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Date: 16 May 2007 23:40:23
From: Mike Kruger
Subject: Cateye Opticube HL-EL500 with Rechargable Batteries?
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I've got a Cateye Opticube HL-EL500 headlight like this one:
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/Profile.cfm?SKU=19371&item=40-2124&slitrk=schamp&slisearch=true
It was a floor demo, and it came with 4 AA alkaline batteries that now need
replacing.
I tried two different sets of 4 AA NiMH batteries, and neither set works.
I confirmed these other two sets were working by putting them in another
Cateye light. I then put in a set of fresh alkaline batteries, and the light
works fine.
Since these are popular lights, it's possible someone else on this list has
experience with this light and rechargeable batteries. I know the NiMH
batteries are 1.2 volts rather than 1.5, but this ordinarily doesn't seem to
matter at all.
--
Mike Kruger
An opinion should be the result of a thought, not a substitute for it. [Jef
Mallet]
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Date: 29 May 2007 19:47:29
From: Frank Miles
Subject: Re: Cateye Opticube HL-EL500 with Rechargable Batteries?
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In article <_0R2i.356$4Y.308@newssvr19.news.prodigy.net >,
Mike Kruger <MikeKr@mouse-potato.com > wrote:
>I've got a Cateye Opticube HL-EL500 headlight like this one:
>http://www.performancebike.com/shop/Profile.cfm?SKU=19371&item=40-2124&slitrk=schamp&slisearch=true
>It was a floor demo, and it came with 4 AA alkaline batteries that now need
>replacing.
>
>I tried two different sets of 4 AA NiMH batteries, and neither set works.
>I confirmed these other two sets were working by putting them in another
>Cateye light. I then put in a set of fresh alkaline batteries, and the light
>works fine.
>
>Since these are popular lights, it's possible someone else on this list has
>experience with this light and rechargeable batteries. I know the NiMH
>batteries are 1.2 volts rather than 1.5, but this ordinarily doesn't seem to
>matter at all.
What I've found is that a subtle increase in cell diameter (possibly near
the ends) results in one or more cells "hanging up" on the housing. The springs
simply aren't strong enough to overcome the stickiness of the housing. With
care in inserting the NiMH cells, the light works just fine. One test is
after inserting the cells, push on them to see if there's any "bounce" from
the spring. If it goes down without coming back, it's stuck and will not work.
I haven't actually measured the cells to see what the difference is, but have
repeated this many times.
This is a bit of a pain, but my 14-yo son now manages to use his light successfully
after recharging the cells.
Hope this helps!
-f
--
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Date: 27 May 2007 17:30:53
From: DougC
Subject: Re: Cateye Opticube HL-EL500 with Rechargable Batteries?
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Mike Kruger wrote:
> I've got a Cateye Opticube HL-EL500 headlight like this one...
>
I don't know squat about no batteries--but I did just recently order a
EL-530, so I could compare it to the EL-500's I already owned.
See beam shots here:
http://www.norcom2000.com/users/dcimper/assorted/inanities/recumbent/general/stuff/bikelights.html
or alternately
http://tinyurl.com/2yb947
Outwardly the 530 is almost identical to the 500, and except for a
different clamp it has no other outwardly-visible new features (-if
anyone at CatEye happens to be reading this, I'd like a "high" 1W
setting and "low" 1/3W *visibility* light setting myself, oh well,,,
maybe next year-)
The EL-530 has a tight round spot as the center beam, but it puts out a
wider and brighter spill-beam (note second headlight comparison photo;
the headlights were held at the same distances from the wall for both
shots-).
~
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Date: 27 May 2007 14:51:19
From: Ron Hardin
Subject: Re: Cateye Opticube HL-EL500 with Rechargable Batteries?
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Ron Hardin wrote:
> It also works on scratchy volume controls, and AC plugs that are
I should say that you need the spray version to work it on volume controls.
Shoot it in through some hole on the working part of the pot, closing your
eyes in case the spray goes where you don't expect.
--
Ron Hardin
rhhardin@mindspring.com
On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk.
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Date: 27 May 2007 14:48:56
From: Ron Hardin
Subject: Re: Cateye Opticube HL-EL500 with Rechargable Batteries?
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I have four of them, all runing in NiMH.
http://home.att.net/~rhhardin/bikenight.jpg
If it's a polarity problem, try it again.
If it's a dirty contact problem, try some brush-on Gaig DeOxit
I get mine here
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&PartNumber=341-215&DID=7
It's a tiny bottle but lasts forever. Rechargeable batteries almost
always need it to recharge successfully, once or twice a year.
It also works on scratchy volume controls, and AC plugs that are
running warm because they've gotten a little dirty. (Check high-wattage
things that you plug in, to see if the wall outlet gets warm ; if so,
brush some on the plug and plug it in and out several times until
it comes out clean looking.)
It takes off oxidation.
--
Ron Hardin
rhhardin@mindspring.com
On the internet, nobody knows you're a jerk.
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Date: 27 May 2007 05:42:05
From: grumpy
Subject: Re: Cateye Opticube HL-EL500 with Rechargable Batteries?
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On 17 May, 07:54, Matt O'Toole <mattoto...@letterboxes.org > wrote:
> On Wed, 16 May 2007 23:40:23 -0500, Mike Kruger wrote:
> > I've got a Cateye Opticube HL-EL500 headlight like this one:
> >http://www.performancebike.com/shop/Profile.cfm?SKU=19371&item=40-212...
> > It was a floor demo, and it came with 4 AA alkaline batteries that now
> > need replacing.
>
> > I tried two different sets of 4 AA NiMH batteries, and neither set
> > works. I confirmed these other two sets were working by putting them in
> > another Cateye light. I then put in a set of fresh alkaline batteries,
> > and the light works fine.
>
> There's probably a bad connection somewhere, such as a battery that's not
> making contact. This is common with these little lights. Make sure
> everything is put together tightly, etc.
>
> > Since these are popular lights, it's possible someone else on this list
> > has experience with this light and rechargeable batteries. I know the
> > NiMH batteries are 1.2 volts rather than 1.5, but this ordinarily
> > doesn't seem to matter at all.
>
> No, it doesn't. The voltage rating is given for a very light load. Under
> a heavy load like a bike light it evens out. In fact the rechargeables
> should have more power, and longer runtime.
>
> I have a 2.4W Cateye Micro Halogen, which draws more than twice as much
> current as your 1W LED. With alkalines, the light dims considerably
> within half an hour, while the rechargeables (2500 mah NiMH) give bright
> light for at least 2.5 hours.
>
> Matt O.
What!!! Say again! I have a similar light and knew nothing of using
anything other than normal batteries. I may be niave here but why
don't the manufactuterrs mention this small detail on the box or
somthing? Surely it would b e a good selling point. Perhaps it can't
be done with HL- EL500s.
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Date: 17 May 2007 13:25:45
From: peter
Subject: Re: Cateye Opticube HL-EL500 with Rechargable Batteries?
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John Knez wrote:
> Mike Kruger wrote:
> > I've got a Cateye Opticube HL-EL500 headlight like this one:
> > http://www.performancebike.com/shop/Profile.cfm?SKU=19371&item=40-2124&slitrk=schamp&slisearch=true
> > It was a floor demo, and it came with 4 AA alkaline batteries that now need
> > replacing.
> >
> > I tried two different sets of 4 AA NiMH batteries, and neither set works.
> > I confirmed these other two sets were working by putting them in another
> > Cateye light. I then put in a set of fresh alkaline batteries, and the light
> > works fine.
> >
> > Since these are popular lights, it's possible someone else on this list has
> > experience with this light and rechargeable batteries. I know the NiMH
> > batteries are 1.2 volts rather than 1.5, but this ordinarily doesn't seem to
> > matter at all.
> >
> I've used NiMH successfully in 2 different HL-EL500s. The NiMH
> batteries are from mix of companies. For me these lights seem to run
> just as well off NiMH as alkaline.
Same here using NiMH cells from Eveready, Rayovac, and Kodak. The
light has worked fine with all the NiMH cells that I've tried. As
others have mentioned, make sure the polarity is correct and that you
don't have a marginal contact in the light.
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Date: 17 May 2007 14:38:56
From: John Knez
Subject: Re: Cateye Opticube HL-EL500 with Rechargable Batteries?
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Mike Kruger wrote:
> I've got a Cateye Opticube HL-EL500 headlight like this one:
> http://www.performancebike.com/shop/Profile.cfm?SKU=19371&item=40-2124&slitrk=schamp&slisearch=true
> It was a floor demo, and it came with 4 AA alkaline batteries that now need
> replacing.
>
> I tried two different sets of 4 AA NiMH batteries, and neither set works.
> I confirmed these other two sets were working by putting them in another
> Cateye light. I then put in a set of fresh alkaline batteries, and the light
> works fine.
>
> Since these are popular lights, it's possible someone else on this list has
> experience with this light and rechargeable batteries. I know the NiMH
> batteries are 1.2 volts rather than 1.5, but this ordinarily doesn't seem to
> matter at all.
>
I've used NiMH successfully in 2 different HL-EL500s. The NiMH
batteries are from mix of companies. For me these lights seem to run
just as well off NiMH as alkaline.
---
John Knez
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Date: 17 May 2007 09:57:16
From: thejen12
Subject: Re: Cateye Opticube HL-EL500 with Rechargable Batteries?
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On May 16, 9:40 pm, "Mike Kruger" <Mik...@mouse-potato.com > wrote:
> I've got a Cateye Opticube HL-EL500 headlight like this one:http://www.performancebike.com/shop/Profile.cfm?SKU=19371&item=40-212...
> It was a floor demo, and it came with 4 AA alkaline batteries that now need
> replacing.
>
> I tried two different sets of 4 AA NiMH batteries, and neither set works.
> I confirmed these other two sets were working by putting them in another
> Cateye light. I then put in a set of fresh alkaline batteries, and the light
> works fine.
>
> Since these are popular lights, it's possible someone else on this list has
> experience with this light and rechargeable batteries. I know the NiMH
> batteries are 1.2 volts rather than 1.5, but this ordinarily doesn't seem to
> matter at all.
>
> --
> Mike Kruger
> An opinion should be the result of a thought, not a substitute for it. [Jef
> Mallet]
Send an email to Cateye, they may well replace the light for you.
Jenn
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Date: 17 May 2007 09:50:29
From: victor.kan@gmail.com
Subject: Re: Cateye Opticube HL-EL500 with Rechargable Batteries?
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On May 17, 2:54 am, Matt O'Toole <mattoto...@letterboxes.org > wrote:
> On Wed, 16 May 2007 23:40:23 -0500, Mike Kruger wrote:
> > I've got a Cateye Opticube HL-EL500 headlight like this one:
> >http://www.performancebike.com/shop/Profile.cfm?SKU=19371&item=40-212...
> > It was a floor demo, and it came with 4 AA alkaline batteries that now
> > need replacing.
>
> > I tried two different sets of 4 AA NiMH batteries, and neither set
> > works. I confirmed these other two sets were working by putting them in
> > another Cateye light. I then put in a set of fresh alkaline batteries,
> > and the light works fine.
>
> There's probably a bad connection somewhere, such as a battery that's not
> making contact. This is common with these little lights. Make sure
> everything is put together tightly, etc.
One recent vintage EL-500 I bought from (and returned to) Performance
had a very intermittent connection somewhere (not sure it was the
switch since it's magnetic and would turn off on power loss, right?),
though that wouldn't be the OP's problem if it was reliable with
alkalines.
What I often do wrong in putting batteries back in the EL-500 (and
similar EL-530) is to get the polarity wrong. The diagram on the
flashlight itself requires good 3-D visualization skills to follow
correctly, and sometimes I'm lacking that when I'm in a hurry,
compounded with my slowly worsening near vision focus.
I know the OP used three sets of batteries and the last set worked,
but it could just be coincidental with getting the polarity right.
Fortunately, getting the polarity wrong doesn't blow up the light as
it does with some LEDs out on the market (there goes the vaunted
reliability of LED lamps, at least with some designs).
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Date: 17 May 2007 02:54:58
From: Matt O'Toole
Subject: Re: Cateye Opticube HL-EL500 with Rechargable Batteries?
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On Wed, 16 May 2007 23:40:23 -0500, Mike Kruger wrote:
> I've got a Cateye Opticube HL-EL500 headlight like this one:
> http://www.performancebike.com/shop/Profile.cfm?SKU=19371&item=40-2124&slitrk=schamp&slisearch=true
> It was a floor demo, and it came with 4 AA alkaline batteries that now
> need replacing.
>
> I tried two different sets of 4 AA NiMH batteries, and neither set
> works. I confirmed these other two sets were working by putting them in
> another Cateye light. I then put in a set of fresh alkaline batteries,
> and the light works fine.
There's probably a bad connection somewhere, such as a battery that's not
making contact. This is common with these little lights. Make sure
everything is put together tightly, etc.
> Since these are popular lights, it's possible someone else on this list
> has experience with this light and rechargeable batteries. I know the
> NiMH batteries are 1.2 volts rather than 1.5, but this ordinarily
> doesn't seem to matter at all.
No, it doesn't. The voltage rating is given for a very light load. Under
a heavy load like a bike light it evens out. In fact the rechargeables
should have more power, and longer runtime.
I have a 2.4W Cateye Micro Halogen, which draws more than twice as much
current as your 1W LED. With alkalines, the light dims considerably
within half an hour, while the rechargeables (2500 mah NiMH) give bright
light for at least 2.5 hours.
Matt O.
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