Electronics, Lighting, & Gadgets - Total Geekiness

Well, you asked.... ;)

If it had been a horse, we would've taken it out back and shot it. As it was, we donated it. From that day forward, we make a point of telling people about our experience and telling people to stay away from PepBoys.

Eww that's pretty bad. A PepBoy store opened 30mi north of here....next time I"m in the area, I'll check 'em out. PepBoys is nation wide how do you know the problem isn't just local incompetent home-boy mechanics??

Eww that's pretty bad. A PepBoy store opened 30mi north of here....next time I"m in the area, I'll check 'em out. PepBoys is nation wide how do you know the problem isn't just local incompetent home-boy mechanics??

I've heard that PepBoys is running into financial problems, for one thing. For another, PepBoys is national. They have to keep the quality up at *all* of them, or their reputation goes into the ****ter based on one or two shops. Now you've heard of one PepBoys that is horrid. Want to bet there is *at least* one more? And finding that one, want to bet there are several more beyond?

Oh, no! The Geekiness has spread!

My roomie just geeked up his bike with an absurdly powerful LED taillight, accompanied by a flasher circuit with a brake switch sensor. Attached are some pictures.

620nm at ~3.5W: it's what's for dinner!

Covering my eyes,

JAB

I love the threading job he did with the zip ties:
http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=20615

Now that I have replaced the strobe that I could not get to work with a beehive amber LED, I've turned my attention to the front light. I got a 3W Luxeon emitter (100 degree spread) from http://www.superbrightleds.com/MR16_specs.htm . However, when I put it in the Optronics housing it was a bit too long. I went to Home Depot and tried to fit it into every plumbing device I encountered, including some shower heads. Finally, I remembered reading about a home-built light using a Mag-lite as a housing. This is a total theft of idea, and it doesn't come up when I Google on "Mag-lite" + "bike light". My apologies to the brilliant author of the idea. (http://krabach.info/bike_light/bike_light.htm also uses a Mag-lite, but not quite so elegently.) Basically you screw off the head of the Mag-lite, then take the lens cover off and discard the reflector & bulb, save the lens. Pull the MR16 base out of the Optronics housing, insert the MR16 bulb into the base, then drop the bulb & base thru the front of the Mag-light, put the lens back on and replace the lens bezel. Now you take the handle that you removed from the Maglite head and hacksaw off the excess front end (yup, you are going to waste the switch and nice threaded end. For my light the tail end about 1/4 inch short of the knurled grip was about right. Slide the tail end into the head. I first tried to slide a strip of old inner tube over the joint to hold it together but couldn't, however the struggle gave me a good friction fit which I sealed with silicon tape. Next I took one of the many quick bar clamps I have lying around, messiness is usually rewarded, filed off the dog ears that were meant to hold a light base, ran zip ties thru and then snugged them up of the amputated handle. Hopefully, attached photos will help you see what is done. The resulting light is not light, 9 oz, but pretty neat looking on my bike.

Wait a minute, That looks like mine! See it at: WWW.TOURDEPANTS.COM

It Wasn't A New Idea When I Did It Either.

I never said it was a new idea, I first saw it 3 or 4 years ago on the web, but Googling didn't turn it up again, so I couldn't give an attribution, which I thought I explained. I missed yours if you posted here, sorry.

Total Geekdom...

Here's 50 (fifty) watts and about 55 min. run time..

Wait Jean, I think you've got me all wrong... I wasn't saying it was my Idea at all, I was only thinking of a cleaver way to say ME TOO! I Hope I didn't offened you. Have a great Ride! :)

I got a 3W Luxeon emitter (100 degree spread) from http://www.superbrightleds.com/MR16_specs.htm . However, when I put it in the Optronics housing it was a bit too long.

I ran into this problem as well. I drilled out the hole in the back of the Optronics housing. It doesn’t look real nice, but works. Your Mag light setup looks professional.

How do you like 100 degree spread?

I bought the 45 degree and am pretty happy with it. Currently I am running Superbright’s 3 watt (45 degree) and 1 watt (25 degree) .

Hello folks, just thought I’d give an update on some changes that have evolved in my system over the past year. My initial design can be found starting on post #173.

There are three changes of significance:

Changed from halogen to LEDs
I have posts about my Superbright LEDs elsewhere on this thread. After using them throughout the darkest month of the year, I can report my satisfaction. If they made a 5 watt I would buy it and replace my 1 watt (I am running a 1 and a 3), a few more lumens would be nice. But I’m getting about 5 hours (2.5 round trips) from a charge of 12 AAs and that aint bad. By the way, I wrote Superbright and asked them if I could/should use their bulbs like I am and they said absolutely not. But I used them at the tail end of last winter (1 major snow) and all this fall/winter (2 snows and I swear it has been raining for weeks) without problem.

Improved mounting bracket:
I ditched my original light mounting bracket and cannibalized the one off my NightRider system. The mounting bracket on my Digital Pro was the best part of the entire system. Easy on, easy off, can fit on any bike in seconds.

Improved battery container
My original battery container worked ok, but it wasn’t real fast/easy to get on and off. I went with a water bottle setup using a wide mouthed bottle I could fit my original PVC (pipe bomb) setup into. Works great.

All in all, the combination of AAs and LEDs works well for me. I have two battery packs built up and carry the spare in my bag. On one occasion I did forget my spare and ran low on power, I stopped at the local ‘Stop and Rob’ and picked up 12 disposables. The light is adequate for me to see and fantastic to be seen, especially when I have that 3 watt flashing. With my NightRider mounting bracket and water bottle battery pack, I can change bikes in minutes.

Thanks to all the posters on this thread. I love seeing everyone’s ideas, the ingenuity is amazing!

Finally, I remembered reading about a home-built light using a Mag-lite as a housing. This is a total theft of idea, and it doesn't come up when I Google on "Mag-lite" + "bike light". The resulting light is not light, 9 oz, but pretty neat looking on my bike.

Oh so cool. Well it doesn't matter who's idea it was, it's in YOUR bike and you actually made a custom light for your own riding requirements and probably saved a few $$$ too!! Ultra-cool! :)

have any of you guys tried making a light out of those million candle light spot lights like these? http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?CNTTYPE=PROD_META&CNTKEY=misc%2fsearchResults.jsp&BV_SessionID=@@@@2146129668.1105312524@@@@&BV_EngineID=cceeadddifjhdfmcgelceffdfgidgki.0&MID=9876
would it work? any idea? thinking of modifing one of those... any tips and such for a newbie like me?

Jean and others who have tried the Superbrightleds 3W Luxeon MR16, what seems to be the problem with fitting this lamp into the Optronics light? Is it simply a matter of being a bit too long? Also, those of you who have had experience with halogen lights, how would you rate the 3W Luxeon's output in comparison to halogen. Equivalent to 10W? 15W?

I keep looking at those rechargable spots. You can usually get a 500,000 or 750,000 for about $10. The only reason I haven't picked one up to try is that I am having trouble visualizing a sturdy, stable mount. It's one thing to clip on one of the lightweight Optronics lights; it's another to deal with a big chunk with the added weight of the battery. I suppose it would be lighter to use one of the kind with a 12V lighter plug that I could just plug into my battery box; the integral switch would simplify things. Those things are EXTREMELY powerful. You really would have to be careful to keep the beam aimed low so as not to irritate or blind oncoming vehicles.

yea.. that was my biggest problem.. trying a way to mount that thing. i thought some of you guys did it so i could get some ideas..

I choose the 3w luxeon in the 100 degree spread pattern, knowing that I was sacrificing "throw" for width. I chose to do that for two reasons: I'm old enough that my eyes don't adapt well to the dark outside that restricted little spot I was getting with my 10W halogen spots. Also, I have the sneaky feeling that my spot light doesn't make me all that visible to cars that aren't straight ahead. I would say that the 100 degree spread pattern light is about equivalent to a 5 to 6W halogen spot, but much wider. Given that the 1W nighthawk emitter is as bright as my 10W halogen, I think that if I had chosen a narrower angle it it would easily be as bright as my 15W halogen. As it is, with the 3W on, the spot of the 10W halogen gets lost. I really had meant this to be more of a running light or "be seen" light but I'm finding it pretty comfortable to ride with, as long as I use my helmet 1W also.

Jean and others who have tried the Superbrightleds 3W Luxeon MR16, what seems to be the problem with fitting this lamp into the Optronics light? Is it simply a matter of being a bit too long? Also, those of you who have had experience with halogen lights, how would you rate the 3W Luxeon's output in comparison to halogen. Equivalent to 10W? 15W?


RainmanP you ask for it you got it,

“Also, those of you who have had experience with halogen lights, how would you rate the 3W Luxeon's output in comparison to halogen. Equivalent to 10W? 15W?”

I swapped out my 1w LED and put in a 20w Halogen spot (I don’t have a 15w). Took the obligatory pictures, got my @ss out of bed early enough to be sure I was riding in the dark all the way this morning with one Optronics fitted with the LED and the other with the halogen.. The results are in.

I think the 3w LED 24 degree beam is equal to a 20w spot halogen. As you know the colors are different so it is somewhat a matter of preference, but they are so close as far as being able to see the road/path it is a tossup. One thing I found interesting was: if I had the halogen on and turned the LED on (both lights burning), I could see a difference/improvement, but if I had the LED on and turned the halogen on there was no perceptible difference. Again, this may be simply due to color. I took some pictures, but they are too big to upload.

“what seems to be the problem with fitting this lamp into the Optronics light? Is it simply a matter of being a bit too long?”

Yes, it is the length. You may be able to see my solution on the last picture I posted above. I just cut of the ceramic thingy and attached a copper connector that slips over the bulb pin. Then I drilled the hole in the backjust a bit bigger.

I think I’m going to get a 3w 100 degree on Jean’s suggestion and replace my 1w.

Where do I get the L.E.D. 3-watt 100 degree MR 16? It seems like it would last almost seven times as long on the same battery as my 20 watt halogen. Would this be a correct assumption?

Ritz, look up the page a few posts. Jean has a link to the site.

Oops! Thanks RainmanP.

What a wonderful thread, so much info and so many creative ideas! My winter project is to build a lighting system for my Speedmachine. Two systems, actually -- running lights and a headlight. The running lights will be a permanent part of the bike and will comprise turn signals, a tail light and brake light. The headlight system will be removable so I can take it off when I don't need it.

I'm still making the preliminary design decisions right now and will post as I progress.

Okay, this makes me want to go out and get a 3W Luxeon bulb and replace the 10W bulb in my headlight. I'll have a brighter headlight and lower battery usage - winning combination!

OK, just a little geekiness. The LED isn't as bright as I hoped. I found another one that may be brighter. The battery fit great between the rack front and the seat stays. I've had this battery for about 3 years (6V, 5AHr Lead Acid). It's getting a little old. I'll probably replace it this spring,

The switches were fun. I found out the LED like power only one direction - just like diodes (duh!). I had to rewire to send power from the bottom of the bulb and exit the side.

Okay, this makes me want to go out and get a 3W Luxeon bulb and replace the 10W bulb in my headlight.

If I remember correctly (always a big "if" at my age) you are running NiteHawk Duals. Those bulbs are physically smaller than the MR16 Luxeon's I found so you can't do a direct swap. I've used the NiteHawk Duals since 2000, and have found them to be reasonably good lights at a very economical price. My 3wLuxeon was $56, plus $20 for the Optronics lamps that I used for the base only, plus $15 for the Mag-lite that I chopped down, and $20 for the battery pack and charger. So for $111 I've built a long running system, then add the $35 tailight, and $24 for the fork mounted marker lights, and $12 for the car horn and button and we reach a total of $182. At least in my hands, home-made does not equal economical.
Nor is it as light weight as a commercial system. With 2 SLA batteries, and my emergency winter gear, my winter commuter weighs in at 57 lbs (yes, 25.9 kg). I try to think of it as training for touring, but I need to tour for that to be real.

With all the stuff I have on my commuter, I try not to think of the weight. To add salt to injury, I carry a 3 lb laptop to work every day. It is comfy, though. I also tour with it. And it's paid for! :D

If I remember correctly (always a big "if" at my age) you are running NiteHawk Duals.

Nope, mine is the NiteHawk Raptor - the 10W single-bulb setup.

As for expense - I'm a cheapskate at heart! :D I look for cheap deals, and put things together that way.

To add salt to injury...

Minor quibble: the saying is either "to add insult to injury" or "rub salt in a wound". You're metaphore-bashing! ;)

I have always wondered about the visibility of all of my reflective gear. I wear a reflective vest to which I have added an extension with 2 strips of Reflexite to hang further down. On the particular bike I was riding this morning I have two 8-LED truck/trailer marker lights with Reflex lenses which are reflectors even when the lights are off. This morning I was leaving about the same time as my wife so I asked her to let me get a block or two ahead then note how visible I was both with and without the lights on. When I talked to her later she said, "The vest and lights were very visible, but you never turned the lights off." I had. I guess the Reflex lenses work pretty well if she could not tell the difference! With only 8 LEDs each the lights are not nearly as bright as the 54 LED truck brake light on my other commuter, but since they are in a straight line and I have two side by side, they form a quite visible light. The Reflex lenses are an extra benefit. These lights only draw something like .035 amps (verfied with an amp meter) so the two together still draw almost nothing.

I guess the Reflex lenses work pretty well if she could not tell the difference! With only 8 LEDs each the lights are not nearly as bright as the 54 LED truck brake light on my other commuter, but since they are in a straight line and I have two side by side, they form a quite visible light. The Reflex lenses are an extra benefit. These lights only draw something like .035 amps (verfied with an amp meter) so the two together still draw almost nothing.

For people running non-12V systems...
Found that variable Voltage means that you can use any power source within that range. I love my 18V setup. The battery doesn't bogg me down on the hills.

Rainmanp,
You've been running those lights for...almost a year? Where did you get the Reflex lenses?

Jean,
Sounds like you're ready for some lighter upgrades. My first setup was pretty heavy. But now the bike runs about 22lbs with bottle of water and full lights. Keep going till you get a good solution.

vr, I got the 1284R light shown on this page:
http://www.led-r-us.com/smlights.shtml

It is two pieces with a gasket so wiring connections are well-protected, and it surface mounts with a couple of screws. No pigtail or grommet required. I have been planning to replace this setup with the 5526R shown here:
http://www.led-r-us.com/sttlights.shtml

Since the Reflex seems to work pretty well I may just add a third to my setup. When I made the mount I wanted two lights set wide so I went ahead and made it wide enough for 3 of the 1284R. I even drilled screw holes for mounting 3 even though I was only putting two on at the time. I knew this day would come. The 1284 only draws .035 amp which I confirmed with an amp meter.

Hello from a commuter in Manila, Philippines,

I was hoping I could find opinion on overvolting my 20w 12v MR-11 homemade light.

I have now gone back to using my old 12v 5Ah lead acid since my 4Ah NiMH pack died last month. I found out that only one cell was shorted, the rest are still healthy. While Im still finding time to rebuild the NiMH pack I thought of using 2 of the NiMH cells in series with the lead acid to overvolt by 20%. Actually Ive tried it but only for a few seconds fearing something might explode or something. The light output was way brighter and whiter.

Can this circuit sustain a hour's worth of commute? Or will it be dangerous?

Best regards,

Edgar Jocson

I'm pretty sure I have read in more than one source that it is NOT a good idea to mix battery types like that because of different discharge characteristics. I am no expert, but I would not do it.
FWIW,
Raymond

I'm pretty sure I have read in more than one source that it is NOT a good idea to mix battery types like that because of different discharge characteristics.
FWIW,
Raymond
Ya, I think Raymond's right, I wouldn't do it. I'm not expert either, but that's what I've always read.

Ya, I think Raymond's right, I wouldn't do it. I'm not expert either, but that's what I've always read.

I agree, I have read that somewhere too. Don't do it.

It's always good practice to err on the side of caution.

Quick update on my Speedmachine running light project. Here in Ontario all motor vehicles must have daytime running lights, i.e. the headlights are always on day and night. Without getting into the politics of the matter, in my opinion as a cyclist they are a good thing. I can see vehicles approaching from much farther away, both in front and especially in my mirror. It also helps differentiate moving traffic from parked vehicles.

So because I ride this bike on the road my plan is to install daytime running lights. I decided to go with a 12 volt system (actually a 14.8V Li Ion 4 AH pack from Batteryspace.com) because I can use a standard automotive taillight unit, and it give me more flexibility and sufficient watt-hours for long rides. The system will include:

- A LED tail light/stop light. I ordered one each of the red 4" round and 2" x 6" rectangular truck lights from Superbright LEDS and we'll see which shape works best. I took the rack off my bike so the rear lights will be mounted on the back of the seat shell.

- Front and rear turn signals, each unit using 4 of the amber spider LEDs from Quickar wired in series. Not sure if they will be bright enough, but they will run at up to 70 ma., and at 10 cents each I couldn't resist. The idea is that they will normally be steady on, but when I signal a turn the two units on the same side will flash on and off. For housings I have some Cateye TL-LD120FCs that I can use.

- A 1 Watt LED headlight that will be on day and night. I plan to use this one http://tinyurl.com/4caed, but I'll remove the battery box and hook it into the 12V system.

- An instrument light on the handlebar to light my computer and HRM at night. Not sure how to construct this yet.

All this will be hooked into a junction box under the seat that includes a jack for the battery charger and the flasher and battery protection circuits. The battery will fit under the seat shell and will be almost completely hidden. All this will become a permanent part of the bike. For nighttime riding I will build a separate, removable headlight system, something like a 15 - 20 Watt halogen or maybe HID. I've ordered most of the parts but haven't yet received them. I'll post as I progress.

The spider (piranha) LEDs from Quickar arrived today - 120 of them in a little bag. They are for the turn signals and they're fairly bright. I took the photo with room lighting and a desk lamp. The 5 LEDs are in series drawing 70 ma. and the total Vf of the string is almost exactly 10V, so I can use 5 LEDs instead of 4 in each turn signal unit. The Li Ion battery will put out about 16.4V fully charged and there will be a 12V cutoff, so I'll have to use a regulator. Something like a 7812 in a TO220 package should work and they are cheap.

Still thinking about the handlebar switch. I bought a cheap turn signal called a Eurolight to get the switch. It has a master on-off switch with a power LED, a turn signal switch with green signal LEDs and a beeper. If I don't use the switch unit the wire will come in handy.

Uh, my photo seems to have disappeared. How do you post a photo?

Can you give us a source for the Eurolight turn signal switch? As far as posting pictures go, I usually upload them to another photo website and post the url using the insert image icon.

I bought the Eurolight at http://clipbrite2000.net/beamer_2000.htm.

I had trouble with the switch not being waterproof on the clip brite. Hopefully the newer models address this problem.

I remember someone saying that water got in the beeper hole. I just might make up my own switch box.

Here's the photo for msg 640: http://uploads.freeupload.net/users/uploads/dscn0002r.jpg

Been busy with work so I haven't had much time to spend in the shop. The turn signal flasher circuit is almost finalized. Here's a shot of it on a breadboard:

http://img217.exs.cx/img217/3036/dscn0012r2zg.jpg

On the left side are the 7812 12V regulator, the 2 power MOSFETS (IRFZ34N) and at the very left side buried under the wiring is a 555 timer that generates the flasher signal. On the right are the 4 sets of turn signal LEDs. Each set has 5 Quickar amber Piranha LEDs wired in series. The front and rear pairs are wired in parallel and each side is controlled by a MOSFET. I included a hazard option where all 4 flash together. I gutted the Eurolight handlebar unit, which is made of nice tough plastic, and will use my own switches.

The daytime headlight I'm using http://tinyurl.com/4caed is a sealed unit with a 1Watt LED and a series resistor inside and is designed to be powered by 4 AA cells. In fact it draws just under 300ma at 6V, so connecting it to the nominal 12V electrical system would require adding an external series dropping resistor and wasting that power. Instead I decided to use that excess voltage to power my Warp Drive™. My Warp Drive consists of 2 cyan Luxeon Emitter LEDs connected in series with the headlight. They will be installed inside a minibox mounted on the back of the seat, and will shine down on the back wheel and illuminate the road in that area. Should look awesome at night! Here's a shot of the 2 Emitters in series with the headlight on my bench:

http://img60.exs.cx:81/img60/7509/3seriesemitters7yh.jpg

Those babies are really bright. The 3 LEDs in series supplied by a 7812 regulator (the black device with the metal tab on the breadboard) draw about 275ma. which is well below their 350ma. max rating. Here's a closeup of an Emitter:

http://img60.exs.cx/img60/3081/emittercloseup0dd.jpg

It's a little more than 1/4" dia. Did I mention it's bright? I'm still working out how to package all the electronics. There will be a plastic minibox attached to the back of the seat with a tail/stop light and rear turn signals attached, and the battery will be velcroed to the underside of the seat, but I might need a second minibox if there isn't enough room in the first.

Here's the schematic for the battery voltage monitor:

http://img151.exs.cx/img151/7118/batterymonitor2dm.jpg

I'm using a Batteryspace 14.8V 4AH Li Ion pack that puts out anywhere from 16.8V fully charged to shutdown at 12V. I wanted something simple that would tell me the charge state of the battery at a glance. The monitor has a red and a green LED which will be mounted in the handlebar switch unit:

- At full charge the green LED is on and the red LED is off
- At 14.8V (approx. 50% capacity) the red LED starts to light
- At 13.8V both LEDs are on
- At 13.2V (approx. 10% capacity) the green LED turns off and the red LED stays lit

With a different voltage zener diode the circuit will work with other batteries, such as a 12V SLA. I will also incorporate a separate low voltage cutoff circuit that will disconnect the battery at 12V to avoid overdischarging the pack.

By my calculations I should get between 4 and 5 hours of running time on a charge with everything turned on, depending on how much I use the brake. If I turn off the LED headlight and Warp Drive, runtime should be around 10 hours.

Here's the battery and charger:

http://img57.exs.cx/img57/3056/batterycharger6nv.jpg

The lumpiness on the top of the battery is the built-in battery protection circuit board that includes overcharge, overdischarge, and overcurrent protection. Batteryspace says their low voltage cutoff is set to 2.5V which is too low for my liking so mine will shut down at 3V per cell.

Wow that's a small battery! Nice work!

Here's the current version of the complete Speedmachine circuit:

http://img221.exs.cx/img221/8633/speedmachineschematic1074wr.jpg

The main sections are labeled in blue. The flasher oscillator is an LM555 connected as an astable multivibrator. It continuously generates an approx. 1/2 Hz 8 Volt square wave that is applied to the emitters of both 2N3904 transistors. Looking at the left signal circuit at the top of the diagram, the IRFZ34N MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) controls the current to the left side front and rear turn signal LED units. Under normal conditions the 2N3904 transistor is turned on, which biases the gate of the MOSFET high, so it conducts and the LEDs get power. The oscillator output has no effect as long as the 2N3904 is conducting.

Now when the left turn signal switch is closed, it brings the base of the 2N3904 low and it stops conducting. This allows the oscillator output to control the gate of the MOSFET, switching it on and off and thereby flashing the left turn signals. The right turn signal works the same way.

The hazard flasher switch clamps the bases of both 2N3904s low, turning the transistors off and applying the oscillator output to the gates of both MOSFETs, causing all four turn signal units to flash on and off in unison. The 1N914 diodes connected to the hazard switch isolate the left and right circuits from each other.

The VN0300L MOSFETS control the turn signal indicators on the handlebar unit. When the IRFZ34Ns are conducting and the turn signals are lit, the VN0300Ls and the indicators are turned off. When the turn signals turn off, the indicators turn on. This 180° phase shift is necessary because under normal conditions (no signalling) the turn signal LEDs are on steady, acting as daytime running lights and contributing to the visibility of the bike in traffic. The turn signal indicators will therefore be normally off and will only light when a turn is signalled or the hazard flasher is on. A small piezo beeper is connected to the drains of the two VN0300Ls through isolating diodes with a trimpot to adjust the volume. The beeper sounds when either left or right or both indicators flash. The beeper will go in the handlebar unit if there is enough room.

I described the battery voltage monitor in my previous msg. The power supply section consists of the battery, a low voltage cutoff (LVC) circuit, and three 7812 voltage regulators. Each regulator supplies approx. 300ma. which is well below the 1 Amp max. rating. Since the headlight/Warp Drive will be turned off only on rare occasions when I need to conserve battery power, I decided not to add a separate switch. Instead I will use the Hi-Off-Low-Off polyswitch that is built into the Nite Hawk Emitter headlight. More details on the LVC later.

Wow that's a small battery! Nice work!

Yes, it's light too, only 13 oz. It will nestle in under the seat nicely.

How do drivers react to the signals? Do they understand?