Reelight problems?
01-16-09, 08:15 AM
#1
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Reelight problems?
Hi everyone,
I posted this in the lighting forum too, but thought it might gt more traffic here. Have any of you had problems with Reelights too?
I bought a set of Reelight SL-150s (the ones with steady light) in late September. I wanted something to keep me from being a ninja in case of total battery drain/light failure while commuting and thought they would be a good option. Since then, the front light has failed, and I'd like to know if any of you have had similar problems, or succeed at returning them.
Because they have small capacitors, the light output is related to your speed. Go slow = low light, fast = brighter. In December, I noticed that the front light was no longer following this pattern. It would be bright for a few seconds while going up a hill, then dim on the way down. Also, it would change intensity for a few seconds while rolling at constant speed. There is no pattern to the on/off pulsing, and both magnets are mounted firmly to the spokes.
I took the light off the wheel and put it in my warm apartment overnight (the bike lives in the basement) in case it had some water in the electronics. That didn't help. I also noticed that if you shake the light, it makes a rattling noise. After putting it back on the bike, I noticed that it also makes a ticking noise while riding, but it's not due to the magnets hitting the light.
I tried to move the light closer to the wheel (3mm, see photo), which worked at first but then had the same problems. I really don't think it's a spacing issue since the light worked fine before. Now the light might turn on for a total of half a mile at random intervals on my 6 mile commute. That's not acceptable performance. I can't see the rear when I ride, so don't know if it has similar issues.
Have any of you had similar problems? Aside from contacting the manufacturer and dealer, is there anything I can do? The lights aren't user-serviceable, and I was really expecting something that cost this much to last longer than 3 months.
Thank you for the input!
I posted this in the lighting forum too, but thought it might gt more traffic here. Have any of you had problems with Reelights too?
I bought a set of Reelight SL-150s (the ones with steady light) in late September. I wanted something to keep me from being a ninja in case of total battery drain/light failure while commuting and thought they would be a good option. Since then, the front light has failed, and I'd like to know if any of you have had similar problems, or succeed at returning them.
Because they have small capacitors, the light output is related to your speed. Go slow = low light, fast = brighter. In December, I noticed that the front light was no longer following this pattern. It would be bright for a few seconds while going up a hill, then dim on the way down. Also, it would change intensity for a few seconds while rolling at constant speed. There is no pattern to the on/off pulsing, and both magnets are mounted firmly to the spokes.
I took the light off the wheel and put it in my warm apartment overnight (the bike lives in the basement) in case it had some water in the electronics. That didn't help. I also noticed that if you shake the light, it makes a rattling noise. After putting it back on the bike, I noticed that it also makes a ticking noise while riding, but it's not due to the magnets hitting the light.
I tried to move the light closer to the wheel (3mm, see photo), which worked at first but then had the same problems. I really don't think it's a spacing issue since the light worked fine before. Now the light might turn on for a total of half a mile at random intervals on my 6 mile commute. That's not acceptable performance. I can't see the rear when I ride, so don't know if it has similar issues.
Have any of you had similar problems? Aside from contacting the manufacturer and dealer, is there anything I can do? The lights aren't user-serviceable, and I was really expecting something that cost this much to last longer than 3 months.
Thank you for the input!
01-17-09, 11:15 AM
#2
Senior Member
I have the old style blinking reelights,
so just postulating here- is the capacitor some how shorting out- eg gunk or water in the light.
have you tried to dry them out completely by keeping the inside, perhaps over a gentle heat source for a couple days then reinstalling them to see if they are back to normal or not ?
so just postulating here- is the capacitor some how shorting out- eg gunk or water in the light.
have you tried to dry them out completely by keeping the inside, perhaps over a gentle heat source for a couple days then reinstalling them to see if they are back to normal or not ?
01-17-09, 12:07 PM
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I have one SL150 steady front light, and an SL100 blinky in back. The reason I don't have two SL150s is that the back one broke and I ordered a replacement and decided I wanted a blinky back light.
I dissasembled the old SL150 light and found that there is this itty bitty wire that makes the whole thing work. It busted, probably on a jarring pothole or something, I'm not sure. I gave it to a professional electronics tech to fix. She did a good job, but it didn't take too long for the thing to break again. It did the same thing yours did.
I didn't try to return it because I'd had it for more than a year in hard condition use. I've had good luck with the front light, and the replacement is working great. Best of luck.
I dissasembled the old SL150 light and found that there is this itty bitty wire that makes the whole thing work. It busted, probably on a jarring pothole or something, I'm not sure. I gave it to a professional electronics tech to fix. She did a good job, but it didn't take too long for the thing to break again. It did the same thing yours did.
I didn't try to return it because I'd had it for more than a year in hard condition use. I've had good luck with the front light, and the replacement is working great. Best of luck.
