http://bikeled.org/

[Gregg]

lights - diy aka 'homebrew' know anyone who is skilled enough to make one of these?

http://bikeled.org/

I also sent him an email to see if he knows how to make a strobing tail light.

[Michael Ross]

Gregg,

You and I are skilled enough.  Want to see how much the ingredients cost?   I can work on that too, but not right away.


mike

--
                   Michael E. Ross  
ArcAngle Design | MX Automation | Solco US
=================================
Bachelor of Science Mechanical Engineering
  Machine & Product Design - SolidWorks
    Data Acquisition & Control - LabVIEW
      Finite Element Analysis - Cosmos

 
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          michael...@gmail.com
==============================

[Gregg]

sure,  the guy who put the web site together can't make 'em fast enough. guess I need to make my own.

 

I am more excited about the strobing tail light with huge visibility, but since the recipe for the headlight already exists, that sounds like the place to start.

[W.A. Wells]

 The instructables site has a number of bike lighting projects.  Here is one for a 100 lumen daylight visible light.  Can't speak for the efficacy of this project as I have not tried it myself.

Best,

WA

 

http://www.instructables.com/id/Ultimate-Bike-Light---FrontRear-Combo---100-Lumen/

 

Also, this looks like fun...

http://www.instructables.com/id/Cart-Bike/?utm_source=medrect&utm_medium=cartbike_medrect

On Tue, Jan 6, 2009 at 9:30 AM, Gregg <ggu...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Bike Cruiser]

            You can go to Candlepowerforums bicycle lights section. It have many lights and mounting ideas.

 

 

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/forumdisplay.php?s=25835163cd093be18452405e882ecd0a&f=86

 

Mike
 

[Gregg]

Perhaps a dynamo (hub generator) based headlight based on shimano's newer ones (cheaper than the european ones by about half) ? Since so much of the expense comes from the battery.

 

Or does a hub dynamo put out enough juice at sub-10mph speeds to generate enough light? I am thinking like 800-1000 lumens (45-65 lux). If the hub generator can't generate enough juice at low speeds I'd just as soon stick with a lithium battery. ni-mh batts never work well for me

 

Taillight would be battery powered. If we ever get that far....

 

He doesn't put any other beam shots of reference lights to compare it to but the shots here look pretty cool.

 

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?s=b9bde55a5fda2cea797824542ffcd3a3&t=212531

 

mtbr.com light shootouts has a really cool side by side beam shot comparison of any 2 lights in their database.

[Gloria Bohmuller]

Hi Gregg and Mike
Hope you all had a wonderful holiday season
Have been thinking of you often
Got from Santa New tires and a new crank for the bike.  Hope to ride with you all soon.  I have been riding with Bill West most weekends.  Are you all riding this weekend?
Gloria

[Gregg]

Had a great holiday, hope you and ronnie are well.

 

I asked Bill about Saturday and he said he would be out of town, do you want to try for saturday? So far (5 days out) it looks pretty good - at least the better of the 2 weekend days.

 

Gregg

[Michael Ross]

Gregg,

Even you would be satisfied with the low speed output of the better hub dynos.  B&M and Lightspin I know, the others...not so much.

Mike

[Gregg]

yes...but.... the cost versus the cost of a li-ion battery - not only that but all the home brew stuff that i have seen so far (admittedly, it's not like i have spent a ton of time looking) is dedicated to li-ion battery. so hub system may pose other obstacles that are not addressed by these 'recipes'.

[Bike Cruiser]

             Try  http://www.batteryspace.com/

            Mike

[Gregg]

the web site that I originally linked to had li-ion batts that were very low priced, that is not the issue, the issue as i see it is a)how do the dyno hubs compare price wise to the batts and b) what obstacles do dyno hubs present that are not documented on the home brew sites.

 

If you go to peter white, it would seem to me there are a variety of issues that the dyno hubs present and is it worth the time and expense to accommodate them?

 

To me, it isn't worth it, as my dark/dusk riding is hardly ever more than 2 hours. But if Mike is going to do 200-300k at night, then the dyno hub is of much greater value.

[Gloria Bohmuller]

Hi Gregg
Sounds good to me.  Yep Bill is going to Boston this weekend to watch the Hurricanes play!
I have not been on the bike outside for a few weekends sat sounds good you have a route?

[John Rider]

maybe I'm a curmudgeon here, but you can buy a compact lightweight LED light for a bike for less than $40 that will light your way for over 80 continuous hours of use on three AAA batteries!

 

it seems that the homebrew analogy is appropriate.  back before all the microbrews took off, homebrewing was a great alternative to drinking swill.  now that you can choose from a great selection of brews at any halfway decent grocery store, the only reason to homebrew is if you like spending all your time and resources brewing beer...

 

later,

jr

 

[Gregg]

the route will depend on the weather, especially if it is as windy as today, if it's windy, we'll start out into the wind and until we ready to drop dead and then sail back to the start (about 1/4 mile from wherever we start!) let's hope it's warm/sunny. haven't had many good riding days lately.

[Michael Ross]

You asked, I answered.  I wasn't looking for an argument. The hub dynamos are good enough for safe riding on a road bicycle.  They are durable.  The only thing wrong with them is they are expensive.

You will not be able to get better than car headlight illumination on little batteries for an all night randonneuring ride.  How long will the Li ion last?  You will have to work that out y'sef.   It is as simple as amp hours consumed vs. amp hours storage capacity.  But the hub is guaranteed.

I might be willing to make one, but I was thinking just like John  - it is some sort of weird labor of love, not a rational act.

On Wed, Jan 7, 2009 at 9:23 AM, Gregg <ggu...@gmail.com> wrote:

yes...but....

Even you would be satisfied with the low speed output of the better hub dynos.  B&M and Lightspin I know, the others...not so much.

Mike

On Tue, Jan 6, 2009 at 3:42 PM, Gregg <ggu...@gmail.com> wrote:

Or does a hub dynamo put out enough juice at sub-10mph speeds to generate enough light?

[Michael Ross]

I will ride if it is dry.  I like wind.

On Tue, Jan 6, 2009 at 4:57 PM, Gloria Bohmuller <cher...@embarqmail.com> wrote:

[Gregg]

I didn't think I was arguing, wasn't trying to start one, not looking for one, either.

 

the stuff i have read so far is focused primarily on the li-ion batt as the energy source, the link from the website shows the amp hours. The battery gives about 2 hours run time +/- at full power according to the guy who made the light. I'd be looking for a low setting and maybe a flash setting. Just like my minewtx2.

 

I am not looking to do this as some sort of rational act. As sarcastically stated in my riposte. Why start being rational now? being irrational is so much more fun.

But...if you would be more enthusiastic to try it with a dynamo, then let's try that. Otherwise, no big deal. It's not like I don't have a light! This is more a flight of fancy.

 

I think most of the cheaper lights are crap. You need at least 100 lumens as a minimum for road riding, imo. Of course, in another 12 months, there probably will be several lights that put out that much for below $50.

[Herb Cunningham]

I got into this pretty late, but I got a light from REI that claims about six hours of battery life when fully charged.
Since her majesty won’t ride after work much, I have not really tested it.  We got caught on a gravel trail last year in the dark
And they worked well but only an hour or so.
What about carrying a spare battery?  Seems like if you got up to 12 hours riding, unless your name is Lance, you should be happy.

Herb

On 1/8/09 9:22 AM, "Gregg" <ggu...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Michael Ross]

Gregg,

I will help you put one together.  Your choice of whatever - I don't want one for myself...yet.  It is probably possible to make a setup that will run on a battery and then change it over to an alternator if you ever feel the need.  The main thing would be to know that output of a likely hub and select the LED and other circuitry and battery voltage to correspond with the future hub.

There is another advantage to rolling your own - if you make it right it won't break up on a ride.  I have a number of Cateye lights that have crapped out on me and that is irritating.  They are inexpensive because they are mass produced with spring contacts and probably low cost electrical components, thin foil PCB, easy to assembly sealing.  These are all likely causes of early failure.  You can do better when you make it yourself, but the payback is the payback of the hobbyist, not the payback of a frugal sensible person.

Mike

[Gregg]

>>>not the payback of a frugal sensible person....

 

hmmm.... I am frugal....but on the other hand, I am quite insensible....

 

That's what makes this so difficult....

[Michael Ross]

Hi Herb,

My choice is currently the Cateye EL530 which will run at least 40 hours on 4AA.  I can buy spares on the road most anywhere.  The weight of 4 spares is not more than I can handle.  I wish the EL530 was cheaper.

The 6 hour life is probably for a new battery.  Most rechargables have noticable deterioration after a finite number of charge/discharge cycles.  But 6 hours is useful.  One might commute for a week on that.  Also, the quality and compatibility of the charger matters.  So it is never black and white and always room for kvetching.

Mike

[Michael Ross]

I am afraid if you cost this out is may not be appealing to the frugal side of your personality.  But you might get better light than an EL530 and not pay more.  Have to ignore the time it costs. 

On Thu, Jan 8, 2009 at 1:03 PM, Gregg <ggu...@gmail.com> wrote:

>>>not the payback of a frugal sensible person....

 

hmmm.... I am frugal.

[Gloria Bohmuller]

I can tolerate the wind but slowly
cold is O K if it is at least in the upper 30s
hope to see you all

[Gregg]

deal

[Bohmuller]

I think it will be sunny 

Hope to see you

Gloria

Sent from my iPod

[Michael Ross]

Gregg,

I am bailing.

Mike