Disgusted with SMART lights

[Zoiders]

I have yet to find a brand that hasn't suffered from this, Cateyes do it as well.

I always double up on rear lighting with a spare carried off the bike in the courier bag - two is one, one is none.

 

[Davidc]

I have yet to find a brand that hasn't suffered from this, Cateyes do it as well.

I always double up on rear lighting with a spare carried off the bike in the courier bag - two is one, one is none.

I have yet to find any electrical or electronic kit for bikes that's waterproof without using water repellant grease

After dark I always try to have 2 battery and one dynamo going at the back (one flashing), to allow for not being able to see them all thetime. It's probably overkill in these days of LEDs with long lives but I started doing it in the dsys of incandescent bulbs.

Like you I also usually carry a spare complete light as well.

Paranoia perhaps but I'm not inclined to being squashed for the lack of a few quids worth of lighting.

 

[Svendo]

Fwiw my smart polaris superflash failed quockly due to water, presumably into the electronics. It did at least fail to constant rather than off. Stillgot it so could see if it's still kerput.


On the other hand the (now discontinued for a 1watt version) smart lunar 1/2 watt soldiers on on the seat post of my mudguarded commuter.


But most impressive is the RSP Astrum on the seat stay above the brake of the road bike without mudguards, fully exposed to the spray of all the wet rides I've done recently, from damp to torrential! It also has an alternate flash mode with the two LEDs, so you get a combination of flashing and constant in one light. Others mileage has varied, e.g. this review on Road.cc.


I'm thinking of adding a Smart Lunar R1 Rear Light to the road bike as the nights draw in and I'll be doing dark rides more often. It backs up the other light as well as itself with the low powered leds only mode. I'll get some silicone grease for the seal though.

 

[gbb]

Just my twopenneth..
Buying moderately priced rear LED lights...they've all failed after a couple of years or so, 1x Smart, 2 or 3 Cateyes, 1x Zefal, cheap ones, some i tape up to protect them somewhat....they've all failed.
First sign is having to dry them out, it works for a while, but they'll go anyway.

 

[Sleeper]

Put cling film over it!!

 

[yello]

Cheers for the silicon grease tip Davidc

My Smart 1/2 watt is maybe 5 years old and normally an excellent light but does suffer from the water ingress problem (my only light that does btw). It died on me during PBP too, which was rather disappointing. But, like others, I always have a couple of LEDs at the rear plus a spare.

I have been in the habit of putting electrical tape around the seals but it's obviously insufficient. I'll give silicon grease a go.

Edit: when the smart fails, I just let it dry out naturally... it's 'right as rain' after a couple of days

 

[JDP]

ALWAYS, WITH ALL MAKES AND ALL ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT ON A BIKE put a smear of silicone grease round the seal and anywhere else moisture might enter.

Will lithium grease do insetad of silicone grease? I have some of tha tin the shed and I'm going to to start using my Smart lights soon.

 

[Svendo]

I'm thinking of adding a Smart Lunar R1 Rear Light to the road bike as the nights draw in and I'll be doing dark rides more often. It backs up the other light as well as itself with the low powered leds only mode. I'll get some silicone grease for the seal though.

Thought I'd bump this thread as today the R2 in ended up getting from Planet X got a right drenching...

...and defaulted to half on (first setting, top LED on constant). Grrrr. I'd not greased the seals or the microswitch, so having read this and other threads I should know better. Drying out now in a tub of rice in the airing cupboard, so we'll see how it goes, otherwise it'll be back to Planet X with it. It was on the seat stay below the top of the wheel so I'd hoped ot wouldn't get too much spray off the wheel. Ha!

I did have a look at the old 1/2 watt smart polaris I've got. It switches on and through it's functions correctly, nut I found it has a current drain and one of the batteries drains even when it is off. Hey ho, means I have a spare bracket at least!

And to reiterate my earlier, the RSP astrum 2x 1/2 watt rear is still going strong, on the seat stay directly in the rear wheel spay.

 

[Svendo]

Following from the above, The light has dried out and now works properly again. As far as I can tell unlike the other smart that died (polaris 1/2 watt rear, kidney bean shaped one) it doesn't seem to be draining the batteries when off. I've got as much grease as I can (Finish Line teflon while I await my silicone grease I ordered) in the rubber switch cover and the main seal. Hopefully it is now proofed. I'm going to try mounting it the other way up (switch on top) this time, it clicks into the back body either way up. Probably be ages now until I do another drenched ride, so you can all thank me for the forthcoming dry weather!

 

[chugsy]

My 1/2W Superflash used to turn itself off in cold and damp too - in the end I snipped the plastic that covers the micro switch away and wrapped a slice of inner tube around the body of the light to waterproof it. It's never turned off since. Yeah, I wasn't too chuffed about riding 10 miles home in the dark with nothing but the blinky on my helmet but I wasn't going to sling it in the bin without a fight! Try it - you've nothing to lose have you?

 

[jonathanw]

Mars 3 and 4 are good, RSP Astrum or all killer magicshine 818's. Or Exposure flare.

I've had one superflash that didn't like water - used to stop. So far OK with current two used as backups to the Magicshines.

I have Mars 3 and 4's that are on the MTB - they are very water proof.

That's such a shame with the new 1w - looked promising. Also avoid the Raleigh Dual 1/2 watt - that too looked promising, but it blows the circuits if it gets slightly damp (two dead ones) - unlike the smarts which work once you've shoved it on a radiator.

Try pulling to bits and apply vaseline to the rubber seals/switch

+1 to Blacburn Mars 4

I have two, rack mounted on my commuter. One solid, one flashing. They are very bright and waterproof and the rack mount is solid. They can be seat post mounted or clipped to a belt or saddle bag.

Very good value too

 

[Banjo]

longest lasting lights I have is a cheap pair from Wilkinsons a few years ago. On the commuter and the road bike, both out in all weathers as back up to a much more expensive but no better set of cat eyes.

 

[Mugshot]

I my Smart lights. We've had some atrocious weather here in the past couple of months torrential rain, howling winds and flooding. Both lights are still working as they did when they came out of the box, they're out in the elements 6 days a week, twice a day. I have got a little paranoid after reading this thread so put a bit of tape round the rear light a couple of days ago, but I'm not convinced it was necessary.

 

[Svendo]

I have acquired some silicone grease as recommened by Davidc, and applied to all my lights. The Lunar R2 I also removed the rubber switch cover and greased the recess and refitted. On the practice run it took two goes to get it sitting correctly over the actual switch so it worked easily, but after greasing it went back on first time. The Superflash 1 watt has a much better cover, part of the main seal and glued around all but one edge. I will report back after some wet rides.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

What a great test today was. Lashing rain/sleet, water thrown up all over.

The Contralube is magic! Its not as messy as sealant, and I've changed batteries numerous times in the light that had trreatment

Today, even on the trailer so well behind the majority of self-inflicted spray, the one light that was contralubed was unaffected. The one without the treatment had switched modes and was "locked" onto the mode, switch ineffectual

Oh and...the poundland light above the rear wheel catching all the spray was still unaffected...that is my gripe, if poundland can seal a crappy light then Smart should be able to do better!

Tomorrow's job - contralube all lights