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I used to own an exposure enduro maxx, very well made and very convenient, but I found that if I was in front of mates with the Chinese lights, I would be riding in the shadow cast by much brighter lights. For me it didn't seem worth having such a well made light only for it to be eclipsed year on year by £15 worth of light.
zippykona - how is the light affixed to the cage ? tia !
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[/img]I've taken the screw out of the bar mount and screwed it to the cage.It needs a longer screw. There's handy holes in the cage already.
The battery is cable tied on.It could be made a lot neater and I want to shorten the cables.
The Yingding is decent had mine for a year. Nice and bright, decent burn time.
I made a mount from a spare section of 90 degree gopro mount, it bolts straight into the chassis of my Yingding.
Top work zippykona, ordered a few bits to build something to mount my own X2 with battery.
Also got a 2 year old XML T6, went flickery which I thought was the battery. Nope, the +ve wire inside needed a bit of re-soldering so it lives again.
Thanks to snownrock for the recommendations on page 2. I've had a Solarstorm since last year and the battery, which initially seemed good, has pretty much given up now. I ordered the linked batteries from banggood the other day and quickly recieved an email sayin they were out of stock but offering to change the order to [url= http://www.banggood.com/2PCS-NCR18650B-3400mAh-3_7V-Gold-Plating-Rechargeable-Li-ion-Battery-p-940444.html ]these[/url] instead, at no extra cost. They shipped later that day. Very impressed with the service from them so far.
Ok, so it seems that remembered correctly and, in a fit of sleep-deprived rage, I threw out my waterproof battery case for my Solarstorm. All the usual suspects (DX, Lightmalls, ebay, etc) seem to be out of stock. Anyone seen any recently?
Make your own?
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Or wrap the battery in self amalgamating tape.
Here's light mount mk 2.
Have turned it all sideways and it looks a lot neater.
The other torch is way too large for one of the lock blocks.
Richard 3rd how easy is it too shorten the cables. I don't have an iron or know how to use one.
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No shortening required Zippy, it all (just) fits in the box.
I've not read all the thread but can I have full details of your box Rich?
Sure, box is a Z45 project box, eBay id 261485868450
Attached to alloy bar cage holder eBay id 380899085928
Like yours, remove original bar clamp from lamp unit, use that screw to fix to box with a piece of rubber etc in between to minimise movement
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I used a Dremel to make a cable slot in one half of the box. The cables wrap around the battery and hold in place. It's a fairly tight fit, I used 2 x disk mounting bolts to fix the box to the bar clamp as they are shallow, to not dig in to the battery pack. Whilst removeable, it's not as QR like yours, but I left the connector exposed purely to make recharging easier/ on the bike. It tucks under the bar knob.
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I've not read the whole thread, so apologies if this has been mentioned; there are Solarstorm X3 lights on eBay now- does anyone have experience of the 3xled light? It looks like they come with the same battery, which will impact run times?
Are the SolarStorm batteries/chargers still exploding?
Are the SolarStorm batteries/chargers still exploding?
Not sure about that, but the QA is definitely hit and miss. Bought mine from Amazon the other day. First outing (Early morning, so at least it was getting lighter) 5 miles down the road the road, off it went. Got home later that day charged it up, green light on charger in about an hour, only 1 light on the back lit up, used it to go to work, 3 miles down the road off it went. Quite a bit darker this time too. No CE markings on the box no instructions. Order fulfilled by Amazon rather than sold by the seller, so it's eventual refund only and no exchanges. Whilst over the last few years I've had 3 different MagicShine style lights all with the same sort of battery pack as this, I think I'll move on to an all in one unit like the Exposure Joystick. Nearly all these lights have had battery pack issues. Either cables coming loose where they connect, not charging fully, dying in a short space of time etc.. The lights themselves are great, the batteries and chargers not so. The amount of money I've spent on them I could have bought a well made light like the Joystick and had less hassle! 🙂
I've had a year out of my Solarstorms and the battery pack has died due to loose wires. Got a 4 x 18650 battery case coming as a single order coming (regardless of the group buy post in the other thread).
In the meantime, I've ordered one of these [url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-x-CREE-XM-L-T6-LED-3600-Lm-Bicycle-bike-Headlamp-6x18650-Batteries-Head-Light/161200314302?_trksid=p5197.c100068.m2280&_trkparms=aid%3D333008%26algo%3DRIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140211125758%26meid%3D251247beadff4be387427f2292a40059%26pid%3D100068%26prg%3D20140211125758%26rkt%3D3%26clkid%3D239956948866257760&_qi=RTM1851812 ]3 x Cree - 6 x 18650[/url]
If the battery pack is gash, I'll just get another battery box and bung some high capacity 18650's in to cope with the 3 Cree's
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nice one TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsSTR my mate just sent me the same link having purchased last week (for half the price) and raves about them. apparently illuminates a large field easily...obviously the price has shot up due to the darkness falling
He paid £12.25?????
I can't even buy them wholesale from China for that price!
fghj
What?
that's what he told me, from amazon ...and you know what they are like at shifting stuff
also main reason I'm no longer interested 😆
Just picked these up 🙂 bring on the dark mornings
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Womp, you weren't a mod were you?!?
Nah..
Defo a Japanese truck driver
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lol @ womp - WTF ?????? 😮
i think you have won ! 😆
@theartist, I had one of those a while back but it was a bit of a fail, on full power it only drove 2 of the LEDs. Shame as it was a decent seeming unit otherwise and the beam pattern was better than the solarstorm, but changing drivers etc is beyond me.
Ah well, will see. It's only £24, so will find a use for it if it's no good for the bike
Wouldn't say it was no use- it's a bit bulkier than the solarstorm but did the same job otherwise, slightly better. Was just a bit disappointing. And weird frankly!
Anyone know if it is possible to disable the flashing mode on standard Chinese lights?
Trouty told me how on his units, wander if it is a similar method with these?
snownrock, can you recomend any batteries and case, for anywhere there in stock? I've order both light you recomended, so thanks 🙂
Evening guys,
I've done a ton of research on a decent 18650 charger and this is the best i've found, (after having a failing nitecore i4 and the efect luc being ominous about firmware version for sale)
One of the best reviews i've read on candlepower forums so far...
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?385459-Test-Review-of-Charger-Xtar-VP2
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Bought mine from...
Has a volt reading too which is really handy!
The 4 bay versions take up to 10 hours to charge all four cells, so i've gone with the above and can charge a pair after work work and the other pair the next. Or even take it in the office and swap pairs at dinner. A battery box with x4 of these on medium can do a 2-3 rides!
Batteries i've got from Torchy the battery boy, and if you go via ukvapes you can get a pair of 3400mah Panasonic for £16.99
http://ukvapers.org/Thread-Torchy-battery-prices
The batteries are unprotected but they fit better in the solarstorm box, and the SSX2 gives plenty of warning when a battery is getting low, 3 LEDS, and then a flashing LED, along with dimming light lol
Be wary of all the fake 18650 on the market
http://www.torchythebatteryboy.com/p/18650-batteries-chargers.html
Has anyone got any decent suggestions for a cheaper Joystick equivalent? I guess a torch is what I'm looking for, something easily mountable and not to weighty.
It'll be paired with a Lumenator on the bars; I'm finding the trailing wires really irritating this year.
Has anyone got any decent suggestions for a cheaper Joystick equivalent? I guess a torch is what I'm looking for, something easily mountable and not to weighty.It'll be paired with a Lumenator on the bars; I'm finding the trailing wires really irritating this year.
5 mode http://www.kaidomain.com/product/details.S023726
or 1 mode http://www.kaidomain.com/product/details.S023724
They also do orange peel reflectors although the new XP-L LEDs are meant to have less of a hot spot and a more even beam so a smooth reflector should work well on your lid. I just use double sided velcro through a couple of lid vents to mount them. Obviously you need 18650 cells and charger
^ I've got one of those and it fits in the Exposure helmet mount. Still a tad heavy though on yer head imo. Fine on the bars of course.
^ I had 2 of them (with T6 LED) mounted on the top of my lid which made my lid move about a fair bit, got one either side now and it's much more balanced so lid doesn't move and can't really feel the extra weight plus I can pretend I'm in Orbital. Also I don't think it's a good idea mounting lights etc on the very top of your lid as if you go over the bars and land head first it greatly reduces how well the lid can absorb the impact risking neck and back compression injuries.
fathomer - Member
Has anyone got any decent suggestions for a cheaper Joystick equivalent? I guess a torch is what I'm looking for, something easily mountable and not to weighty.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/moon-x-power-550-front-light/
Perhaps?
@theartist, I had one of those a while back but it was a bit of a fail, on full power it only drove 2 of the LEDs. Shame as it was a decent seeming unit otherwise and the beam pattern was better than the solarstorm, but changing drivers etc is beyond me.
Either they've changed em, or you had a duffer mate. Tried it tonight and all three on full power. Nice bright spread - works well with a spot on my helmet. Will report back on battery quality - the usual, non-waterproof offering, but I've taped it up well.
What's the opinion on helmet v bar mounted? I've not done any night riding for years but need to get sorted for something this year.
I'm looking at the new Exposure ones and want a single light set up, either the Equinox which is helmet mount and pumps out 2000 lumens, or a bar mounted Toro giving 1800. The light comparison on the Exposure site is not working and as these models have been upgraded, not sure how useful the beam comparisons on other sites are.
If I went bar mounted I do have an old 200 lumen Fenix torch I could stick on my head if necessary.
Both is helpful, in my experience - nice floody one on the bars and a spot on the noggin. A helmet light is really helpful for seeing where you need to go rather than just where the bars are pointing.
I'd suggest getting a good bar light - I find a head mounted X2 is perfectly usable, especially if you sort a lower profile mount.
Anyone given one of these a try. Thinking I could knock up a bracket for the bars fairly easily.
[url= http://www.dx.com/p/ultrafire-7xt6-7-x-cree-xm-l-t6-3-mode-4200lm-white-flashlight-w-strap-black-4-x-18650-285522#.VA3lS2K9KSN ]Ultrafire torch[/url]
@tenacious Doug a single Solar Storm X2 on the handle bars is really enough (or on the helmet if you prefer)
There are some shots in here, and although taken on camera phone are on par with what you see on the trail...
Muggo I've just ordered one so will let you know in a month. As for a mount cut one of these down and cable tie it to it.
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What Cruzcampo said. A solar storm on the bars is plenty. Great bit of kit for the money.