Another homemade bike light

Quoted message said:

I've used my dual beam Jet Lites for 3 seasons and it's seems the batteries are kaput. I charged
them up the other day and the battery was warm as they usually are after charging but no lights.
I only use them during Daylight Saving Time so they've been sitting around for several months.
Anyway, a new battery pack from them will cost me $150 which seems ridiculous. I took the pack
apart and it seems pretty simple to do. It's 11 NiMH batteries wired in series. It's 13.2V total
so 1.2V per battery at 350mAh each (3800mAh total). I'd like to just replace the batteries but
most premade packs are underpowered compared to these. Would I need to get a whole new charger
for less volts? If I switched to lead acid or NiCd, would I need a new charger, too?

Thanks, Paul

nope, 350 mAh total. if your interested, ill explain it. ill pull out my jkarcar catalogue and check
the price of NiMH batteries. 350mAh seems ridiculously small though. My battery is 7000mAh. If you
buy AA NiMH batteries, you can get 11 for 36 dollars 30 cents, with solder tabs, jaycar cat sb-1732.
THese are 1200mAh, and if you have a smart charger it may well mean you need to get a new one.
Ifyour charger is just a plugpack thingey, youll just need to leave it connected longer. if its a
120mA charger, youll need to leave it connected for 15 hours, if its a 350 mA charger youll need to
connect it for 5 hours. If its a 1200 mA charger, you need to leave it connected for 1.5 houirs.
THats the lighter solution. another option is to go with lead acid battery, they really will be tiny
if you only want a bit of capacity. A 1300 mAh would suit your purposes very well, and is only
97mmdx43mmx57mm. because its so small, it may well be lighter than the nimh batteries, because it
doesnt have so much packaging. If its heavier it wont be much so. It'll be more
elgant becasue you dont have to solder lots of batteries together, and you can
attach it direct to a bar with cable ties. Its also VERY rugged, so good for
offroading. Its $24.95 , but you need a special charger for 33 dollars.

I wouldnt really reccomend using a light which was designed to work with 350mAh batteries off road
though. If you ever cycle near the st ives area maybe i can show you my battery and light sometime
🙂 55 watts >🙂

Quoted message said:

I've used my dual beam Jet Lites for 3 seasons and it's seems the batteries are kaput. I charged
them up the other day and the battery was warm as they usually are after charging but no lights.
I only use them during Daylight Saving Time so they've been sitting around for several months.
Anyway, a new battery pack from them will cost me $150 which seems ridiculous. I took the pack
apart and it seems pretty simple to do. It's 11 NiMH batteries wired in series. It's 13.2V total
so 1.2V per battery at 350mAh each (3800mAh total). I'd like to just replace the batteries but
most premade packs are underpowered compared to these. Would I need to get a whole new charger
for less volts? If I switched to lead acid or NiCd, would I need a new charger, too?

Thanks, Paul

www.batterystation.com

FYI - 11 350mah battereis wired in series has a capacity of 350mah. Its likely that they are the
HR-4/3FAUX 4500mah batteries, many of the 12v bike systems use this battery (niterider for sure).

GregR wrote:
: On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 06:40:47 +0000 (UTC), [email hidden] wrote:
:
:> I've used my dual beam Jet Lites for 3 seasons and it's seems the batteries are kaput. I
:> charged them up the other day and the battery was warm as they usually are after charging but
:> no lights. I only use them during Daylight Saving Time so they've been sitting around for
:> several months. Anyway, a new battery pack from them will cost me $150 which seems ridiculous.
:> I took the pack apart and it seems pretty simple to do. It's 11 NiMH batteries wired in series.
:> It's 13.2V total so 1.2V per battery at 350mAh each (3800mAh total). I'd like to just replace
:> the batteries but most premade packs are underpowered compared to these. Would I need to get a
:> whole new charger for less volts? If I switched to lead acid or NiCd, would I need a new
:> charger, too?
:>
:> Thanks, Paul
: www.batterystation.com
:
: FYI - 11 350mah battereis wired in series has a capacity of 350mah. Its likely that they are the
: HR-4/3FAUX 4500mah batteries, many of the 12v bike systems use this battery (niterider for sure).

Well, that does explain a lot. Thanks. The system is 3800mah. It's been too long since high school
physics. I will try to look for those batteries. Additionally, I do believe my charger is "smart" to
some degree. From the manual I am able to leave it plugged it and it will do a "trickle" charge once
the battery is full. If I go with the higher capacity battery, does that mean the charger will take
longer to charge or is it just incompatible after 3800mah?

Thanks again

Quoted message said:

I've used my dual beam Jet Lites for 3 seasons and it's seems the batteries are kaput. I charged
them up the other day and the battery was warm as they usually are after charging but no lights.
I only use them during Daylight Saving Time so they've been sitting around for several months.
Anyway, a new battery pack from them will cost me $150 which seems ridiculous. I took the pack
apart and it seems pretty simple to do. It's 11 NiMH batteries wired in series. It's 13.2V total
so 1.2V per battery at 350mAh each (3800mAh total). I'd like to just replace the batteries but
most premade packs are underpowered compared to these. Would I need to get a whole new charger
for less volts? If I switched to lead acid or NiCd, would I need a new charger, too?

Thanks, Paul

Why not have your battery rebuilt at much less than the cost of a new one? Try one of these outfits:

The NiCad Lady (Grace) nicdlady.comnicdlady.comOpen ↗ or (909) 653-8868. She also sells NiMh. You can get
individual cells or she can assemble custom configurations at a reasonable price.

or get a quote from:

PRIMECELL DIVISION CUNARD ASSOCIATES INC.

primecell.comindex.htmOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

GregR wrote:
: On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 06:40:47 +0000 (UTC), [email hidden] wrote:
:
:> I've used my dual beam Jet Lites for 3 seasons and it's seems the batteries are kaput. I
:> charged them up the other day and the battery was warm as they usually are after charging but
:> no lights. I only use them during Daylight Saving Time so they've been sitting around for
:> several months. Anyway, a new battery pack from them will cost me $150 which seems ridiculous.
:> I took the pack apart and it seems pretty simple to do. It's 11 NiMH batteries wired in
:> series. It's 13.2V total so 1.2V per battery at 350mAh each (3800mAh total). I'd like to just
:> replace the batteries but most premade packs are underpowered compared to these. Would I need
:> to get a whole new charger for less volts? If I switched to lead acid or NiCd, would I need a
:> new charger, too?
:>
:> Thanks, Paul
: www.batterystation.com
:
: FYI - 11 350mah battereis wired in series has a capacity of 350mah. Its likely that they are the
: HR-4/3FAUX 4500mah batteries, many of the 12v bike systems use this battery (niterider for sure).

Well, that does explain a lot. Thanks. The system is 3800mah. It's been too long since high school
physics. I will try to look for those batteries.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH, dont bother. YOu'll get them for 7-0 dollars each. Still way
expensive. Go SLA.

Quoted message said:

Additionally, I do believe my charger is "smart" to some degree. From the manual I am able to leave
it plugged it and it will do a "trickle" charge once the battery is full. If I go with the higher
capacity battery, does that mean the charger will take longer to charge or is it just incompatible
after 3800mah?

could be either. could be that it wont charge them completely. depends on the design.

Quoted message said:

Thanks again

On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 12:29:54 GMT, Joe <[email hidden]> wrote: Thanks, Paul

Quoted message said:

Why not have your battery rebuilt at much less than the cost of a new one? Try one of
these outfits:

The NiCad Lady (Grace) nicdlady.comnicdlady.comOpen ↗ or (909) 653-8868. She also sells NiMh. You can get
individual cells or she can assemble custom configurations at a reasonable price.

or get a quote from:

PRIMECELL DIVISION CUNARD ASSOCIATES INC.

primecell.comindex.htmOpen ↗

One other outfit with nationwide outlets you might want to try is: Batteries Plus

batteriesplus.combatteriesplus.comOpen ↗

Arpit <[email hidden]> wrote:
: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH, dont bother. YOu'll get them for 7-0 dollars each. Still way
: expensive. Go SLA.

Thanks to all the replies! I found the same batteries at batterystation.com for $2.50 each
($27.50 for 11). Another place has 10 C cells for $23 giving me 12V at 4500mah--700 more than
what I have now. The lights are 12V anyway; JetLites just stick a little more juice in them for
brightness. I don't ride trails--just commuting. I wouldn't mind the extra running time. I'll let
you know how it goes.

<[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've used my dual beam Jet Lites for 3 seasons and it's seems the batteries are kaput. I
charged them up the other day and the battery was warm as they usually are after charging but
no lights. I only use them during Daylight Saving Time so they've been sitting around for
several months. Anyway, a new battery pack from them will cost me $150 which seems ridiculous.
I took the pack apart and it seems pretty simple to do. It's 11 NiMH batteries wired in series.
It's 13.2V total so 1.2V per battery at 350mAh each (3800mAh total). I'd like to just replace
the batteries but most premade packs are underpowered compared to these. Would I need to get a
whole new charger for less volts? If I switched to lead acid or NiCd, would I need a new
charger, too?

Check out: batterystore.combattery rebuilds.htmOpen ↗

4500 mAH NiMH C cells are $4.50 each. Not sure how much they charge for the welding. This would
yield a 59WH pack. Can't imagine they'd charge for than $40 or so for labor, but who knows?

You could buy two 6 C cell battey holders and not weld the batteries together (use one dummy cell),
but the shape would not be what you need, and it would be less reliable than welding.

minute-man.comC Cell Holders.htmlOpen ↗

Solder the lugs very carefully to not melt the plastic, and use heavy enough gauge wire for your
lights (the tiny holes in the solder tabs don't accept large enough gauge wire, they need to be
carefully enlarged).

Do not try to use AA cells, they cannot handle that much current (don't go over a 1A discharge
rate). You could parallel AA NiMH packs to solve the discharge rate issue, but you have to charge
the packs serially, which is a hassle. But AA cells are amazingly inexpensive, you can get a pack of
10 2000mAH cells for less than $9.

Lead Acid would work if you don't mind the extra weight. Remember that while a 60WH SLA is only
about $11, you'll actually need the 84WH SLA to about equal the 50 WH NiMH capacity of your old
pack. SLA battery AH ratings are for a 20 hour discharge rate, at high discharge rates the capacity
is drastically reduced. You'll need a a new charger, but SLA chargers are cheap. Check out
zbattery.comzbattery.comOpen ↗ for SLA batteries and chargers.

See my web site for more details on batteries and chargers: bicyclelighting.combicyclelighting.comOpen ↗.

Steve bicyclelighting.combicyclelighting.comOpen ↗

get the 4/3 aa batteries with solder tags

Steven M. Scharf said:

<[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've used my dual beam Jet Lites for 3 seasons and it's seems the batteries are kaput. I
charged them up the other day and the battery was warm as they usually are after charging but
no lights. I only use them during Daylight Saving Time so they've been sitting around for
several months. Anyway, a new battery pack from them will cost me $150 which seems ridiculous.
I took the pack apart and it seems pretty simple to do. It's 11 NiMH batteries wired in
series. It's 13.2V total so 1.2V per battery at 350mAh each (3800mAh total). I'd like to just
replace the batteries but most premade packs are underpowered compared to these. Would I need
to get a whole new charger for less volts? If I switched to lead acid or NiCd, would I need a
new charger, too?

Check out: batterystore.combattery rebuilds.htmOpen ↗

4500 mAH NiMH C cells are $4.50 each. Not sure how much they charge for the welding. This would
yield a 59WH pack. Can't imagine they'd charge for than $40 or so for labor, but who knows?

You could buy two 6 C cell battey holders and not weld the batteries together (use one dummy cell),
but the shape would not be what you need, and it would be less reliable than welding.

minute-man.comC Cell Holders.htmlOpen ↗

Solder the lugs very carefully to not melt the plastic, and use heavy enough gauge wire for your
lights (the tiny holes in the solder tabs don't accept large enough gauge wire, they need to be
carefully enlarged).

Do not try to use AA cells, they cannot handle that much current (don't go over a 1A discharge
rate). You could parallel AA NiMH packs to solve the discharge rate issue, but you have to charge
the packs serially, which is a hassle. But AA cells are amazingly inexpensive, you can get a pack
of 10 2000mAH cells for less than $9.

Lead Acid would work if you don't mind the extra weight. Remember that while a 60WH SLA is only
about $11, you'll actually need the 84WH SLA to about equal the 50 WH NiMH capacity of your old
pack. SLA battery AH ratings are for a 20 hour discharge rate, at high discharge rates the capacity
is drastically reduced. You'll need a a new charger, but SLA chargers are cheap. Check out
zbattery.comzbattery.comOpen ↗ for SLA batteries and chargers.

See my web site for more details on batteries and chargers: bicyclelighting.combicyclelighting.comOpen ↗.

Steve bicyclelighting.combicyclelighting.comOpen ↗