Walter S

I need to replace the regular in my charging circuit. There are two circuits that come off of the hub, one for the lights and another for the regulator that then charges my battery pack.

Do I need to replace the connector? Or can I take it apart and feed it the wiring from my new regulator? The connector looks like maybe you can pop the top off of it and service it that way. But I'm reluctant to try without knowing that because I don't want to destroy it and put my lights out of commission while I find a replacement.

Anybody know how these work? Can I pop off the top? Can the wires then just be slid out of there or is there a crimping mechanism inside to deal with?

Agent 9

I don't have a dynamo hub, but have looked into them in the past, and you are most definitely able to remove the connector without damaging anything; looking at Shimano's PDF here https://www.shimano.com/media/techdoc...9830673555.pdf you should be able to just slide it off and then back on later.

unterhausen

yes, most people take the Shimano connectors apart at least occasionally. You take it apart, push some stripped wire through the holes, bend the wire over the top of the gray part of the connector, and put it back together again. The wire itself is the contact, it's a simple and effective system. To disassemble, push the little tab in until the black part comes off of the gray part

Pedaleur

unterhausen speaks the truth.

Note that you can buy them separately, if you know where to look.

Also note that you might want to have one set of wires coming out of the connector and then split them elsewhere. There isn't a whole lot of room in the connector (obviously, it depends on the wire gauge) and if you're not careful, it's easy to get a strand or two crossing over and making a short.

Rowan

I also suggest joining the wires elsewhere. The wiring for the light that came with mine was quite heavy gauge. And the warning on strands crossing over is vitally important.

Ditto others on the ease of taking the connector apart, though.

fietsbob

Now I am forewarned.. have a Brompton-Shimano Dynamo-hub wheel enroute from Calhoun in MN.

wire may not be suitable for solder tinning , because of the way it has to conform to how it fits in the plug.

randomgear

I've been running a pair of B&M IQ flys off my Shimano DH-3N71 for a couple of years - I've run both leads directly into the hub connector. And yes, it's a bit snug. Doing single leads and joining them later in a removable connection would probably have been the better choice; but I don't plan on fixing it 'till it breaks.

Rowan

This is correct. The wire effectively has to bend back on itself, which creates the "anchor" in the fitting so you can pull the connector off the terminals with the wire without much fear of it pulling the wire out. Tinning it would not be a good idea, and probably wouldn't achieve much, anyway.

Rowan

The wires for the B&M lights are quite thin, and I can see that you could get away with inserting both in the fitting at once. Unfortunately, rules for randonnees in Australia require two headlights with different power sources, which is a nuisance.

I am about to order, I hope, two new DH 3N72B hubs for our Thorn touring bikes. I am looking forward to getting what I consider bargains at around $AUD105 for each one. There will be a third one for my old Fuji Touring which will become a commuter. SON and Shimano dynohubs will be equal in our household then.

Pedaleur

Sure it can be done. Just not with my skills... ;-)

One of these days I'm going to redo my setup, which at the moment consists of a homemade front light and B&M rear. I'd like to make a little central hub where the power goes in with connectors for lights, USB charger, and batteries and then run everything off that. Could be cool. Could be a year before I get to it...

Tourist in MSN

You have to be able to unplug the connector at the hub, otherwise it would be really hard to fix a flat.

They sometimes are out of stock when their website says they have them. But right now it lists a large number in stock so they probably have them.
https://www.niagaracycle.com/categori...ctor-cap-cover

I use an SP Dynamo, I am told they are the same connectors as the Shimano but have not checked yet. At this time, I am using a pair of lights built for bottle generators, the lights have no switch, my off switch is to unplug the wires at the hub.

Long term, I anticipate having lights and wires on two bikes, but only one wheel with hub dynamo.

I zip-tied wires to my fork and use spade type connectors at the light and the hub connector at the dropout. I am using heavier duty wire I got at the hardware store. I did it this way so that I could unhook the spade connectors at the upper end and plug the spade connectors into a USB charger when I get around to getting one. And, I did it this way so I could switch wheels with another bike when I finally get around to zip-tying wires and putting a light on that bike too.

Walter S

Thanks. As Max would say, Easy as cake.

wahoonc

I have taken mine apart a couple of times when I switched out headlights. I also have a spare plug just because. For the price it is worth having a spare. I like the Shimano dyno hub, haven't had any issues with the two I have, I also have both old and modern Sturmey-Archer and have not had any issuew with them either. In fact I can't recall having ever heard of anybody ever having any real issues with any dyno hub. Only possible exception being where someone tore down an S-A GH6 and managed to de-magnetize it.

Aaron

unterhausen

I wouldn't say it's the same connector, but it's similar enough that they do interchange

mrbubbles

Yes.

fietsbob

hub dynamo wise

New one from Schmidt .. made to be Radially straight pull spoked https://www.nabendynamo.de/produkte/son_xs_neu_en.html

I like the Barrel Shape . and unlike their other 74 wide,XS hub, it's shell is anodized
so wont show water spots that have to be polished out.

and in colors .. they also offer a 100mm wide version ..