LEDs battery life: how does this work?

[vavet]

Cheap headlight and taillight combo for my bicycle.
seems like lower output taillights should have much longer battery life...and it does if it’s flashing. The life is shorter compared to the headlight if they are both on steady.
how? Why?

 

[dchawk81]

Cheap headlight and taillight combo for my bicycle.
seems like lower output taillights should have much longer battery life...and it does if it’s flashing. The life is shorter compared to the headlight if they are both on steady.
how? Why?

Hold on. Gotta math.

 

[dchawk81]

Okay so both numbers are bigger on flash vs steady. Which makes sense. What's your deal again?

 

[cybrdyke]

cuz electronics are weird like that....
CD

 

[dchawk81]

Maybe the flash "off" interval is longer on the brake light.

 

[inphx]

Maybe the ic that can do the flashing is in the circuit

 

[djbmw]

I would bet the actual COBs are different (if you remove the red plastic tail light lense, will the COB shine white, or is the COB/LED a red LED?). If my assumption is correct then they will both have different power draws.