Reliability: small electric lamp with manual recharge

[Grelinette]

I bought 2 small electric lamps which we recharge with a small crank.

At first, they both worked as well. After several months of use, it turns out that the one that I use every day still works perfectly, while the other that I had left in my car and which I have hardly used myself no longer holds the charge. Finally, these are lamps that only wear out if you don't use them!

Who could give me an explanation for this "wear and tear" without use?

How can the lamp that no longer holds the charge be able to function properly?

[Christophe]

Ben, stupid answer: it is linked to a wear of the internal battery because I presume that when you say not working is that it no longer holds the charge?

I don't know which model you have (there are so many) but they are generally NiMh batteries.

There is also a disparity in quality in the same series of batteries.

Chances are, since you are a handyman, that you can change the internal battery. Generally these are generic batteries with standard connectors ...

[Grelinette]

I am going to try to dismantle it, but actually when I say that it does not work any more it is that it does not hold any more the load whereas I hardly used this lamp.

A friend confirmed the same phenomenon to me: only his lamps which he regularly uses continue to work well, the others, store in a cupboard or in the car no longer hold the charge.

Like what, it is a mistake to buy this type of lamp to have an emergency lamp stored in a corner for use from time to time.

That said, the question I also ask myself is how is it that the lamps work well when they leave the store because they were probably stored for a while before being sold! ... unless this or as for fruits and vegetables: they must be fresh to be good!

[Christine]

Hi grelinette,

A question, was the lamp stored charged or discharged?

[Christophe]

That said, the question I also ask myself is how is it that the lamps work well when they leave the store because they were probably stored for a while before being sold! ... unless this or as for fruits and vegetables: they must be fresh to be good!

Well ... the batteries wear out ... and their use and storage depends on their technology.

A well-maintained battery must allow at least 500 charge and discharge cycles.

This requires correct conditions of use which prevents unexpected damage to the elements. In this case, a Ni-Cd or Ni-MH battery will lose less than 20% of its capacity after 500 cycles and around 40% after 1000. This capacity will be kept for 3 to 5 years. Beyond it will decrease due to the alteration of internal chemical reactions.

For example NiCd must be stored ... empty!

With NiMh, lead and Li-ion it is the opposite: store them charged and make maintenance charges every 2 to 3 months if possible ... In the manual of the VAE we just bought ( li-ion) it is advisable to make a maintenance charge every 2 months when not in use ... Not easy to think about!

There is "everything" on this site: http://www.ni-cd.net/accusphp/theorie/c ... s/nicd.php

Afterwards you are not safe from manufacturing defects.

Recently a brand lead battery returned to us with a residual voltage of 2V after 2 months of use ... which proves a defect unless the customer did anything with it but difficult to check, we exchanged it .

[Macro]

I bought 4 (made in china ) at the same time as my solar portal in a DIY store ...

One of them (which my kid used as a night light to fall asleep) only lasted two weeks.
The one that I used to tinker every day (sorting my oil, auto mechanics, ball burner .....) heavily used needed to be recharged very often and ended up not working after an oil bath at 60 ° in the tank of the ball burner The other two still work despite their very sporadic use (in stock in glove boxes of cars) during breakdowns ... But it must be said that with my old oil trash ... Breakdowns are common money. ..

[Christophe]

I have never seen any that is not made in China you know ...

Afterwards, we never repeat it enough, there are 2 types of "made in China":

a) manufacturing outsourcing (EU, USA or Japan design ...) = fairly good quality

b) 100% china = ... biiiipp

Otherwise to save the life of the batteries of your lamps, think, next time, to take a model with charger (mains or USB) such as this model:



https://www.econologie.com/shop/lampe-5- ... p-138.html

It allows you to regularly make full charges (batteries do not like incomplete cycles and there is only that with 100% operation on dynamo)

[elephant]

For my professional use, I found a "head lamp" which recharges on the cigarette lighter and in addition when it is discharged, we pull on a string

[Corpse Grinder 666]

same worries on my side.
bought from LIDL at the same time as my father: no worries at the start and a break period where I didn't know where I had put it and finally when I found it: no more loads ...
so I hesitate to buy it because it's a bit of junk ....
;)

[marieagnes]

mine never worked: you have to wind up to have light ... not funny at all we suddenly have both hands taken to make light as much use a lighter!