Bargain Ebay bike lights
- Thread starter legrandefromage
- Start date
Damn, thought that might be the case :-(
PM on way
EDIT: As a side note:since my lights didn't come I've ordered this (again from China lol): http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT
£1.98 for what I think is the same rear light as the one that comes with 5W cree, and I'll be using the front light PURELY as a flashing unit as I notice it's 150 hours runtime in that mode. (Be aware the bracket is apparently very easy to break when putting on and is quite small from what I've read).
EDIT2: Thanks to another member I'll be able to do some experiments on these lights now with an external power source. Good if I'm going to run the XR-E R2 in them. I'm hoping it will give me around 6 hours runtime if I use the standard driver and the R2, and probably less driving it at 1000ma with the after market driver.
PM on way
EDIT: As a side note:since my lights didn't come I've ordered this (again from China lol): http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... K:MEWAX:IT
£1.98 for what I think is the same rear light as the one that comes with 5W cree, and I'll be using the front light PURELY as a flashing unit as I notice it's 150 hours runtime in that mode. (Be aware the bracket is apparently very easy to break when putting on and is quite small from what I've read).
EDIT2: Thanks to another member I'll be able to do some experiments on these lights now with an external power source. Good if I'm going to run the XR-E R2 in them. I'm hoping it will give me around 6 hours runtime if I use the standard driver and the R2, and probably less driving it at 1000ma with the after market driver.
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Scougar":2bh8728u said:
I am photosensitive epileptic (as well as generally anyway) and I'm pretty certain the lights don't strobe enough to bring a seizure on (I have a pair of them but tbf I'm not going to look into a strobe like that just in case - I see the light and avert my eyes as such). I agree that risks are pretty low though as we aren't talking that much intensity in any case but swearing at people (like our other guy apparently did) won't help matters. I just only use normal beam for mine.
Just to bring you up to speed on the law though regarding epileptics and driving. You can drive with almost no restriction as long as you are seizure free for at least a year. The restrictions I have are no HGVs or PSVs (for obvious reasons) and that even when I am seizure free for three years I still have to reapply for a licence because that's how long they last for the majority of epileptics.
I am myself unfortunately on a hiatus from a happening in January (not caused by photosensitivity) but as soon as the year is up I can get a doctor's note and apply for a licence again. I am now on another set of different anticonvulsants so time to start the ball rolling again... Just have to watch out for more of the pesky drivers now :!:
Thanks to the fab member, I got one of these lights finally. Just experimented, and drilled a 4mm hole in the body and cut up a usb cheap extension cable for external power connection. (I am using 4000mah lipo battery pack, so hopefully 6 hour run time with the R2.)
Installed the XR-E R2 without the 1000ma driver as it seems there is already a driver imbedded in the button.
Will have to try and get that out so I can run the 1000ma driver.
Pictures tomorrow, but be warned, bad soldering and cable ties lol. Just a note: Realised that without the driver installed i have lipo voltage protection so will need to sort that asap!!
Installed the XR-E R2 without the 1000ma driver as it seems there is already a driver imbedded in the button.
Will have to try and get that out so I can run the 1000ma driver.
Pictures tomorrow, but be warned, bad soldering and cable ties lol. Just a note: Realised that without the driver installed i have lipo voltage protection so will need to sort that asap!!
Here are some photo's. No bike/helmet mounted shots yet, but will do.
Please bear in mind this is just my first try and is experimental to see if it will even work. Bad soldering and cables ties abound! Also, no night shot's as my sucky phone won't actually work in the dark to take pics. Will get some though. Suffice to say it's pretty damn bright though, and hopefully will be brighter if I can suss out how to remove the original flashing driver.
Please bear in mind this is just my first try and is experimental to see if it will even work. Bad soldering and cables ties abound! Also, no night shot's as my sucky phone won't actually work in the dark to take pics. Will get some though. Suffice to say it's pretty damn bright though, and hopefully will be brighter if I can suss out how to remove the original flashing driver.
Attachments
And the rest:
NOTE: See pic "ebay 5W Cree 6.JPG". The on/off cap is the only place the LED driver can reside, so I will have to try and pry it out at some point and just make it a button, so I can put the driver next to the led. I jsut wanted to get a Proof of Concept done first
Hoping the light will run about 6 hour's from this pack on full (compared to around 80/90 min's on triple AAA's.
NOTE: See pic "ebay 5W Cree 6.JPG". The on/off cap is the only place the LED driver can reside, so I will have to try and pry it out at some point and just make it a button, so I can put the driver next to the led. I jsut wanted to get a Proof of Concept done first
Hoping the light will run about 6 hour's from this pack on full (compared to around 80/90 min's on triple AAA's.
Attachments
Yeah, the light turned up on Friday, and Sunday was the first opportunity I got to have a play, whilst at a BBQ. Borrowed a much to big soldering iron, and did it in the garden on a rock lol.
I had to slightly file down the pointy bits of the XR-E star PCB as it was slightly too big, but fits fine now.
The only issues I see at present are that due to the LED being mounted about 1mm higher than the stock LED, the len's is slightly distorted when trying to tighten down the head. Not too sure What I'm going to do about that yet.. But I'll think of something.. cheap, lol. The other issue is obviously the Driver PCB being built into the original switch.
Incidently, if you do want to change driver.. it's possible it could fit directly behind the LED.
Plans:
1) PTFE seal the anodised lens cap.
2) Silicone seal the lens
3) Possibly rubber grommet and silicone seal the cable entrance
4) Add a small rubber shroud to the USB connector.
5) Think of a mounting solution for helmet (prob rubber/silicone/velcro) (although I have some velcro somewhere).
I had to slightly file down the pointy bits of the XR-E star PCB as it was slightly too big, but fits fine now.
The only issues I see at present are that due to the LED being mounted about 1mm higher than the stock LED, the len's is slightly distorted when trying to tighten down the head. Not too sure What I'm going to do about that yet.. But I'll think of something.. cheap, lol. The other issue is obviously the Driver PCB being built into the original switch.
Incidently, if you do want to change driver.. it's possible it could fit directly behind the LED.
Plans:
1) PTFE seal the anodised lens cap.
2) Silicone seal the lens
3) Possibly rubber grommet and silicone seal the cable entrance
4) Add a small rubber shroud to the USB connector.
5) Think of a mounting solution for helmet (prob rubber/silicone/velcro) (although I have some velcro somewhere).
Well... now I have:
Front:
* 1 X Red ringed ebay light.
* 1 X Silver ringed 'deal extreme' light (Almost the same as the ebay, but slightly worse build quality and missing rubber seal).
* 2 X Gold ringed ebay lights.
Rear:
* 2 X rear ebay lights that came with the ebay lights. Actually very good but don't include a waterseal, so would need something sorting for that... some thick grease perhaps or silicone.
I should also have at some point the 5 led front light coming which I will use purely as a flashing unit for it's 150 hours operation (I hope), and that also comes with the same rear light as the 5W Cree ebay one's , and I will be donating it to a friend who lent me a light.
Additional parts I have:
1 X 4xAA serial battery box
4 X Sanyo Eneloop's. (Excellent batteries and work with my Panasonic quick charger )
The expensive 1000ma constant current LED driver (£10!).
Lots of random wiring and connectors.
Basically.. I will probably trying to re-modify my existing Red Ebay XR-E R2 LED unit and put in the constant current driver, and also try and modify the Silver light to be used with the 4xAA battery pack. I have at my disposal 2 old ebay LEDS that I can burn out so I'm not currently worried about overvolting it. I may also try to shorten the length of the light so it's lighter for helmet mounting, although this will of course mean slightly worse heat dissapation :-(
Front:
* 1 X Red ringed ebay light.
* 1 X Silver ringed 'deal extreme' light (Almost the same as the ebay, but slightly worse build quality and missing rubber seal).
* 2 X Gold ringed ebay lights.
Rear:
* 2 X rear ebay lights that came with the ebay lights. Actually very good but don't include a waterseal, so would need something sorting for that... some thick grease perhaps or silicone.
I should also have at some point the 5 led front light coming which I will use purely as a flashing unit for it's 150 hours operation (I hope), and that also comes with the same rear light as the 5W Cree ebay one's , and I will be donating it to a friend who lent me a light.
Additional parts I have:
1 X 4xAA serial battery box
4 X Sanyo Eneloop's. (Excellent batteries and work with my Panasonic quick charger
)The expensive 1000ma constant current LED driver (£10!).
Lots of random wiring and connectors.
Basically.. I will probably trying to re-modify my existing Red Ebay XR-E R2 LED unit and put in the constant current driver, and also try and modify the Silver light to be used with the 4xAA battery pack. I have at my disposal 2 old ebay LEDS that I can burn out so I'm not currently worried about overvolting it. I may also try to shorten the length of the light so it's lighter for helmet mounting, although this will of course mean slightly worse heat dissapation :-(
Does anyone have a single old 18650 battery I can try please? It can be dead I just need it for sizing. I think if you modified some parts inside this torch you might 'just' be able to squeeze one in. There would likely be a compromise somewhere. Probably not worth it though to be completely honest as better quality torches available for not much more. I'd still like a dead 18650 battery to try though (I don't have a lithium charger so it literally is 'just' for sizing )
On a side note... I tried out the constant current driver (the £11 one), using the 4xAA battery pack, the original pathetic 60 lumen led (from the deal extreme light) and cellotape, and it works ok. So I'm gonna try and get something wired up with the XR-E R2 ebay light combo and see if it's any brighter.
EDIT: I also tonight quickly took apart the tail cap. The components in there consist of a switch(button), a pcb for modes, a contact spring and 2 spacers/isolators/retainers. I'll get a picture up tomorrow of those bits. I've got to figure out how I can use the original button with my new smaller pcb.
)On a side note... I tried out the constant current driver (the £11 one), using the 4xAA battery pack, the original pathetic 60 lumen led (from the deal extreme light) and cellotape, and it works ok. So I'm gonna try and get something wired up with the XR-E R2 ebay light combo and see if it's any brighter.
EDIT: I also tonight quickly took apart the tail cap. The components in there consist of a switch(button), a pcb for modes, a contact spring and 2 spacers/isolators/retainers. I'll get a picture up tomorrow of those bits. I've got to figure out how I can use the original button with my new smaller pcb.
