Oh gawd, the dumb bunny of fail on my shoulder again

Following on from previous conversations about bike lighting I did two things:

(1) Got some more Lidl LED lights (which will take rechargeables) to go with my Lidl charger which came with one of the light sets.

(2) Ordered a new lead acid battery for my venerable Smart lights (looking back, I think I have had them since about '95 with the original battery).

So - how did I diagnose a failed battery? I tried the lights - no light. Put the battery on charge - still no light. Checked the charger - power. Tried the trickle charger from the shed which is supposed to maintain 6V batteries (including motorcycle ones) on the bare battery - wouldn't charge. [Yes - getting the excuses in!]

Today I fitted the new battery into the casing, having first checked it was charged. No light. Poked around with the multi-meter and thought I saw some voltage but couldn't replicate the test. It is an analogue multi-meter and the needle sometimes swings of you tip it on its side. Anyway, notice a fuse carrier in the top casing! Checked the fuse - blown. :-( Replaced the fuse with the one thoughtfully included in the lid. Tested the light - working!

O.K. - connect the charger for a bit, then re-check. Light still working. Refit the old battery and connect the charger for a bit. Check the old battery with the multi-meter - it now has at least a surface charge. Pending a full charge then a discharge test with the lights, it looks as though I've spent nearly £14 on a battery instead of a few pence on a 6V

5A glass barrel fuse.

Well impressed with the original battery, though - 20 years of intermittent use and still seems to be working. The replacement is the same brand and model. I have no idea if it is the same quality.

Is there a special chocolate Easter Bunny of fail which might dull the pain a bit?

Oh, well.

Dave R

Reply to
David
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question is that why did fuse fail? Also, I'd have rigged up some kind of 6v source and tried it on the actual battery connections before buying a new battery, as wiring in general of that age could be faulty. You might even find the fuse blows again after a few trips due to chaffed wiring somewhere shorting due to the vibration.

Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

I did (as mentioned) rig up a 6v source to the battery connections - the battery charger for 6/12v batteries.

Further testing has shown that the charge in the old battery is just a surface charge - it shows 6v on the meter but won't light the lights.

This was checked by switching batteries a couple of times at the terminals between old and new and getting light from the new and nothing from the old.

So, thankfully, I was right to get a new battery.

Cheers

Dave R

Reply to
David

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