Bike Dynamo Lights Illegal?
Alasdair Baxter
light associated with my bicycle dyamo lighting system. The sales
assistant told me Halfords didn't sell them since rear lamps lit by a
dynamo were no longer legal since they automatically went out when the
bike was stopped e.g. at traffic lights. He added that his father had
been "done" for this a few weeks ago.
I was able, however, to buy the relevant bulb 15 minutes later at a
small independent cycle shop.
Any views on the legality or otherwise of bike dynamo lighting would
be appreciated.
--
Alasdair Baxter, Nottingham, UK.Tel +44 115 9705100; Fax +44 115 9423263
"It's not what you say that matters but how you say it.
It's not what you do that matters but how you do it"
Telegraph
(Alasdair Baxter) wrote:
>I visited a local Halfords branch yesterday to buy a bulb for the rear
>light associated with my bicycle dyamo lighting system. The sales
>assistant told me Halfords didn't sell them since rear lamps lit by a
>dynamo were no longer legal since they automatically went out when the
>bike was stopped e.g. at traffic lights. He added that his father had
>been "done" for this a few weeks ago.
Who ever heard of bikes stopping at traffic lights? :-)
---
Tel
Gott mit Uns
John Kenyon
Alasdair Baxter wrote:
>
> I visited a local Halfords branch yesterday to buy a bulb for the rear
> light associated with my bicycle dyamo lighting system. The sales
> assistant told me Halfords didn't sell them since rear lamps lit by a
> dynamo were no longer legal since they automatically went out when the
> bike was stopped e.g. at traffic lights. He added that his father had
> been "done" for this a few weeks ago.
>
> I was able, however, to buy the relevant bulb 15 minutes later at a
> small independent cycle shop.
>
> Any views on the legality or otherwise of bike dynamo lighting would
> be appreciated.
More Halfords b*****ks.
The main reason for cycle lighting is so that other road users can see
the cyclist. If you ain't moving you don't need to be seen (assuming
that you are intelligent enough to stop out of the traffic.)
Personally I prefer battery powered lights fitted with xenon bulbs
The batteries might not last as long, but at least _I_ can see where
I'm going on unlit roads.
/John
--
All views expressed are mine, not my employers.
Replies to the newsgroup please, setting follow-ups if reqd.
Change the .l to l for email
Andrew Henry
Alasdair Baxter <alas...@inveriggan.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
>I visited a local Halfords branch yesterday to buy a bulb for the rear
>light associated with my bicycle dyamo lighting system. The sales
>assistant told me Halfords didn't sell them since rear lamps lit by a
>dynamo were no longer legal since they automatically went out when the
>bike was stopped e.g. at traffic lights. He added that his father had
>been "done" for this a few weeks ago.
>
>I was able, however, to buy the relevant bulb 15 minutes later at a
>small independent cycle shop.
>
>Any views on the legality or otherwise of bike dynamo lighting would
>be appreciated.
It is perfectly legal to use dynamo lights. These can either pass
the British Standard, or the equivalent standard from another EU
country like Germany.
If you have a rear light that goes out when you stop, then you are not
supposed to stop in the centre of the road if you want to turn right
at night. You can either
stop on the nearside pavement and wait for a gap
fit a "standlight". This will typically use red LEDs that run from
a big capacitor. This gets charged whilst you ride normally and
will power the lights for 10-15 minutes.
fit a battery powered light. LEDs are good as they are more efficient.
However a lot of the LED lights on the market don't have very good
reflector design. BS6102/3 approved LED lights are available and
they are better. This then means that you can fit a 3W front light bulb.
--
Andrew Henry
ahe...@cyberpass.net
N Finnigan
news:38F6DADB...@et.l.ericsson.se...
> The main reason for cycle lighting is so that other road users can see
> the cyclist. If you ain't moving you don't need to be seen (assuming
> that you are intelligent enough to stop out of the traffic.)
If I'm waiting to go ahead at traffic lights, I would like oncoming
traffic, which is going to turn right, to see me. However, I'm also
aware that there is no guarantee of this, even with a light.
N Finnigan
news:38f67f58...@news.freeserve.co.uk...
> I visited a local Halfords branch yesterday to buy a bulb for the rear
> light associated with my bicycle dyamo lighting system. The sales
> assistant told me Halfords didn't sell them since
Was the bulb really different to one for battery lighting systems?
> rear lamps lit by a
> dynamo were no longer legal since they automatically went out when the
> bike was stopped e.g. at traffic lights. He added that his father had
> been "done" for this a few weeks ago
I doubt that he would have been 'done' for having some lights.
Any offence would presumably be the lack of a BS light.
Andrew Henry
>Alasdair Baxter <alas...@inveriggan.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
>news:38f67f58...@news.freeserve.co.uk...
>> I visited a local Halfords branch yesterday to buy a bulb for the rear
>> light associated with my bicycle dyamo lighting system. The sales
>> assistant told me Halfords didn't sell them since
> Was the bulb really different to one for battery lighting systems?
Yes. Rear bulbs for dynamo lights are 6V 0.1A (0.6W).
Bulbs for battery lights are 1.2W at least, and are
often rated for 2.4 or 4.8V.
--
Andrew Henry
ahe...@cyberpass.net
Clive Page
Andrew Henry <ahe...@cyberpass.net> wrote:
>If you have a rear light that goes out when you stop, then you are not
>supposed to stop in the centre of the road if you want to turn right
>at night.
I appreciate that that's good advice (and indeed it is why I got a battery
light to replace my dynamo) but are you implying that it is actually
against the law to stop anywhere except by the kerb - if so which law
passed when? Does the Highway Code say anything about it (I don't have a
copy here)?
--
--
Clive Page,
Dept of Physics & Astronomy,
University of Leicester.
Andrew Henry
Clive Page <c...@nospam.le.ac.uk> wrote:
>In article <8d6tpt$f...@cyberpass.net>,
>Andrew Henry <ahe...@cyberpass.net> wrote:
>>If you have a rear light that goes out when you stop, then you are not
>>supposed to stop in the centre of the road if you want to turn right
>>at night.
>I appreciate that that's good advice (and indeed it is why I got a battery
>light to replace my dynamo) but are you implying that it is actually
>against the law to stop anywhere except by the kerb - if so which law
>passed when? Does the Highway Code say anything about it (I don't have a
>copy here)?
I have read something about this. It was probably on the bikecurrent
mailing list.
The Highway Code for Young Road Users at
http://www.roads.detr.gov.uk/roadsafety/highway/yhc3.htm says
48 If you want to turn right, it is more difficult and
dangerous to move to the middle of the road when it is dark.
Stop on the left hand side and wait for a gap in the traffic
before you turn.
--
Andrew Henry
ahe...@cyberpass.net
Rainer Thonnes
Clive Page <c...@nospam.le.ac.uk> writes:
>
>I appreciate that that's good advice (and indeed it is why I got a battery
>light to replace my dynamo) but are you implying that it is actually
>against the law to stop anywhere except by the kerb - if so which law
>passed when? Does the Highway Code say anything about it (I don't have a
>copy here)?
The Highway Code (1993 edition), in appendix E, refers to RVLR No 24
when it says that you MUST, at night, if you are stationary without
lights, keep as close as possible to the nearside edge of the road.
Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989
That doesn't actually mean "by the kerb" (indeed there may well not
be a kerb), but it's pretty close.
Tim Jacobs
news:8d6tpt$f...@cyberpass.net...
> In article <38f67f58...@news.freeserve.co.uk>,
> Alasdair Baxter <alas...@inveriggan.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
> >light associated with my bicycle dyamo lighting system. The sales
> >dynamo were no longer legal since they automatically went out when the
> >bike was stopped e.g. at traffic lights. He added that his father had
> >
> >I was able, however, to buy the relevant bulb 15 minutes later at a
> >small independent cycle shop.
> >
> >Any views on the legality or otherwise of bike dynamo lighting would
> >be appreciated.
>
> It is perfectly legal to use dynamo lights. These can either pass
> the British Standard, or the equivalent standard from another EU
> country like Germany.
>
> supposed to stop in the centre of the road if you want to turn right
>
> stop on the nearside pavement and wait for a gap
>
> fit a "standlight". This will typically use red LEDs that run from
> a big capacitor. This gets charged whilst you ride normally and
> will power the lights for 10-15 minutes.
>
> fit a battery powered light. LEDs are good as they are more efficient.
> However a lot of the LED lights on the market don't have very good
> reflector design. BS6102/3 approved LED lights are available and
> they are better. This then means that you can fit a 3W front light bulb.
AIUI, the Visibly flashing LED lights are illegal if they are fitted to the
bike. Steady illumination or very high frequency (so fast it looks like
it's always on - PWM is more effficient at brightness control than a
resistor).
Tim
--
Tim Jacobs timothy...@gecm.com
These are my views, not those of my employer.
Richard Bristow
nicked a cyclist for having a dynamo without a battery backup would suffer
months of canteen ribaldry - that's if the policemen I know are in any way
typical.
Not exactly Dirty Harry is it?
barnabypr...@my-deja.com
ahe...@cyberpass.net (Andrew Henry) wrote:
> In article <8d72c4$qv0$2...@supernews.com>, N Finnigan <n...@genie.co.uk>
wrote:
> >Alasdair Baxter <alas...@inveriggan.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in
message
> >news:38f67f58...@news.freeserve.co.uk...
>
rear
> >> light associated with my bicycle dyamo lighting system. The sales
> >> assistant told me Halfords didn't sell them since
>
>
> Yes. Rear bulbs for dynamo lights are 6V 0.1A (0.6W).
> Bulbs for battery lights are 1.2W at least, and are
> often rated for 2.4 or 4.8V.
>
> --
> Andrew Henry
> ahe...@cyberpass.net
>
with a 50\55w dipped\full beam combo running of a 7.2 A/h battery.
People still try regularly to mow me down, though, under, I guess, the
mistaken assumption that I'm on a motorbike. That, or they know who I
am...
For what it's worth I have a nephew in Chelmsford who was "tugged" (his
phrase) regularly by the police for having a flashing LED rear lights.
Using one constant BS approved, and one flashing seems to have solved
this problem, tho'.
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
Adrian Boliston
> supposed to stop in the centre of the road if you want to turn right
> at night. You can either
This is an interesting one. I mean what happens if you are on a multi-lane
road, which most city roads are these days, and you are in the right hand
lane waiting to turn right. Are you supposed to cross back into the left
hand lane, (which may have fast moving traffic going straight on), so that
you can wait on the nearside pavement?? Anyway, most city streets are
pretty well lit, particularly at junctions. The biggest risk that cyclists
put themselves to is just plain *stupid* riding, like not leaving enough
room to pass parked cars, and swerving out at the last second, and just
sailing through red lights without even checking for cross traffic!
John Boyle
<ahe...@cyberpass.net> writes
>In article <8d72c4$qv0$2...@supernews.com>, N Finnigan
><n...@genie.co.uk> wrote:
>>Alasdair Baxter <alas...@inveriggan.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in
>message
>>news:38f67f58...@news.freeserve.co.uk...
>
>>> I visited a local Halfords branch yesterday to buy a bulb for the rear
>>> light associated with my bicycle dyamo lighting system. The sales
>>> assistant told me Halfords didn't sell them since
>
>> Was the bulb really different to one for battery lighting systems?
>
>Yes. Rear bulbs for dynamo lights are 6V 0.1A (0.6W).
>Bulbs for battery lights are 1.2W at least, and are
>often rated for 2.4 or 4.8V.
>
40+ years ago, all dynamos had a back up battery pack fittted in a
tube that was attached to the bikes frame, so that a steady state of
lighting was produced. My mum's bike had one, as did the guy
from the water board. the local police sergeants was a grey bike
and his had one too.
I was always told this was because bike lights had to be steady
lights which were on at all times during darkness. Seems quite
sensible and logical to me.
--
John Boyle
Terry Harper
>> Alasdair Baxter <alas...@inveriggan.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
>> >light associated with my bicycle dyamo lighting system. The sales
>> >dynamo were no longer legal since they automatically went out when the
>> >bike was stopped e.g. at traffic lights. He added that his father had
>> >been "done" for this a few weeks ago.
>>
>> the British Standard, or the equivalent standard from another EU
>> country like Germany.
>>
>> supposed to stop in the centre of the road if you want to turn right
>> at night. You can either
>>
>bike. Steady illumination or very high frequency (so fast it looks like
>it's always on - PWM is more effficient at brightness control than a
>resistor).
>
the headlamp, which you could switch to if you were going too slowly for the
lights to be sufficiently bright. That assumes that you can still get that
type of battery.
Also a little personal energy saved when going uphill.
--
Terry Harper, Web Co-ordinator, The Omnibus Society
http://www.omnibussoc.org
E-mail: terry....@btinternet.com
URL: http://www.terry.harper.btinternet.co.uk/
David Hansen
alas...@inveriggan.freeserve.co.uk (Alasdair Baxter) wrote this:-
>I visited a local Halfords branch yesterday to buy a bulb for the rear
>light associated with my bicycle dyamo lighting system. The sales
>assistant told me Halfords didn't sell them since rear lamps lit by a
>dynamo were no longer legal since they automatically went out when the
>bike was stopped e.g. at traffic lights.
The assistant at Halfords is wrong, in part. Dynamo lights are
perfectly legal for use on the roads. However, it is not allowed for
someone using dynamo lights alone to turn right in the normal way at a
junction, because the lights will go out if they stop. They should
turn right having stopped at the left side of the road (undoubtedly
more dangerous than the lights going out, but secondary legislation
(as I gather this is) and sense don't always go together).
If the dynamo lights stay on then when stopped I find it difficult to
see this legislation being enforcable and there are always secondary
battery lights.
David Hansen | david...@NO.spidacom.co.SPAMuk | PGP email preferred
Edinburgh | CI$ number 100024,3247 | key number 5432274D
Due to the amount of spam now killing e-mail I have modified my address
to reply remove SEND NO SPAM.
Tim Jacobs
news:8d7dg6$hcq$1...@nnrp1.deja.com...
>
> For what it's worth I have a nephew in Chelmsford who was "tugged" (his
> phrase) regularly by the police for having a flashing LED rear lights.
> Using one constant BS approved, and one flashing seems to have solved
> this problem, tho'.
AIUI, flashing lights are illegal if fitted to the bike.
Paul C. Dickie
<ahe...@cyberpass.net> writes
>In article <8d72c4$qv0$2...@supernews.com>, N Finnigan <n...@genie.co.uk> wrote:
>>Alasdair Baxter <alas...@inveriggan.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
>>news:38f67f58...@news.freeserve.co.uk...
>>> light associated with my bicycle dyamo lighting system. The sales
>>> assistant told me Halfords didn't sell them since
>
>Yes. Rear bulbs for dynamo lights are 6V 0.1A (0.6W).
>Bulbs for battery lights are 1.2W at least, and are
>often rated for 2.4 or 4.8V.
Why don't you use the dynamo to charge a pack of five NiCd cells and so
use the brighter bulbs powered from the batteries?
--
< Paul >
Andrew Henry
Paul C. Dickie <p...@bozzie.f9.co.uk> wrote:
>Why don't you use the dynamo to charge a pack of five NiCd cells and so
>use the brighter bulbs powered from the batteries?
For rear lights, red LEDs are significantly more efficient than a
filament bulb and red filter.
The problem with a Nicad packs with a dynamo is that the Nicads
will discharge on their own if you leave them for long enough.
Most people don't want to use bottle dynamos when they don't need
the light as it feels like your being slowed down. If you have to
let people charge the Nicads from the mains, then you're adding in
another layer of complexity.
If you use a Nicad pack thats small enough to be able to charge just
from the dynamo, then you also need to worry about overcharging the
cells. Including circuits to control the charging rate is another
layer of complexity.
A bicycle is an extremely harsh environment for electrical bits and
pieces. They are exposed to the weather and physical damage, and the
market dictates that the selling price has to be very low. It means
that there is a big difference between what ought to be possible and
what is economically viable.
Having said that, better quality dynamo systems for the mass market
are on the way. Schmidt hub dynamos are efficient enough (65%) so
that you can leave it running all the time without worrying about
the lost energy. With the lights on, you use the same energy as
if you were riding up a 1 in 1000 gradient. If the lights are off,
then its like riding up a 1 in 5000 gradient. At the moment, Schmidt
hub dynamos with a front light are 125 quid, which is a problem for
people who think you pay that much for a brand new bike.
--
Andrew Henry
ahe...@cyberpass.net
Andrew Henry
>40+ years ago, all dynamos had a back up battery pack fittted in a
>tube that was attached to the bikes frame, so that a steady state of
>lighting was produced. My mum's bike had one, as did the guy
>from the water board. the local police sergeants was a grey bike
>and his had one too.
>I was always told this was because bike lights had to be steady
>lights which were on at all times during darkness. Seems quite
>sensible and logical to me.
The problem with these is that its not at all easy to build
systems like this that are cheap and reliable. Back up
batteries that get charged by the dynamo have been available
for a long time, but they have all been pretty unreliable.
The modern ones are better, but they use 1 Farad capacitors
and LEDs and these weren't available for a reasonable price
until recently.
--
Andrew Henry
ahe...@cyberpass.net
Rainer Thonnes
ahe...@cyberpass.net (Andrew Henry) writes:
>John Boyle <jo...@chartw.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>>40+ years ago, all dynamos had a back up battery pack fittted in a
>>tube that was attached to the bikes frame, so that a steady state of
>>lighting was produced.
>
>systems like this that are cheap and reliable. Back up
>batteries that get charged by the dynamo have been available
>for a long time, but they have all been pretty unreliable.
>The modern ones are better, but they use 1 Farad capacitors
>and LEDs and these weren't available for a reasonable price
>until recently.
The real trouble is that your usual variety of rechargeables are
NiCd, which are unsuitable for this type of use because of the
"memory" effect. But you can get lead-acid ones.
John Boyle
<ahe...@cyberpass.net> writes
> Back up
>batteries that get charged by the dynamo have been available
>for a long time, but they have all been pretty unreliable.
>The modern ones are better, but they use 1 Farad capacitors
>and LEDs and these weren't available for a reasonable price
>until recently.
>
fair enough, but as more person-bicycle-miles were pedalled in
the past than are today, and as the proportion of 'fun' riding as
opposed to genuine 'transport' riding is higher today than ever
before (in other words 40 years ago a bike was used for
work/shopping etc., by lots of people everyday and a lot at night,
whereby now lots of people HAVE bikes but use them for fun
during the day,) are you saying nobody bothered with battery
backups?
I seem to remember lots of those tubular thingies with wires
coming out of them attached to LOTS of bikes, even the butchers
lads bike had one!
I don't reckon those batteries that they used were anything
special. Couldn't they just have been normal types but worked in a
way so that they were only drained when the dynamo wasn't
working? so they wouldn't have been rechargeable as such, (so
no need for farads) just there as backup and would run out
eventually anyway?
All too modern for my grandad (sadly departed) he had some
thing connected to a gas thingy for his bike lamp!
--
John Boyle
Andrew Henry
Rainer Thonnes <r...@dcs.ed.ac.uk> wrote:
>The real trouble is that your usual variety of rechargeables are
>NiCd, which are unsuitable for this type of use because of the
>"memory" effect. But you can get lead-acid ones.
The Nicad Memory Effect is real, but its irrelevant for most
people unless they are building solar powered satelites. To
see it, you need to charge and discharge the Nicads to within
a couple of percent of the same level for hundreds of cycles.
The real thing that kills Nicads is overcharging and
running Nicad packs flat until the weakest cells
get reverse charged by the strongest ones.
For more informatoin, see
http://www.norder.demon.nl/ncbatterys.htm or
http://www.repairfaq.org/ELE/F_Battery_info.html
--
Andrew Henry
ahe...@cyberpass.net
Rainer Thonnes
John Boyle <jo...@chartw.demon.co.uk> writes:
>
>All too modern for my grandad (sadly departed) he had some
>thing connected to a gas thingy for his bike lamp!
Sure it wasn't a thingy for burning magnesium strip?
Andrew Henry
John Boyle <jo...@chartw.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>I seem to remember lots of those tubular thingies with wires
>coming out of them attached to LOTS of bikes, even the butchers
>lads bike had one!
It doesn't mean that they worked!
>I don't reckon those batteries that they used were anything
>special. Couldn't they just have been normal types but worked in a
>way so that they were only drained when the dynamo wasn't
>working? so they wouldn't have been rechargeable as such, (so
>no need for farads) just there as backup and would run out
>eventually anyway?
Batteries from then would have leaked after a while in any case.
>All too modern for my grandad (sadly departed) he had some
>thing connected to a gas thingy for his bike lamp!
Acetylene lamps were a bit dangerous, but gave much more
light than any dynamo, and most battery powered systems.
--
Andrew Henry
ahe...@cyberpass.net
Nik.Morgan
> In article <tP2BUMAr...@chartw.demon.co.uk>,
> John Boyle <jo...@chartw.demon.co.uk> writes:
> >
> >All too modern for my grandad (sadly departed) he had some
> >thing connected to a gas thingy for his bike lamp!
>
> Sure it wasn't a thingy for burning magnesium strip?
It would be a carbide lamp.
NM
John Boyle
<ahe...@cyberpass.net> writes
>In article <tP2BUMAr...@chartw.demon.co.uk>,
>John Boyle <jo...@chartw.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>I seem to remember lots of those tubular thingies with wires
>>coming out of them attached to LOTS of bikes, even the butchers
>>lads bike had one!
>
>It doesn't mean that they worked!
That could be why the butchers lad never delivered at night!
>
>>I don't reckon those batteries that they used were anything
>>special. Couldn't they just have been normal types but worked in a
>>way so that they were only drained when the dynamo wasn't
>>working? so they wouldn't have been rechargeable as such, (so
>>no need for farads) just there as backup and would run out
>>eventually anyway?
>
>Batteries from then would have leaked after a while in any case.
Thats definitely true, as i found out to my cost when i tried to
dismantle my mum's battery pack (the one on her bike that is)
>
>>All too modern for my grandad (sadly departed) he had some
>>thing connected to a gas thingy for his bike lamp!
>
>Acetylene lamps were a bit dangerous, but gave much more
>light than any dynamo, and most battery powered systems.
>
That'l explain why he always found his way home form the pub
then!
--
John Boyle
John Boyle
<r...@dcs.ed.ac.uk> writes
>In article <tP2BUMAr...@chartw.demon.co.uk>,
> John Boyle <jo...@chartw.demon.co.uk> writes:
>>
>>All too modern for my grandad (sadly departed) he had some
>>thing connected to a gas thingy for his bike lamp!
>
yep, 'cos he always called it his 'gas thingy'.
--
John Boyle
Alasdair Baxter
wrote:
>Acetylene lamps were a bit dangerous, but gave much more
>light than any dynamo, and most battery powered systems.
I'm not aware that they were dangerous. I've never heard of one
blowing up. You just had to make sure that the water dripping on to
the calcium carbide was at the right rate. They could be messy and it
was a smelly job cleaning out the sludge.
I doubt they would meet EC guidelines these days.
--
Alasdair Baxter, Nottingham, UK.Tel +44 115 9705100; Fax +44 115 9423263
"It's not what you say that matters but how you say it.
It's not what you do that matters but how you do it"
Jon Rouse
>I'm not aware that they were dangerous. I've never heard of one
>blowing up. You just had to make sure that the water dripping on to
>the calcium carbide was at the right rate. They could be messy and it
>was a smelly job cleaning out the sludge.
>
>I doubt they would meet EC guidelines these days.
You can still buy them from any good caving shop. They will even keep
burning underwater for a certain length of time.
--
The views expressed are my own, and may not necessarily reflect those of my
employer.
Bill Borland
>coming out of them attached to LOTS of bikes, even the butchers
>lads bike had one!
>
Yes, I had one 40 years ago but there was nothing automatic or
rechargeable about it. It merely held 3 or 4 (can't remember) of
what were then called U2s (now D cells, I think), with a change-over
switch on the headlamp - centre off, right dynamo, left batteries.
No difficulties, as long as one remembered to switch back to dynamo
on starting to move.
Regards,
--
Bill Borland ... there is no new thing under the sun.
... Is there any thing whereof it may be said
See, this is new? - it hath been already of old time.
(Ecclesiastes 1, vv 9,10)
John Boyle
Borland <bi...@g3efs.demon.co.uk> writes
>In article <tP2BUMAr...@chartw.demon.co.uk>, John Boyle
><jo...@chartw.demon.co.uk> writes
>>
>>I seem to remember lots of those tubular thingies with wires
>>coming out of them attached to LOTS of bikes, even the butchers
>>lads bike had one!
>>
>
>Yes, I had one 40 years ago but there was nothing automatic or
>rechargeable about it. It merely held 3 or 4 (can't remember) of
>what were then called U2s (now D cells, I think), with a change-over
>switch on the headlamp - centre off, right dynamo, left batteries.
>No difficulties, as long as one remembered to switch back to dynamo
>on starting to move.
Ah! I'd forgotten about the switch. thanks for reminding me.
(I am too young to have owned one myself you understand.........
--
John Boyle
chiron...@googlemail.com
Tosspot
> Rectifier attached to two 2.7 v 5 Farad capacitors keeps lights on
> for a few minutes
event. At the very least...
NY
news:QI-dnQ-ZxK_cFtPH...@giganews.com...
bicycle, or would they be the size of dustbins?
Tosspot
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/products/7637769/
Or less pikey version;
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/products/0271192/
NY
a dustbin", given that electrolytics of a few hundred uF can be maybe 1"
diameter by 2" long.
I presume the capacitors mentioned above have a rated voltage (eg 2.7V)
because of breakdown of dialectric above a certain level. 2.5 V or 2.7 V is
very precise. Shame it's not fractionally higher then you could charge them
with two 1.5V cells in series.
By the way, what does the phrase "You're crossing the streams" mean?
Tosspot
Nightjar
...
> of a dustbin", given that electrolytics of a few hundred uF can be maybe
I used a one farad electrolytic capacitor to smooth the supply for a
UK101 computer I built from a kit. It was about the size of a Red Bull
can. It also ran the computer for about 10 seconds after I turned off
the power.
--
--
Colin Bignell