Preliminary troubleshooting of early edition K-Lite headlamp. See question at end, too.

[Patrick Moore]

I posted this with a bump on the iBoblist and no one answered, so I took my toys and went home. Perhaps someone here has some ideas.

I just discovered that the (I think) first edition K-Lite headlight that I bought for the Matthews dirt road bike in late 2015 or early 2016 is no longer working.

Perhaps someone can help me think this through.

Here is the system: 

1. Wire from dynamo to on/off switch: permanent attachment.

2. Wire from switch to capacitor (high/low switch on capacitor): plug.

3. Wire from capacitor to headlight: permanent.

4. Wire from switch to rear light: plug.

The dynamo powers the rear light; and the rear light stays on well after the wheel stops spinning, so the wires to on/off switch and switch to capacitor and from switch to rear light are working.

The problem then must be either in #3, permanently attached wire from capacitor to headlight, or in the headlight.

Is that right?

Next question: How do I test whether it’s this permanent capacitor-to-headlight wire or the headlight itself?

Question at end: what would you recommend for a replacement dynamo headlight, for riding on sandy bosque roads and trails where (for me) lumens or lux are everything? The original Edelux is not bright enough for my bad night vision and I don’t need a cutoff, tho’ that would be nice. Raw power.

It would be good to get something more straightforward than the K-Lite with its mass of wires (wire from hub to light is permanently attached) and capacitor/control boxes.

I would use the SP hub/s and the same tail light with any new hub.

Given that I already have 2 front wheels (smooth and knobby tires) with SP hubs, I’ll not consider a battery light replacement at this point.

Thanks.

--

Patrick Moore

Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum

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When thou didst not, savage, know thine own meaning,

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[Patrick Moore]

Update: I just heard from the owner in AUS who says that, after 10 years, most likely the light just died; they no longer carry parts for that older system.

My Edelux I is still going strong, purchased in 2010 or so …

Question at end: what would you recommend for a replacement dynamo headlight, for riding on sandy bosque roads and trails where (for me) lumens or lux are everything? The original Edelux is not bright enough for my bad night vision and I don’t need a cutoff, tho’ that would be nice. Raw power.

It would be good to get something more straightforward than the K-Lite with its mass of wires (wire from hub to light is permanently attached) and capacitor/control boxes.

I would use the SP hub/s and the same tail light with any new hub.