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Nova vs. Whelen

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Old 01-07-08 | 11:11 PM
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Nova vs. Whelen

Has anyone compared a Whelen TIR3 to the Nova Bull? Or are they both so bright it wouldn't matter. After showing mechBgone's video to my stoker/CFO she ordered me to get one set up. Anyone need two new Niterider taillights!
Ed
near Mpls, MN
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Old 01-09-08 | 04:50 PM
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Do you have a link to the "mechBgone's video"? I'd like to see the Nova's operating.

My setup will have dual Nova Bull's fore and aft:
Foreword: Bull Led Luminaire and Bull Led Strobe (both white but thinking of changing the strobe to amber)
Aft: Bull Led Luminaire and Bull Led Strobe (both Red).

Conservative estimates with 4 Bull Leds at max current is around 1.6 amps (each head at max is .35 amps but added a little for fudge factor).
This means at max settings ... a 3.2AH battery will last about two hours ... longer if stobing and/or dimmed and/or off.

I'm building the harnesss and control box right now. Of course by the time I finish ... I would need the lights ... for the commute anyway.
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Old 01-09-08 | 09:22 PM
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Here's the video, https://freepages.thesecretlabs.com/~...EGABLINKIE.wmv
This thread has some day shots, https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ight=nova+bull
I would really like to know how much power the Nova uses in strobe. I don't need more light at night, I need it during the day so it will have to operate for up to 12 hours. Red in back, amber on sides, white up front...

Last edited by justcrankn; 01-09-08 at 11:33 PM.
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Old 01-11-08 | 04:23 PM
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Originally Posted by justcrankn
I would really like to know how much power the Nova uses in strobe. I don't need more light at night, I need it during the day so it will have to operate for up to 12 hours. Red in back, amber on sides, white up front...
The Nova manual for the BullLED says max current is .35AMPS. I measured this and is fairly accurate when the steady ON strobe option is selected (BullLED has 8 strobe options ... one of them being steady ON). This is approximately 5W (14V*.35A). When a strobe pattern is choosen it, the power rating drops below that rating and varies due to the OFF state of the strobes.

So figure 20W at Steady ON is worse case or max useage (all four BullLED heads at Steady ON).

So ... worse case ... 4 BullLEDs on Steady On state = 4*.35A for a total current draw of approximately 1.40A ... rounded up to 1.5A to make the math easier.

1500mAH battery will last (at that current setting) about 1 hour.
3000mAH battery will last ( ) about 2 hours.

Obviously, 4 BullLEDs on STEADY ON will be a little much.

If a strobe pattern used half the current of max (.7A rounded up to 1A for easier math)
1000mAH battery would last 1 hour
3000mAH battery would last about 3 hours.

At low settings, you MIGHT get 12 hours with a 12AH (12000mAH) battery.

Last edited by tippy; 01-11-08 at 04:29 PM.
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Old 01-12-08 | 10:20 AM
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Tippy, for the Nova Bull you wrote;
Originally Posted by tippy
At low settings, you MIGHT get 12 hours with a 12AH (12000mAH) battery.
Does the Nova Bull have a selectable low setting?
Unrelated; are the Anderson Power Pole connectors a solder or crimp connection? If solder, are they difficult to solder to?
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