Battery lights vs. rechargeable.

[simongt]

This is one of those points that can go on with 'whatever floats your boat / convenience' being the deciding factor for an individual. In my experience, rechargeables tend to last up to five years, then you have to fork out for a new unit, the only problem being with what you already have is that the battery unit can't be replaced as the model is now 'out of fashion'.
It's occurred to me that the Cateye rear lamp and the 'of no particular maker' front lamp I have ( now used on my Brommy ) are each over twenty years old and still working just fine. Apart from replacing the dags a couple of times a year, they ain't broke so they still serve - !

 

[Oldhippy]

Dynamo hub every time.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I think these are the best

 

[Oldhippy]

Not seen those in many years!

 

[numbnuts]

Some batteries end up on landfill sites Vs the whole lamp plus battery ends up on land fill sites

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

My rechargeables cost about £2.99 each in a sale
work fine, are very bright and last for over 4 hours
I have at least 2 on the front and back so that if one runs out in the middle of a ride the other one is still on.
I know they will eventually fail - but they are over a year old and still working fine.

Before that I tried using battery lights with rechargeable batteries but they didn;t last long and if I needed them unexpectedly - like getting home later than expected in spring/autumn - then they were either out of charge or only lasted a short while - and often dim as well.

 

[I like Skol]

Removable rechargeable batteries everytime IMO. Stops the lights becoming landfill when the built-in battery inevitably fails (let's face it, most people can't be bothered or are unable to identify, source and install replacements) but also, the key factor for me is safety. If your built-in rechargeables go flat during a ride you are stuck. With replaceable rechargeable AA or AAA batteries you can carry a few spares and pop these in if needed.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Removable rechargeable batteries everytime IMO. Stops the lights becoming landfill when the built-in battery inevitably fails (let's face it, most people can't be bothered or are unable to identify, source and install replacements) but also, the key factor for me is safety. If your built-in rechargeables go flat during a ride you are stuck. With replaceable rechargeable AA or AAA batteries you can carry a few spares and pop these in if needed.

That's what I thought - but they lost charge if not used for a while - so when I needed them they let me down

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Removable rechargeable batteries everytime IMO. Stops the lights becoming landfill when the built-in battery inevitably fails (let's face it, most people can't be bothered or are unable to identify, source and install replacements) but also, the key factor for me is safety. If your built-in rechargeables go flat during a ride you are stuck. With replaceable rechargeable AA or AAA batteries you can carry a few spares and pop these in if needed.

Or the nearest garage or shop which will sell them.

 

[Blue Hills]

My rechargeables cost about £2.99 each in a sale
work fine, are very bright and last for over 4 hours

Four hours - well I never.

 

[Blue Hills]

Removable rechargeable batteries everytime IMO. Stops the lights becoming landfill when the built-in battery inevitably fails (let's face it, most people can't be bothered or are unable to identify, source and install replacements) but also, the key factor for me is safety. If your built-in rechargeables go flat during a ride you are stuck. With replaceable rechargeable AA or AAA batteries you can carry a few spares and pop these in if needed.

exactly or with rear cate-eyes just clip an already full light into the same mount.
I've bought a few as I don't think they will be around much longer.

 

[Blue Hills]

That's what I thought - but they lost charge if not used for a while - so when I needed them they let me down

use decent low self discharge AA or AAA cells. They'll still have lots of charge after a year.

 

[I like Skol]

use decent low self discharge AA or AAA cells. They'll still have lots of charge after a year.

Yep. Eneloops seem to hold charge well for me. It is documented in the blurb, but it's something like 85% charge after one year?

 

[Blue Hills]

Yep. Eneloops seem to hold charge well for me. It is documented in the blurb, but it's something like 85% charge after one year?

yep - maybe more - IKEA also do low self discharge ones as well which are rumoured to be eneloops.
I no longer buy cells which aren't low self discharge.
Waste of money and time recharging the things for no good reason.

 

[ColinJ]

Or the nearest garage or shop which will sell them.

That's a sore point with me!

I had freshly charged NiMH batteries in my GPS for nickyboy's Scarborough ride but one of them failed mid-ride. (Became faulty rather than ran flat.) I tried several shops for batteries and ended up having to buy a pack of 8 Duracells for about £8! I replaced the faulty NiMH battery when I got home and now carry 2 of the Duracells for backup.

Battery update...

I am WELL peed off!!! I went to use 2 of those bloody Duracells in my wireless mouse yesterday and they were dead. I tried 2 more - dead. In fact, all of the bloody things are dead. Their use-by date is 2028 and I had never used the 6 that I hadn't used on this ride, and the 2 that I did use were only used to get me home!