Yes, you're absolutely correct. I think the spec says min. 3V differential but that's worst case. When I was testing the 7812s I tried various loads and found that the units I have maintain their output voltage (approx. 11.93V) until the input drops to 13.3V. At that point the regulator doesn't shut down, but as the input voltage drops, the output voltage drops by about the same amount.

Considering that at 13.3V the battery pack is almost 90% exhausted, and the worst that will happen is the lights will begin to dim, I figure I can live with it. In any case thanks for the info.

The brake light switch I'm using is a small lever-type microswitch that I had in my junk box. I've seen these or similar ones available in Radio Shack. I made a little bracket out of aluminum and drilled a couple of holes in it, then carefully bent the switch lever 90°.

https://img180.exs.cx/img180/3755/f0000003dce5wo.jpg

Here you can see the bracket and switch mounted on the bottom side of the rear brake lever.

https://img180.exs.cx/img180/8201/f0000006dce9aa.jpg

I'll keep an eye out for a waterproof microswitch.

I just made my first PC board in at least 15 years and it's not too shabby. I used a resist pen. It's for the handlebar unit and supports the turn indicator LEDs, battery voltage LEDs, and the turn signal and hazard flasher switches.

The blank board cut to shape
https://img96.exs.cx/img96/1403/dscn0002dce4ko.jpg

Just rinsed off the etchant
https://img97.exs.cx/img97/7534/dscn0005dce7bl.jpg

It fits!
https://img97.exs.cx/img97/2977/dscn0010dce7zt.jpg

Drilled and populated with components
https://img96.exs.cx/img96/5322/dscn0015dce3bk.jpg

Front view
https://img96.exs.cx/img96/1007/dscn0012dce4hd.jpg

The switch on top is the hazard flasher. The rectangular red LED between the green turn indicators is the low battery warning, and the round LED below it is the green battery OK light mounted in a hole that was originally the beeper. Below it is the turn signal switch. The slide switch on the left side is not connected.

I have a 6 ft. piece of black Cat5 cable that I'll use to connect the handlebar unit to the main control at the back of the bike. Cat5 has 4 pairs of conductors which is perfect. The other end of the cable will have a 9-pin Molex connector.

Wow that is so awesome! What size drill bit goes that small?

Thanks. The drill bit is a #59 and it's about 40/1000" dia. Electronic suppliers sell them.

Multi, you maybe posted this but I didn't see it... where'd you get your supplies? That's pretty proffessional looking cover and setup!

It's the Eurolight switch box from Clipbrite. As for supplies, I get LEDs from lumileds.com, quickar.com, and superbrightleds.com. The battery came from batteryspace.com. I get electronic components from jameco.com, e-sonic.com, and alliedelec.com, plus local suppliers.

Here's my light.
Halogen, booyea!

Are you trying to tell me you could not find a Ti finish maglight to "compliment your frame" ??

Didn't you have black tape to compliment the black in the handlebar tape ??

Where did you mount the 1000 watt generator ??

Can you post a schematic diagram ??

Next is the main circuit board for the Speedmachine electrical system. Photos are here https://img105.exs.cx/gal.php?g=dscn0002dce6zf.jpg

The first photo shows the cleaned and prepped copper clad circuit board before etching. Photo 2 shows the board in the etching tank. The ferric chloride solution is about 120° and the bubbles are from the air agitator. I takes about 20 minutes to etch a board, and then you rinse it off, remove the resist with solvent, and drill the holes for the wires and mountings. Then you mount the parts, starting with the smallest, and solder and trim the leads. Photo 3 shows the completed main board populated with components.

To help the board withstand vibration, all the components are mounted flush to the board. two leftmost capacitors and the six small plastic transistors will be glued to the board with a dab of RTV once testing is complete. Another option would be to pot (embed) the board in epoxy, but that would make it impossible to repair and would add weight.

The power supply board is next. The purpose of this board is to mount the three 7812 voltage regulators and provide connection points to them. The photo shows the completed board with the regulators mounted. This board will also be inside the main module, which will be mounted to the back of the seat with a 3" x 5" aluminum bracket. The voltage regulators get hot and need a heat sink, and that aluminum bracket is a perfect heat sink, so I cut 3 large holes in the front of the module enclosure where the aluminum bracket will attach. I will bolt the voltage regulators to the aluminum through the holes. The last picture shows the main module with 3 holes and the tail light on top.

The 'Warp Drive' consists of two 1 Watt cyan Luxeon Emitter LEDs that are mounted facing down in the main control module above the rear wheel of the bike. The idea is to illuminate the rear wheel and an area of the road around the rear of the bike to create a kind of neon effect without the cost, weight and complexity of neon. The Emitters are wired in series with the 6 Volt white LED headlight so they are using power that would otherwise have been wasted as heat in a dropping resistor.

https://img224.exs.cx/gal.php?g=dscn0002dce8ww.jpg

The Emitters are mounted on separate electrically-isolated aluminum heat sinks as shown in the first photo. The other photos show the assembly mounted in the main module. The LEDs are protected by clear plastic windows. Turn signals are next...

Maglite. I looked at that when I was in the "design stage."

Tell me more! What batteries do you use? How do you recharge them? What's the total weight?

What is the power of that beam?

Simple is good.

Speedmachine Turn Signals and Warp Drive

Each turn signal unit comprises five amber Piranha LEDs wired in series and mounted on a circuit board. The rear signals are on a single 10" wide pc board painted black and attached to the back of the main control module. I haven't finished the front turn signals yet.

https://img102.exs.cx/gal.php?g=f0000013dce6yj.jpg

The first photo is the control module mounted on the bike. The next two show the bike in the dark with the lights on. Excuse the mess of wires - they will be trimmed when I install the cable connectors.

I'm quite pleased with the Warp Drive. It lights up a large area of the floor with a weird blue-green glow. Should make the bike go faster too. The last shot shows the Nite Hawk headlight, which contains a 1 Watt Emitter LED, mounted on a homemade bracket at the front of the bike.

WOW...cool...How man I love that crank light too! You have quite the setup!

That big light in the middle makes a good frame of reference...it'll probably be easy to determine that those are turn signals. You can use that tail light to run the controls on that rack What sort of crank cover is that?

I think so. The big tail light has 56 LEDs and is really bright. I thought that if I made the turn signals any wider they might get snagged and broken. We'll see...

The chainring cover is stock on the Speedmachine. Remember, this isn't an ordinary bike! It's probably a little confusing to see closeups of bits and pieces.

https://i132.exs.cx/img132/6204/speedmachine8005ux.jpg

I took the carrier off mine, but it still fits with the new lighting system.

Not sure if it's been covered before, but how do I keep an MR16 bulb from vibrating out of the socket while on the road?

I don't have an MR16, but I use clear silicone to keep my halogen bulb in place. Look for a tube that's rated for high temperature.

Awesome rear/turn lights.

Multibiker, have you thought of selling the "Warp Drive" lights to us?
If not, where did you get it?

Also, what do you think of your Night Hawk emitter light? I considered one, but I was worried the LED wouldn't be bright enough. I opted Night Hawk's old system using a sealed Lead Acid battery and the system is too heavy/clumsy for me. I'm looking for lights to reccomend to people.

Myrcurial, I have mine spring loaded. I put a large spring behind it in the housing, this keeps it pressed firmly against the glass lens of the housing. No rattle. See it at my site... I think it's on page ten. WWW.TOURDEPANTS.COM

I briefly considered selling the entire running light package, but quickly came to my senses! I spent too many years running a manufacturing business and when I changed careers I promised myself 'Never again!' Instead I will be pleased to answer any questions you have so you can make your own.

The Warp Drive is simplicity itself - two Luxeon 1 Watt Emitter LEDs wired in series with a suitable limiting resistor, in a box over the rear wheel, pointed down. The Luxeons drop about 3V each and will give useful light from 150 ma. to their max of 350 ma. Mine are running at 300 ma. and they are really bright.

As for the Nite Hawk Emitter, it really depends on your needs. I haven't taken the bike on the road yet with the new lighting system, but I know the Emitter will not be bright enough to use as my principal headlight. If you stand 20 feet from a wall and shine a 10 Watt MR11 halogen at the wall you will see a bright spot about 6 ft. dia. If you shine the Nite Hawk at the wall from the same distance you will see a roughly 2 ft. dia. spot of appoximately equal brightness. This isn't scientific, but you get the idea.

The Emitter serves two purposes for me: 1 - an always-on 'be seen' light for day and night, 2 - a backup for my night riding headlight. My night riding headlight system, which I haven't designed yet, will be completely separate from the running lights/turn signals/Warp Drive system so I can put it on the bike when I need it and take it off for daytime riding.

If Multibiker isn't intrested, then maybe one of you other enterprising individuals should consider producing this set-up for sale. We lower, less technical life forms would appreciate it. You might even make a few bucks! WWW.TOURDEPANTS.COM

I'm trying to find a battery and charger for cheap, the sort that LittleBigMan found at Pep Boys. I can't find one. Any recomendations?

I stopped by my local battery shop and the only had a $25 battery and no charger available. I'd really like to do it for less money than that.

Thanks

I'm an idiot. I found the vector on a link someone previously provided. I'll order it soon.