Fixing Old Rechargeable Bike Lights With New Batteries
A person with very few electronics skills successfully replaced the dead batteries in old bike lights. The lights now work for night riding.
In short: A person with very few electronics skills successfully replaced the dead batteries in old bike lights. The lights now work for night riding.
Have you ever found an old gadget in a drawer and wished you could bring it back to life instead of throwing it away?
What happened, in plain words
Julia Evans wanted to fix two rechargeable bike lights bought ten years ago that only held a charge for five minutes. Going to a local community makerspace, she cut open the silicone casing, removed the circuit board, and used a heating tool called a soldering iron to take out the old battery. After figuring out the correct replacement part name, she ordered two new batteries and some glue online. Once the parts arrived, she soldered the new batteries in, glued the cases back together, and successfully tested the lights for night biking.
Key points
- Testing old gear The lights were ten years old and would only stay on for about five minutes after a full charge.
- Getting help at a makerspace Working at a community space allowed the author to use tools like a soldering iron and get advice from friends.
- Figuring out the part An artificial intelligence tool helped identify the battery as an LIR2477, though measuring the dimensions is another way to find battery sizes.
- Putting it back together New parts cost about twenty dollars Canadian, and after soldering and gluing, the repaired lights worked for night bike rides.
Terms explained
- Soldering iron — A pen-shaped tool that heats up to melt a metal alloy called solder, which connects electronic parts together. Example: Using a hot glue gun to stick wood together, except it uses melted metal for wires and circuit boards.
- Circuit board — A green or colored plastic board that holds tiny electronic parts and connects them with printed pathways. Example: The main internal board of a remote control that holds the buttons and computer chips together.
Why it matters
Trying small repair projects can help people learn new skills and save old items from going to the trash, all for a low cost.
What we still don't know
The author notes that this post contains no safety advice. The long-term lifetime of the new batteries is still unknown because they have not been recharged yet.
Based on reporting from Julia Evans. This is an independent explainer, written in our own words with AI assistance; Julia Evans has not reviewed or endorsed it. Read the original for the full details.