Need helpful information on the cheap headlamp

lollem · Feb 2, 2017

Last time I was here, I was looking for advice for good batteries to use in my headlamp. So i bought a pair for Sanyo 3500 flat batteries, put them in the headlamp. For some reason the led heats up so hot in 20-25mins, that if you don't turn it off so it cools down, it will start melting the plastic around it, but if you use it on low, it's fine and can be used as long as you want. Anyone knows why this is happening or how to fix it? lol. It's a cheap headlamp off ebay, uses 2x18650 batteries usually comes with fake Ultrafires, but it works well with them just that they have shitty mah on them and don't last long.

xcandrew · Feb 2, 2017

Even a cheap powerful LED should take a big step down in power to a lower level when it gets too hot, and if it doesn't have this feature and is melting plastic, I'd consider it unsafe and not use it - or use it only on low if you don't have good airflow from movement (as in running/cycling/skiing). A really nice light will step down in power in small increments and go back up after it cools down. No compact light that uses 18650s is meant to be used on a high setting when in a static situation at high power because they just don't have the cooling capacity - the temperature control that step down power keeps them safe. They generally need airflow from running or biking or a fan to use high power settings.

lollem · Feb 2, 2017

xcandrew said:
Even a cheap powerful LED should take a big step down in power to a lower level when it gets too hot, and if it doesn't have this feature and is melting plastic, I'd consider it unsafe and not use it - or use it only on low if you don't have good airflow from movement (as in running/cycling/skiing). A really nice light will step down in power in small increments and go back up after it cools down. No compact light that uses 18650s is meant to be used on a high setting when in a static situation at high power because they just don't have the cooling capacity - the temperature control that step down power keeps them safe. They generally need airflow from running or biking or a fan to use high power settings.

I see. What I don't understand is why the fake ultrafire 18650 3.7v batteries that hold 700-1k mah runs easily on high setting without any problems. But using good Sanyo 3500 mah 3.6v causes the Led get super hot in 20-25mins, you can start smelling plastic melting kind of air if you keep it going on high. Any Ideas? The headlamp works fine, just wanted to put in bettery batteries that hold more mah so I could get longer run times, but came to this problem.

iamlucky13 · Feb 2, 2017

The fake ultrafires apparently aren't able to put out enough power to overheat the light. It looks like if you want to take advantage of the long runtimes the Sanyo batteries provide, you'll need to turn the light level down yourself within a few minutes of running on high.

Lynx_Arc · Feb 2, 2017

I'm betting that the cheaper batteries aren't putting out nearly the same amount of light as the Sanyo batteries or they are starting out almost as bright and dropping in brightness and you don't even realize it.

lollem · Feb 2, 2017

Lynx_Arc said:
I'm betting that the cheaper batteries aren't putting out nearly the same amount of light as the Sanyo batteries or they are starting out almost as bright and dropping in brightness and you don't even realize it.

Could be, it dropped in lumens and it's hardly noticeable, when you use it in the dark and drop in lumens happens you don't see much. Not that I saw any noticeable change when using in dark places, but yeah could be the ultrafires are not outputting enough power for it to overheat the led as to Sanyo batteries.

Need helpful information on the cheap headlamp

lollem

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lollem

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