Just Got GE Enbrighten LED Lantern

[markr6]

Looks like someone contacted the very same foreign company that made the lantern for G.E.

Yeah same colors and font, just no meatball

 

[Poppy]

The 4D cell Traditional Lantern model does the same as well. They all step down numerous times, not just once. I haven't tested if it's voltage related or time related yet. I plan to later by connecting them to a power supply, but am still testing runtimes with batteries of various lanterns.

The Costco 4D/8D (GE) Enbrighten lanterns do not appear to have the same behavior as the 6D cell model Raggie has. This can be seen in the graphs I posted in post #54.

What are the numbers at the bottom of the graph?

 

[Subterrestrial]

What are the numbers at the bottom of the graph?

Looks like run time in seconds.

 

[Stereodude]

What are the numbers at the bottom of the graph?

Looks like run time in seconds.

Subterrestrial is correct. It's the runtime in seconds.

 

[raggie33]

started over now at 15 hours and like 40 percent brigtnesss

 

[raggie33]

same brightness 16 hours . took to park and I can see well

 

[raggie33]

25 hours and like 27 percent

 

[raggie33]

26.5 like 20 percent

 

[Stereodude]

26.5 like 20 percent

You have a lux meter?

 

[raggie33]

yep but it don't show time

 

[Opteniak]

RE: GE Enbrighten LED Lantern

I realize that this is an old thread but hope someone can answer me.

I have a couple of these that I bought at Costco. I keep batteries in them for emergency use. For some reason they are draining the batteries while turned off. Anyone else having that problem or do I simply have a defective lamp.

Thanks

 

[Subterrestrial]

Re: GE Enbrighten LED Lantern

I realize that this is an old thread but hope someone can answer me.

I have a couple of these that I bought at Costco. I keep batteries in them for emergency use. For some reason they are draining the batteries while turned off. Anyone else having that problem or do I simply have a defective lamp.

Thanks

Sounds like parasitic drain, which can be an issue with electronic switches. I don't have one myself and I'm not sure if anyone has measured it. I realize it's not necessarily ideal to store the batteries outside of the lantern, but that's one possible solution. How flat is the top? With some of my wider, flatter lanterns I can set them upside and unscrew the top until the batteries lose contact. That way I don't need to actually remove them.

 

[LEDAdd1ct]

Re: GE Enbrighten LED Lantern

I've lost more than one light to alkalines that puked their guts. :-(

What chemistry are you using?

 

[modern_primitive]

I know that this post is really old, but I too have questions about these lanterns. I bought a couple of them from Costco, put them in the closet and forgot about them. I wanted to convert everything to lithium ion, so I started looking for nominal voltage on my various lights. Unfortunately, I am not highly educated in the area of led technology, and have a small grasp on electricity. I read in this post that some 8 cell have markings and can run off of only 4 cells, but mine simply has green stickers in each battery slot, showing orientation. How can I determine the voltage requirements for these, so that I don't burn them up, attempting to use li ion, instead of alkaline?

 

[Dave_H]

I know that this post is really old, but I too have questions about these lanterns. I bought a couple of them from Costco, put them in the closet and forgot about them. I wanted to convert everything to lithium ion, so I started looking for nominal voltage on my various lights. Unfortunately, I am not highly educated in the area of led technology, and have a small grasp on electricity. I read in this post that some 8 cell have markings and can run off of only 4 cells, but mine simply has green stickers in each battery slot, showing orientation. How can I determine the voltage requirements for these, so that I don't burn them up, attempting to use li ion, instead of alkaline?

Since you are new to this and have not done such a conversion before (I haven't either) could I
suggest looking at some alternatives. Screwing up with Li-ion can have consequences, sometimes
bad ones.

(1) Leave as-is and find suitable lantern with built-in Lithium Ion battery and charging system.

(2) Find a way to power from an external Li-ion battery pack which already has a proper
charging system. The lantern would likely need to run on 5v (through USB or otherwise).

You also need some basic equipment (Digital Multimeter) and understand its use.

Does this lantern run OK on 4 of 8 cells...should not be difficult to determine.

Dave

 

[Lynx_Arc]

I agree with Dave-H here. When working with lithium ion you really need to get "up to speed" because there is some danger involved and you can do things wrong and cause damage and harm either during the "upgrade" or after when you are using it things go bad.
Without knowing the voltage/battery setup it is hard to make a recommendation because there is circuitry in the lantern itself that you have to match the voltage it is designed for if you get too low voltage it may not work or be dimmer than is useful and too high it will likely burn things up in the end the lantern would be trash. Since lithium ion closely matches 3x1.5 type cells optimal matching would be 3/6/9 batteries in the lantern being replaced by 1/2 lithium ion. The easiest is to have 1/2/3 in parallel lithium cells if you go for series you would need different circuitry to protect and charge batteries with. with 6v you may be able to use a power bank at 5V instead.
A lantern that large should encourage a more powerful battery pack instead of a single or perhaps 2 cells you may want a larger amount the most that will easily fit in it. D cells are close to the length of 18650s but likely you would need to remove or destroy some of the battery compartment to fit them properly and make some alternative mounting solution, incorporating charging circuitry into the lantern also with a charging connector/port. The cost of parts and work and some electronic expertise may be more than you want to invest.
There are ready made LED lanterns that run off lithium ion cells available now but you will likely only see them online, in stores the lanterns with rechargeable cells won't have them swappable when somewhere down the line they wear out.
I have a few of these Chinese 1x18650 lanterns that are only 4x2.5 inches that are about 300 lumens with 5 modes (2 red modes). that you can swap the battery in/out.
I started to mod several lanterns but never got that far due to funds at that time. I've found the huge 4/8D lanterns no longer attractive to me you don't need the size and bulk to get 500+ lumens any more I got rid of all my large Rayovac Fluoro lanterns long ago.

I think my tiny lanterns are too small for complete use. I started a project of converting a 4AA lantern to LED but ran short of funds long ago I may take it back up now parts are a lot more available and a lot cheaper. I plan on having a super bright mode (1000+lumens) and think multiple emitters to increase efficiency using high power 150-200 lumens/watt emitters and powered by 4x18650 cells . I've figured out the battery holder setup but need charging and power bank circuitry and LEDs and driver for them. I want the lantern to have a reverse clicky so when it is off..... there is no drain on the batteries at all so it can sit for years unattended.

 

[Poppy]

I know that this post is really old, but I too have questions about these lanterns. I bought a couple of them from Costco, put them in the closet and forgot about them. I wanted to convert everything to lithium ion, so I started looking for nominal voltage on my various lights. Unfortunately, I am not highly educated in the area of led technology, and have a small grasp on electricity. I read in this post that some 8 cell have markings and can run off of only 4 cells, but mine simply has green stickers in each battery slot, showing orientation. How can I determine the voltage requirements for these, so that I don't burn them up, attempting to use li ion, instead of alkaline?

Lynx_Arc,
Good explanation

primitive,
I applaud you for wanting to upgrade from alkaline to Li ion, but in this case I don't think it is worth the effort.

Considering the fact that your units have sat in the closet for years, it is obvious that they get very little use. Therefore the cost savings of going from alkalines to rechargeable batteries will be minimal.

D cell alkaline batteries compare well to 3400 mah LiIon batteries if you keep their amperage draw at or below 1 amp. I'd just run it on alkalines, with the caveat of NEVER running it on high, because the batteries deplete too quickly on high.

 

[snakebite]

its obvious the 4-8 d units have a buck reg.
the 3-6 cell likely resistor and pwm.
which would work well with li-ion.
the 4-8 cell i would sweep with my bench supply to see how it performs on 3-4.2v.
i would guess poorly.