I needed to order some other stuff so I thought I'd waste a lobster on one of these just to see what it was like. I've got an interest in finding a good light for commuting, mostly on road, some on an unlit bike path, that is good enough to be well seen and bright enough to light my way.
Source: http://www.dealextreme.com/p/xc-997b-cree-3w-200lm-3-mode-white-led-bicycle-bike-light-4-x-aa-108640
Cost: US$19.95
Delivery (to Australia): 2-3 weeks
Various teardown images: (equivalent xc-997a, same I believe except for the batteries/charger) http://www.dealextreme.com/feedbacks/browseCustomerPhotos.dx/sku.82138
Rated output:
3 Watt LED, but power draw is apparently measured at 1W
20 lux (according to instruction sheet)
Videos:
Construction: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=gaPMxyoktiw#!
Street: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmAL784uxVI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTaWAgXomZg
Random discussions:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?324828-Build-thread-double-XM-L-road-lights
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?323176-Fork-mounted-lights
http://forums.mtbr.com/lights-night-riding/commuter-lights-throw-vs-area-784993.html
My reference points:
Previous: Niteflux Commuter4 (4W, symmetrical beam, terrible artefacts in the beam shape)
Current: Magicshine MJ-808 (10W SSC-P7) - I run two of them. Because I can.
Also a BMW E46 330i with HID projectors - my benchmark
Out of the box:
Poor instructions (model variant and mounting leaflet only)
Batteries leaking (went straight in the bin)
Construction appears OK but nothing special.
Plug is the same size as Magicshine, but reversed orientation.
Have tried a Magicshine extension cable but oddly it doesn't work, though it plugs in.
waterproofing looks adequate, not yet tested. The plug grommet pulled out with the plug cap at first - my mistake, I couldn't figure which part to pull out.
Battery pack is a 4S design, sealing looks marginal (gasket doesn't compress much).
Internal boss/screw inside battery pack lid broke off, but doesn't seem to affect operation.
Image before it broke:
Beam:
Pros:
Good sharp cutoff at the top.
Brighter at the top than the bottom
Wider at the bottom than the top projected on a wall
This translates into a fairly evenly illuminated rectangle on the ground. Enough to light up an area ahead of you on a bike track.
Cons:
Very narrow (maybe 2m wide at 6m distance) - not good for seeing anything except what is right in front of you.
Very very shallow - not much light spilled close in front of you, and above the cutoff you can't see anything.
Almost total lack of spill. OK for a bike path but you will not see any overhanging branches
Weak - not up to the requirements of a wet road.
Artefacts: In beam, a bit patchy left to right
Out of beam: some random artefacts but quite minimal. Probably useful for side/angle visibility
Brightness:
at centre, comparable to the 4W Niteflux. But the hot spot is smaller.
Visible alongside a Magicshine, but weaker in the centre and drowned by the much broader beam.
Oncoming view:
From inside the beam, just as dazzling as a Magicshine. Luckily this will be aimed lower than most oncoming observers.
From outside the beam, it is much weaker, much less dazzling. This would be ideal on bike paths and in urban traffic. However it is possibly to the point of not enough spill to warm oncoming traffic/people pulling out from side streets. In Australia, drivers aren't expecting to see bikes; you pretty much have to scare them into submission.
Colour:
Much bluer than either Magicshine or Niteflux. Poor.
Conclusion:
What do you expect for under $20? In that criteria, it's probably OK, though so far I have no reliability info to report. For seeing things on unlit paths, it needs improvement. Maybe mounting 4 of them would do the trick, but by that point you might as well buy something decent.
Possible modification:
Make the beam brighter.
LED upgrade to XP-G (possible drop in) or larger?
Replace driver to suit.
XM-L? Might spread the beam pattern, this may be no bad thing except for the upper cutoff.
Make the beam wider and deeper.
Moving LED rearward should do this, or the use of a larger-surface emitter (XM-L anyone?).
Could two LEDs be fitted side by side in the housing? Probably cooling issues...
Use two lamps side by side?
New housing would be required to provide adequate cooling. Billet machined? $$$. The shape of the reflector (more specifically the position of the emitter) doesn't easily lend itself to using the reflector dropped into a different housing easily.
Source: http://www.dealextreme.com/p/xc-997b-cree-3w-200lm-3-mode-white-led-bicycle-bike-light-4-x-aa-108640
Cost: US$19.95
Delivery (to Australia): 2-3 weeks
Various teardown images: (equivalent xc-997a, same I believe except for the batteries/charger) http://www.dealextreme.com/feedbacks/browseCustomerPhotos.dx/sku.82138
Rated output:
3 Watt LED, but power draw is apparently measured at 1W
20 lux (according to instruction sheet)
Videos:
Construction: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=gaPMxyoktiw#!
Street: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmAL784uxVI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTaWAgXomZg
Random discussions:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?324828-Build-thread-double-XM-L-road-lights
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?323176-Fork-mounted-lights
http://forums.mtbr.com/lights-night-riding/commuter-lights-throw-vs-area-784993.html
My reference points:
Previous: Niteflux Commuter4 (4W, symmetrical beam, terrible artefacts in the beam shape)
Current: Magicshine MJ-808 (10W SSC-P7) - I run two of them. Because I can.
Also a BMW E46 330i with HID projectors - my benchmark
Out of the box:
Poor instructions (model variant and mounting leaflet only)
Batteries leaking (went straight in the bin)
Construction appears OK but nothing special.
Plug is the same size as Magicshine, but reversed orientation.
Have tried a Magicshine extension cable but oddly it doesn't work, though it plugs in.
waterproofing looks adequate, not yet tested. The plug grommet pulled out with the plug cap at first - my mistake, I couldn't figure which part to pull out.
Battery pack is a 4S design, sealing looks marginal (gasket doesn't compress much).
Internal boss/screw inside battery pack lid broke off, but doesn't seem to affect operation.
Image before it broke:
Beam:
Pros:
Good sharp cutoff at the top.
Brighter at the top than the bottom
Wider at the bottom than the top projected on a wall
This translates into a fairly evenly illuminated rectangle on the ground. Enough to light up an area ahead of you on a bike track.
Cons:
Very narrow (maybe 2m wide at 6m distance) - not good for seeing anything except what is right in front of you.
Very very shallow - not much light spilled close in front of you, and above the cutoff you can't see anything.
Almost total lack of spill. OK for a bike path but you will not see any overhanging branches
Weak - not up to the requirements of a wet road.
Artefacts: In beam, a bit patchy left to right
Out of beam: some random artefacts but quite minimal. Probably useful for side/angle visibility
Brightness:
at centre, comparable to the 4W Niteflux. But the hot spot is smaller.
Visible alongside a Magicshine, but weaker in the centre and drowned by the much broader beam.
Oncoming view:
From inside the beam, just as dazzling as a Magicshine. Luckily this will be aimed lower than most oncoming observers.
From outside the beam, it is much weaker, much less dazzling. This would be ideal on bike paths and in urban traffic. However it is possibly to the point of not enough spill to warm oncoming traffic/people pulling out from side streets. In Australia, drivers aren't expecting to see bikes; you pretty much have to scare them into submission.
Colour:
Much bluer than either Magicshine or Niteflux. Poor.
Conclusion:
What do you expect for under $20? In that criteria, it's probably OK, though so far I have no reliability info to report. For seeing things on unlit paths, it needs improvement. Maybe mounting 4 of them would do the trick, but by that point you might as well buy something decent.
Possible modification:
Make the beam brighter.
LED upgrade to XP-G (possible drop in) or larger?
Replace driver to suit.
XM-L? Might spread the beam pattern, this may be no bad thing except for the upper cutoff.
Make the beam wider and deeper.
Moving LED rearward should do this, or the use of a larger-surface emitter (XM-L anyone?).
Could two LEDs be fitted side by side in the housing? Probably cooling issues...
Use two lamps side by side?
New housing would be required to provide adequate cooling. Billet machined? $$$. The shape of the reflector (more specifically the position of the emitter) doesn't easily lend itself to using the reflector dropped into a different housing easily.