# Single Light: Seca 1500 or Dual Light: Seca 800 and Stella 500?



## canuck_tacoma (May 1, 2011)

I currently have a Seca 800 that I have been running on my helmet.

Have been thinking about adding a Stella 500 to run on the Helmet and running the Seca 800 on the bars. I got the Seca 800 for a great deal so adding the Stella 500 would still keep the cost reasonable.

Another option, would be to exchange the Seca 800 for the new Seca 1500 and just run it on my Helmet.

What would you do?


Seca 800 Bar with Stella 500 Helmet
Seca 1500 Helmet


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## androgen (Apr 28, 2005)

canuck_tacoma said:


> I currently have a Seca 800 that I have been running on my helmet.
> 
> Have been thinking about adding a Stella 500 to run on the Helmet and running the Seca 800 on the bars. I got the Seca 800 for a great deal so adding the Stella 500 would still keep the cost reasonable.
> 
> ...


exchange for Seca 1500 ( 2014 )

you ideally want almost all your lumens on the helmet, with a bar light only for backup and to illuminate a few feet before your front wheel.

if you ride in the woods etc it would be a good idea to have some kind of backup light on the bar though. if you could have Seca 1500 on helmet and something like Stella 300 ( $89 from Amazon ) on the bar that would probably be ideal IMO.

of course i have Philips Saferide on the bar, which has approximately the same level of output as a Stella 300 but while the light from the Philips is excellent i'm not really happy about the weight, or the battery life. maybe i should just sell it.


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## canuck_tacoma (May 1, 2011)

I'm leaning towards getting the Stella as a second light; probably will run it on the helmet as I find the Seca a little annoying helmet. Having a backup in the woods is good advice.

I'm actually a little worried about the Seca 1500 being too bright for group rides. There has to be a level where it will start bothering other riders?

I'm assuming combining lights adds to my Lumens? 800+500 light will be around 1000?


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## d365 (Jun 13, 2006)

canuck_tacoma said:


> I'm leaning towards getting the Stella as a second light; probably will run it on the helmet as I find the Seca a little annoying helmet. Having a backup in the woods is good advice.
> 
> I'm actually a little worried about the Seca 1500 being too bright for group rides. There has to be a level where it will start bothering other riders? I'm assuming combining lights adds to my Lumens? 800+500 light will be around 1000?


As long as the run times on those will work for you... It would be "enough" light for me, but I'd be running them on high mostly...

The 1500 would also have lower settings, if you got behind someone with less light.... sometimes people appreciate the extra light, sometimes not... just ask. certainly have a longer run time.

I'm of the opinion, that you'll get the 500, and wish you had the 1500... but it is good to have 2 lights.


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## ironbrewer (Oct 17, 2012)

I wouldn't ride trails at night without at least 2 lights.


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## canuck_tacoma (May 1, 2011)

d365 said:


> I'm of the opinion, that you'll get the 500, and wish you had the 1500... but it is good to have 2 lights.


I will be running the Stella 500 on helmet with the Seca 800 on the bar, not alone.

I do have the option of exchanging the Seca 800 for the Seca 1500 though.

Originally I was going to just run the Seca 1500 alone...or the Stella and Seca 800 together. Sounds like the Seca 1500 and Stella 500 maybe a better option yet.

Will the Stella 500 have enough output to work with the Seca? I'm assuming the Stella's focused 500 lumens will be intense enough.


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## d365 (Jun 13, 2006)

the 1500 on high will totally washout the 500 like it's not even there... with the 1500 you won't need another light to see, it's just for insurance. The biggest thing about the 1500 vs the other two together is light intensity/throw, and run times. Like I said, on my rides, I'd be pushing the limits on run times with the 500 and 800 on high most of the time. We'll ride for 3+ hrs on a lot our night rides.


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## canuck_tacoma (May 1, 2011)

Yeah, I usually ride 2-3 hours easy....The 1500 will run 4 hours at 800 so it will give me two extra hours at 800. That Seca Beam really needs 400 min and is nice at 800.

I will have them both in a week, will try the different combinations and report back.


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## canuck_tacoma (May 1, 2011)

So I finalized on the Stella 500 and Seca 1500. Good solid advice about the run times, etc. :thumbsup:


Took the Stella 500 / Seca 1500 combo out for a big night ride....wow!! Found that I could run the Seca at 450 and just toggle the Stella between Hi 500 and Low 275 in Race mode. Super techy/rooty/rocky shadowy single track was completely lit up. 

The Stella still kept up with the Seca at 800 for faster more open decents. Seca at 1500 was just ridiculous, not really neccessary but a lot of fun... 

On the ride home just run the Seca at 450 and it completely lights up the path, from the front tire to as far as I needed...The Beam Pattern of this light is so good. 

If anyone is wondering; the Stella 500 has a really nice even round beam. Quite floody with no hot spots. I would be totally comfortable running this light alone on my helmet.

Setup:

•Stella 500 on helmet with two cell in jersey pocket. Hardly noticed the weight.
•Seca 1500 on bars with battery strapped to frame.


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## car bone (Apr 15, 2011)

For commuting on pavement with fast stretches (winter/night) do you think the 1500 is overkill?
I'm interested in the seca 1500 but its kinda expensive, so i just wonder if its worth it or if its overkill and I could go with something cheaper and less powerful and still feel safe when i'm going fast.


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## androgen (Apr 28, 2005)

car bone said:


> For commuting on pavement with fast stretches (winter/night) do you think the 1500 is overkill?
> I'm interested in the seca 1500 but its kinda expensive, so i just wonder if its worth it or if its overkill and I could go with something cheaper and less powerful and still feel safe when i'm going fast.


this video:






i don't know who made it, and it's not the 1500, but an inferior 1400 and also videos of course are known to misrepresent bike lights, but having used both 1400 and 1700 in the city i will say this video represents what you will get rather well. compared to 1400 shown in this video the 1500 beam is wider, which gives you the option of aiming it lower / closer without creating an ugly hotspot on the ground.

keep in mind a street light is approximately 10,000 - 20,000 lumens or so. car headlights = 2,000 lumens. HID car headlights = 5,000 lumens.

however the actual experience you will have will depend on how you use the light, so i hope the OP will share his experiences.


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## canuck_tacoma (May 1, 2011)

I'm running the Seca at 450 on lighted streets with other vehicles. If it's a lane or an unlit street with no cars than you could run it at 800 or 1500.

Look at the L&M Taz as well, it may be a better option than the Seca for street use. Still has the wide even beam pattern like the Seca just in a different package.


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## androgen (Apr 28, 2005)

canuck_tacoma said:


> Look at the L&M Taz as well, it may be a better option than the Seca for street use. Still has the wide even beam pattern like the Seca just in a different package.


the Taz would be for somebody who doesn't need the options to helmet mount or to use a spare backup battery, or somebody who needs to mount and unmount his light from the bike every day.

i would say however for a street light the Taz is really expensive. of course the Seca is even more expensive but the Seca is a multi-use light, and adventure type lights are expected to cost more than commuting lights. i'm not saying the Taz is overpriced by any means, but it really is one of the most expensive commuting lights out there which i think explains why almost nobody uses it. on the other hand the Seca is priced competitively with other off-road lights.


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## chinaman (Jun 8, 2007)

Is the connector on the STELLA the same as the SECA?

I have my old ARC HID which as a 3 pin circular plug. Wondering if i get either the STELLA or SECA, will i b able to use the li-ion battery for my ARC?


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