'll need to buy a separate li-ion charger, but they can be had for $20 or so.

Your discussion shows how tough it is for a new brand to get awareness in the customer's mind, let alone shelf space in the stores.
My Oculus, by Barry beams, features field replaceable batteries, and extra-long burn times with standard size off-the-shelf batteries compared to other lights at the same power levels.
These were two of the mandatory design goals, to take away the battery-phobia that other lights cause for the user. Oculus also comes with an extra battery included, so you're ready to go, right out of the box.

The Oculus, at the same power levels, makes all those other light's you're talking about look light a matchstick compared to the automotive high performance beam shape and even brightness that the Oculus has.

5 to 10 hours burn time on a low or medium setting, giving a beam the outdoes anything the feeble single LED Cygo or anyone else's single standard commuter type light can put out.
The beam is so electrically and optically efficient and glare-free that NASA selected my optics to design the Lunar Resource Prospector Rover with, to find water on the Dark Side of the Moon.
On the Brightest of 5 programmed in intensities, you're putting better, brighter, more glare-free light on the road than the car's driving by, still lasting over an hour guaranteed (actual benchmark test 1:04 to 1:10 typical, 1:02 to 1:13 min/max)

Field replaceable battery design let's you change batteries quickly on the roadside. It comes programmed to even turn the light on when the battery makes contact, so that you don't need to fumble for the power switch after putting the fresh battery in.
The Oculus uses 26650 4.5 amp hour (guaranteed minimum capacity, not some Chinesium fiction) or any 18650 size you want if you're into being super-light weight for a self contained battery superbeam kind of light.

A high power charging circuit is built right into the light, so you can recharge a fully drained battery in only 5 hours. That's 1/3 the time it takes to recharge a Light and Motion Taz, or other competing lights. But those lights have sealed in batteries so when you're out of battery, you're out of luck, and out of light.
My lights are fully made in USA, min 80% domestic content, assembled right here in Mountain View, CA. I assemble most of them myself. Cygo may try to infer made in USA but its made by KingSword in Taiwan, same who make the nearly indentical Serfas lights.

Pls reply privately to arrange a demo of my Oculus lights if you're local in the SF Bay area.

On Sunday, February 14, 2016 at 7:20:05 PM UTC-5, Barry Beams wrote:
On Sunday, February 14, 2016 at 3:37:28 PM UTC-8, Gary Young wrote:
On Sunday, February 14, 2016 at 4:46:23 PM UTC-5, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
I've been looking at some lights to supplement my Cygolite Rover II (250 real lumens max) and am noticing something. A lot of manufacturers are moving to non-replaceable batteries in their lights. In a way this is too bad because it means that for long rides of over 2 hours duration you can't carry a spare battery to swap out nor can you use a spare battery when it's really cold out and the internal battery has less capacity. I looked at a SON hub dynamo but at lower speeds it flickerd far too much - in fact it looked more like it was on a strobe setting than on a steady on setting.


The Fenix BC30 and BC21 use non-proprietary 18650 li-ion cells. I bought the BC30 so that I could use the stash of cells I had accumulated for various headlamps, and I'm very pleased with it. You'll need to buy a separate li-ion charger, but they can be had for $20 or so.

Your discussion shows how tough it is for a new brand to get awareness in the customer's mind, let alone shelf space in the stores.
My Oculus, by Barry beams, features field replaceable batteries, and extra-long burn times with standard size off-the-shelf batteries compared to other lights at the same power levels.
These were two of the mandatory design goals, to take away the battery-phobia that other lights cause for the user. Oculus also comes with an extra battery included, so you're ready to go, right out of the box.

The Oculus, at the same power levels, makes all those other light's you're talking about look light a matchstick compared to the automotive high performance beam shape and even brightness that the Oculus has.

5 to 10 hours burn time on a low or medium setting, giving a beam the outdoes anything the feeble single LED Cygo or anyone else's single standard commuter type light can put out.
The beam is so electrically and optically efficient and glare-free that NASA selected my optics to design the Lunar Resource Prospector Rover with, to find water on the Dark Side of the Moon.
On the Brightest of 5 programmed in intensities, you're putting better, brighter, more glare-free light on the road than the car's driving by, still lasting over an hour guaranteed (actual benchmark test 1:04 to 1:10 typical, 1:02 to 1:13 min/max)

Field replaceable battery design let's you change batteries quickly on the roadside. It comes programmed to even turn the light on when the battery makes contact, so that you don't need to fumble for the power switch after putting the fresh battery in.
The Oculus uses 26650 4.5 amp hour (guaranteed minimum capacity, not some Chinesium fiction) or any 18650 size you want if you're into being super-light weight for a self contained battery superbeam kind of light.

A high power charging circuit is built right into the light, so you can recharge a fully drained battery in only 5 hours. That's 1/3 the time it takes to recharge a Light and Motion Taz, or other competing lights. But those lights have sealed in batteries so when you're out of battery, you're out of luck, and out of light.
My lights are fully made in USA, min 80% domestic content, assembled right here in Mountain View, CA. I assemble most of them myself. Cygo may try to infer made in USA but its made by KingSword in Taiwan, same who make the nearly indentical Serfas lights.

Pls reply privately to arrange a demo of my Oculus lights if you're local in the SF Bay area.

If by Cygo you are referring to Cygolite then you are VERY wrong about the single LED. A number of Cygolites have two or even three LEDS. In addition Cygolite has a patented Crossfire system wherein the beams cross each other..

I'd like you to post POSITIVE proof that Cygolites are NOT made in the United States. Where's your proof that Cygolites are NOT made in the U.S.A.? Without POSITIVE proof of that, your statment is libel. Thus, where's your proof?

Cheers

On Sun, 14 Feb 2016 16:48:25 -0800 (PST), Sir Ridesalot
wrote:

I'd like you to post POSITIVE proof that Cygolites are NOT made in the United States. Where's your proof that Cygolites are NOT made in the U.S.A.? Without POSITIVE proof of that, your statment is libel. Thus, where's your proof?
Cheers

The Cygolite package says "Engineered and Assembled in USA". What
that means is that the various components might have been made
offshore, but the final assembly is done in the states. It's a common
problem. This may help:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2013/07/25/googles-moto-x-theres-a-difference-between-made-in-america-and-assembled-in-america/
"For a product to be called Made in USA, or claimed
to be of domestic origin without qualifications or limits
on the claim, the product must be "all or virtually all"
made in the U.S. The term "United States," as referred
to in the Enforcement Policy Statement, includes the
50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S.
territories and possessions.

What does "all or virtually all" mean?

"All or virtually all" means that all significant parts
and processing that go into the product must be of U.S.
origin. That is, the product should contain no or
negligible foreign content."

If it were really made in USA, it would probably include a suitable
certification or self-certification, such as:
https://www.madeintheusabrand.com
Last year, Walmart got cited by the FTC for misusing the "Made in USA"
logo:
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-walwal-mart-ftc-close-idUSKCN0SE2EB20151020
--
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 2/14/2016 4:46 PM, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
I looked at a SON hub dynamo but at lower speeds it flickerd far too much - in fact it looked more like it was on a strobe setting than on a steady on setting.

That surprises me. While I don't have a SON hub, I have a Shimano with
about the same number of poles. At even five mile per hour (I just
checked) the flicker is visible, but not the least bit irritating. It's
not strobe-like, probably because the standlight capacitor in my B&M
headlamp supplies current when the dynamo's at its non-current
positions. At anything above 10 mph, there's no visible flicker that I
notice.

Another bike of mine has an ancient Sturmey-Archer dynohub, with a
homebrew LED setup. That one flickers badly at low speeds, since A)
it's wired so the headlamp gets only one phase of the dynamo output, and
the taillight gets the other phase; and B) it has no capacitor or
anything else, just the LEDs. But even that flicker is no real problem
until I'm down under 5 mph.

P.S. I know you're very, very sensitive to people disagreeing with you.
I'm not trying to change your mind. But others should understand that
your experience regarding flicker is not universal. In fact, its rare
at best.

--
- Frank Krygowski