Frequently Asked Questions

You've told me the Lumen output, but whats that in Watts?

LED's are basically classified in Lumens not Watts. The older LED's that we used on previous models were rated at 5W or 120 lumens each, but in practise these were much brighter than 15W Halogens. The current LED is approx twice the output of the old LED each LED produces 240 lumens on the high setting. So the Joystick produces 240, the race 480 and the Enduro 720 lumens.
Unfortunately it is all a bit subjective and unsatisfactory but we should all try to talk in Lumens when relating to LED's.
USE only uses the very best and latest technology, no other light units will be able to produce more light per LED.

I have an Exposure light that I brought 6/12/18 months ago. Will there be an upgrade/trade in programme available?

No, the new 2008 MaXx range of lights have changed completely. The electronics are not retro fittable to our older lights, and it would not be at all cost effective to offer a reduced rate upgrade programme.

On the plus side, the new MaXx lights are cheaper than before.

Why do Exposure Lights use LEDs?

LED’s are very robust, have a long life span, and are exceptionally efficient which makes them particularly suitable for portable battery powered lights. The main reasons for this is due to their 'solid state' - you will often hear LED reffered to as 'solid state lighting', which effectively means that there are no moving parts, or sensitive filaments such as in halogen or precision electrodes in HID systems.

The advantage of 'solid state' means that as a light is bounced around, and turned on and off repeatedly (for example when on a mountain bike), there is no chance of damage to the light source. This means that the LEDs we use are proven to be good for up to 1,000,000 - 100,000 hours of illumination. Compare this to 2,000 - 3,000 hours with a HID system. Efficiency of over 135 lm/w is acheivable, and 150 lm/w has been proven in laboratory testing by the same company that supplies our LEDs, both being far in excess of other light source. Finally, LEDs do not need heavy 'ballast' as an HID light does. Take all these advantages into account, and it becomes clear why LEDs are very much the lights of the future!

What LED's do Exposure Lights use?

The Race & Enduro Turbo use 2 X 5W emitters and the Joystick uses 1 X 3W emitter.
The new MaXx range use Seoul LED emitters - 1 in the Joystick, 2 in the Race and 3 in the Enduro.

What are the lenses constructed from?

The lenses are essentially made from plastic. The lenses we are using have been designed to utilise the phenomenon of 'total internal reflection'. This is the only way of transmitting light that has been found to be 100% efficient, much more so than reflectors (as used in our competitions lights). The actual material used is know generally as optical plastic, although the specific material that our lens manufacturer uses is a trade secret.

What batteries do Exposure Lights use?

All Exposure Lights use market leaders, Sanyo, Lithium-ion batteries. These batteries are very versatile and user friendly, as well as being extremely light and compact. The batteries do not have a memory like NiMh which allow the battery to withstand "abusive charging" - Just like your mobile phone.

Why don't Exposure Lights use HID (Halide) bulbs?

These bulbs are very fragile and expensive to replace. They only have a limited life span and often need replacing after 1-2years (depending on use).

How often can I turn on/off my Exposure Lights?

You can turn your Exposure Lights on/off (and through all the operations functions) as many times as you like without harming the LEDs (or any other part of the system).

Do Exposure Lights have a flashing/strobe feature?

The flashing mode can be used in many situations and is a key feature to alert people to your whereabouts. The new MaXx light still maintains the flash feature but is improved and is more of a "pulse".

Where are Exposure Lights made?

Exposure Lights are designed and built in the UK by Ultimate Sports Engineering (www.use1.com ).

Where can I see a set of the Exposure Lights?

The majority of dealers on our dealer list have demo units for customers to “try before they buy.” Contact your local dealer to arrange a test. Take a look at our dealer listing page to find your local MaXx stockist / Demo Centre.

Where can I buy a set of Exposure Lights?

All lights are purchased from your local dealer. View the dealer listing page to locate your nearest dealer.

Do you sell direct to the public?

Exposure Lights do not sell the Exposure Lights direct to the public. We deal in the UK through our distributors AMBA Marketing and Greyville Enterprises. We also sell directly to local dealers.

What should I do if I experience a problem with my Exposure Light?

In the unlikely case you experience a fault with your Exposure Lights, contact your place of purchase or us. Depending on the fault experienced, most faults can be "solved" wihout the need to return the unit. If the unit needs to be returned to us, we recommend it is sent using recorded post (or similar method) and that the item/s are packaged correctly. It is the senders responsibility to ensure the item arrives with us.

Other than the Joystick / Joystick MaXx, are your other lights helmet mounted?

The Joystick and Joystick MaXx are our only 2 helmet mounted models of light.

The Race and Enduro Models are purely handlebar mounted lights.

Can I interchange the Lithium-Ion batteries between Exposure models?

No.

The 05 / 06 / 07 lights have removeable batteries, the 08 MaXx lights have hard wired batteries but can have interchangeable 1 or 3 cell Piggyback batteries attached for extended, flexible burn times.

Does a Race or Enduro light confuse my wireless cycle computer?

Yes it can. There can be some localised interference to other transmittted signals such at wireless cycle computers and heart rate monitors. The interference will be greater on the higher light settings. Our suggestion is to more the light and computer as far apart as possible. The Exposure Lights' aluminum body does a good job at shielding most of the "pulsing" from the light but if the computer is very close it can effect the readings.

If the charge port on my lights gets wet, will it short out the light?

If you have a 2005 model Race or Enduro light you must not let water get into the charge port. When on the handlebar bracket it is sealed against the O-Ring.
The 2006 / 07 model lights (Race Turbo / Enduro Turbo / Joystick) all have weatherproof charge ports. The two pins that you can see accept charge but are not "live" when using the light. You will NOT short out the light if the charge port gets wet during use.
The MaXx charger port is again weatherproof, but is still not designed to be submerged in water.
The charge port does not have any cover to make it easy to re-charge regularly. Should you get mud in the port we recommend cleaning with a small brush. Do not use high pressure water and do not submerge the light.
The 2008 MaXx range has a revised charger port system - this again is weatherproof and water resistant. Please avoid directly spraying / pouring water into the charger port as this may damage the lights internals.

Is it OK to spray my light with WD40 to protect it?

No it is not suggested. To clean the external body of the light, simply use a toothbrush and water. Under no circumstances should anything be sprayed internally, this will leave a residue which will cause far more harm than good and will invalidate your warranty.

What do I do in the event that my MaXx lights' battery fails?

The MaXx lights have a highly reliable lithium-ion battery hard wired into them. We have used lithium-ion taechnology since the word go, and they have proved very successful. In the extremely unlikely event that you suffer a failure, the light is covered under a 2 year warranty, where the battery will be replaced F.O.C. Under no circumstances must you attempt to fix the light yourself - any attempt to will immediately void your warranty.