Author Topic: LEL Lighting (Read 8478 times)

jende · « **on:** 18 May, 2009, 03:09:39 am »

On 3 previous 1200s I've used a SON with E6 and it has been bright and reliable. There is definitely noticeable drag with the light on. It definitely also slows my daytime riding. With the light off it consistently adds 3 minutes to a 30 minute climb that I do all the time. I still might use that combo on LEL because crashing at night can also be time consuming. I ordered an Edelux this year and it failed on its maiden voyage -- a very wet Fleche. Water got into the housing presumably from below where the wires connect and the light dimmed and then went out completely. I've followed your prior lighting threads and have given some thought as to using an IXON on LEL. I'm wondering if anyone on this post has used one on a long wet ride. Has anyone had a problem with the IXON? I'd like to hear about anyones experiences with the IXON or IXON IQ.

Thanks,

Cap'n

Treewheeler · « **Reply #1 on:** 18 May, 2009, 05:45:07 am »

Don't ever climb with the light on then...
You may never reach the top!

rogerzilla · « **Reply #2 on:** 18 May, 2009, 06:49:48 am »

Quote from: jende on 18 May, 2009, 03:09:39 am

On 3 previous 1200s I've used a SON with E6 and it has been bright and reliable. There is definitely noticeable drag with the light on. It definitely also slows my daytime riding. With the light off it consistently adds 3 minutes to a 30 minute climb that I do all the time. I still might use that combo on LEL because crashing at night can also be time consuming. I ordered an Edelux this year and it failed on its maiden voyage -- a very wet Fleche. Water got into the housing presumably from below where the wires connect and the light dimmed and then went out completely. I've followed your prior lighting threads and have given some thought as to using an IXON on LEL. I'm wondering if anyone on this post has used one on a long wet ride. Has anyone had a problem with the IXON? I'd like to hear about anyones experiences with the IXON or IXON IQ.

Thanks,

Cap'n

The B&M Cyo is known to suffer moisture ingress, so I doubt the Ixon is immune.

The problem seems to be that LED lights dump all their waste heat into the body of the lamp (a filament lamp spews much of it out of the lens as infra-red radiation instead). This heats up the air in the lamp, some of which escapes under pressure, and when you stop riding the housing sucks in moist air or even drips of water from outside. No-one seems to have managed O-ring seals that can cope with the +/- pressure changes - my Supernova E3 got a bit of condensation inside after a winter, although I just unscrewed the back of the case and let it dry out. The point where the wires enter the housing is, as you say, a likely source of problems unless they go through a really pressure-tight gland.

The answer may be better heatsinking, but that means weight.

Aidan · « **Reply #3 on:** 18 May, 2009, 06:57:41 am »

What about a Solidlight? I've used one all winter and had no sign of moisture or condensation in, the new upgraded one should shove out lots of light too, as the old one isnt bad

HenkV · « **Reply #4 on:** 18 May, 2009, 10:26:28 am »

I'm dryving with the LUMOTEC IQ Cyo all the time and haven't had those moisture problems yet. I searched google to find these problems, but was not able to find anything. Anyway, I'm willing to ride LEL with the shimano 3N81 + Cyo.

But you're from England so you must have much more expierience with wet conditions

. So do you have some links for me to check it out?

Greenbank · « **Reply #5 on:** 18 May, 2009, 02:41:28 pm »

A few people got through last weekend's very wet Bryan Chapman 600 using a B&M Ixon IQ. Don't think anyone had any problems.

For LEL I plan on abandoning the trusty SON+Solidlights in favour of a B&M Ixon IQ (two actually, one as a backup and possibly doubling up for the sections of hills and interesting road surface).

aidan.f · « **Reply #6 on:** 18 May, 2009, 08:08:54 pm »

I will Carry-

SON & primary lamp, 6 watts of LED for lighting up the descents,

switched secondary lamp, a halogen - will make friends for you in a group.
LED's throw harsh shadows, you can see but whoever is in front of you can't.

spare pre-terminated cable for SON hub to secondary lamp in case of damage
(removing front wheel, etc)

A 4AA LED If all else fails and for when I'm stationary

A head torch LED TIKKA for punctures/maps/route sheet

And please - no flashing LED's on the back if you want to participate in group riding

A.H.

rogerzilla · « **Reply #7 on:** 18 May, 2009, 08:57:40 pm »

Flashing LEDs are tolerable at dusk and in streetlit towns, but I agree they should be switched to constant out on the dark roads.

phil d · « **Reply #8 on:** 19 May, 2009, 09:12:21 am »

Quote from: Greenbank on 18 May, 2009, 02:41:28 pm

A few people got through last weekend's very wet Bryan Chapman 600 using a B&M Ixon IQ. Don't think anyone had any problems.

But applying RZ's logic above, the problem would not occur until after use (and then only if the light was wet when turned off), and thus manifest itself next use. Perhaps the answer is to wipe the lamp before turning it off if it's wet. I have a Cyo, and as yet have had no problems. It's been used in the wet, but not the very wet.

Chris N · « **Reply #9 on:** 19 May, 2009, 09:21:56 am »

My Ixon IQ was fine - worked perfectly both in the rain and when drying out afterwards. No signs of condensation inside the casing at all, though the lens doesn't shed water and needed wiping occasionally.

I'll be using it for LEL plus a Cateye LED for visibility/town use and a Tesco Luxeon torch for backup, along with a 1W Silva LED head torch for fill-in and route checking.

scottlington · « **Reply #10 on:** 19 May, 2009, 01:26:49 pm »

I used an Ixon IQ on the BCM with no problems whatsoever and, if it can stand up to that kind of rain abuse, then I would be extremely confident for anything LEL can throw at it.

Add in the fact that it is very bright - easily enough for long fast or tricky descents - and has a pretty good run time, I can't recommend it enough!

I would not bother with the stock batteries though - I use 2700mh rechargeables and find them brighter and longer lasting (not suprisingly I guess!).

Tom · « **Reply #11 on:** 20 May, 2009, 03:25:19 pm »

I'm planning on using a 3W led with 5500mah battery pack. This is similar to the Lumicycle offerings, but made by an 'enthusiast' and sold on ebay. I can get about 20hrs with this combination and the light it casts is fine. However, depending on how things pan out, I'm thinking I may need a second AA battery-type led lamp in case 20hrs isn't enough. Does anyone have any experience of Fenix lights? Sorry if this has been done to death elsewhere...

Chris N · « **Reply #12 on:** 20 May, 2009, 05:01:14 pm »

Quote from: Tom on 20 May, 2009, 03:25:19 pm

Does anyone have any experience of Fenix lights? Sorry if this has been done to death elsewhere...

here
Fenix L2D Q5 AA torch.
and here
Light testing - the results
to start - there's probably more elsewhere

vistaed · « **Reply #13 on:** 20 May, 2009, 07:14:52 pm »

I will be using a Exposure Enduro maxx2 with a 3 cell picky back to give around 20 hours on ride mode or 48 on the low setting and a helmet mounted Exposure joystick maxx2 on the low setting giving around 24 hours of light. I have a 3xaaa cateye as back up. It's the lights I use when riding mtb at night so that's all I have to play with.

I don't plan to ride that much at night so should do me just fine!

Tom · « **Reply #14 on:** 21 May, 2009, 10:54:34 am »

Thanks a lot ChrisN.

vorsprung · « **Reply #15 on:** 23 June, 2009, 03:20:06 pm »

Lithium AA batteries are rated at 2900mah

Francis will be along in a minute to give you a better answer concerning the voltage curves of Lithiums vs high capacity nimh but my answer would be "about the same"

Also with rechargables you can try it and see what happens. When I got a Dinotte with rechargables I was working from a home office so I just left it turned on shining at a wall and measured the size of the beam spot from time to time

LEL · « **Reply #16 on:** 23 June, 2009, 07:44:03 pm »

Quote from: vorsprung on 23 June, 2009, 03:20:06 pm

Francis will be along in a minute to give you a better answer concerning the voltage curves of Lithiums vs high capacity nimh but my answer would be "about the same"

No he won't - he is in france til after the weekend.

mukkinese · « **Reply #17 on:** 25 June, 2009, 11:55:38 pm »

I've had some of the 'ready for use' infinium (and other brands) AA batteries from 7DS, and they worked better after a charge.

<edit>Sorry, in Cateye 530s, they seem to last up to 10 hours. The 7DS branded 2800 mAh batteries I have 2 sets of. One only lasts about 5 hours, the other identical set will last a few hours longer. I use 2 Cateye 530s. They don't show up a whole lot of the road but they were reasonably cheap, and car drivers seem to notice them.

I ride slowly at night.

LEE · « **Reply #18 on:** 26 June, 2009, 01:45:11 am »

If anyone was wondering whether to buy 2 x EL530s or an IXON IQ then stop wondering and buy the IXON IQ. It's several generations better than the EL530.

It's only truly dark from 11pm to 4pm and 4x AA cells don't weigh so much.

I got through the night on BCM600 with my new IXON IQ using the same batteries. Low power setting is fine for most of the time, I switched to high-power on descents. The conditions on LEL won't be worse than the night stage of BCM600 (it's impossible to rain harder) and the IXON was superb.

Lately I've used the IXON in parallel with my dynamo CYO (but describing the resultant output is likely to induce wet-dreams so I won't go any further)

LEE · « **Reply #19 on:** 26 June, 2009, 10:23:21 am »

Yes, the IXON IQ takes regular AA rechargeables or non-rechargeables (although it comes with a charger so you don't actually need to take batteries out)

mukkinese · « **Reply #20 on:** 26 June, 2009, 11:07:57 am »

Quote from: LEE on 26 June, 2009, 10:23:21 am

Yes, the IXON IQ takes regular AA rechargeables or non-rechargeables (although it comes with a charger so you don't actually need to take batteries out)

*googles for new torches*

scottlington · « **Reply #21 on:** 26 June, 2009, 12:10:55 pm »

Quote from: LEE on 26 June, 2009, 01:45:11 am

If anyone was wondering whether to buy 2 x EL530s or an IXON IQ then stop wondering and buy the IXON IQ. It's several generations better than the EL530.

It's only truly dark from 11pm to 4pm and 4x AA cells don't weigh so much.

I got through the night on BCM600 with my new IXON IQ using the same batteries. Low power setting is fine for most of the time, I switched to high-power on descents. The conditions on LEL won't be worse than the night stage of BCM600 (it's impossible to rain harder) and the IXON was superb.

Agree completely and whole-heartedly!

The Ixxon IQs are superb!

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #22 on:** 26 June, 2009, 12:44:09 pm »

I got two nights out of an EL-530 running on lithiums on PBP, plus the increase in brightness over rechargeables was startling. Lithiums are way lighter, produce more voles and are the way to go if an AA-flattery light is what you're using.

SteveB · « **Reply #23 on:** 26 June, 2009, 10:31:29 pm »

Can the ixon iq be mounted upside down (beam pattern, bracket strength?) (from a space bar so it can see under my bar bag)

MattH · « **Reply #24 on:** 27 June, 2009, 11:20:37 pm »

No, it can't really be mounted upside down; the beam is shaped and gives more light to the "top" to throw the beam further up the road. Updside down this bright spot is close to your wheel.

The best price at the moment seems to be from electric bike shop Modern Times, at £71.50 delivered for the version including the charger and batteries. Not the fastest delivery (took almost a week), but otherwise OK.

I've just bought one as backup for my SON/D-Lumotec combination as I've been having some reliability issues (which I hope are sorted for LEL, but I don't want to chance being left with substandard backup lighting). I have been impressed by the Ixon IQ on other riders' bikes - especially riding overnight with Scottlington a couple of weeks ago.

Author Topic: LEL Lighting (Read 8478 times)

Treewheeler

Chris N

Chris N

LEE

LEE