You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
I have two of [url= http://www.dx.com/p/xl-023-cree-xm-l-u2-350lm-3-mode-memory-white-bicycle-light-grey-black-2-x-18650-218807#.VZropBNVikp ]these lights[/url].
[img] 
[/img]
Here are the light specs:
[img] 
[/img]
Now, the lights are actually nice with a decent beam and a very small footprint on the bars. What I'd like to do is run both lights on my bars on either side of the stem, with an Exposure Axis on my helmet. To do that, I want to build a better quality and higher capacity battery pack that can power both lights (with a splitter?) instead of having a mess of battery packs and wires on my bike (and I cannot trust those cheap 18650s anyway from what I've heard).
I know little about batteries and circuitry. Can someone give any tips on how to do this kind of thing? Alternatively, is there anywhere online that has something that I could just buy and run instead of fiddling with batteries and wires?
Any information appreciated!
If you want a good quality battery get in touch with Smudge @ mtb batteries. He builds some of the best batteries out there. You'd need a charger 2 as the battery would probably need to be a special.
Mods can we delete this thread until September please.? There should be a ban on all light related threads until the kids have gone back to school after the summer holidays.
Where'd you get them from?
@stevied Thanks for the tip! I might get in touch with Smudge if it looks like something I cannot put together easily.
@neilsonwheels: Sorry 😆 In my defence, with my current work schedule nearly all my rides start after 8pm.
@molgrips I bought them more than a year ago from a UK based eBay seller who doesn't seem to stock them anymore. [url= http://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/a-chinese-light-single-u2-tiny-profile ]There was a thread on here about them[/url].
@ neilsonwheels - I take it you're not into night-riding or 24 hour races then !
I agree with StevieD as the battery packs in cheap lights are often really bad and best discarded, whereas the lamps themselves are less likely to be duff.
However, by the time you've paid someone to tag together a few 18650s, added circuit protection (which they should), and made up the cables and connectors, you might as well have bought a better light. The charger that comes with those lights is likely to be rubbish as well, so you might want to invest in something decent.
I can see the point of paying someone £50 to build a battery pack if an original costs double that (i.e. Lupine) but it doesn't seem to make economic sense for £15 lights.
In case you're wondering, I've tinkered with cheap lights/batteries/chargers and also expensive ones, so not just regurgitating what I've read elsewhere.
I know a lot of people here will disagree with me, but you get what you pay for.
Hmm. I have a cheap one which is good but too much spot.
DiscJockey - MemberHowever, by the time you've paid someone to tag together a few 18650s, added circuit protection (which they should), and made up the cables and connectors, you might as well have bought a better light. The charger that comes with those lights is likely to be rubbish as well, so you might want to invest in something decent.
Yeah, I pretty much agree with this- you don't have to spend a lot to get a quality light, charger and battery, the higher end magicshines hit all 3 marks for under £100. Go cheap or don't but don't split it.
I think a lot of the premade batteries will be for 7.2V... How come nobody uses RC packs?
@DiscJokey I do agree with that, and already bought a "proper" light (the Exposure Axis Mk2) which does seem to be much better made than the cheap Chinese lights (and I don't have to worry about it burning the house down while charging), but I do like those little lights and would like to use them if at all possible.
Ideally I'd like an Exposure Race for the bars but I can't currently afford it!