Just got back from a test ride in preparation for a 12 race this weekend, and I’ve a problem with my lights. It is an Exposure Maxx-D and it is flickering loads on the high setting – looks like it is flicking between high and low or high and medium settings. Very distracting! Not what I wanted to find out 3 days before my first 12 hour solo!! Arrghh!!

Anyone else had this problem? Are the lights borked?!
cheers for any advice.

Ring Exposure in the morning, if you are near their offices (Sussex) they could possibly turn it around for you.

cheers b r – yes, i’ll give that a try.

That

flicking between high and low or high and medium settings.

is almost nearly always / usually a poor connection between battery and driver (they change modes by very temporarily cutting the power to the driver).

I love fixing stuff so I’d have a go at that my self – but if its under warranty etc – YMMV.

I have a proto batteries inside light I can lend you
if you pay the postage can get it on a sat delivery for you

They do this when they overheat. Some sort of protection circuit so I was told.

cheers all. i’ll give the USE guys a try in the morning to see if there’s a fix. trout -that’s a kind offer, i can probably borrow some lights of mates at my LBS if it comes to it though. cheers.

Hi Trout,
That proto light sounds tasty,any chance of some specs(juicy details)
As I love lights and transparent things 😀

There is two now
the one I was going to loan is a triple XML beasty I did last winter

beam shot

and another one I did this summer old led tech XRE`s but a cracking roady beam

beam shot

Cant give you lumen counts or runtimes
except they are bright and can run for quite a few hours

and just for a laff the new dog walking light

Hee hee. How far does that dog torch throw troutie? You are a mad genius.

Received my spiders eyes today after being tempted by your mention of not building lights this year in another thread (the old Heinz salad cream trick!).

It’s awesome. Thanks Chris.

Glad you like the Spider Mark

the silly dog light I reckon 400 metres

Thanks,
Triple XML looks a BEAST, awesome beam shot.
Your dog walking light is obscene 😀

I’ve just had exactly the same problem with my Maxx D.
I called Exposure yesterday and they were really helpful, apparently the problem is down to the light getting too hot. I was offered the opportunity to send the light back to them and they’d put some kind of paste in it which helps dissipate the heat.
As I’m racing the 12:12 this weekend, I’m gonna use the light on Sunday then get it sent back.

Then why is this kind of paste not in them at the beginning if its a known issue.

trout – those lights look incredible. i hope your dog never turns round to look at you 😯 😀
wisepranker – so do you think they will stay cool enough for the race? I’m doing the Torq too…and on my practice run in Devon last night we didn’t exactly have the tropical temperatures the southeast has been enjoying…Maybe I’ll just have to ride faster to increase the airflow over the light unit! (it’ll never happen….)

I just spoke to Exposure, who were very helpful. It probably is a problem with overheating, an issue that has been fixed on newer models. I’ll just get by with running the light on medium setting at the race this weekend to keep the heat down, then return the unit next week. They can do the paste thing, or replace the board to the 2012 unit that will sort the problem.

Then why is this kind of paste not in them at the beginning if its a known issue.

It is on the newer models. No doubt they started to use it once they found that the flickering was an issue and the paste fixed it.

wisepranker – so do you think they will stay cool enough for the race? I’m doing the Torq too…and on my practice run in Devon last night we didn’t exactly have the tropical temperatures the southeast has been enjoying…Maybe I’ll just have to ride faster to increase the airflow over the light unit! (it’ll never happen….)

I’m hoping it’ll stay cool enough on the medium setting. I imagine the airflow could be an issue with me though as i don’t think I’ll be going particularly fast after about 8 hours of riding!

I’ve had the same problem Maxx D I returned to Exposure very helpful but took about 5 weeks to get the light back so not the fastest turn around in the world! they replaced the battery and pcb in March 2012 doing D2D next weekend have the lights on to drain them and it’s flickering again after 35mins!!! unit is mega hot hope it’s chilly next weekend but going to have to return the unit yet again……

dan – I had a recent problem with mine doing similar thing and sent it back. It seems though that they never get that hot in real use, and when Exposure are testing them they are set up with big fans to replicate movement. They said that the problem only occurs when riding if in hot desert type climates. TBH mine has never been problematic when riding, only when discharging at home, when there hasn’t been airflow over it

doubt any of these lights, trout’s included, will be happy if left stationary at full throttle for long. heat dissipation does usually require air moving over the housing.

have the lights on to drain them

why?

Cause old electricity isnt a fast as new electricity 🙂

Mine did that then died! Can’t be arsed sending it back again. It’s had 3 boards now and the electrickery attacked to the cells has burnt out. Every time it came back it had a little note with even more restrictive use recommendations with it. Shame as it was good whilst it lasted.
Anyway has anyone got suggestions as how to use an older 2 LED shell and LEDs (and possibly a circuit board?)

Thanks Iainc,

sort of makes sense that airflow would help keep it cool, i put a small ice pack under it and the flickering stopped almost immediately so definitely a heat problem….will see how i go next Sat and see if i get caught in the dark with the bogey man at 2am!!!

Heating issues are easy to sort – just ride faster 😉

I think they didn’t apply enough paste at time of manufacture. Mines comeback with extra paste and has cured the problem.