Thanks a lot for the pics Jeff-O.
Here's what I posted for my review at batteryspace.com, which any potential halogen DIY'er should look at IMHO:
This review is for the 14.4V 5 Ah NiMH Battery Pack + Smart Charger for DIY Dive Light / Bike light found here:
http://www.batteryspace.com/index.as...OD&ProdID=2302
I use this battery with a 12v 35W solux MR16 (3500K) halogen bulb for a do-it-yourself (DIY) halogen lighting bicycle night-commuting project. For less than $100 for everything you need, this is an ideal solution. I keep the battery in my waterproof rear pannier with the lead wire sticking out the side panel, wrapping around the top tube of my bike, and ultimately connecting to the housing’s cord, a neat and effective arrangement. Also, I have nothing but good things to say about the smart charger. Unless you are either doing trail / mountain riding or are on pitch black roads with no street lights, there is no need for HID. I say this from experience and I truly believe that this light is as bright as a 10W HID. I have ridden a bike with a niterider system and, although it is slightly lighter, it does not justify the cost difference to someone who does not race at night. If you race at night, maybe an HID would be a better bet, but the reason I went with this battery and light combination is because I get a very white, very bright light at this wattage that commands respect from cars, cyclists, and pedestrians alike while still allowing me to see the road for 25 feet in front of me. I would not want a light any brighter for my purposes. As it is, I have received comments and a complaint or two from people that let me know that my light is plenty bright. I’m trying to bike safely, I’m not out to prove anything. The light is comparable to a car’s lowbeams, but whiter.
If you want to set up a similar system, which I HIGHLY recommend, all you will need is a housing, a bulb, a mount, some electrical tape (optional), and a male universal two pin cord. Because I commute and do not worry about the difference between getting to work in 32 minutes as opposed to 30, the only thing I would change if I had wanted to save even more money would be to have used an SLA battery instead, which would weigh more than twice as much, but cost ¼ the price, effectively halving my total expenditures for the project. The SLA is a good option if you have panniers anyway.
It is very important to note to other enthusiasts trying a similar project that when overvolting this much, it is very important to predict and expect how much heat this will produce - tons. It is imperative that you use a metal housing, and I highly, highly recommend the metal QH-7cc Competition Series Optronics driving lights here:
http://www.jcwhitney.com/autoparts/P...966832/c-10101
At this voltage, the light will reach astronomical temperatures capable of burning you within seconds of it being on. However, if it is isolated and you’re biking it will be fine.
With this combination, I get a little less than 2 hours burn time, which is perfect for both trips on my 45 minute commute. One last thing is that if you are ordering parts from several different online stores for a DIY project, you should order from batteryspace.com first, as they took the longest to reach me (about 10 days). I'll try to get some pics up eventually.
My email address is [edited]
http://forums.batteryspace.com/forum...pic.php?t=5545