[ironbrewer]

I'm going to buy a solarstorm x2 or some clone in the next week. What is going to be my best bet for a supplier? I've read this whole thread (whew) and it seems like there's been a lot of variation in both light and battery quality depending on where and when you buy - so my question is, if you've purchased recently and got good product, who'd you buy from and what did you buy? I'm willing to buy a light and battery separately, but I'm looking to keep the total under $45...

There is a chance you may get lucky and get a good battery (last maybe 2 hours on high), but probably not. I doubt you can get a light head and a quality battery for less than $45 unless you get lucky.

 

[Kir]

@Kir: this is what I don't get about some of these lights. The culprits are normally 3.7v-4.2v light systems that tend to deplete like a NiMH battery. Isn't the protection circuit in the battery supposed to kick in and shut it down? What is causing it to bypass the safety?

Protection PCB can fail, but thats probably not the reason for this.
Different batteries use different protection pcbs, or rather different voltage cutoff levels. Safe level is about 6v (3v per cell), but some pcbs will allow discharge up to 4.8-5v (2.4-2.5v per cell).
Dual XML lights like SSX use 2 leds connected in series and buck/step-down driver which will work as long as input voltage is higher than the voltage on leds (about 3v for xml, so 6v for 2 leds).
When input voltage will fall below 6v the light will drop out of regulation and leds will start to dim. At the same time current from battery will decrease too, at 5v SSX2 will take about 0.05A - so this "very dim" stage can last for a very long time.

It will look like this.

This is actually very useful as a secondary protection - you won't be able to discharge your battery lower than ~5v because brightness/current draw will drop to almost zero at this voltage.
If you want to compare runtimes on different batteries - use SSX3, it should have boost driver (3 leds in series) that will not go out of regulation until the protection pcb activates in battery.

 

[zaang]

One led of my solarstorm x2 stop working.
Any ideas to the solution?

 

[Kir]

Replace the led, you need to know how to solder or find somebody who does. Or just check the wires and led's soldering to star, it could be a broken contact somewhere.

 

[zaang]

I already check the wires and I don't see any broken.
How I check the led soldering to star?
I have to talk with Sunny of lightmalls because the light have only one week.

 

[MK96]

you can measure the voltage on the led as a starting point ...

 

[zaang]

How I do that?

 

[MK96]

If you don't have electrical skill you should let some electrician take a look at that. To measure voltage you need a multimeter and attach plus probe on red cable and minus/black probe on black cable. See this, but take care!!!

 

[morepower]

I already check the wires and I don't see any broken.
How I check the led soldering to star?
I have to talk with Sunny of lightmalls because the light have only one week.

Send it back as a warranty claim... Faulty goods... Easier than fixing it...

 

[zaang]

The shipping costs is more than a new one
I'm from Portugal.

Edit: I already talk with the store and they will send a new one for only 7 euros, is more cheaper to me because the shipping costs from portugal to claim the warranty are +/- 20 euros.....

About the faulty solarstorm x2 i have, you think is the led is damaged?
Where i can get a new led (with the star) to fix this?
also need a lens, i let dropped and was chipped.
The fasttech has several but do not know which indicated

thanks

 

[glovemtb]

Thanks for thread guys it helped as I have not been in market for 3 years till now as my MagicShine battery is almost dead.
I tried this one with my Amex card so I won't get burned.(oops sorry )

 

[-Archie-]

Buyers beware: my cycling club's mate has just received SSX2 ordered from LightMalls:
Black Color SolarStorm X2 2*Cree XM-L2 2200-Lumen Led Bike Light Without Battery Pack - Bicycle Lights Lamp Cap - Bicycle Light & Headlamp Worldwide Free Shipping!!!

Among traditional assembling imperfections, there's also an epic fail: the LED mounting pills are just plain absent! The LEDs inside are literally hanging in the air, with no any thermal sinking at all:

 

[varider]

Buyers beware: my cycling club's mate has just received SSX2 ordered from LightMalls:
Black Color SolarStorm X2 2*Cree XM-L2 2200-Lumen Led Bike Light Without Battery Pack - Bicycle Lights Lamp Cap - Bicycle Light & Headlamp Worldwide Free Shipping!!!

Among traditional assembling imperfections, there's also an epic fail: the LED mounting pills are just plain absent! The LEDs inside are literally hanging in the air, with no any thermal sinking at all:

Damn, that's the one I ordered almost five weeks ago and still haven't received. F these guys.

 

[scar]

Archie - You sound surprised???


***

 

[-Archie-]

Archie - You sound surprised???

Yes, I am. I've seen quite many Chinese lights of various design and different grades of [so to speak] quality: thermal management was excellent, acceptable, barely adequate, mediocre, poor, terrible, anything - but it was present. This time, I'm surprised indeed...

 

[MK96]

I would write lightmalls for sure, mine SSX2 U2 have both alloy pills

 

[varider]

I would write lightmalls for sure, mine SSX2 U2 have both alloy pills

Is it just a round disc? I tried to look at the pictures on previous pages, but I didn't really see a picture of that one part by itself. Where did you buy yours?

 

[zaang]

I'm waiting for two of these.......

 

[MK96]

Mine U2's are from lightmalls: SolarStorm/FandyFire X2 - Page 10

the alloy pill is pretty thick and yes a sort of a round disc press-fitted inside the case

Is it just a round disc? I tried to look at the pictures on previous pages, but I didn't really see a picture of that one part by itself. Where did you buy yours?

 

[zaang]

And you buy only the head light from lightmalls?
I'm waiting for the shipping of two head lights with xm-l2 and I have afraid they don't have thermal protection....
Do you think is better I talk tho lightmalls send me the xm-l U2 versions because the thermal protection?