Lights - do you use rechargeables or not?

[semislickstick]

I've been using this in the tesco torch, stays brighter longer. I'd been using uniross, Duracell before.

http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=777_3&products_id=101842

They don't fit the original tesco torch, they do in the newer 3w. But its easy enough to take the label off and wrap thin tape around them.

 

[PatrickPending]

I assume we're talking here about AAs/AAAs, not the high power fronts with their own big battery pack?

Apart from that, I have used rechargeables temporarily, but mostly it's ordinary one-time alkalines.

If I switched to rechargeables I'd have to make sure of always carrying spares. I'm worried about the 'suddenly dying' syndrome. And with the rear, on a busy road, it's not easy to be constantly checking that it's OK (try waving a hand behind your backside...)

While we're on the topic, what's the input on battery 'memory' (Ni-Cd's especially)? True or false? And is it a problem only on Ni-Cd, not on Ni-MH or Li batteries? Because this affects whether you should re-charge early or wait for the battery to die.

Answers here :-

http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo.htm

as for me used rechargable NiMh for ages and recently Li ion on my cateye tripleshot pro and more recently Ay-ups. 2 years of use and the cateye battery is showing its age - get only 1.5 hours from it now - and spares - well you cant get them in the UK and the US website is prohibative. Led me to buy the Ayupps - great range of spares and reasonably priced batteries. Bright too.
Ni-Cd can suffer memory effect - see link - Ni Mh I believe not and Li ion well the only problem is don't discharge completely. Personally I'd just got for Ni Mh - a good make (not supermarket cheapos - tried some and they were carp) They pay for themselves in noi time at all.

Oh re the dying bit well I have 2 lights on the rear, and charge when they look like they're dimming. That way I'm always sure.

 

[hackbike 666]

I don't carry spare rechargeables.Normal alkaline cells are a good backup for me.
Although I normally use recharegables.

 

[palinurus]

I reckon rechargeables make rubbish spares because you have to remember to charge those too. Bung a pack of AAs in your bag and forget about them works better for me.

 

[hackbike 666]

I reckon rechargeables make rubbish spares because you have to remember to charge those too. Bung a pack of AAs in your bag and forget about them works better for me.

Agree.Plus they lose their charge faster than normal batteries when stored.IMHO.

 

[longers]

I reckon rechargeables make rubbish spares because you have to remember to charge those too. Bung a pack of AAs in your bag and forget about them works better for me.

I went for Eneloop rechargeables because of the reviews saying they're good at holding their charge when not in use. Loads* of charge left after twelve months apparently.


*it's a technical term.

 

[palinurus]

Handy, I've never really carried out a test to find out how long my rechargeables (some Duracells at the moment) hold a charge. It may be much longer than I expect.

 

[fossyant]

Handy, I've never really carried out a test to find out how long my rechargeables (some Duracells at the moment) hold a charge. It may be much longer than I expect.

I've certainly found the Hybrids much better for holding charge. I use 3 sets of 4xAA's in the Hopes - 1 set as spares and rotate them all.

 

[skrx]

I was given 4 "high capacity" rechargeable batteries, which I charged and put in my front light a couple of weeks ago.

It took me a few days to realise the light seemed dimmer. I put this down to me being daft, but eventually realised that although the new batteries are super-high capacity, they're lower voltage than normal AA batteries. They were 1.2V rather than 1.5V. I expect that's fine for some stuff, but it's not fine for an LED light. I've gone back to normal alkaline batteries, I'll use the rechargeables elsewhere.

 

[marinyork]

I use AA rechargeables and now AAA rechargeables in the some of the rears. Never really had problems on current generation lights. I found previous generations of batteries particularly uniross ones had strange dimming and charge retention issues in the winter which may have been related to low temperatures. I no longer use uniross and don't have these issues on the same light in similar sorts of conditions this winter.

 

[biggs682]

i use std aa's and aaa's just go for quality brand tried rechargable before but not impreesed

 

[XmisterIS]

Just out of interest - can you still get those lights that run off a dynamo that sits on the front wheel rim?

I remember them from the late '80s.

Something like that would be perfect for my shopping bike!

 

[slowmotion]

Boffin here...not..

I have a Hope Vision 1. They say it should burn for 2.75 hours ( full beam)with a Ni-MH , 2700mAh set of AA batteries. The battery voltage is not quoted in the bumf. My Eneloops are 1.2 volts, not the 1.5 volts of disposables, and are 2000mHh.

It looks good for 105 minutes, at room temperature, and then cuts out dead. This is all within spec, I think. LEDs do not work down to zero volts, they stop at about 1.2 volts, if my memory serves me.

At temperatures below , say 18 degrees C, my guess is that burn time slides a bit, and probably quite steeply.

Can I get a shed load of money to investigate? Please?

 

[beanzontoast]

Since making the OP, I recently bought one of these as pointed out earlier on CC. Have already discovered a few of my old rechargeables are total duds. I'm aiming to get back to using rechargeables for my lights in the future, especially as this charger gives me a better idea of how they're going to last.

 

[biking_fox]

A Mix. Most of my 2xAAA flashers are on rechargable, but the annoying 3xAAA isn't. I carry a complete set of spare (non-rechargeable) batteries with me at all times. I'm using the eneloop rechargables and they seem pretty good so far.

what's the input on battery 'memory'

Thanks for the link above, quite detailed. AFAIK memory hasn't been a serious problem for some time. If you run major battery packs as opposed to little AA equivalents we're talking about here, it may be worth investigating a little deeper.