Old No.800 bike light battery converters

[IanNVJ35]

Remember the 800 battery - it used to power front and rear lights. I have quite a collection of these lights and it would be nice to have a few running. However to use U2 size batteries it needs a converter as attached.

However this one was the last the shop had, they have closed and I don't know the manufacturer or what they were called. I would like a few more if possible.

If anyone knows some more details please do share.

[Herald1360]

You'll be lucky- ISTR they were only around for a very short period until a few diehards like us had one. Everyone else did what Ever Ready wanted and bought new plastic lamps with a better beam pattern but also much shorter lives before they became unreliable and needed replacing again. Historically the 800 battery was the best available on a £/lb basis- certainly far cheaper than the same two cells arranged in parallel in an LT battery, and noticeably cheaper than two U2s.

The initial rot set in even earlier when the reliable old screw down top contact switch was replaced by various flimsy slide or rotary efforts.

You can make up 800s though using the cells from a 6V Lantern Battery plus some bog roll tubes and bits of brass and wire and it should be relatively easy to modify a twin D-cell battery holder in a similar fashion with a spacer block at the bottom.

Good luck with your search!

[Andrew B]

Goodness me !! U2 batteries, haven't heard that term for years. I also had the lamps that took the 300 battery, but after the acquisition of a Sturmey dyno-hub, I changed the bulbs for 6 volt, dumped the batteries and "hard wired" the lamps permanently on.

I would say it wouldn't be too hard to modify a dual "D" cell holder using hot glue/brass strip etc for just a few shillings.

[Brigham]

Making up adaptors and the like is OK until you take the lid off. Re-creating the original pattern battery is more satisfactory.

[emeritus]

I seem to remember that my local cycle shop still had Ray-o-Vac No.800's on sale after Ever-Ready stopped making them (although these could have been old stock), and that Ray-o-vac also supplied adaptors. By then I was already using the plastic Ever-Ready lamps.

[Andrew B]

Problem with the plastic ever-ready lights was if you went over a bump or rode on anything rougher than a snooker table, the lens would drop off and all the "innerds" would spread themselves over the road.

[IanNVJ35]

Thanks for the input.

I have been doing a bit more online hunting and it seems that there is barely any mention of these converters - let alone one for sale. Kind of as I suspected, but at least I know where I stand. I too had the plastic one but it had multiple problems, mainly the light bouncing and flickering due to the flexing of the case. Then there was the batteries bursting out and that stupid switch. I then bought a pair of those Duracell locking bike lights (remember them?) but the centre of gravity was wrong and the light slumped. I wish Ever Ready had just 'U2'd' the old metal one by a slight redesign. I still have a few of the single cell U2 Ever Ready rear lights from the late 40's - remember them? Green with a screw down reflector and spring inside. Really solid design. Sorry for rambling, just love the old stuff.

[Jonster]

Definitely the sort of thing that once the measurements have been taken, a 3D printer could be used to replicate...

I use contemporary Ever Ready bike lights on my 1973 Raleigh Wayfarer, it is worth noting that modern LED bulbs are available to fit all these older style lamps and torches giving them a new lease of life, mine give amazing light output which is constant light output over a wide voltage range, so a slight internal resistance in the switching doesn't cause flickering like it did with the incandescent bulbs, and you get every last drop of juice out of the batteries.

[Andrew B]

Hi Jonster.

I have seen the new LED hi viz eyeburners, all I can say is and they certainly get you noticed. To drift (very slightly) I had a Raleigh "Shopper" with a dynohub, excellent source of power nowadays for the 5 volt USB young 'uns, 6 watts is a lot of power if used wisely.

Off, dim and flicker? Lucas OMG. Off, quiet and crackle? Ever Deady was his brother

[camtechman]

Just noticed, in the first photo, is part of an address. It's the trading/manufacturing estate where I once worked for Ever Ready batteries.

Great days, except most Ever Ready workers were constantly covered in black carbon from the production of zinc carbon batteries. Even staff like me with an office, several blocks from battery production, had to have the office cleaned twice a day to remove traces of it.

[newlite4]

It is very difficult to source reliable cycle lamps these days. I bought a nice set of Bycignals lamps at the car boot last summer but they soon broke down due to vibration. I have a few wartime issue Oldham lamps (one with the blackout hood), I may well have to bring them in to service if good new lamps are difficult to obtain.
Neil

[Bob_Moss]

Ian,
I have one of these for the price of postage if you're interested. My Ever Ready cycle lamp gave up the ghost years ago and now I have an Ever Ready Space Beam I need no other torch!
Send me a PM and I'll post it off.

BTW, the 800 cycle lamp was made up of two 'F' cells. F cells are still available in rechargeable form from some outlets.

Also, I'm led to believe that the 996 lantern battery as used in some Roberts radios (R707) is made up of 4 'F' cells and these are 'cheap as chips'.

[IanNVJ35]

Originally Posted by camtechman

Just noticed, in the first photo, is part of an address. It's the trading/manufacturing estate where I once worked for Ever Ready batteries.

Well that's a coincidence - as it was the back of a Ferguson VCR service manual!

I do use my bike daily and have a very bright LED light (Cateye) however the light is very 'flat' in my opinion and I sometimes miss things along the dark ways I ride and last week I struck a small dark log that had fallen - the LED never showed it up. Bulbs lights still have a place I think (well as long as they are well maintained).

Bob, that is a very kind offer I must say - I will PM you.

I have always loved illumination and bulbs - even as a tiny child. Something about a filament in a glass ball that twinkles and lights the dark that is so fascinating and wonderful. I sometimes light one up to just see the filament burn...

[Oldcodger]

AH- the olde Ever Ready cycle battery. Lots of in what was then PO days found that as we needed to have lights to get to work, we'd use the old equivalent of the D type ( U2, was it?) in our top switched lamps. Simple mod- cardboard in the bottom, solder + of one to -ve of other and sit that at bottom of case. Worked for both front and rear. Two advantages- (free source) ,and the shelf life of the U2 was far superior to the proper cells.

[IanNVJ35]

What about the front battery contact for the bulb. If U2's can be made to fir with a bit of soldering and card I'd love to know more.

[Herald1360]

The front battery contact for the bulb base is simply a suitably shaped bit of brass strip soldered at the right height to the case of the cell at the bottom of the series pair. Same as in the 800 battery itself. Just need a suitable packing piece (lump of wood) raise the top height of the U2s (D-cells) so that the other bit of brass strip soldered to to top pip of the top cell in the series pair makes contact with the switch.

Possibly awkward with metal sheathed alkaline cells instead of bare zinc cased ones, but suitable origami of the strip could allow it to be soldered to the base of the relevant cell.