Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 00:40:11 -0400 (EDT) From: Marty Goodman MD KC6YKC Subject: VistaLite vs Night Sun Message-id: <01JF5YMIIURO8X44PZ@delphi.com> VistaLite "NS0 - CAD5" vs NightSun "SunSport" a comparison of two 5 watt MR11 NiCd battery-powered lighting systems (c) Marty Goodman Aug 1999 May be freely reproduced by any NOT FOR PROFIT printed or electronic publication. FOR PROFIT publications should contact MartyGoodman@delphi.com for permission for use. VistaLite and Night Sun have two extremely similar products now on the market. I decided to do a quick comparison of the two. Note that the comparison is based on my experience IN THE FIELD with the Night Sun product, and reports from others concerning the VistaLite product, as well as extensive examination of the VistaLite product in bike shops. The two products: Night Sun "SunSport" retail $90 VistaLite NS0 - CAD5 retail $75 SIMILARITIES These two products will throw essentially the SAME beam of light, for they use the SAME (or extremely similar) MR11 4.8 volt-rated bulbs with a spot beam reflector, powered by similar (tho not identical) NiCd battery packs. Both also use "dumb" wall wart trickle chargers. DIFFERENCES Battery Pack: VistaLite uses 5 Sub C batteries in an aluminum tube, end to end. These would seem to be state of the art capacity batteries, rated at 2.0 amp hours, for a total of 12 watt hours in the pack. Night Sun uses 5 C batteries packaged side by side, in modern vinyl shrink wrap. These batteries are medium to medium high capacity C cells, rated at 2.5 amp hours, for a total of 15 watt hours. The VistaLite battery pack weighs 12 ounces. The Night Sun battery pack, although it uses bigger batteries, has FAR lighter packaging, and weighs 13.5 ounces (weights actually measured on a scale). Night Sun's battery pack actually provides about 10% more run time per unit weight than VistaLite's, due to its use of light vinyl instead of aluminum tubing to house the batteries. Night Sun's battery pack fits far more nicely and easily in one's pocket or in a rear or front bag than does VistaLite's. It offers 10% greater power per unit weight due to it's lighter packaging. VistaLight's battery pack is more physically rugged, perhaps a bit more waterproof, and mounts on a bolt-on holder that you can bolt under your water bottle cage on your frame. IF this mounting arrangement works for you, it seems pretty clever. IF you desire another means of carrying the battery, THEN the battery's shape makes it awkward. Note that VistaLite provides for carrying TWO such batteries in its holder, and a second battery sells for $30 or $40 retail. Lighting Head: Night Sun's lighting head was originally designed for use as a helmet lamp. It works extremely well as such, as a complete system. Night Sun's system includes a nice remote push on push off switch located near the battery. Night Sun later made a handlebar mount adaptor for its Sun Sport lighting head. This adaptor works well, but is not at all easy to install, and harder to remove and put on again, because it entails use of double sided sticky tape and wire ties. Thus it's not suitable for someone who wants to frequently move the lamp from one handlebar to another. Bulb changing is EXTREMELY easy, and requires no tools. On just pops out the old lighting head module and replaces it with a new one from Night Sun (which costs the same as a bulb from VistaLite). There's no provision for horizontal swiveling of the Night Sun lamp when mounted on a handlebar. It adjusts nicely up and down. VistaLite's lighting head was designed to be handlebar-mounted, tho at one time they had a helmet adaptor, and may still sell it. It's one of the better designed bicycle handlebar mounts for a lighting head around. It permits vertical AND horizontal rotation of the positioning of the lamp. It attaches with a very strong clamp, but can be completely removed (or installed) in less than a minute. When removed, there's NOTHING left on the handlebar. Not even a bracket. Bulb replacement can be done in the field without any tools, but takes a bit longer than with the Night Sun SunSport. Both are very light weight (compared to the relatively heavy NiteRider lighting head. VistaLite's lighting head can accept off the shelf industry standard MR11 bulbs in wattages of up thru 15 watts. Night Sun's lighting head requires specially conditioned (coated in rubber with a special connector integrally attached) bulbs, and the ONLY wattage available is 5 watts. Wires and Connectors: Night Sun uses its own custom connectors, which are of high quality and seem likely to be highly waterproof. VistaLite uses generic barrel type power connectors, in the 5.5 mm OD 2.5 mm ID size. These are available everywhere. They're perhaps somewhat less ruggedly water proof than Night Sun's connector. Night Sun uses 24 gauge lampcord-like wire, which is very flexible, but can be accused of being a little on the flimsy side, and just a little bit too small gauge for total efficiency of delivery of power. VistaLite uses what APPEARS to be heavier gauge wire (tho I've not actually cut the current product line open, I HAVE cut on the previous models, which seem to use the same cables), and the physical ruggedness of their cord is significantly greater than Night Sun's. Note that the extra gauge cord and greater ruggedness of the VistaLite cord is not NECESSARILY an advantage. For some prefer the extremely light weight and highly flexible, low volume cord used by Night Sun, which can be snaked conveniently down a shirt or sleeve without being annoying. Note, too, that VistaLite HAS to use higher gauge wire, because they're using the same cables for 5, 10, and 15 watt systems, whereas Night Sun is designing ONLY for a 5 watt bulb. Company Policies: Night Sun's owner, having been badly burned by tinkerers accusing his company of mistakes that the tinkerer was actually responsible for, is extremely reluctant to sell parts to tinkerers, or deal with them in any way. Spare bulbs and batteries are of course available from Night Sun, but you will find it impossible to order from Night Sun bare bulb mounts. I at times have been able to do so for very occasional projects for myself and a few others, by virtue of a special relationship with Tobin of Night Sun. Last time I checked, VistaLite WILL sell individual lighting heads with mount with a bulb installed, for what I believe is $40 retail. VistaLite uses industry standard 5.5 mm OD 2.5 mm ID barrel connectors, which work well, tho are perhaps a bit less ruggedly waterproof than the NightSun connectors. Night Sun is a medium size lighting company that pioneered high power MR type bicycle lighting, and remains today a supplier of some of the best lighting systems around. They can in some respects be considered a small company. Most manufacturing, I believe, is done at their site in California. VistaLite is part of the huge Bell Products conglomerate, and most of their manufacturing is, I believe, done abroad. Both companies enjoy reputations for excellent quality products over the years. Recommendations: These products are remarkably similar. I'd give the Night Sun "SunSport" the edge for use as a helmet lamp, or for use bolted to the front fairing of a recumbent bicycle, where its flat mounting plate and extremely low weight make it go on nicely and securely. The VistaLite is more flexible in terms of what bulbs you can use, and is more accessible to most tinkerers because the lighting head and mount is available as a separate part. I'd give it the edge for use as a handlebar-mounted system.