WATTS ALONE DON'T DEFINE BRIGHTNESS

Stated simply, a watt is an electrical measurement of how much power a bulb will drain from a battery. It has also become a familiar way to compare light output. But for today’s high performance bicycle lights, new bulb and battery technologies make old comparisons inaccurate. Along with wattage, two other things define brightness: bulb efficiency and bulb drive voltage.

Because of this, we've introduced a new specification: A.L.O., or “Actual Light Output.” This isn't marketing mumbo-jumbo, but an attempt to quantify brightness while still using the term “watts.” Read on.

TURBODRIVE BATTERY TECHNOLOGY

The principle here is simple. Our batteries supply more voltage than the bulb is designed for. This reduces the life of the bulb (our bulb life ratings take this into account) and it increases the light output by 40%. This isn't smoke and mirrors, just sound, predictable engineering.

HOW BULB LIFE RELATES TO EFFICIENCY

Unfortunately, engineers must give up bulb life to increase efficiency and brightness. We've designed our systems to provide reasonable bulb life (200-400 hours) and high light output. We think the performance gains are well worth the small cost of replacing bulbs a little sooner. Bulbs aren't all as bright as their “wattage” might indicate. So compare lights, not just specifications.

GOOD GAS MEANS BRIGHTER BULBS

Halogen gas causes Tungsten metal vapor from the bulb’s burning filament to be redeposited on the filament instead of the glass. Without halogen, all bulbs (including xenon and krypton) get darker with each use, and eventually lose about half their brightness. Our bulbs use a mixture of gases (krypton and/or xenon plus halogen), optimized for efficiency and self-cleansing, and to increase efficiency and brightness by allowing the filament to burn hotter.

WEATHERPROOF & STRONG

Rain, stream crossings, and mud don’t present any problems for TurboCat systems. And we use solid materials for long term durability. Silicone O-rings and grommets won’t deteriorate with heat, and all the hardware is stainless steel. We use Loctite® and Nyloc® nuts to prevent parts from loosening.

ANALOG ROCKS.... DIGITAL DOESN'T

Our design philosophy is to keep it simple. All that digital stuff (different power levels on a single bulb, etc.) is great – until something goes wrong during a 24-hour race, let alone in the middle of nowhere. Our lights are dead reliable and race proven – from Iditasport to Moab to Snowshoe.

TO H.I.D. OR NOT TO H.I.D.

For us, right now the answer is no. H.I.D. bulbs and power supplies haven't been terribly reliable. Dropping the light, let alone crashing, can cause it to fail – and we don't mean just breaking the front glass. And replacements cost big bucks.

LEAD-ACID MEANS GOOD VALUE

The only downside to lead-acid batteries is their weight. If you use 60% of your run time on every ride, you’ll get about 400 recharge cycles; 200 if you use it all every time. To calculate lead-acid run times, we de-rate the amp hour capacity of the battery and specify a safe cut-off voltage. To avoid battery damage, just turn the lights off when they start to dim.

NI-CADS - ALWAYS BETTER?

With equal wattages and run times, ni-cad batteries weigh about 30% less than lead-acids. They don’t mind deep discharge, they're a little brighter during the first 90% of their run time, they perform better at low temperatures, and they can provide about 500 recharge cycles. Contrary to urban legend, high quality ni-cads do not have memory problems! They're also the most expensive.

NICKEL-METAL HYDRIDE

What makes ni-mhs so attractive is that they're small and light. If you calculate "ounces per hour of run time," the weight savings is about 30% over ni-cads. They’re also much less toxic and easier to recycle. Ni-mhs do have disadvantages, however. They only deliver about 275 recharge cycles and their voltage is not as stable as ni-cads or lead-acids. If you compare a ni-mh with the other batteries at 15 watts, you'll see less light output. With dual-beam system on high beam, there is a big difference. This disparity increases as the battery ages. (These negatives are true of all ni-mhs, not just ours.)

WHICH BATTERY IS BEST FOR YOU?

Unless your main concern is weight or you’re on a limited budget, ni-cads are your best choice – by far. Ni-mhs are tempting; just be sure you understand their limitations. We were the first bike light company to use them, and we speak from years of experience.

For some endurance riders, a lead-acid may be the best choice. Not only will the Macho battery run longer, it will keep running after the end of its rated run time. This will reduce the life of the battery, but it might get you out of a sticky situation.

FYI, lithium-ion batteries are extremely expensive and only deliver about 150 recharge cycles. We don't envision using them in the near future.

So as you see, each battery type has its advantages. Choose the one that's best for you. For more information, call us or check our web site at www.turbocatusa.com.

FRIENDLY BATTERY CHARGERS

Our Automatic Battery Charger recharges lead-acid batteries overnight, then holds them in a "trickle charge" mode. This eliminates the possibility of overcharging. Our Ni-cad/NiMH chargers also recharge overnight and allow safe charging for several days at a time.

BEWARE OF TECHNO-BABBLE

We define techno-babble as the use of incomplete, exaggerated, or inaccurate information in marketing. For example, run times are often exaggerated. And although digital and H.I.D. sound like good ideas, these technologies don’t always work well in the real world. We don’t want you to have any unpleasant surprises, so we prefer to offer plain facts, conservative specifications, and uncomplicated products.

ROCKET SCIENCE OR BRAIN SURGERY?

Bicycle lights are actually easy to understand. Designers – and you – must balance these factors: cosmetics, materials, brightness, beam pattern, run time, cost, weight, battery life, and warranty.

There are some good lights on the market, and some with great specifications but poor performance. Do your homework before you buy. Don’t be fooled by techno-babble. Do trust your own judgement.

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