That 50 Quid DX bike light dissed disected oh sod it. ( its not good news )

If you make and sell lights .

This is my take on the DX bike light .
thanks to Martin who bought one and kindly sent it to me to pull apart and give it the once over

First up very nice box even with magnetic closures

WEIGHTS AND SIZES
I will let the pics tell this bit

On Opening the box I was shocked a little on the actual size of the thing as I try to make my lights as small as possible , this is tiny .
And looks on the outside to be a real nice product
the battery is neat and well packaged with a good connector set
I cant see any problems at all from the outside so time to have a look a little deeper.

first before unscrewing the the bezel I did a very non techy test the seal
this involved sucking with the whole bezel in my mouth to creat a vacuum and you can soon tell if it is sealed and it passed with flying colours no leaks there.

I also did the same test on the switch end and that was good too .

No real issues so far The alloy in side is very soft and poor quality but not a problem
there were signs of small bits of swarfe around but so far not in any place to cause shorts.

the first main niggle shows itself the screw holding the mount only 2 threads holding the thing together
ok as the second pic shows it cannot be too long but a couple more threads would be better

just prior to unscrewing the retainer ring I did notice this large piece of swarfe hiding there.
the bits on the right are just stringy plastic

Still nothing too bad found yet but was a bit concerned about the swarf inside with the driver board . I was just going to reassemble it as it belonged to some one else but after I saw the swarfe it need cleaning out so dismantled it and found that the P7 on its star was glued to the heatsink with a clear epoxy .

So this was removed and the star glued back in with Arctic Alumina epoxy
then it was just a reversal to reassemble

some thermal past on the heatsink and screw threads of the retainer
and some silicon round the cable . and I did put in a slightly longer screw to hold the bracket

Ok so now some thoughts .

When I first plugged it in the first thing I did was just sit it on the desk and wait to see how hot it got and how fast , now this is a rare sunny day in blighty with a nice 20 degree c ambient temp and after 7 minutes it was quite warm getting hotter than I would normally like so I ended the test and started the take down .

I was quite pleased it was getting warm as this meant some transfer of heat was happening.
The worrying thing about this is after the rebuild it got very hot real quickly like 3 minutes
so in very high ambients it stands a good chance of overheating the led .

Also I am just 1.5 hours in to a runtime test with a desk fan on full blowing over the light and is has stabilised at 35 degrees c so I dread to think what the internal temps could get to if I had not added the thermal epoxy and paste

No beam shots to compare it with my other lights yet but will try and get some tonight

so as it stands it looks like it will take quite a few sales away from the main light makers
and also makes DIY seem a bit daft as there is no way you could build a light of this quality for the price . including battery and charger.

The main failings I think will be the mount breaking as you stretch the oring round the bars or pulling the bolt out of the 2 threads holding it
, possibly overheating issues in warmer climes than the uk if the user is not carefull to switch to low in times of low airflow

also maybe the cable pulling out of the light when the mount breaks in a stack .

I cannot comment ot the electronics as I know nothing about them suffice to say the quality is no where near Taskled stuff

I would like to say it is rubbish dont buy it but Cant as I would buy one if I was in the market for a budget light .

It’s a service, Troutie offers to STW.

Wonderful. Thank you Troutie! 🙂

I only night ride occasionally in winter, so something like this seems ideal. Would like to buy something dead flash, but just cannot warrant the outlay for several rides over the winter. £50 tho…..

This thread is the top result on Google already! http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=DX+bike+light

Particularly enjoying the macro photos.

He should write for stw.

Where can you get these lights?

fair play for supplying such a unbiased view & lots of piccy’s.

Beams shots next please

mk1fan… assuming you not taking the pee: https://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.25149

Nice one Mr T,

A

Cant do beam shots till it gets dark tonight . but will try .

Maybe STW will give ma a job as official light tester

Still burning on full after 2.5 hours so looks like it will make the 3 hour as stated on the box

bit of a shame about the mount screws and the epoxy, other wise looks pretty solid.

Cheers for the review!

great review, I was concerned about quality of the unit at that price, as i built a cutter kit rated at 500lumen for more than that (including second hand battery, SS salt pot from ASDA and a dubious switch!)

But the checks and changes you have made can be repeated by me with limited tech skills, and hopefully get a great light for another mad winter of muddy, snowy night riding. Any ideas about mounting it as a helmet light?

Excellent post, Mr.T. Your photos are outstanding. I’m still going to get one as a cheap commuter light, but I’ll use this thread to mod mine a bit, then I’ll invest in one of your whizzy new high-power lights later in the year.

what would be usefull is if companies published plots of brighness (mW/m3 ?) against angle, as my current lights struggle to go above 500lumens, as the central spot gets too bright to be of any use, the trail just turns white!

As a result I’m going to sell 2 of the head units and the wireing, you have to provide your own battery, im running 2xAA battery packs, giving about 2 hours per lamp per pack. Each lamp gives 240lumens. Each lamp weighs 58g, and mounts easily onto a helmet with a zip tie as they’r covered by rubber grips, adjustment is by altering where on the helmet you stick it! I’ll include a lockblock as well if bar moutning is your thing.

Fairly waterproof (has survived torrential rain), the wiring hole is silicone sealed and covered in tape, but I’d be wary of running them underwater! Its probably as waterproof as the switch anyway.

The beam is a spot perfect for singletrack (about 2m diameter at 10m ditance?) surrounded by a bigger flood about 100deg wide perfect for periferal vision keeping an eye on those wherewolves chasing you!

LED’s are cree Q5’s for anyone that wants to know.

Battery voltage, I know it runs at 2.4V upto 3.7V, above that I’ve no idea.

Cost of original torches from DX was £15 each, so I’ll sell them for that? 1 is adequate for flowing singletrack, two is awesomely bright! I tried three but had to look so far ahead to get over the brightness i was almost looking upwards!

Top review Trout, great to see a honest review from someone who is liable to lose out from doing so. Many thanks for doing it for me, & of course sorting it out.
Now, when can I have it back 😉

Cheers.

How come I just CANNOT get onto the Dealextreme site? Not on my work PC or my iPhone?
This is the second or thisd time I’ve tried today with no joy…
🙁

Trout – how much to mod the stock light to take in the small changes you have made and any others you would recommend?

PP try http://tinyurl.com/DXlight It may work?

Trout, I forgot to say I thought a potential weekness may be the wire getting damaged when fitting & removing the O ring bar clamp over time, that and the useless flash mode instead of a real low output that you could use onroad.
Thanks again.
Cheers.

Martin was there any mention of me returning it 😈

I will get it in the post monday for you .

OMITN
takes about an hour to do
probably bout a tenner plus you pay postage each way .

Peter the DX site has been up and down all week probly overrun with orders now

PP try my link (above) it’s too the secure version of the site, there was a thread about problem with the DX website earlier in the week…

Martin you are correct there but you only put the oring on the front once un till it breaks .and hook and unhook it from the back .

nowt you can do about the flash except change the driver but then more costs unless DX read the reviews.

Ahh, the tinyurl one works, thanks
🙂

Just ordered a set..

Trout, you gonna start a modifying service up??

Would gladly pay for the “upgrades”

Teetosugars.

I might as well do as I aint gonna sell many of my hi quality state of the art led kick ass lights now .
so the answer is yep will do .

Here is a little video for those who dont believe how much heat this thing can create. if it works

The probe was attached as close to the dies as possible .
after the 2 minutes the case was at 30 degrees c and bear in mind the led dies will be at least 25 degrees c hotter than the probe reading at any one time, and the hotter the leds get the less light they produce and the shorter life they will have .

And An update on the runtime I had to postpone it a little while I went out but on resuming it managed 3 hours 20 minutes burn on full throttle.

I hate this Light Sooooooooooooooooo Much

Trout

I have been following the led progress for the last 2 years and you have beena insperatin with what you have been up to.

But I am more impressed with your unbiased views of other lights

Thank you

BTW dx have dispatched my light and I will do your mods and for short rides a 2 cell turboferrit battery pack that will give a good 1 1/2 hrs of full beam and weight bugger all about 225g

Cheers saladdodger.
I was hoping it was shite ,
It will be interesting to see how they last through a hard winters night riding so hopefully the folks who get them will keep us all updated good or bad with reliability .

There is some bad news now I just had it on charge from flat and after 1 hour the charger was at 51 degrees c on the outside casing . it does have a fuse inside but that heat is not healthy so do your charging somewhere cool and preferably fire proof dont want to burn the house down while you sleep .

Well, thanks to 2unfit’s sneaky link, I’ve just ordered one of these. I was going to add some more batteries and a second charger but the site wouldn’t let me. I’ll have to order them later. Thanks, MrT, for all your work taking the light apart and checking it out for us out here, that is service way above and beyond the call of duty. I’ll follow your instructions when it arrives and make the mods. What size and length screw did you use for the mount? I’ve probably got some kicking around, but It’s the length I’d need to cut one to avoid damage to the inside. Also, can I get the right sort of thermal epoxy from Maplins? I can get some from Bath tomorrow if so.

Mr Trout,you are the man- I think a lot of people would just have kept their mouths shut. The DIYers on MTBBritain seem to be convincing themselves these are rubbish even though most haven’t seen them. Very good of you to take the time!

Disclaimer ( small print in view of recent threads )
anything said by Trout is only his opinion and as he has nowt then sueing him is a total waste of time 😛

Hey folks dont buy this light based on owt I have said ( in fact dont buy it at all buy one of mine for lots more dosh )

I dony want sueing when it fails
I am just saying it as I see it and time will be the judge on whether it is a good un or not .

there are a few more opinions from more qualified electronics guys over on MTBR . and it seems there could be issues

Count0 I have never seen Arctic alumina adhesive in maplins .
But the thermal past is and would be as good but you then should drill and tap a couple of fixing screws for the led star

Northwind
I should have kept my mouth shut but that is not me and Martin was kind enough to send his purchase to a total stranger for an evaluation so it was my duty to tell the truth as I saw it .

would have been real nice if it was total crap though

Rather handy finding this. I’ve been after a half decent bargain lamp to replace my ageing halogen set. Looking forward to seeing the beam shots before I pull the trigger on ordering a set.
Thanks Trout.

Just to sway slightly off topic Trout. Finally tested my troutlite properly last night, went out with my mate and his brand new hope 4 led light. I think there’s a place for your lights still Trout as i have a funny feeling his Hope is going on e-bay and you may be recieving another order soon ……….

Sod it this is real bad now Took the pooch for a later walk than usual to get some beam shots now in deep dispair and the forth tinny of bloody stella shite.

ok so here we go I do all my beam shots in the same place and at the same camera settings f4 @ 6 seconds white balance daylight .

the big tree on the left is 35 metres away the bunch further on the right are 75 mtres away and the ones in the distance are 150 metres

DX bastid cheap shite crappy light on high

on low

now for a comparison to a similar light a MCE with a new optic which is the best I have tested on high

and on low but this low is a lot lower than the bastid light
and can be adjusted to be higher or lower

I am now going to drink the rest of the 24 pack of stella and beat the wife up

Oh And Thanks Mark you have made me feel a load better

Trout – you will get your reward in a better place – and next year there will be some even brighter leds to play with.

Thanks TJ but Would rather I was alive when it happens.

Any hows I still have my own light to play with

Or as mark above mentioned to compare it with my 6er Troutlight

Christ! what lighthouse did you nick that off? 😆

**** me! Trout, I hope to God you don’t live anywhere near an airfield, ‘cos you’re going to have a bloody great jet trying to use you as the flarepath. Yes, I’ve just bought one of the cheapie DX’s but your light is on a whole other level entirely. People seeing those photos I’m sure are going to want your lights. I know I do!

Yup Trouty’s light is SO bright it burns the leaves right of the trees 😉

maybe it’s time we all give trout a pound for the service…
Seems pretty fair to me

Trout.

How much for a built up 6er please?

Trout, well done for staying up & doing some beam shots, they don’t look to shoddy 🙂

Bad news about the charger though, how hot should a chrger get?

Cheers.

Stu

all the bits as a kit are £135 plus £15 for the build and some postage

I did charge £165 last winter so I hope it does not upset any past customers

LOL at stuey Never noticed the leaves missing .