Westy
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Diagnosed w/Post-Trail Transition Syndrome
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Post by Westy on Sept 6, 2018 6:28:17 GMT -8
My experience with the Petzel Tikka Head Torch w/Petzel Core Battery. Disposition of Product: Toaster House, Pie Town, NM, USA (April 2018)Had hoped to eliminate all non-rechargeable batteries from my kit. Mission was to recharge all electronic devices at trail towns and if necessary in the field, utilizing the Anker PowerCore 10000 portable charger. The electronic devices included Petzel Tikka, Apple iPhone SE, DeLorme InReach SE and afore mentioned portable charger. The Petzel Core Battery was an abject failure in the field. It passed testing pre-trip at home but in the field became totally unreliable so that I intervened with the back-up light on the iPhone SE. Light availability was erratic and the Core battery would not take a charge or would take a charge. The result and my displeasure with the product is evident in the photo. I was so angry and frustrated. Luckily one of the hikers was a former Texas Penal System Chaplin, thus restraining any colorful language that would be normal vocabulary for me in that situation. I still needed a head torch and reluctantly re-purchased another Petzel Tikka Head Torch as it is the best standalone lighting device and enjoys unexpectedly long service utilizing AAA batteries. Thus in the end I carried spare AAA batteries. The root cause of the product failure is the interface between the head torch and Core battery. The interface is designed to offer dual power storage configurations, your choice of AAA batteries or the Petzel Core rechargeable battery. Removing the Petzel Core multiple times weakens the interface contacts and results in failure to recharge and failure to illuminate. Petzel was contacted and explained that removing and inserting the Core battery can result damage to the prongs and failure. The second Tikka was introduced and used for well over 1,000 trail miles for three months without incident. Batteries were replaced at about 800 miles as a preventive move. Daily usage was approximately a 20 to 30 minutes per day for approximately 50+ nights in the field prior to the preventive battery replacement. The illumination of the Tikka is very bright, bright or low with an option for easy on the eye. red light. As a senior hiker with normal age related vision issues the Tikka excelled with the versatility of lumen options, especially for reading and low light (red) for nocturnal nature calls. Bottom line, the Tikka is great but the launch of the Core battery is premature. It would be a better device if the Core battery was integrated in the design and engineered and released as two separate products. One rechargeable, one using AAA batteries.
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driftwoody
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Take the path closer to the edge, especially if less traveled
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Post by driftwoody on Sept 6, 2018 6:51:28 GMT -8
Much appreciated, Westy! The rechargeable battery was a plus in the Tikka column, and you just saved me that look of consternation plus some colorful language unsuitable for a chaplain's ears.
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Post by trinity on Sept 6, 2018 8:12:07 GMT -8
I don't know if it quite fits the bill for you, but the headlamp I have been eyeing is the Nitecore NU25. It looks like a great balance (for my needs) between weight, cost, and function.
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toejam
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Hiking to raise awareness
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Post by toejam on Sept 6, 2018 8:32:44 GMT -8
You can also get a rechargeable battery for BD lights, but maybe it's not a good idea yet.
I replace AAA's once/year and never carry spares.
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Westy
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Diagnosed w/Post-Trail Transition Syndrome
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Post by Westy on Sept 6, 2018 8:54:05 GMT -8
You can also get a rechargeable battery for BD lights, but maybe it's not a good idea yet. I replace AAA's once/year and never carry spares. I agree that the technology and perhaps engineering design capability regarding rechargeable batteries may be lacking within the current head torch OEM's. Based on my field experience and your comment I'll refrain from carrying spare batteries in future.
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driftwoody
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Take the path closer to the edge, especially if less traveled
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Post by driftwoody on Sept 6, 2018 10:14:00 GMT -8
I don't know if it quite fits the bill for you, but the headlamp I have been eyeing is the Nitecore NU25. It looks like a great balance (for my needs) between weight, cost, and function. I've been checking the online reviews, and this looks like a very good full featured ultralight option. I'm a little hesitant about the non-removable rechargeable battery and some comments that it loses charge when not in use. My criteria is geared towards backpacking, but I will use it more often for tasks around the house. I need it to be ready for immediate use even if it's been idle for several weeks.
On the other hand, I'm willing to put a little effort into managing a device that is more environmentally friendly than discarding used batteries. I also like the idea of fully recharging before a trip instead of uncertainty about the life remaining in disposables.
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ErnieW
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Post by ErnieW on Sept 6, 2018 10:20:35 GMT -8
the Core battery would not take a charge or would take a charge. One of my hobbies is RC stuff. I only do electric. Managing/knowing batteries is a big part of it. Lithium ion batteries don't like spending too much time either fully charged or discharged. For storage they like to be at their nominal voltage (3.8V per cell. Half full). They will damage themselves if stored fully charged. The damage increases the internal resistance. This results in that it shortens the length of usefulness with a plunge to dark. No slow decrease. So hopefully Petzel is not charging the Core's to full before packaging.
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Post by trinity on Sept 6, 2018 12:08:13 GMT -8
On the other hand, I'm willing to put a little effort into managing a device that is more environmentally friendly than discarding used batteries. I also like the idea of fully recharging before a trip instead of uncertainty about the life remaining in disposables. For most of my batteries, I have switched to Eneloops, which I highly recommend. I hate using disposable batteries for the reasons you list. I think my only real question about this headlight is how tightly focused the beam is, I prefer a spot to a flood for most purposes.
Lithium ion batteries don't like spending too much time either fully charged or discharged. For storage they like to be at their nominal voltage (3.8V per cell. Half full). They will damage themselves if stored fully charged. The damage increases the internal resistance. This results in that it shortens the length of usefulness with a plunge to dark. No slow decrease. That's great info, I didn't know this.
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ErnieW
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Post by ErnieW on Sept 6, 2018 13:09:44 GMT -8
I have switched to Eneloops, which I highly recommend These are Ni-MH, nickel metal hydride, batteries. They can be left fully charged and unlike NiCad batteries will stay charged for the most part. NiCad lose their charge even over just a few days. The most important thing for Ni-MH batteries is to use a charger specifically for them. For those tech masochists: batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/charging_nickel_metal_hydrideThey are the good replacements for AA or AAA Alkalines as long as the device doesn't mind a slight lower voltage. LED lights have regulators in them so they for the most part don't mind them.
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Post by Freestone on Sept 6, 2018 13:18:32 GMT -8
I don't know if it quite fits the bill for you, but the headlamp I have been eyeing is the Nitecore NU25. It looks like a great balance (for my needs) between weight, cost, and function. I have the NU25 but have not taken it backpacking yet. I ordered it for a spring trip but it took forever to arrive, Amazon shipped it to me at no charge from China! I'm getting ready for another trip next week but still on the fence on taking it. I did notice that the on-off switch can easily be turned on while in storage so care has to be taken to avoid that battery draining mistake. I mostly just use my smart phone flashlight and BA MtnGlo these days since I'm not much of a night owl anymore.
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driftwoody
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Take the path closer to the edge, especially if less traveled
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Post by driftwoody on Sept 6, 2018 13:41:06 GMT -8
Lithium ion batteries don't like spending too much time either fully charged or discharged. For storage they like to be at their nominal voltage (3.8V per cell. Half full). They will damage themselves if stored fully charged. The damage increases the internal resistance. This results in that it shortens the length of usefulness with a plunge to dark. No slow decrease. That's a deal breaker for me. I would want to leave it fully charged so it's ready for use whenever I might need it.
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reuben
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Post by reuben on Sept 6, 2018 14:43:59 GMT -8
For most of my batteries, I have switched to Eneloops, which I highly recommend. I hate using disposable batteries for the reasons you list. Ditto. I have over a dozen AA eneloops, and have had them for years. I just keep recharging them. I use AAA eneloops for my headlamp, and can use the same Sanyo charger for both sizes.
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Post by trinity on Sept 6, 2018 15:20:35 GMT -8
That's a deal breaker for me. I would want to leave it fully charged so it's ready for use whenever I might need it. I'm kind of inclined to agree. Making sure my rechargeable headlamp is always stored at roughly a 50% charge? Probably not gonna happen.
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gabby
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Post by gabby on Sept 6, 2018 15:27:26 GMT -8
With one white light on, tap side to make both white lights come on With one white light on, hold the button for brighter or dimmer. Maybe this is a unit-by-unit issue, but the Storm I bought from Amazon ($34) was amazingly easy to use. Additionally, the "tap feature" works on all the lights: white, red, green & blue. (Yes, all the lights are dimmable.) I found it to be more of a "touch feature" rather than a "tap" - you soon learn not to touch the side where this feature "lives" - but, no big deal unless you have it pointed at your own face - or someone else's. bpbasecamp.freeforums.net/post/175762/thread
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ErnieW
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Post by ErnieW on Sept 6, 2018 17:03:43 GMT -8
That's a deal breaker for me. I would want to leave it fully charged so it's ready for use whenever I might need it. The worst for Li-Ion is leaving it on a charger that does know to turn off when done. Not so good either to leave them on a smart charger for too long. It is best for them to charge them to full from a partially discharged state just before use. Likely that Core battery has a charger controller chip in it since it charges off micro USB (dumb source) to control charging. The one thing Li-Ion has going for it is that they pack the most energy for a given weight. That could be important to those gram weenies out there. Quad copters use them pretty much exclusively for that reason. Phones are the other big use for them. RC cars/trucks mostly use NiMH because they are a little less expensive and if treated properly have a very large number of recharge cycles. And NiMH can be left fully charged and ready to go.
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