I'm reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally tempted to hit the trigger on this
@bigdawg when you click on that UK sellers profile it says "Member since: 23-Apr-13
Location: China" LOL
@daveR i've got all mine from http://www.fasttech.com/product/1285800-solarstorm-x2-cree-xm-l-u2-4-mode-2000-lumen-led-b
cruzcampo - Member
I'm reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally tempted to hit the trigger on this
That would make my X2 out of date, and it hasn't arrived yet 😥
They're obviously China based but I note that in the returns info they say to return to their UK location so I expect that's how it's done.
Anyone seen the 6000lm one?
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6000LM-CREE-XML-T6-5-LED-Bicycle-Bike-Headlamp-Headlight-Torch-Light-NEW-/190914722969?pt=UK_SportGoods_CyclAcces_RL&hash=item2c73677c99
Heh, if that little 5x is running all those XMLs at full whack, it'll probably be a contest to find out whether the battery runs out before the light melts.
How soon has it generally taken for people to get their Solarstorms from the UK seller?
Probably RM or whoever being crap but was expecting mine on Weds...
Solarstorm just arrived - this thing is tiny.
Ordered Sunday night, delivered Thursday am recorded delivery.
Had a bit of a problem with the length of the wire - it's a lot shorter the my XML-T6s, which means it won't reach down to the adapted water bottle that the battery sits in. Had to cut the lead off an old charger, open up the light and solder it on in place of the original.
It looks like a lot of the UK ebay sellers are actually the same Crawley based outfit using several different user names. Probably acting as a middle man for somebody in China. No doubt they'll be doing the Solarstorm X3s in a couple of weeks.
Ordered mine from the UK seller on Tuesday morning and arrived this morning. Posted first class recorded. Not tried it yet but it is very small.
I ordered mine last Friday first thing from ebay seller dongx2011. Said black was out of stock and restock would be Monday but then told posted on the friday to me.
Expected delivery was supposed to be Wednesday but still waiting now.
christ i'm making an arse of this
be warned one of those ebay links above doesn't include a battery.
£33 deal extreme does.
[url= http://dx.com/p/solarstorm-x3-3-x-cree-xm-l-t6-2000lm-4-mode-white-bike-light-deep-pink-4-x-18650-238309 ]dx[/url]
Just arrived.
It's very small but very bright even in daylight.
First impressions are that it seems look good quality.
Ordered red and got black - not that it matters as it'll be on when it's dark anyway 😉
Just out of curiosity I hooked mine up to a multimeter to see what sort of power they're using.
Current draw for a single XML-T6 was 0.2A on low and 0.8A on high.
For the 2x U2 it's 0.2A, 0.9A and 2.0A on low, med and high.
So medium is using the same sort of power as high beam on the T6, which is good for around 2.5 hrs on the standard battery. You'll get less than an hour on high setting on the 2x U2, so if you just want to leave it on high all the time it's probably worth investing in some better quality batteries.
0.8A on high.. hmm.. I have an 11.8Ah battery. That should do nicely 🙂
Does anyone know if I should be able to use my T6 charger on my X2 battery?
My X2 came with a charger which has an American plug and I don't want to shed out for an adapter. 🙄
Sorry slightly off topic.
06awjudd - almost certainly fine, just check the output voltages, they should both be same 8.4v
Adapters are £1 available from all good pound shops. Most shaver adapters will work. It'll also add a fuse which will help if it does go pop.
For those buying from lightmalls a couple of coupon codes
prot2cou for $2 off when you spend over $30
prot5cou5 for $5 off when you spend over $80
I used my light on the trails for the fist time tonight. After about an hour and three quarters it cut out. The switch was still in the green mode and I had been switching between the medium and high settings to conserve power.
Should I put this down to a first run/ charge glitch or is there something wrong with the light unit or the battery?
mcmoonter - Recharge the battery and run it down again at home. 1hr45 sounds about right for these batteries if you're switching between med and high.
Not sure if the batteries are under voltage protected, but if they are the light will just cut out when the battery voltage drops to a certain level.
I did some more fiddling in the garage this evening and the batteries are definitely the weak link - they really aren't strong enough for a light of this power. The light is drawing 2.2 - 2.4 Amp depending on which battery I've got connected. The voltage holds up well on medium power, but drops off pretty quickly when you switch to high.
I'm looking at ordering some Samsung cells to make up a 5.6Ah pack, which should be good for 2hr+ high power.
I've had it on the charger for about half an hour now and the lights are working. I will give it a full charge / discharge cycle and see what the run time is like. Our night rides are usually between two and three hours, so an extra more reliable battery may be the way forward.
Is there any reason that the battery packs for RC helicopters and planes wouldn't work with these lights? My old boy is big into RC stuff and gets batteries from websites like hobby king quite often.
What would I be looking for in terms of battery? I don't have a notion about electronics
For the 2x U2 it's 0.2A, 0.9A and 2.0A on low, med and high.
That suggests somewhere around 1500 lumens on high, assuming the driver is reasonably efficient.
Is there any reason that the battery packs for RC helicopters and planes wouldn't work with these lights? My old boy is big into RC stuff and gets batteries from websites like hobby king quite often.What would I be looking for in terms of battery? I don't have a notion about electronics
would work and you need
1. Correct voltage [ or near enough]
2. More Amp/Hr = more power = longer burn time
3. waterproof or easy enough to do this
4. Method of attaching to bike
5. Connector to match battery pack to light connector
Choice of batteries on hobby king is massive, excuse my ignorance but what voltage and MAH rating would these lights need to up the run time?
2200mah seems to be a reasonable price and they come in various voltages, C ratings as I've learnt are voltage ratings
Every days a school day
@neiloxford the official source of the solarstorm and proper site it seems, nice find!
this does look well engineered
http://www.solarstorm.hk/productview.asp?id=42&classid=006
Seems the working voltage of the light is 8.4v. The RC battery's come in 7.4v or 11.1v Will 11.1 fry it?
If you are looking at rc batteries on hobby king, most of them will be lipo so 2s are 7.4v so is closest to the 8v li-ion batteries that come with the hk lights.
C rating is to do with the draw they cam handle is higher the c rating the more amps they can handle efficiently iirc
You can get a 5000mah 2s lipo for just over a tenner. Only downside is you will need a decent balance charger that would set you back £30+
So not sure it would be worth it by the time you have to buy the charger change the connectors find a safe way of mounting it...etc
Luckily the old boy has chargers galore, problem solved. Mounting, waterproofing and connectors are a minor issue, some rough agri engineering will sort those out!
I'll run the battery that comes with it and see how it fares first
Had a quick skim through the thread, so apologies if already been asked, but is the best option, if you want a battery and charger that you would feel comfortable leaving charging overnight/unattended, is to get someone like smudge to supply that side of things? Or are there any 'premium' offerings from China/HK?
3 1/2 hours running two of these on low/med for 2 1/2 hrs then full gas for an hour.
Another static 1/2 hour at home today.
.Choice of batteries on hobby king is massive, excuse my ignorance but what voltage and MAH rating would these lights need to up the run time?2200mah seems to be a reasonable price and they come in various voltages, C ratings as I've learnt are voltage ratings
Every days a school day
I use to be into RC and the batts I think you are referring to are LIPOs, if so the problem with these is they are fragile as they are not in a proper hard case like the 18650 cell packs. You can buy cells from Torchy on ebay and make your own packs by soldering 4 cells together in a 2 parallel then 2 series formation. I recently made a couple of packs up from cells from a cordless drill I had when it packed up. The LION packs had 5 18650 Samsung cells in each pack so I took them apart and re-assembled them.
Seems the working voltage of the light is 8.4v. The RC battery's come in 7.4v or 11.1v Will 11.1 fry it?
The 7.4v will actually be the same voltage as the "8.4V" battery. Like the lumens, the quoted voltages have suffered from a bit of inflation. LiPos and LiIons both have an average working voltage of around 3.7V per cell, so 7.4V for a pair in series. The maximum voltage achieved briefly after charging is around 4.2V, which is why 8.4V gets quoted.
That solarstorm website 'only' quotes 1500 lumens as the max output for the x2
I've been on the fence waiting to make a decision around these, they do look good, especially for the price.
I've been making do with a fluxient U2 mini on my bars, which I bought for commuting, and a sunwayman v20c as my helmet light (which I had already), gives me over 1000 real lumens combined and let's me carry back up batteries that I can use in ether torch
Yeah the X2 is only 1500 lumens...
http://www.solarstorm.hk/productview.asp?id=23&classid=006
and also, it appears it might be on version 3 from the title...
Charged my battery up then connected light and left it on full power. It lasted just over an hour and light got very hot. Not impressed with battery life. I will recharge battery and try again. I know sometimes it can take a few charges for battery to be at its best, but i did expect better out of the box
Charged my battery up then connected light and left it on full power. It lasted just over an hour and light got very hot.
Did you have a fan on the light to keep cool it during the run time test?
If not, and if the light didn't have heat protection that stepped the power down when it got hot, you risk damaging the emitters.
No i didnt, but didnt expect it to get that hot. It would still get very hot even running it on the bike at night though.
That XT40 on the Solarstorm website looks like a nice light, but the problem with these sets is the batteries. I've got a few now and they're only 2-2.5 Ah capacity, which is fine for the single T6 light, but they're inadequate for anything with more than 1 LED.
To get a decent run time on the XT40 you'll need at least 6Ah, preferably 8Ah. If I've bought a light that powerful then I want it to last a 2-3hr ride, without having to keep turning it down to save the battery.
By the time you've sorted out a battery and a decent quality charger to go with the XT40 you probably won't be far short of the price of the 3x U2 Fluxient that Torchy's selling on eBay, which comes with an 8.8Ah battery and 2 year warranty.
Charged my battery up then connected light and left it on full power. It lasted just over an hour and light got very hot. Not impressed with battery life. I will recharge battery and try again
I assume you're using the Solarstorm twin LED?
1 hour run time on the standard battery is about the norm - it may improve after a few charge cycles, but I don't think you'll get much more than this. The batteries I've got are all 2.5Ah tops.
After having a bit of time to play around with these I'd say that if you just want something bright that'll run for 2 hrs+ without spending a lot of money then stick with the single LEDs.
If you've already got some high capacity batteries and a decent charger, or you're a bit of a tinkerer, then the twin LEDs are worth buying just for the light.
I haven't traipsed back through the thread, but I thought people were getting more like 2+ hours. 1 hour is very short
C rating is to do with the draw they cam handle is higher the c rating the more amps they can handle efficiently iirc
For lights don't worry about the C rating - at most you need a C rating of 1, and even the cheapest RC pack will be far higher than that. It's not relevant when you're taking an hour to use up the battery - typical RC stuff uses up a battery in 5-10 minutes.
if you just want something bright that'll run for 2 hrs+ without spending a lot of money then stick with the single LEDs.
You don't have to run them on full, and two LEDs running at half current will produce more light than a single one at full current, as efficiency decreases with increasing current.
No i didnt, but didnt expect it to get that hot. It would still get very hot even running it on the bike at night though.
A little bit of moving air makes a big difference. All of these LED lights will overheat if left stationary on full power, but many have a thermal cut out to prevent damage.
Well going back a page or two I ordered mine Thursday and it d this morning so despite being a Chinese seller they are based in the UK
ok battery experts - what about chucking 4 of these:
http://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10001980/1341105-panasonic-ncr18650b-18650-3-7v-3400mah-protected
Inside one of these:
I gather these Panasonics are the most powerful 18650's currently available pumping out a reliable 3200Mah...
Yep, that should work just fine. Should give you around 3 hours for an X2 on max.
blackmount: This is an option I've been looking at, along with a dedicated 18650 charger. The problem seems to be getting hold of the battery case you've linked to. I've only seen them being sold as part of a light set from China.
Thanks pdw.
MarkLG: No problemo I spotted it somewhere on it's own. Will trawl and report back. They did want an arm and a leg for shipping iirc but it was still pretty cheap for what it is in UK terms.
Conversely I've not seen it as part of a light package - got a link?
These guys have got a similar solution but I suspect its a sealed unit like the Magicshine 6 cell thing:
http://www.mtbrevolution.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=61&product_id=244
I'd be interested in a battery pack that can you can your own 18650 cells in, sort of like the Fenix BT20 battery pack
One of the eBay sellers have dropped the price to £28.99 and included a cheap rear light in with the deal, too good to miss out on so just clicked through, hopefully will turn up by next weekend
Conversely I've not seen it as part of a light package - got a link?
The battery holder is in the 3 LED Solarstorm set on their website, but the ones I've seen on ebay just have the standard shrink rapped battery pack.
[url= http://www.solarstorm.hk/productview.asp?id=38&classid=006 ]http://www.solarstorm.hk/productview.asp?id=38&classid=006[/url]
@marklg that battery box alone makes me want the X3!
Any decent sellers got it with said box for sale?Could take x4 spare AA batteries out that way for emergencies on a ride.
I can't find anyone selling the X3 with the battery box 🙁 Just sealed pack here
Yeah me neither. It's on the manufacturers website but the various resellers are all bunching it with el cheapo (probably crap)4 cell sealed units.
Here's the box on its own:
You need a decent charger for that battery I linked to...
Does anyone know how likely the magicshine or fluxient batteries are going to be close to their stated capacity?
I'm considering buying a magicshine 5.6mah battery which apparently has Samsung cells, or maybe a fluxient battery that has 6 batteries inside and is claimed to be 6.6mah.
Which of these is likely to be better, or shall I consider something else?
Rich:
You could get one of these:
[url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fluxient-6600mAh-7-4v-battery-with-pouch-compatible-with-Magicshine-Xeccon-etc-/300973056856?pt=UK_SportGoods_CyclAcces_RL&hash=item4613646358 ]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fluxient-6600mAh-7-4v-battery-with-pouch-compatible-with-Magicshine-Xeccon-etc-/300973056856?pt=UK_SportGoods_CyclAcces_RL&hash=item4613646358[/url]
I've ordered an x3 to try with my 11,000 mah pack. That should be fun 🙂
I have a few other lights so I'll do a mini review when the puppy gets here
Yes that is one I was considering, I was just wondering if Fluxient are usually anything like their quoted capacity.
The magicshine mj6030 looks good, being 5.6mah but only 4 batteries so smaller and lighter.
as the solarstorm x2 has the screw type connectors on the cable whats a good battery pack upgrade with that type connector and a decent length cable for helmet use or do you have to rewire the head unit to suit an alternative battery pack upgrade ??? i like the light but with a short cable on the crap battery pack it could do with replacing
A normal magicshine battery will still connect to the SS X2, you just don't use the screw up connector, but it's been suggested that if you remove the o-ring, this helps joining (I'm just forcing mine on, past this..).
As for battery pack, MTB Batteries, fluxient from big_f_d_d (link above) or Magicshine UK would be [i]my preference[/i] (in that order) for batteries.
Get a extension cable for helmet use, link [url= http://www.magicshineuk.co.uk/bike-lights/accessories/1-metre-extension-cable-for-all-magicshine-lights-except-mj-880-range.html ]this one[/url] lots of ppl sell them..
Buying the battery holder and the separate Panasonics surely does away with any doubt as to the batteries performance? Plenty of info on the web attesting to the 3400's performance.
Plus you also get the Pukka screw in connector for the Solar Fire light...
And four separate batteries which can be used in single cell torches...
Buying these units with cheapo no name batteries is a false economy - been there. I want something I can reliably run for 3 hrs and mostly on high.
Only thing I'm unclear on is whether to use the protected or non protected version of the Panasonics (also with an eye to torch use)
Anyone?
I only use protected 18650 cells in my torches. I have quite a few already and having singles gives me more use of of them.
If someone tracks down a good source of 4 cell packs I'd definitely be interested
Those Solarstorm battery packs on are Ali Express at $5 but with $15 shipping.
A quick check showed that buying 20 for a group buy would work out at about £5 each, but then there would be customs and the post of getting them out to people on top of that. Likely to be less than a tenner though.
Only thing I'm unclear on is whether to use the protected or non protected version of the Panasonics (also with an eye to torch use)
You definitely want protected. Unprotected cells are only suitable if you're building them into a battery which has a separate protection circuit.
AlexSimon - Member
Those Solarstorm battery packs on are Ali Express at $5 but with $15 shipping.
A quick check showed that buying 20 for a group buy would work out at about £5 each, but then there would be customs and the post of getting them out to people on top of that. Likely to be less than a tenner though.POSTED 10 HOURS AGO # REPORT-POST
I'd be in
have a look at the last post (at time of me typing!!) here
http://forums.mtbr.com/lights-night-riding/battery-thread-2013-a-834295-9.html#post10081585
I've emailed the guy posting and am having a battery pack off him for £12 - I'm not sure how many more he may have
have a look at the last post (at time of me typing!!) herehttp://forums.mtbr.com/lights-night-riding/battery-thread-2013-a-834295-9.html#post10081585
I've emailed the guy posting and am having a battery pack off him for £12 - I'm not sure how many more he may have
Is that the Solarstorm battery box? Looks like it is just the box without any cells in it. They do look good though and a great way of ensuring you've got good cells in your pack which can be individually charged to balance them and replaced if any fail, tempted myself.
First issue for me would be whether that box will take the longer protected Panasonics.
ygm Stevemorg2
I'd be interested in a group buy of a 4 cell Holder and some protected Panasonic cells, or just tacking on to someone elses order ?
Failing that I work with a Chinese Engineer, perhaps I should get her to email and ask some questions about availability ?
I think Fasttech are the best / cheapest source for genuine Panasonic 3400's protected. Seems there's a lot of scamming / cloning / selling re-badged used cells in the world of Chinese batteries.
Also, you'd need to buy a fair amount I reckon to neutralise the on-cost / hassle of re posting them in the UK.
$16.98 shipped for 2.
I'd be interested in a group buy of a 4 cell Holder and some protected Panasonic cells, or just tacking on to someone elses order ?
+1
Me too!
Count me in on the battery box too please
The problem with trying to combine the batteries with the case are twofold:
1) Batteries aren't from the same shop as the case
2) Royal Mail wont deliver the batteries (from the group buyer to individuals).
I use myHermes for parcels, I`m not sure if they have the same restrictions ?
would this be any good for the solarstorm x2?
The problem with trying to combine the batteries with the case are twofold:
1) Batteries aren't from the same shop as the case
2) Royal Mail wont deliver the batteries (from the group buyer to individuals).
Just to do the group buy on the battery box and order the cells individually from fasttech...sorted.
The guys looking to replace x2 batteries, is this purely from a safety perspective, or runtime? As they're pretty decent on runtime.
Runtime for me, as I would like to get more than 1hr 15mins on full.
Seems a waste to buy a powerful light and need to run it at a low power a lot of the time to extend the battery life.