# Allty1500 vs. Allty1000 vs. RN1200, Magicshine 21700 lights compared



## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

Magicshine recently contacted me about doing a review of their new Allty1500 and I thought since it and the Allty1000/RN1200 are all similar in setup and only separated by $15 in retail price it would be nice to test them together. Magicshine was nice enough to provide the two Allty's and I already had purchased the RN1200 a while back so here we go.

Daytime Running Light for Urban and Road, Magicshine Allty 1000 DRL

RN 1200 LED bike light. Magicshine 's Fully integrated commuter bike light

ALLTY 1500

*SPECIFICATIONS:*

.........................................................Allty1500.........................Allty1000............................RN1200

Output (claimed lumens):........................1500...............................1000................................1200

Weight (lighthead/lighthead + mount):..132g/147g........................132g/147g........................165g/180g

Battery capacity:..................................5000mAh.........................4000mAh........................4000mAh

Charging:............................................micro usb.........................micro usb..........................usb C

Mounting system: Adjustable band Garmin compatible (22.2 - 35mm + shaped aero) and Gopro adapter included (helmet mount optional)

Retail Price:..........................................$89.99.............................$84.99...........................$74.99

*OUTPUT MEASUREMENTS & BEAM PATTERN:*

Output and runtimes for the two highest modes (Allty1500/Allty1000/RN1200)
*Chart below reflects only start to stop output levels for each mode. Mode changes can greatly affect runtimes so please refer to updated output charts in post #7 for a more accurate description of runtimes*








Very surprised to see how different the output consistency of the Allty1500 was compared to the other two lights. Typical excellent output consistency of other MS lights I've tested just wasn't there. When I contacted MS about this they acknowledged this was normal so while not a characteristic I care for apparently this was done to achieve certain runtime goals. The full just under 1500 lumens is still available when returning to high after any mode change but it degrades from that point similar to initial turn on measurements and shortens runtimes considerably since it increases output levels for around the first half hour following the mode change. The Allty1000 and RN1200 both had great output consistency + out performed their couput claims. Worth noting is that while the RN1200 easily out performed the other two in lumen production its wider beam spread the coverage area enough that the two (same beam pattern) Allty lights had a more intense beam and more throw. Beam spread is still a very good compromise and preferred for steet/path use but for mtb riding I far prefer the floody RN1200's beam for bar use anyway. For helmet use the RN is just too heavy for my liking and with their throw advantage the Allty's are IMO better helmet lights.

*User Interface:*

Good job MS as far as the mode button operation for all these lights and the program for the RN. Button action is light, positive, and the button is easy to find and use with gloves. Simple low/med/high with flash on a separate program works with the RN for me. Double click to get to the flash mode is not my favorite but with the simple forward light presets I'm fine with it. The UI program on the Allty lights is similar but the fly in the ointment with it is the addition of the DLR mode on the main program. The programs low/med/hi/DLR presets result in going from max output to the 25 lumen DLR mode which equates to just shutting the light off for me. You can't just fast click past it since that will put you in the flash modes so ends up being something I'd rather not have to deal with (PITA for road riding and major problem for mtb riding).The Allty1000 has been around for a yr. now so I'm surprised I've not seen this brought up in any of the reviews.

*Mounting System:*









All these lights use the same excellent Garmin compatible system. Bar mount and Gopro adapter are included with the light and a helmet mount and a couple of extension bar mounts are available. Supplied strap bar mount will work with any diameter bar + unusual shaped aero road bars. A+ stuff IMO!

*CONCLUSION AND BEST USAGE:

RN1200* has a higher maximum output than both Allty's but also shorter runtimes though because of the large 21700 battery it's still very good compared to the sea of 18650 single cell lights out there. The RN is not the best helmet option for me because of its weight and bar oriented beam pattern. It is a very nice/easy to use/powerful mtb bar light and still functions well on the road and paths. It's also the least amount of money and IMO the best bargain.

*Allty1000* is my favorite for road and path use. It has very good runtimes and in some situations even out performs the 1500 version for slightly less money. It also work great as a helmet light and has better output consistency than the 1500 version. Easy to see why the Allty1000 has received such great reviews, other than having to scroll through the DLR mode in the main program I can find nothing else to complain about!

*Allty1500* is the best helmet light because it has the most throw and is light enough not to be noticed. It may also be your best bar option for road/path if your riding habits regularly require its extra output and beam distance. If you don't need the extra umph it still shares all the nice features of the 1000 with some nice performance advantages if you don't mind paying closer attention to how you use the light to extract its best performance (whether your looking for higher output or longer runtimes).

*RN1500* is technically not marketed in the US but available through ebay/Aliexpress and co-branded by Olight as one of their bicycle specific lights. The RN1500 is quite the powerhouse recording over 2000 lumens at startup and maintaining a pretty high level for the first hour or so *IF *you don't mind cycling through the modes every once in a while to keep the output at its highest levels. As with the 1200 this is a wonderful bar flood and a bargain too.
Mole


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## Cat-man-do (May 16, 2004)

Seeing that you said you prefer the Allty 1000 ( for helmet use ) I was wondering how you think it compares to the Ceco 1000 that both you and me both own ( both for helmet use and bar use ).


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

Cat-man-do said:


> Seeing that you said you prefer the Allty 1000 ( for helmet use ) I was wondering how you think it compares to the Ceco 1000 that both you and me both own ( both for helmet use and bar use ).


I've tested so many lights lately it would be hard to say without taking them both out for a side by side. Will get back with an answer for you in the next couple of days.
Mole


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

Cat-man-do said:


> Seeing that you said you prefer the Allty 1000 ( for helmet use ) I was wondering how you think it compares to the Ceco 1000 that both you and me both own ( both for helmet use and bar use ).


OK Cat, my answer for which is a better helmet light is going to have to be a blend of ride testing and output measurements. I only was able to get about 20 min. of trail riding with each light (paired with the RN1200 on the bars). Initially the Ceco had a clear advantage in intensity and throw but that advantage had definitely degraded a bit at the end of the 20 min. From that point I'm going to have to speculate using some measured output data for both lumens and max lux I did on both lights last night. The Ceco has about a 25% max lux advantage initially that fades to about 10% (barely noticeable) by the 45 min. point but fades fairly quickly after that where as the Allty starts out a bit lower but remains strong till about 1:45. So for general trail riding (for faster more open trails I'd be looking for a more powerful light than either of these) as a helmet light which one works better largely depends on your runtime requirements. For any type of bar use the Allty would clearly be my choice. Better beam, more lumens (except at startup), much better mounts, much longer runtimes, much more user friendly.
Mole


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

I did a longer lights on ride (43 mi.) with the Allty 1500 last night and experienced a couple of things I consider worth noting. Using low and med modes (mostly med) and switching intensity levels occasionally the charge cycle of the 1500 only lasted for 40 mi. If you look at the output chart I posted you'll notice the med mode is significantly more powerful for the first 30 min. and then dips down to output levels similar to the 1000 (which is fine for most situations). Switching modes restarts the output cycle and while it's nice having a brighter light it also requires more current from the battery which resulted in the much shorter than expected runtime I experienced on last nights ride. So since longer runtimes is the main reason for choosing the 1500 oveer the 1000 unless you need those extra 300ish lumens it's best to just leave the light in med and not try to use low to conserve some battery life cause that may end up giving you just the opposite effect. Secondly I did find that the extra claimed 100 lumens the 1500's low mode generates makes it far more usable than the 1000's low mode which just isn't quite enough light for me. Hope this helps potential owners of the Allty 1500 figure out the best way to use their lights without having to learn the hard way.
Mole


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

*Allty 1500 specificaation and performance update*



I had always assumed the Allty 1500 shared the same XP-L emitter with the 1000 version but apparently that's not correct (according to the Magicshineusa website). The website lists the 1500's emitter as a SST40. This doesn't change the output consistency or lumen output numbers but after retesting this morning did reveal a more favorable max lux to lumen ratio for the SST40 light and supports the idea that if used correctly the Allty 1500 may be a better performing helmet light. If you look at the output chart in post #1 you'll see that the 1500 has a lumen output better or equal to the 1000 but because its SST40 emitters produce about 20% more max lux per lumen the 1500 maintains a throw advantage for approx. the first 30 minutes. After that its lumen ouput dips enough below the 1000's to lose its advantage but simply scrolling through the modes from high back to high will return it back to its original output and another 30 min. of throw advantage. Of course this will also shorten the runtime since you'll keeping the light at higher output levels but does allow you to choose depending on your ride priorities. I'd still have preferred the Allty 1500 had the excellent output consistency of the 1000 or RN1200 but I'm picky and spoiled and have to remind myself that consistent output is the exception and not the norm for single cell/emitter all in one lights. 
Mole


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

*OUTPUT & RUNTIMES + RN1500*

I'm still very happy with the performance and operation characteristics of the RN1200 and Allty1000 and while I still wish the Allty1500 and newly acquired RN1500 operated just like their less powerful siblings I have learned a few things about their performance in regards to how they are used that are important to point out. After more usage of the Allty1500/RN1500 my ride experiences were just not matching what I'd seen when doing my light-meter readings and further testing revealed frequency of mode changes made a considerable difference in output levels and also in runtimes. Unlike the RN1200/Allty1000 the two 1500's output degrades a considerable amount initially but just switching through the modes returns them to near startup levels which is good when you need the extra power. With each mode change the output increase affects these lights for about the next .5 hrs. to varying degrees and the increased current draw to make the extra output can shorten the modes runtime by a couiple of hours in some cases which could easily leave you in the dark since the low battey level warniing lights don't give you any warning till there's only 20% of capacity left. I made up some new output charts to better reflect this characteristic and you still can achieve the longer runtimes posted in the OP but only if you run the light start to finish in one mode with no changes (mode level/on/off). I do think it's nice to be able to tap into the extra output when needed but think maybe a more traditional "boost mode" setup where you choose when to go bact to lower output levels and conserve battery energy would be much simpler to deal with.

*







*

This a good example of excellent high/med mode output curves for a single cell self-contained light. Brightness and runtimes in use matched this model very closely.










Jagged lines indicate mode changes. Easy to see it increases output levels but also considerably decreases overall runtime. Regulating the output curves to be similar in nature to the RN1200/Allty1000 would still give you the shorter runtimes in spite of the larger battery capacity but adding a additional mode between med and high would allow highest output access without killing runtimes.










Similar results to the Allty1500 but a bit more exaggerated because of the RN1500's power advantage (?). Shorter shallower dips represent 15 min. between mode changes and the longer deeper dips are @ 30 min. Interesting changing modes only smoothed out the degree of high mode degrading and didn't return the light tho higher levels. Same overall result in shorter runtimes.

Hopefull this will help owners of the 1500's better understand what their light is doing and how to best use them.
Mole


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## TrailTom (Sep 20, 2020)

I managed to pick RN1500 on Ali for £35, 

A few questions if you don't mind, 

If you were to switch to a lower power setting then back to medium straight a way would that help maintain the medium setting at a higher lumen count or would that still cause it to drop back to just over 500? without it shooting high up to 1200 like show on the graph thus draining the battery? or would it be better to leave it in medium? My normal rides at night are 2 to 3 hours
How useable is the 500 for general tail riding nothing to gnarly? it I just left it on medium for my ride duration.

Thanks
Tom


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

After any mode change output will return to near startup levels in whatever mode you go to at least till the battery drops to a certain voltage level. Using my test results as an example you would get 3 hrs. of med mode runtime with a similar number of mode changes(5) but more than that might shorten the runtime below what you need to cover your longest rides. Certainly possible to ride easier trails with 500 lumens so leaving the light in the med mode would be safer but keeping your mode changes to a minimum you still should be able to use the higher levels when you need it.
Mole


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## SDM44 (Apr 17, 2015)

What do you think of the RN 400, and where it might fit in as a helmet light?

I realize it's a lot less in power & battery rating compared to the others, but it is much lighter than the RN 1500 (which I have a few of for our bikes). I currently have a Garmin quarter-turn mount screwed into the top of my helmet, so I could snap in either the RN 400 or the RN 1500. I picked up a few helmet brackets that Magicshine sells for the RN 400, but don't like it since it's not as secure as the screwed in bracket, and it sits way too high on the helmet and throws off the balance with the weight being further out from your head.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

SDM44 said:


> What do you think of the RN 400, and where it might fit in as a helmet light?


Easy/simple to operate, fairly wide low intensity beam should make the RN400 a great neighborhood/path bar light. The 85g RN400 might even work well as a helmet light when paired with another RN400 on the bars but most likely its 400 lumen output would just get absorbed into the beam of the 1500 providing little if any forward illumination benefits. It would still make you more recognizable to other traffic and provide an inprovement when looking around corners if that;s all your looking for. 
Mole


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

*Magicshine Allty 400/600/800*

Since we're on this subject I ran across this review of the smaller Allty commuter lights so I thought I'd add a link.
Mole

Magicshine Allty 400 / Allty 600 / Allty 800 Commuter Light Review


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## znomit (Dec 27, 2007)

How exactly does the USB C power delivery work (there are a billion standards!).
Will the RN lights charge from a battery pack while running? 
Can charge my GPS while running. The RN400 would make an excellent emergency light and power backup.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

znomit said:


> How exactly does the USB C power delivery work (there are a billion standards!).
> Will the RN lights charge from a battery pack while running?
> Can charge my GPS while running. The RN400 would make an excellent emergency light and power backup.


I guess at this point I don't really know for sure. When I first got my RN1200 I asked my Magicshine marketing contact about this and was told they didn't recommend charging while in operation because of posssible battery damage. Since then in the Sweet Cyclist review of the same light it is listed as a Magicshine supported feature. I guess it's time to contact MS for clarification.
Mole


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## znomit (Dec 27, 2007)

MRMOLE said:


> I guess at this point I don't really know for sure. When I first got my RN1200 I asked my Magicshine marketing contact about this and was told they didn't recommend charging while in operation because of posssible battery damage. Since then in the Sweet Cyclist review of the same light it is listed as a Magicshine supported feature. I guess it's time to contact MS for clarification.
> Mole


I'll let you know when my RN900 arrives!


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

znomit said:


> Can charge my GPS while running. The RN400 would make an excellent emergency light and power backup.
> 
> I'll let you know when my RN900 arrives!


Looking forward to hearing how it works. I've hooked my 1200 up to a powerbank and that seems to work fine but I don't have a C to C cable so I cant test if it will charge something else. Would the RN400's small battery capacity be that helpful for charging another device? I like these RN/Allty lights quite a bit but will be nice to get another opinion.
Mole


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## znomit (Dec 27, 2007)

MRMOLE said:


> Would the RN400's small battery capacity be that helpful for charging another device?


GPS battery is only around 600mAh. Decided on the 900 though for the extra capacity and useful runtime.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

znomit said:


> Decided on the 900 though for the extra capacity and useful runtime.


Sounds great and I think you'll end up a lot happier with the higher output/larger battery capacity 900. I'm 2 weeks into the recovery of my shoulder so guessing another 4 weeks or so off the bike so hopefully you'll have your light before I get a chance to ride with mine.
Mole


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

znomit said:


> Decided on the 900 though for the extra capacity and useful runtime.


I got a response from my MS contact regarding usb charging while in operation. The reply was a little vague (Chinglish) but basically no complaints or warnings not to do so. I also asked about differences betweeen the RN900 and Allty800 and was told different model and 100 lumen claimed (measured) output difference. More details would have been nice but at this point I'm guessing the RN900 is a harder driven Allty800 which would make sense considering the shorter mode runtimes of the 900.
Mole


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## znomit (Dec 27, 2007)

znomit said:


> I'll let you know when my RN900 arrives!


Awww man.

Aliexpress really dragging the chain on this one. 2 months is a bit long to wait I think?


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

znomit said:


> Awww man.
> 
> Aliexpress really dragging the chain on this one. 2 months is a bit long to wait I think?


All of my Alliexpress orders since last November have taken progressively longer to arrive. The RN1500 I ordered early November last yr. only took about 15 days but the RN900 that was ordered on the Black Friday weekend shipping from the same Aliexpress store/location took around 2 mo. and a small Sofirn torch I ordered a few days later that shipped from a different location took even longer. I assumed my delivery differences were holiday related but it doesn't sound like things have gottten any better.
Mole


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

*Magicshine RN900 First Ride*

I finally got medical clearance to ride again so did a short ride with the RN900 last night. Same exact form (size and weight) as the higher powered RN's (1200/1500) and excellent user friendly mounts and UI (program and A+ mode button) that I continue to be impressed with. Preset output levels seemed perfect for the side street/MUP stuff I did last night and am looking forward to testing its excellent range (when I get some more of my physical conditioning back). Good first ride! Performance seems excellent and very likeable light.
Mole


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## znomit (Dec 27, 2007)

RN900 arrived yesterday, finally. 
Build quality looks good. Beam looks good in the backyard. Would like a low frequency flash mode and a moonlight mode. 

Testing tonight, it will charge things while it's running, and will run while it's being charged.
Charges at 5V/2A. It was charging my Nintendo Switch at 5V/1.5A.

A+. Would buy again.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

znomit said:


> A+. Would buy again.


Agreed, no light is perfect but pretty hard to find any fault with the RN900. I may have only used mine a couple of times but am very familiar with the 800-1500 lumen RN layout so am really just testing how usable the preset output levels are and will be very surprised if my overall opinion of this light changes any with more use.
Mole


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## znomit (Dec 27, 2007)

RN900 worked really well charging my garmin on a 20hr ride. Light didn't get much action as the night section had no hills and my gloworm alpha was my primary.

Sourcing an out in front mount to hang it under the garmin.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

znomit said:


> RN900 worked really well charging my garmin on a 20hr ride. Light didn't get much action as the night section had no hills and my gloworm alpha was my primary.
> 
> Sourcing an out in front mount to hang it under the garmin.


Here's the Magicshine mount. I didn't try riding with this setup so I don't know for sure but imagine it would be less friendly to oncoming traffic + glare from exposed lens edge is pretty bad but may be adequately covered by your garmin (?). The RN900's A+ mode button remains easy to find and operate
Mole


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## znomit (Dec 27, 2007)

Got my gopro interface for my out in front garmin mount today. It needs quite a long mount to clear the cables. Longer one is on a slow boat from china still.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

50 mile ride last night with the RN900. First 3 miles with the light off, next 7 on low and the rest in the med. mode except for an occasional bump to high. Battery level indicator turned red (20% power left) at mile 49. Nice canal ride out to Papago park and back. Number of homeless in the underpass tunnels on the west side was a bummer but got to use a new pedestrian crossing light they put in on a problematic crossing point so thanks to the city of Phoenix for that! 
Mole


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

znomit said:


> RN900 worked really well charging my garmin on a 20hr ride. Light didn't get much action as the night section had no hills and my gloworm alpha was my primary.


My first attempt at extending the runtime of my RN1500 using a remote power source ended in failure. The light would shut off by itself about every half mile and didn't operate correctly till I unplugged the powerbank. The roads were smooth so I don't think it was a connection issue and light was only warm to the touch so heat doesn't seem to be a factor. Will try again tonight with one of my other RN's (900/1200) + take along a different power source and see if I can figure out what's causing the problem. Welcome any ideas on this or other things I can try?
Mole


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## znomit (Dec 27, 2007)

MRMOLE said:


> My first attempt at extending the runtime of my RN1500 using a remote power source ended in failure.
> 
> Welcome any ideas on this or other things I can try?


How does USB-C know if you're using the light to charge the power bank or the power bank to charge the light?


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

znomit said:


> How does USB-C know if you're using the light to charge the power bank or the power bank to charge the light?


Unfortunately I don't know. In my case the powerbank I used has a micro intake port and USB-A outtake port with a A to C cable. I have a Magicshine battery that I believe can be used C to C + a MS converter cable that allows plug style batteries to be converted to USB-A interface. I haven't tried my RN900 with the powerbank yet but my RN1200 shuts off on its own like the RN1500 did. I've successfully charged my cellphone from my RN1500 so C to C may be the answer and will try that and all the battery/USB options and report back with what works and what doesn't/
Mole


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## znomit (Dec 27, 2007)

I tested mine tonight using a couple of gloworm batteries and the magicshine USB adapter connected to the RN900 with a couple of different USB A to C cables. Worked fine. Draws 500mA when charging the off light and up to an amp when the light is on. 
I think 1A is the max output from the magicshine adapter.


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

znomit said:


> I tested mine tonight using a couple of gloworm batteries and the magicshine USB adapter connected to the RN900 with a couple of different USB A to C cables. Worked fine. Draws 500mA when charging the off light and up to an amp when the light is on.
> I think 1A is the max output from the magicshine adapter.


Thanks for the feedback. I didn't get a chance to ride yesterday but did find some interesting characteristics playing around with the light (RN1200) in my kitchen this morning. Using the same remote battery (Ravpower 10000mAh powerbank) and cord as with the previous failures the light ran fine for 15+ minutes at which point I decided to try some other things. No amount of jiggling the cables caused any problem but I noticed the power button had turned from red to blue and the powerbank had shut off and when I manually turned the powerbank back on the light turned itself off (with the Ravpower unit and the MS battery that came with my Monteer 3500). I'm guessing using the MS converter and a regular round plug battery the light would operate normally but am a little concerned it may overcharge the battery in the lower settings. I need to experiment some more but looks workable once I figure how best to use an external battery with the RN series lights.
Mole


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

First successful ride using an external power source tonight. RN1200 + MS converter + 5000mAh 2 cell 21700 battery. 27 mi. in the med. mode and the light showed fully charged within a couple of minutes after putting it on the charger when I got home. Looks like charging rate matches the 1200's med. mode pretty closely and current is drawn from the remote battery first. When I get a chance I'll do a high mode runtime test on one of the RN's.
Mole


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## anga (Aug 22, 2011)

MRMOLE said:


> First successful ride using an external power source tonight. RN1200 + MS converter + 5000mAh 2 cell 21700 battery. 27 mi. in the med. mode and the light showed fully charged within a couple of minutes after putting it on the charger when I got home. Looks like charging rate matches the 1200's med. mode pretty closely and current is drawn from the remote battery first. When I get a chance I'll do a high mode runtime test on one of the RN's.
> Mole


What is the MS converter? Different from the included USB C to A cable?


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## znomit (Dec 27, 2007)

anga said:


> What is the MS converter? Different from the included USB C to A cable?


I think that's the MJ-6086 USB converter, USB power from the garden variety 18650 battery packs.









MJ-6086







www.magicshine.us


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## MRMOLE (May 31, 2011)

anga said:


> What is the MS converter? Different from the included USB C to A cable?


The MJ-6086 that Zomit mentioned is what I was referring to. Lowers the voltage of 7.2v - 8.4v battery packs to a compatible 5v you see with typical self-contained lights like the RN1200. Unfortunately I don't think they're still available but the included A to C cable will still work with a regular powerbank as your remote battery.
Mole


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## anga (Aug 22, 2011)

Is there a high-quality converter/adapter that does the opposite?
Can be useful to power ebike lights.

Use the output from a powerbank (5v, if PD or QC is available then use the higher voltage) as input and deliver 12v output?

Edited to better phrase my query.

There are two possibilities.
1. Powerbank outputs at 5v. Boost this to 12v. This is one adapter, dumb.
2. Powerbank is PD/QC capable. Adapter should be able to communicate with powerbank, using PD or QC, to output 12v. No need to boost voltage. This is a different adapter.

My need is for the second adapter.


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