Cateye EL500

I tried a 4th HL500 last night - it does make it pretty bright
compared to one, still not up where you can see the road surface against
high traffic interfering lights though, and, neat as it looks, it
does run up to $160. (Justification for wife - they also work as
flashlights, and have the same streamlined shape.)

The chief result was accidental - that the things go dim pretty fast
on NiMH batteries that run out, taking about a half hour to go from
full bright to see-me lights with no illumination for the rider;
two of the three lights already on the bike ran out on the same
trip. So carry a 4-pack of AA's if it's your only light. Lithium
is much lighter and impervious to winter and storage in a bike bag, I
guess, if you want a nice 10-year emergency pack.

You can load them in the dark if you remember the pattern orientation.
It's the same whether you hold the light upside down or not so you
don't have to see to load.

I load one with 1700 maH batteries and the rest with 2200, so there's
a warning before they all go out that it's recharge time. Dimming
would be too late in warning you.
--
Ron Hardin


On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk.

Ron Hardin wrote:

I tried a 4th HL500 last night - it does make it pretty bright
compared to one, still not up where you can see the road surface against
high traffic interfering lights though, and, neat as it looks, it
does run up to $160. (Justification for wife - they also work as
flashlights, and have the same streamlined shape.)

The chief result was accidental - that the things go dim pretty fast
on NiMH batteries that run out, taking about a half hour to go from
full bright to see-me lights with no illumination for the rider;
two of the three lights already on the bike ran out on the same
trip. So carry a 4-pack of AA's if it's your only light. Lithium
is much lighter and impervious to winter and storage in a bike bag, I
guess, if you want a nice 10-year emergency pack.

You can load them in the dark if you remember the pattern orientation.
It's the same whether you hold the light upside down or not so you
don't have to see to load.

I load one with 1700 maH batteries and the rest with 2200, so there's
a warning before they all go out that it's recharge time. Dimming
would be too late in warning you.

I measured the light output of an HL-EL200 on NiMH and new alkaline
cells. It was *halved* with the 1.2V NiMH cells. In contrast, filament
bulbs usually burn brighter (at least on average over the cell's
lifetime) with rechargeables.

Ron Hardin wrote:

I tried a 4th HL500 last night - it does make it pretty bright
compared to one, still not up where you can see the road surface against
high traffic interfering lights though, and, neat as it looks, it
does run up to $160. (Justification for wife - they also work as
flashlights, and have the same streamlined shape.)

The chief result was accidental - that the things go dim pretty fast
on NiMH batteries that run out, taking about a half hour to go from
full bright to see-me lights with no illumination for the rider;
two of the three lights already on the bike ran out on the same
trip. So carry a 4-pack of AA's if it's your only light. Lithium
is much lighter and impervious to winter and storage in a bike bag, I
guess, if you want a nice 10-year emergency pack.

You can load them in the dark if you remember the pattern orientation.
It's the same whether you hold the light upside down or not so you
don't have to see to load.

I load one with 1700 maH batteries and the rest with 2200, so there's
a warning before they all go out that it's recharge time. Dimming
would be too late in warning you.

I measured the light output of an HL-EL200 on NiMH and new alkaline
cells. It was *halved* with the 1.2V NiMH cells. In contrast, filament
bulbs usually burn brighter (at least on average over the cell's
lifetime) with rechargeables.

Zog The Undeniable wrote:
I load one with 1700 maH batteries and the rest with 2200, so there's
a warning before they all go out that it's recharge time. Dimming
would be too late in warning you.

I measured the light output of an HL-EL200 on NiMH and new alkaline
cells. It was *halved* with the 1.2V NiMH cells. In contrast, filament
bulbs usually burn brighter (at least on average over the cell's
lifetime) with rechargeables.

I couldn't tell any difference between new alkalines and the existing NiMH
by eye. The chief difference would seem to be that NiMH dies fast when it
dies, and alkaline tapers down over hours, at least I suppose it does.

I use alkaline in the LED taillights for that reason; there's lots of warning,
several rides, that you should change the (AAA) batteries, when you think, well
maybe I could change the batteries there, it's getting sort of dim. You could
go several more rides even then, and how bright do taillights have to be anyway.
--
Ron Hardin


On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk.

Zog The Undeniable wrote:
I load one with 1700 maH batteries and the rest with 2200, so there's
a warning before they all go out that it's recharge time. Dimming
would be too late in warning you.

I measured the light output of an HL-EL200 on NiMH and new alkaline
cells. It was *halved* with the 1.2V NiMH cells. In contrast, filament
bulbs usually burn brighter (at least on average over the cell's
lifetime) with rechargeables.

I couldn't tell any difference between new alkalines and the existing NiMH
by eye. The chief difference would seem to be that NiMH dies fast when it
dies, and alkaline tapers down over hours, at least I suppose it does.

I use alkaline in the LED taillights for that reason; there's lots of warning,
several rides, that you should change the (AAA) batteries, when you think, well
maybe I could change the batteries there, it's getting sort of dim. You could
go several more rides even then, and how bright do taillights have to be anyway.
--
Ron Hardin


On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk.

Ron Hardin wrote:
I use alkaline in the LED taillights for that reason; there's lots of
warning, several rides, that you should change the (AAA) batteries, when
you think, well maybe I could change the batteries there,

Odd; I use rechargeables because of that behaviour from alkalines. I hate
wondering if I should change the batteries or maybe let them go a little
further; with a rechargeable, it either works or it doesn't.

I have three tail lights one of which is dynamo fed, though, so I'm not
too worried if one of them dies on me.
--
David Damerell flcl?

Ron Hardin wrote:
I use alkaline in the LED taillights for that reason; there's lots of
warning, several rides, that you should change the (AAA) batteries, when
you think, well maybe I could change the batteries there,

Odd; I use rechargeables because of that behaviour from alkalines. I hate
wondering if I should change the batteries or maybe let them go a little
further; with a rechargeable, it either works or it doesn't.

I have three tail lights one of which is dynamo fed, though, so I'm not
too worried if one of them dies on me.
--
David Damerell flcl?

Hi, Ron, your subject line is EL500 but your post is about HL500.

Anyway, I recently purchased an EL-500 and put lithium batteries in
it. Having only got to use it during a faily full moon, I can't tell
you what its like in real darkness but it does seem to have a pretty
good beam.

Lewis.

**********************


Ron Hardin wrote in message ...
I tried a 4th HL500 last night - it does make it pretty bright
compared to one, still not up where you can see the road surface against
high traffic interfering lights though, and, neat as it looks, it
does run up to $160. (Justification for wife - they also work as
flashlights, and have the same streamlined shape.)

The chief result was accidental - that the things go dim pretty fast
on NiMH batteries that run out, taking about a half hour to go from
full bright to see-me lights with no illumination for the rider;
two of the three lights already on the bike ran out on the same
trip. So carry a 4-pack of AA's if it's your only light. Lithium
is much lighter and impervious to winter and storage in a bike bag, I
guess, if you want a nice 10-year emergency pack.

You can load them in the dark if you remember the pattern orientation.
It's the same whether you hold the light upside down or not so you
don't have to see to load.

I load one with 1700 maH batteries and the rest with 2200, so there's
a warning before they all go out that it's recharge time. Dimming
would be too late in warning you.

Hi, Ron, your subject line is EL500 but your post is about HL500.

Anyway, I recently purchased an EL-500 and put lithium batteries in
it. Having only got to use it during a faily full moon, I can't tell
you what its like in real darkness but it does seem to have a pretty
good beam.

Lewis.

**********************


Ron Hardin wrote in message ...
I tried a 4th HL500 last night - it does make it pretty bright
compared to one, still not up where you can see the road surface against
high traffic interfering lights though, and, neat as it looks, it
does run up to $160. (Justification for wife - they also work as
flashlights, and have the same streamlined shape.)

The chief result was accidental - that the things go dim pretty fast
on NiMH batteries that run out, taking about a half hour to go from
full bright to see-me lights with no illumination for the rider;
two of the three lights already on the bike ran out on the same
trip. So carry a 4-pack of AA's if it's your only light. Lithium
is much lighter and impervious to winter and storage in a bike bag, I
guess, if you want a nice 10-year emergency pack.

You can load them in the dark if you remember the pattern orientation.
It's the same whether you hold the light upside down or not so you
don't have to see to load.

I load one with 1700 maH batteries and the rest with 2200, so there's
a warning before they all go out that it's recharge time. Dimming
would be too late in warning you.

Lewis Campbell Wrote:
Hi, Ron, your subject line is EL500 but your post is about HL500.

Actually, he talks about (4) AA batteries so he's probably indee
talking about the HL-EL500. The HL500 takes C batteries

--
Gonzo Bob