Vistalite nightsticks

"Peter Signorini" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Getting ready for the Kona 24 hr ride in December. I've bought a Vistalite
Nightstick light set, with 10W and 5W lights and a NiMh battery. I decided

I

Quoted message said:

really will need an extra battery for the nght laps, but have been quoted
$95 for an extra battery.

Can anybody tell me of a source for a cheaper NiMh battery (Nightstick or
clone) in Melbourne - preferably eastern suburbs? I would like to get one
for sub $60. Is this possible? TIA

Jaycar, Maroondah Hwy, Ringwood sells the batteries
you need. NiMH Sub-C cells. I think you need 5 of
them (1.2 x 5 = 6V?). I've got a bunch here that I need
to make into a pack...if only I could remember how to
solder properly! :-S

hippy

I made my own stick batteries. It cost about $55 for 10 2.9Ah NiMH sub-C
cells with solder tags from Jaycar - enough for two sticks. I used garden
irrigation pipe and endcaps to make the stick. I already had the pipe etc
lying around from having installed an irrigation system in my garden, but
they're not expensive items. I also needed a couple of sockets to fit the
plugs on the Vistalite cables. So total cost was around $70 plus a few hours
of time.

Nick

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

Quoted message said:

Getting ready for the Kona 24 hr ride in December. I've bought a Vistalite
Nightstick light set, with 10W and 5W lights and a NiMh battery. I decided

I

Quoted message said:

really will need an extra battery for the nght laps, but have been quoted
$95 for an extra battery.

Can anybody tell me of a source for a cheaper NiMh battery (Nightstick or
clone) in Melbourne - preferably eastern suburbs? I would like to get one
for sub $60. Is this possible? TIA

Peter Signorini said:

Getting ready for the Kona 24 hr ride in December. I've bought a
Vistalite Nightstick light set, with 10W and 5W lights and a NiMh
battery. I decided I really will need an extra battery for the nght
laps, but have been quoted $95 for an extra battery.
Can anybody tell me of a source for a cheaper NiMh battery (Nightstick
or clone) in Melbourne - preferably eastern suburbs? I would like to get
one for sub $60. Is this possible? TIA
Cheers Peter

Hi Peter, If you decide not to go the DIY option, phantom cycles have a
phantomcycles.com.auContent.aspOpen ↗
battery that will do the job. Its mail order of course but postage is
pretty minimal.

Apparently lasts longer than the original nightsticks as well. I bought
one but cannot verify this as I am yet to test it out. The only issue is
attaching it to the bike because of its irregular shape. If you will be
using it for the helmet light (and have a backpack) then there is no
issue... Cheers, Troy

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"ftf" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Hi Peter, If you decide not to go the DIY option, phantom cycles have a
phantomcycles.com.auContent.aspOpen ↗
battery that will do the job. Its mail order of course but postage is
pretty minimal.

Apparently lasts longer than the original nightsticks as well. I bought
one but cannot verify this as I am yet to test it out. The only issue is
attaching it to the bike because of its irregular shape. If you will be
using it for the helmet light (and have a backpack) then there is no
issue... Cheers, Troy

Thanks enormously for that, and to all the other suggestions. One Ratpack
battery just ordered.

Cheers
Peter

c-man2316 said:

I built two 6 volt sticks out of 10 nimh d cells and they are rated
at 8500 mah.
It cost me about $40 per stick @ $7.50 per d cell. They work great but
still need perfecting.

c-man2316, Where did you buy D cell NiMh for $7.50 each?? Jacar has then
for $19 - 20. Cheers Steve

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Hello I am new and just thought I would jump in on this.

I am trying to build my own light system myself. I started with
the battery.

I built two 6 volt sticks out of 10 nimh d cells and they are rated at
8500 mah. I think those nightsticks are only rated at 2200 mah meaning
my homebuilt stick should last 3 - 4 times longer than a nightstick. It
cost me about $40 per stick @ $7.50 per d cell. They work great but
still need perfecting.

I can run one at a time for a 6volt system or hook them in series to run
a 12 volt system.

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c-man2316, Where did you buy D cell NiMh for $7.50 each?? Jacar has then
for $19 - 20. Cheers

I am writing from the US, so prices might be a little lower here. I
believe JACAR is an Austrailian outfit. Correct me if I am wrong. I got
my batteries from an online outfit known as Amondotech. simply
www.amondotech.com. They have nexcell nimh d cell batteries rated at
8500 mah for $7.50 USD each.

Carl

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"Nick Payne" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

I made my own stick batteries. It cost about $55 for 10 2.9Ah NiMH sub-C
cells with solder tags from Jaycar - enough for two sticks. I used garden
irrigation pipe and endcaps to make the stick. I already had the pipe etc
lying around from having installed an irrigation system in my garden, but
they're not expensive items. I also needed a couple of sockets to fit the
plugs on the Vistalite cables. So total cost was around $70 plus a few

hours

Quoted message said:

of time.

Hi there
I have the vistalight hightstick system as well - where can you get the
sockets to fit the nightstick plug?
[censored] smith or tandy possibly??
I have had 2 sets of the nightstick light first one I tightened the bracket
to much and it snapped and I also must have dropped the battery one 2 often
as the end fell of it.
Stephen

"Stephen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

I have the vistalight hightstick system as well - where can you get the
sockets to fit the nightstick plug?

Jaycar sell them (city or Ringwood if in Melb). Take
the battery and lead in so they can match the socket
properly.

Quoted message said:

I have had 2 sets of the nightstick light first one I tightened the

bracket

Quoted message said:

to much and it snapped and I also must have dropped the battery one 2

often

Quoted message said:

as the end fell of it.

Tightened the bracket? Mine are velcro straps.. how did
you tighten it so much that the battery broke?
Are you talking about the small socket in the end of the
batteries that the lights plug into (via a cable)?

hippy
- just put a new socket on one of my NightSticks yay!

"hippy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

"Stephen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

I have the vistalight hightstick system as well - where can you get the
sockets to fit the nightstick plug?

Jaycar sell them (city or Ringwood if in Melb). Take
the battery and lead in so they can match the socket
properly.

Thanks for that

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I have had 2 sets of the nightstick light first one I tightened the

bracket

Quoted message said:

to much and it snapped and I also must have dropped the battery one 2

often

Quoted message said:

as the end fell of it.

Tightened the bracket? Mine are velcro straps.. how did
you tighten it so much that the battery broke?
Are you talking about the small socket in the end of the
batteries that the lights plug into (via a cable)?

On the light not the battery you can snap the mounting if you tighten it too
much

Quoted message said:

hippy
- just put a new socket on one of my NightSticks yay!

Is it dangerous to solder on batteries?? as in get them too hot and maybe
have them blow up?
Stephen

"Stephen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Is it dangerous to solder on batteries?? as in get them too hot and

maybe

Quoted message said:

have them blow up?

If you explain your purpose to one of the staff,
they should recommend to you "solder-tab"
style batteries. Unlike normal batts that have
one flat end and one end with a raised "bump",
the solder tab style batteries have little strips
of metal on both ends.
This allows you to easily solder them together
to make battery packs.
I actually made one on the weekend and it
was easier than I thought it would be - I can
solder, but it has been 5+ years since the last
time and I mostly did PCB stuff - not many
wires and batts.
If you are doing it properly, the soldering iron
should only be touching the solder tab and it
should only contact for a couple of seconds,
to rapidly melt the solder and spread it along
the tab.

Tips:
Scratch the surface of the tabs so that
they are rough and allow the solder to stick
better.
"Tin" the tabs. This means take the tabs and
'pre-coat' them with solder.
Once you've tinned both tabs on two batteries,
solder the positive tab on one batt to the negative
on the other. Repeat, till all batts are in series.
Once set, fold the tabs down against the batt
add some connecting wires and shrink-wrap the
whole thing.

hth
hippy