Advocacy & Safety - Self sufficient headlamp?

My fiancee sent me a link to this today http://geektechnique.org/projectlab/511 For those of you who don't want to read it, it's an article by this guy who rigged a hand charger to fit his bicycle and charge his ipod while riding. If he can do that for his mp3 player, why can't we run a 10w headlamp (with OR without batteries) off the same thing? Anyone willing to try this project? I'm not very handy, but I might take this challenge over the Summer and stop charging batteries for every 2 hour ride I will do at night.

My fiancee sent me a link to this today http://geektechnique.org/projectlab/511 For those of you who don't want to read it, it's an article by this guy who rigged a hand charger to fit his bicycle and charge his ipod while riding. If he can do that for his mp3 player, why can't we run a 10w headlamp (with OR without batteries) off the same thing? Anyone willing to try this project? I'm not very handy, but I might take this challenge over the Summer and stop charging batteries for every 2 hour ride I will do at night.

There are already generator hubs and lights: http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/lightingsystems.htm

No need to reinvent the wheel.

10 watts is a lot for a bike dynamo. Try 3 watts.

There are chargers like that for phones etc. you can buy.

Why not just be happy with modern rechargable units?

Because those rechargeable batteries are heavy, have low run time, and stop holding a charge after so many cycles. Not to mention the waste they create when they're done. But it looks like you'd get too much drag trying to squeeze 10 watts out of those things, and the lower wattage lights are fairly dim. Ah well. Thanks for the link, I might try one of those but I'm pretty sure the 5 watt system will still be too dim.

Because those rechargeable batteries are heavy, have low run time, and stop holding a charge after so many cycles. Not to mention the waste they create when they're done. But it looks like you'd get too much drag trying to squeeze 10 watts out of those things, and the lower wattage lights are fairly dim. Ah well. Thanks for the link, I might try one of those but I'm pretty sure the 5 watt system will still be too dim.

12 hours is not long enough? Mine goes for 8 and in the summer that's close to all night. They go for years depending on what type of battery you buy. The left over heavy metal is a problem, yes.
It's easier to carry the weight than it is to power the dynamo.

So.. recycle your batteries. Or use rechargeable batteries.

- Warren

3 watts is plenty if you use an efficient lamp unit rather than some generic beam. Cycle lamps are designed to throw a concentrated rectangular pattern onto the road and a peripheral star pattern so you can be seen from the side.
You can use them in conjunction with battery lamps so you have one "always on" system and another when you need a boost.
Hub generators are the best for regular use in fould weather, bottle generators are better for occasional use but need to be mounted well.

Because those rechargeable batteries are heavy, have low run time, and stop holding a charge after so many cycles. Not to mention the waste they create when they're done. But it looks like you'd get too much drag trying to squeeze 10 watts out of those things, and the lower wattage lights are fairly dim. Ah well. Thanks for the link, I might try one of those but I'm pretty sure the 5 watt system will still be too dim.
Well, now you've got me thinking. You know those gasoline/electric hybrid cars? Why not use a hub dynamo to supplement a rechargeable battery? Maybe the battery could boost the wattage, and the hub generator could reduce the size of the battery. Hm.