Does anyone have any experience of these lamps?

I bought one yesterday, (=A329.99)charged it until the indicator said it
was full and then used it until the battery went flat - approximately
twenty minutes.

They have a 6V 4ah lead acid battery and I think it's running a 55watt
quartz halogen bulb. Anyone know how long it should last on a full
charge?

Xav

wrote:

They have a 6V 4ah lead acid battery and I think it's running a 55watt
quartz halogen bulb. Anyone know how long it should last on a full
charge?


6x4=24, so it'll run a 24W bulb for an hour, and a 55W bulb for ~26
minutes.

How long did you expect the tiny lead acid battery to power the great
big 55W halogen bulb for?


--
Grunff

wrote in message
oups.com...
Does anyone have any experience of these lamps?

I bought one yesterday, (£29.99)charged it until the indicator said it
was full and then used it until the battery went flat - approximately
twenty minutes.

They have a 6V 4ah lead acid battery and I think it's running a 55watt
quartz halogen bulb. Anyone know how long it should last on a full
charge?


the obvious answer from the info is that 55w at 6v is 9A so if its rated at
4aH it should last for 4/9 hours = 27 mins. But at 9A current, thats a lot,
and it probably wouldn't deliver so much as 4aH so 20 mins sounds about
right. 4aH is probably the 10 hour rate or something like that.

Usually the plastic bits overheat and melt if they're left on for that long.


rusty

wrote:
Does anyone have any experience of these lamps?

I bought one yesterday, (£29.99)charged it until the indicator said it
was full and then used it until the battery went flat - approximately
twenty minutes.

They have a 6V 4ah lead acid battery and I think it's running a 55watt
quartz halogen bulb. Anyone know how long it should last on a full
charge?

That sounds just about right.

A 55watt lamp will take 55/6 amps, that's near enough 9 amps.

9 amps will discharge a (perfect) 4Ah battery in 4/9 hours, that's
26.6 minutes. Since you're discharging it at well over the 20 hour rate
I think your 20 minutes is pretty good.

--
Chris Green

In article , Rusty wrote:


the obvious answer from the info is that 55w at 6v is 9A so if its rated at
4aH it should last for 4/9 hours = 27 mins. But at 9A current, thats a lot,
and it probably wouldn't deliver so much as 4aH so 20 mins sounds about
right. 4aH is probably the 10 hour rate or something like that.


SLA batteries are rated for a 20Hr discharge. That means that the 6V 4Ah
battery will last 20hrs giving 0.2A. Apparently they do this to make the
numbers look good! The higher the current the shorter the run time.

--
simon at sbarr dot demon dot co dot uk
Simon Barr.
'97 110 300Tdi.

this sounds exactly the same as the ones they sell in Robert Dyas for 8
quid.
If you go out to buy a lead acid battery it would probably cost more
than that. And yes they don't last long on one charge.. 55 w is like a
car headlamp, very powerful!

Simon

Thank you all...

Well Grunff, how long did I expect it to keep alight...hard to say
really (you weren't muttering stupid ******* under your breath while
you typed that were you). It didn't mention on the cover that it was
LA, it didn't give an indication of the short length of illumination
and I didn't think to ask. I just needed a good strong light that was
rechargeable and this seemed the ideal tool for the job. But I think
it's mis-sold really. The only indication that it might be longevity
challenged is in the reference to using it in short bursts (as
mentioned earlier on this thread) because it could overheat. It doesn't
mention that if you don't turn it off almost as soon as you've turned
it on, it will provide its own overheating failsafe by going flat. Even
that advice isn't clear unti you've spent ten minutes with the scissors
trying to get it out of the sealed plastic packaging which you then
throw away and tend to feel guilty about when you try and take it back!
Good job I don't do guilt!

Xav

By gum it's powerful though !!!

wrote:

Well Grunff, how long did I expect it to keep alight...hard to say
really (you weren't muttering stupid ******* under your breath while
you typed that were you).

Not at all - I was curious as to your expectations.


It didn't mention on the cover that it was
LA, it didn't give an indication of the short length of illumination
and I didn't think to ask. I just needed a good strong light that was
rechargeable and this seemed the ideal tool for the job. But I think
it's mis-sold really. The only indication that it might be longevity
challenged is in the reference to using it in short bursts (as
mentioned earlier on this thread) because it could overheat. It doesn't
mention that if you don't turn it off almost as soon as you've turned
it on, it will provide its own overheating failsafe by going flat. Even
that advice isn't clear unti you've spent ten minutes with the scissors
trying to get it out of the sealed plastic packaging which you then
throw away and tend to feel guilty about when you try and take it back!
Good job I don't do guilt!


For reference, we use these:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=29393&TabID=1&source=15&World ID=&doy=21m4

We usually have 4 of them on the go at any one time. They give ~20
minutes running time, and last about a year when used most nights.


--
Grunff

Now you have my curiosity roused.

You must think they have a useful purpose if you've bought four of them


I also see that Maplin give an indication of their running time.
Perhaps Halfords feel that 'lasts 20 mins' and 'bursts into flames if
left on too long' wouldn't be the ideal method of selling them if they
were to put those words on the package. Best to keep it quiet and hope
people don't bring them back after an hour long scrap with the
packaging. Also, the huge difference in price for what is essentially
the same item is quite interesting!

Xav

wrote:
Now you have my curiosity roused.

You must think they have a useful purpose if you've bought four of them



We've bought many more than four - we get through 4 a year; I have about
a dozen dead ones in the garage.

They're useful for going to check on the horses in the dark.


--
Grunff

I reckon these are MUCH more practical than the spotlights

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product.asp?p=010813005

Unless you actually need the spotlight (say, for lamping?) The wider and
relatively uniform flood is better for most things, I find. The battery is
nearly twice the size and 7 watts of fluorescent lasts a long time.

On 21 Apr 2005 08:47:08 -0700, wrote:

You must think they have a useful purpose if you've bought four of
them

IIRC the Halfords thing is rather flash looking, I've got a yellow and
black 6" tub with a handle type about a tenner these days. It's very
useful on a stormy night to see if that rattling from the slates is
serious or checking out if anyone is wandering about down the bottom
of the paddock 100+yds away or across the fields.

Can't really see them being much use for a townie with street lights
and everything fenced in every 30', a decent torch will do that.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

Grunff Woofed :

For reference, we use these:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=29393&TabID=1&source=15&World ID=&doy=21m4

I've just bought one of those. Must admit to being a little disappointed
with the 20 minute life - should have RTFM before buying I suppose :-(

BTW - how long does a full charge take?
--
Regards,

Troy the Black Lab.

Troy wrote:

I've just bought one of those. Must admit to being a little disappointed
with the 20 minute life - should have RTFM before buying I suppose :-(


It's 55W!! That's a car headlight!


BTW - how long does a full charge take?

Dunno, we leave them charging overnight. I suspect it's 10/12hr.


--
Grunff

wrote in message
oups.com...
Does anyone have any experience of these lamps?

I bought one yesterday, (£29.99)

They're £9.99 from Maplin and £6.99 from our local garage.

On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 20:14:31 +0100, Newshound wrote:

I reckon these are MUCH more practical than the spotlights

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/product.asp?p=010813005

Unless you actually need the spotlight (say, for lamping?) The wider
and relatively uniform flood is better for most things, I find. The
battery is nearly twice the size and 7 watts of fluorescent lasts a
long time.

An interesting device. 7W isn't very much light though, my mains work
light is a 15W 2D CFL, thats OK close up but not wonderful. I guess
you'll get well over 8hrs (a working day...) run time from a fully
charged battery. Next time I'm anywhere near a Machine Mart I'll have
look.

Current favorite as lighting back up is a Gaz lantern. Up to 80W of
light (ie loads) and a run time of several hours on a small cylinder
and of course when the cylinder runs out you just whack another on.
Can't do that with an electric thing unless you faff about maintaining
a stock of fully charged batteries. No maintenance for a cylinder on
the shelf.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

On 21 Apr 2005 08:11:30 -0700, wrote:

It didn't mention on the cover that it was LA,

As LA is the best battery technology for this sort of use they have
obviously missed a trick here.

it didn't give an indication of the short length of illumination

It stated the battery size and bulb consumption - that gives you the
illumination time. Perhaps it should have explained it with little
pictures for the innumerate.

But I think it's mis-sold really.

Only for those who find 2+2 a real challenge.


--
Peter Parry.
http://www.wpp.ltd.uk/

On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 22:39:45 +0100, Peter Parry wrote:

it didn't give an indication of the short length of illumination

It stated the battery size and bulb consumption - that gives you the
illumination time. Perhaps it should have explained it with little
pictures for the innumerate.

But I think it's mis-sold really.

Only for those who find 2+2 a real challenge.

That is a little unfair Peter. Not everyone knows how to convert Watts
into amps at a given voltage and how that relates to a stated battery
capacity.

The run time ought to on the packaging for the many of the populace
that didn't achieve "O" level physics or those that did but forgot all
that stuff years ago.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

Grunff wrote:
wrote:
Now you have my curiosity roused.

You must think they have a useful purpose if you've bought four of them



We've bought many more than four - we get through 4 a year; I have about
a dozen dead ones in the garage.

They're useful for going to check on the horses in the dark.

They're OK for that (we have one too, and two horses) but I would have
thought a flourescent lantern or similar more practical if you
actually need to do something. The halogen lamps are very
directional.

--
Chris Green

wrote:

They're OK for that (we have one too, and two horses) but I would have
thought a flourescent lantern or similar more practical if you
actually need to do something. The halogen lamps are very
directional.


We have a couple of lanterns too, but the halogens seem to get the most
use. I think the long beam throw is very useful.



--
Grunff

"Dave Liquorice" wrote in message
ll.com...
On Thu, 21 Apr 2005 22:39:45 +0100, Peter Parry wrote:

it didn't give an indication of the short length of illumination

It stated the battery size and bulb consumption - that gives you the
illumination time. Perhaps it should have explained it with little
pictures for the innumerate.

But I think it's mis-sold really.

Only for those who find 2+2 a real challenge.

That is a little unfair Peter. Not everyone knows how to convert Watts
into amps at a given voltage and how that relates to a stated battery
capacity.

The run time ought to on the packaging for the many of the populace
that didn't achieve "O" level physics or those that did but forgot all
that stuff years ago.

Does the packaging state the wattage (probably) and amp-hour capacity of the
battery (probably not)
Even if it did, the average consumer wouldn't have a clue what it meant
I think it should just have a runtime on the package too!

Sparks...

Sparks wrote:

Does the packaging state the wattage (probably) and amp-hour capacity of the
battery (probably not)
Even if it did, the average consumer wouldn't have a clue what it meant


And that's *precisely* what's wrong with today's society. The 'avearge
customer' has zero clue about how anything works, and what's more, he
frequently displays pride in not having any clue about how anything works.


--
Grunff

On Fri, 22 Apr 2005 10:35:10 +0100, Grunff wrote:

And that's *precisely* what's wrong with today's society. The
'avearge customer' has zero clue about how anything works, and
what's more, he frequently displays pride in not having any clue
about how anything works.

But moans like fck when a cowboy comes along and takes 'em for a ride.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

On 22 Apr 2005 08:03:44 GMT, wrote:

but I would have thought a flourescent lantern or similar more
practical if you actually need to do something. The halogen lamps
are very directional.

But whack out a large amount of light forwards from the filament, and
the beam can be "bounced" of light coloured walls or WHY for general
illumination.

My first choice lamp when going outside at night is the 55W SLA
powered "headlight on a stick". If I think there might be some one out
there I take that (it has a shoulder strap) and the 6 cell D maglight,
held near the front end, back end resting on my shoulder.

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail

Dave Liquorice wrote:
On 22 Apr 2005 08:03:44 GMT, wrote:

but I would have thought a flourescent lantern or similar more
practical if you actually need to do something. The halogen lamps
are very directional.

But whack out a large amount of light forwards from the filament, and
the beam can be "bounced" of light coloured walls or WHY for general
illumination.

No walls or anything else to bounce light off out in the fields where
the horses are.

--
Chris Green

On Fri, 22 Apr 2005 10:35:10 +0100, Grunff wrote:

Sparks wrote:

Does the packaging state the wattage (probably) and amp-hour capacity of the
battery (probably not)
Even if it did, the average consumer wouldn't have a clue what it meant


And that's *precisely* what's wrong with today's society. The 'avearge
customer' has zero clue about how anything works, and what's more, he
frequently displays pride in not having any clue about how anything works.

They should last a lot longer if the battery is not run down flat, say
use 10 mins then recharge.

Anyone know the typical life of these at 50% DOD compared to 100% DOD?

cheers,
Pete.

On 22 Apr 2005 15:33:33 GMT, wrote:

No walls or anything else to bounce light off out in the fields
where the horses are.

Fairy Nuff but there is still a lot of light direct from the filament.
At a guess I'd say more than from a 7W florrie. Oh just remembered
I'll be 500yds from a Machine Mart tommorow, but working 0800 2000.
B-(

--
Cheers
Dave. pam is missing e-mail