[Closed] 24hr-ists, how do your lights last all night?

If it's for 24/12, just hire a second light from Exposure, it's only £15 for a bar light from them.

Well I guess my question is, do I need to? If my Lumenator lasts 10 hours, I won't.

Can anyone verify this?

Depends on what race you're doing.

At this time of year yes they last easily. At the Puffer you need to be efficient with the use of the lights.

Beg and borrow any number of sets and have someone in the pit to help you out as it all gets a bit confusing at 3am in the sheeting rain when all you want is to stop. Or accept that it's flipping expensive but buy a number of sets of spare batteries.

I'd suggest a bar set on super low power and main light on your head and when the headlight fails go with the bar light turned up until you pit. Needs a bit of thinking about in terms of a lighting strategy, but depend on the hours of darkness.

Either way - good luck .

Two packs of batteries, a big battery with an inverter, so one set on charge whilst the other is out playing. If it's lit, switch lights off.

Get some small light for the time when you are obligated to use them (is it from 8PM?), swap it for a big one when it gets dark (10:30PM?) and it will last till it's daylight again (about 4:30AM?) - and you don't need to use it full power non-stop.

Kryton57 - Member

Well I guess my question is, do I need to? If my Lumenator lasts 10 hours, I won't.

Can anyone verify this?

This will depend on the age of the battery, how you've looked after it, how many cycles it's had etc.

Can't you just test it yourself? Just charge it & then turn it on to the power setting you want to use and run a desk fan over it. Stick a stopwatch on & off you go.
It's a good way of reassuring yourself (or not) that it will last OK.

I did this when I re-built my Lumi's with LED innards - battery life went up to 7.5hrs with both lamps on full power!

24/12 depending on the weather you have to have your lights on bikes out on the course by about 8pm, but don't actually need to have them turned on. You can get away with selective use until around 9pm - you'll need them on in some of the well shaded woody sections.

For peace of mind, I'd probably want a spare battery.

[url= http://lupinelights.co.uk/2015-lupine-betty-r14-smartcore-4500-lumen-barhelmet-light-20203-p.asp ]12 hours at 950 lumens. Sorted.[/url]

I do a dry run with my lights before a race. Even if I've done it before- if the battery has a fault or degrades it'll highlight it. I'll put it on the setting I'm going to use in the corner of a room with a stopwatch and when it's done I know, then subtract a bit for "perfect conditions"- if it's colder your battery will not last as long (probably more appropriate for the Puffer than the 24/12, but still, a battery running in a 22C house will last longer).

I use a Moon light reduced to 400 lumens with 3 LEDs to have a wide spread so outright lumens don't matter. I practice riding with the lower lumen setting for a month or so beforehand. You soon get used to it, 400 is still a lot more than we used to ride with. I do have a spare battery and a back up light on the bar just in case too though.

exposure revo

Kryton, seeing as you have the same light combo as me & i'm not likely to do more than 2/3 night laps you can blag my batteries if needed.

Really must test em this weekend.

Nobby if you are not planning on riding past midnight and would be able to pop it on my Solo table in my porch at midnight I'd be most grateful...

MSP - Member
exposure revo

Not great for slow techy climbs without a headlight sadly. I love mine don't get me wrong, but it has a place, and 24hour racing is not it IMHO.

I run an Exposure Joystick mk7 and Race mk8 for the early and later sections. Then the meat of the night an Equinox and the new Race mk9. Charge the first two while on the second two.
Usually borrow lights as spares for the pits - a Daiblo and Sixpack. I rather keeping them just incase as they are heavy 🙂

If it's the StrathPuffer you need 17 hours of battery,

It pays to do a rundown test on the battery, outside at the temperatures it is going to be used in. You may find the endurance quoted has to be reduced to suit.

I've done a couple of 12 hour through the night races - dark from 8pm until 6am.

I usually use something such as an ultrafire torch on fire road and then switch to my Maxx D on technical stuff. To back up the ultrafire I have 3 batteries charged up and ready to go.
This combination of switching I have found works well.

Kryton I have a 2015 Maxx D, which will easily do it. It's gone back at the moment as I dropped it and it's not working, but gladly lend that to you when it comes back.

A mate just borrows my light as a spare

[i]Well I guess my question is, do I need to? If my Lumenator lasts 10 hours, I won't.

Can anyone verify this?
[/i]

You are probably the only person who can verify that your light/battery combination will last 10 hours... 🙄

I've been using AyUps for the last 7 years because their system is first class, but they're now overpowered by the latest technology.

I could buy new AyUps, but looking at what is available from China I'm staggered at the light outputs (even if they are exaggerating by a factor of 2).

For example 15,000 Lumen, 9x CREE XM-T6 LED, 20,000mAh, on eBay for £63.

Anyone have experience of these?