Saturday 12 November 2016

The Black Diamond ReVolt headlamp demanding Black Diamond batteries

I have a Black Diamond ReVolt headlamp which is nice with its night vision red light, light intensity variation and USB charging. Now, after 2,5 years of usage the LED:s started to blink red and orange which apparently means the batteries are screwed. The manual says you have to use Black Diamond batteries which is obvious marketing bullshit, so I got some Varta 1000 mAH, 1,2 V rechargable batteries from the closest store.

But as I got home and replaced the batteries the LED:s started to flash red, which means the batteries are not Black Diamond batteries. WTF I though in disbelief, what could be the difference between two types of NiMH 1,2 V, 1000mAH rechargeable batteries? Looking closer at the headlamp I noticed contacts at the - side of the battery holders. In the picture below one of those contacts can be seen to the right (the - side) in the empty slot.


I always wondered why the Black Diamond batteries didn't have that coloured cover along all the length. At first I thought the headlamp checks if there is a connection between the - pole and those weird extra contacts. So I took a knife and cut off the cover at the - end of the batteries (this has been done to the batteries in the picture) and I got the LED:s to blink green (as in charging). Why, Black Diamond, have you done this stupid thing? To sell more batteries?

Update:
Ordering new active carbon for my Katadyn Vario water filter at MontK in Berlin I also talked about headlamps. It turns out Black Diamond has had a lot of trouble with their headlamps so my verdict is clear: Screw it.

Wednesday 9 November 2016

The end of the beginning

All my life I have had the feeling of wanting forward, of never to stagnate, of wanting constant progress in search of something. For a long time it was unclear to me what that something was and I didn't know where to go, what to do. But during the last 15 years it has become clear to me it is love I have been looking for.
It has been hell! I have fought, I have destroyed, I have cried, I have twisted my brain, I have hurt people, I have acted like an asshole but always trying to do the right thing, to take yet another step in the right direction, no matter how tough it has been. I knew I was fighting for something much greater than me, so what did my little life matter. I had to continue.

First I reached out. I have had more relationships than I can remember. I have tried writing, I have hundreds of emails where I have discussed life with loads of people, most of them now unknown to me. I continued the intellectual search with classic Freudian therapy and CBT which made me more aware, intellectually, but it didn't really help. Then I found Zhineng Qigong which has proven to be an absolutely brilliant tool to reach within oneself.

Because within yourself, that is where the key to love is. There is no lack of love, there is no such thing as lack of love. But it is your ability to love that fails. Love is a universal power! It is there for everybody. We can all access it. But you have to clean up whatever mess it is in you that makes it impossible for you to feel it, sense it, be filled with it, become a part of it. To love.

All this trip I have had the feeling of being guided. The realisation I was now strong enough to leave came in January. So I applied for a year off. Then came the idea of an e-bike tour. So I got all the gear, left my apartment and then Sweden. The trip has also been hell! I have cursed, I have frozen, I have yelled, I have suffered but all the time I have had a strong feeling of being on the right track. Being on my way to discover love.

I got there this weekend. I am filled with love. My eyes shine. I expire love! I now understand what it is all about. But there is no point for me to tell you about it because you have to get there yourself. Sure, there are tools that can help you but you have to find out your own truth. YOU have to learn how to love. No one can do that for you. So come on! Get out there, look for your path to love! It is so worth it. The best thing is it will save the world, and how we need that now!