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Battery Care Tips - Bike LightsUpdated 2 years ago

Li-Ion batteries are used in all current Light & Motion bike lights. Here are some helpful tips to keep you happy and your light healthy:

This article applies to the lights in the following table
Int. Battery LightsVIS/UrbanSECA COMP/TAZ VIS 360 PROVIS 360 PRO PlusRando 500
VIS 180
Ext. Battery LightsSeca Race*Seca Enduro*VIS Adventure*

* Applies to External Batteries and Smart Charger

1) Out of the box, always fully charge your system before its first use. Light systems are shipped only partially charged and must be fully charged to achieve proper run-time. Most lights require at least two to three discharges and full charge cycles to accurately calibrate the run-time indicator lights.  This can mean a break-in period of a couple rides and charges.

2) Charge each time before you ride if you haven't done so in the last few days or weeks. Li-Ion batteries will slowly lose their charge over time. If you're ever feeling like your run-time (burn-time) was low on a particular ride, think back to when you last charged your light. If it was recently, try a run-time test to verify the condition of your battery. Use the link below for instructions on how to test your light. Run-time Test

3) Give the light a full charge before storing it long-term. It is recommended to pull the light from storage every 8-12 weeks and top off the charge to prevent deep discharge. This will not only improve the longevity of the battery, but it will prevents any surprises if the light fails to turn on when you pull it from storage.

4) If you leave the battery on the charger, it will stop charging when it reaches full capacity, but there will be a trickle charge to keep it topped off. If left on the charger for weeks at a time, the elevated heat from the trickle charge will eventually start to stress the battery, reducing capacity = reduced runtime. We recommend to remove the battery from the charger as soon as you notice it has reached a full charge.

*Deep discharge is a term for a battery in a state of unrecoverable and complete depletion. If the metals in the battery sit without a charge (electrons), they become unbalanced and decay. Lights can experience minimal decay which results in less than expected run-times and as batteries age they naturally will have a lower capacity to hold a full charge.  This is true of every Li-Ion battery-powered product, including your cell phone.

5) Check in with your light at least 4 weeks prior to any trip. Is the battery charging? Do all the modes function properly? Is the length of runtime adequate? If not, this gives you plenty of time to contact our customer support team and resolve the issue.

Please send us an email so we can help get your light ready for the next adventure!

 

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