When should I replace my alkaline batteries

[frncz]

My front and back led lights run on two AA alkaline batteries. I use
the lights on my London commute. What I am concerned about is being
seen. At what voltage is the light so dim that visibility is
compromised? I changed my batteries at 1.3V today. Is that reasonable?

Thanks

Mike

 

[[email protected]]

On 28 Nov, 10:25, frncz <[email protected]> wrote:
> My front and back led lights run on two AA alkaline batteries. I use
> the lights on my London commute. What I am concerned about is being
> seen. At what voltage is the light so dim that visibility is
> compromised? I changed my batteries at 1.3V today. Is that reasonable?
>
> Thanks
>
> Mike

How about carrying a spare set so you can do them when necessary?

fboab

 

[elyob]

On 28 Nov, 10:25, frncz <[email protected]> wrote:
> At what voltage is the light so dim that visibility is
> compromised?

At the point where a lorry drives over you.

I can never see an excuse for having low batteries. Carry spares or
buy some from a shop when low.

However, I do find that a lot of lights are built with a press switch,
which does drain my lights when in my bag. Might have to fashion up
some sort of cover for it.

 

[iarocu]

On 28 Nov, 02:25, frncz <[email protected]> wrote:
> My front and back led lights run on two AA alkaline batteries. I use
> the lights on my London commute. What I am concerned about is being
> seen. At what voltage is the light so dim that visibility is
> compromised? I changed my batteries at 1.3V today. Is that reasonable?


Use 2 identical lights at the rear. This gives increased visiblity.
Put fresh batteries in one light roughly halfway through the normal
battery lifespan and thereafter change the batteries in each light
when it gets significantly dimmer than the other. With this method
it's easy to check visually when it's time to change.

Iain

 

[Duncan Smith]

>
> Use 2 identical lights at the rear. This gives increased visiblity.
> Put fresh batteries in one light roughly halfway through the normal
> battery lifespan and thereafter change the batteries in each light
> when it gets significantly dimmer than the other. With this method
> it's easy to check visually when it's time to change.
>
> Iain

What Iain says. Have two sets on the go, if one fails or isn't
working well due to battery or otherwise it doesn't matter - fix it up
when you get home.

Also carry some spare batts, just in case.

You can get a charge indicator from Maplins for a couple of quid, when
it says the batts are weak dispose of them (this is also about the
time the light looks a little tired anyway).

I tried rechargables for a bit but found it was too much faff, they're
not very strong, don't last long and don't hold their charge very
well, etc.

ps Maplin's are doing some home brand bulk battery boxes. 100 batts
for £25. Anyone know if these are good, okay or rubbish. I was
tempted to get a box of AA and AAAs but held back because I thought
they might be a bit **** cmopared to Duracell/Energizer, etc.

Regards,

Duncan

 

[Pete Biggs]

frncz wrote:
> My front and back led lights run on two AA alkaline batteries. I use
> the lights on my London commute. What I am concerned about is being
> seen. At what voltage is the light so dim that visibility is
> compromised? I changed my batteries at 1.3V today. Is that reasonable?

Sounds a bit early to me but it depends on the light and your opinion, and
your bank balance!

Timing isn't tricky with alkalines as the voltage drops steadily througout
their lives - so you get pleny of warning. You will have enough run time to
get home after the brightness has /started/ to look unacceptable. Then you
change the batteries.

NiCad and NiMH rechargable batteries, on the other hand, stay at pretty much
the same voltage for most of the charge, then quickly go from slightly dim
to nothing. Note that these are 1.2V - which I think is enough for good
modern LED lights.

~PB

 

[Pete Biggs]

Duncan Smith wrote:

> You can get a charge indicator from Maplins for a couple of quid, when
> it says the batts are weak dispose of them (this is also about the
> time the light looks a little tired anyway).

A charge indicator is just a cheapo volt meter. The OP has a proper one of
those already.

> I tried rechargables for a bit but found it was too much faff, they're
> not very strong, don't last long and don't hold their charge very
> well, etc.

You can get very high capacity rechargeables now which can last as long as
alkies. LED lights may not be quite as bright with them at first, but they
don't get any dimmer (until almost run out).

> ps Maplin's are doing some home brand bulk battery boxes. 100 batts
> for £25. Anyone know if these are good, okay or rubbish. I was
> tempted to get a box of AA and AAAs but held back because I thought
> they might be a bit **** cmopared to Duracell/Energizer, etc.

Maplins' are Rubbish. You'll get better and good enough "own brand"
alkalines from supermarkets.

~PB

 

[Paul Boyd]

Duncan Smith said the following on 28/11/2007 11:44:

> ps Maplin's are doing some home brand bulk battery boxes. 100 batts
> for £25. Anyone know if these are good, okay or rubbish. I was
> tempted to get a box of AA and AAAs but held back because I thought
> they might be a bit **** cmopared to Duracell/Energizer, etc.

I don't know about Maplin, but Halfords own brand alkaline batteries are
rumoured to be made by Duracell. I've certainly used them a lot and not
found the life to noticeably shorter than Duracell, and they're a heck
of a lot cheaper.

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

 

[David Lloyd]

On 28 Nov, 11:44, Duncan Smith <[email protected]> wrote:
> > Use 2 identical lights at the rear. This gives increased visiblity.
> > Put fresh batteries in one light roughly halfway through the normal
> > battery lifespan and thereafter change the batteries in each light
> > when it gets significantly dimmer than the other. With this method
> > it's easy to check visually when it's time to change.
>
> > Iain
>
> What Iain says. Have two sets on the go, if one fails or isn't
> working well due to battery or otherwise it doesn't matter - fix it up
> when you get home.
>
> Also carry some spare batts, just in case.
>
> You can get a charge indicator from Maplins for a couple of quid, when
> it says the batts are weak dispose of them (this is also about the
> time the light looks a little tired anyway).
>
> I tried rechargables for a bit but found it was too much faff, they're
> not very strong, don't last long and don't hold their charge very
> well, etc.
>
> ps Maplin's are doing some home brand bulk battery boxes. 100 batts
> for £25. Anyone know if these are good, okay or rubbish. I was
> tempted to get a box of AA and AAAs but held back because I thought
> they might be a bit **** cmopared to Duracell/Energizer, etc.
>
> Regards,
>
> Duncan

No matter how good the batteries, by the time you get a significant
way through a box of 100 a good number of them will be passed their
expirey date. I have a little Cateye Hot Dot, single LED rear light on
my bike right now. I must have bought it five years ago and I'm still
on the original CR123 battery.

David Lloyd

 

[Pete Biggs]

David Lloyd wrote:

>> ps Maplin's are doing some home brand bulk battery boxes. 100 batts
>> for £25. Anyone know if these are good, okay or rubbish. I was
>> tempted to get a box of AA and AAAs but held back because I thought
>> they might be a bit **** cmopared to Duracell/Energizer, etc.

> No matter how good the batteries, by the time you get a significant
> way through a box of 100 a good number of them will be passed their
> expirey date.

The expiry date will be some years off. The problem is that they're **** in
the first place (with the Maplin ones I bought a couple of years ago).

~PB

 

[Duncan Smith]

> A charge indicator is just a cheapo volt meter. The OP has a proper one of
> those already.
>

Sorry, missed that.

> > I tried rechargables for a bit but found it was too much faff, they're
> > not very strong, don't last long and don't hold their charge very
> > well, etc.
>
> You can get very high capacity rechargeables now which can last as long as
> alkies. LED lights may not be quite as bright with them at first, but they
> don't get any dimmer (until almost run out).
>
> > ps Maplin's are doing some home brand bulk battery boxes. 100 batts
> > for £25. Anyone know if these are good, okay or rubbish. I was
> > tempted to get a box of AA and AAAs but held back because I thought
> > they might be a bit **** cmopared to Duracell/Energizer, etc.
>
> Maplins' are Rubbish. You'll get better and good enough "own brand"
> alkalines from supermarkets.
>

Thought that might be the case, my recharger and batts were from
Maplins - so maybe that's why I didn't rate them all that much -
needed charging once a week!

Thanks,

Duncan

 

[Pete Biggs]

Duncan Smith wrote:

>> Maplins' are Rubbish. You'll get better and good enough "own brand"
>> alkalines from supermarkets.
>>
>
> Thought that might be the case, my recharger and batts were from
> Maplins - so maybe that's why I didn't rate them all that much -
> needed charging once a week!

I better make it clear that I was just referring to Maplin alakine
batteries, not Maplins in general. I was fan of theirs for years. Only
stopped using them regularly since so many ebay and internet dealers became
so useful.

~PB

 

[frncz]

On 28 Nov, 11:28, elyob <[email protected]> wrote:
> On 28 Nov, 10:25, frncz <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > At what voltage is the light so dim that visibility is
> > compromised?
>
> At the point where a lorry drives over you.
>
> I can never see an excuse for having low batteries. Carry spares or
> buy some from a shop when low.
>
> However, I do find that a lot of lights are built with a press switch,
> which does drain my lights when in my bag. Might have to fashion up
> some sort of cover for it.

HI

Thanks for the comment, but how do you decide when your batteries are
low? I do carry spares, but this does not help with how to take the
decision to swap.

Mike

 

[Nigel Cliffe]

elyob wrote:
> On 28 Nov, 10:25, frncz <[email protected]> wrote:
>> At what voltage is the light so dim that visibility is
>> compromised?
>
> At the point where a lorry drives over you.

Though surely the point to change the batteries is just before the lorry
drives over you .


> I can never see an excuse for having low batteries. Carry spares or
> buy some from a shop when low.

I run two rear lights if using batteries, on the logic that its highly
unlikely that both will decay to invisible at the same time. If I notice
one is dim, I change the battery.

Front I use a dynamo on most bikes, the battery lamp has become a backup.


> However, I do find that a lot of lights are built with a press switch,
> which does drain my lights when in my bag. Might have to fashion up
> some sort of cover for it.

Dynamo doesn't have this problem, instead the stand-light means well meaning
folk tell me I've left the lights on. Only one of my dynamo stand lamps has
a discharge option.


- Nigel


--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at http://www.2mm.org.uk/

 

[[email protected]]

In message <[email protected]
ps.com>
elyob <[email protected]> wrote:

> a lot of lights are built with a press switch,
> which does drain my lights when in my bag

Store lights in a mesh pouch?

May increase chances of spotting a light that's on.

--
Charles
Brompton P6R-Plus; CarryFreedom -YL, in Motspur Park
LCC; CTC.

 

[Pete Biggs]

Paul Boyd wrote:

> I don't know about Maplin, but Halfords own brand alkaline batteries
> are rumoured to be made by Duracell. I've certainly used them a lot
> and not found the life to noticeably shorter than Duracell, and
> they're a heck of a lot cheaper.

What is their price exactly? (to possibly save a visit or phone call to
Halfords)

Thanks.

~PB

 

[Doki]

"Paul Boyd" <usenet.is.worse@plusnet> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Duncan Smith said the following on 28/11/2007 11:44:
>
>> ps Maplin's are doing some home brand bulk battery boxes. 100 batts
>> for £25. Anyone know if these are good, okay or rubbish. I was
>> tempted to get a box of AA and AAAs but held back because I thought
>> they might be a bit **** cmopared to Duracell/Energizer, etc.
>
> I don't know about Maplin, but Halfords own brand alkaline batteries are
> rumoured to be made by Duracell. I've certainly used them a lot and not
> found the life to noticeably shorter than Duracell, and they're a heck of
> a lot cheaper.

There's very little difference between alkaline batteries in general. A big
difference between zinc carbide and alkaline, but between brands of
alkaline, there's not a lot.

 

[big_one]

"Nigel Cliffe" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I run two rear lights if using batteries,

so those drivers who claim we run red lights are actually talking
about you battery powered cyclists ? AHH !!!!

 

[tam]

> NiCad and NiMH rechargable batteries, on the other hand, stay at pretty
> much
> the same voltage for most of the charge, then quickly go from slightly dim
> to nothing. Note that these are 1.2V - which I think is enough for good
> modern LED lights.
>
Are LI-PO batteries available yet for bike lights.
They are a great improvement over ni-cads in my radio control electric
powered glider.
Tam

 

[big_one]

frncz <[email protected]> wrote:

>My front and back led lights run on two AA alkaline batteries. I use
>the lights on my London commute. What I am concerned about is being
>seen. At what voltage is the light so dim that visibility is
>compromised? I changed my batteries at 1.3V today. Is that reasonable?
>
>Thanks
>
>Mike

no idea about voltage ... but I know when you should replace them -
chuck them in the recycle bin soon ... & get some rechargeables (they
even have them in pound shops)