Total Geekiness
#1001
Was that a...Clyde?!?
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This is a great site for battery questions...great tips on run-time estimation and how to chose type of battery for application.
https://user.fundy.net/cyclist/bikecurrent-FAQ.html
If you add an extra cell in series to increase voltage, there is no extra increase in actual runtime or aH. Unlike a cell added in parallel. But in parallel, there is no increase in voltage.
As for the Philips IRC lights, they are not "overvoltaged". The reflector has an infra-red coating added to it. The coating increases the filament temp without increasing power-usage. (hotter filament=brighter light)
Osram also makes an IRC, but I have only found it in the 35->50W version.
https://user.fundy.net/cyclist/bikecurrent-FAQ.html
If you add an extra cell in series to increase voltage, there is no extra increase in actual runtime or aH. Unlike a cell added in parallel. But in parallel, there is no increase in voltage.
As for the Philips IRC lights, they are not "overvoltaged". The reflector has an infra-red coating added to it. The coating increases the filament temp without increasing power-usage. (hotter filament=brighter light)
Osram also makes an IRC, but I have only found it in the 35->50W version.
#1002
GN BIKN
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Originally Posted by DannoXYZ
If you're driving a 12v halogen at 11.1v, you'll be losing A LOT of light, much more than -9%, probably closer to -15%. Better to run another cell to get 14.8v and use an efficient, nearly-lossless regulator to keep it around 13v.
I got 13.2v so that I can overdrive the halogen light by about 10% and get 20% more light out of it.
I got 13.2v so that I can overdrive the halogen light by about 10% and get 20% more light out of it.
Bumping all the way up to 14.8v Li-ion (with a PWM regulator) would work for the halogen, but I'm also going to be running Xenon strobes and a Luxeon III LED (in an MR16 package, rated for nominal 12V) with this system too .. those can't run off a PWM regulator, and hooking them up directly to the higher voltage would likely blow those out pretty fast ... so I'd either need 2 regulators or live with the inefficiency of the conventional regulator. In any effect, this ends up adding more complexity to the system than I'd like without much benefit.
So now I'm thinking it will be better just to stick with a 12V or 13.2V NiMH system, despite marginally more weight than a Li-based system and the fact that I'll have to put the battery in a water bottle myself. Will the Night-Sun/Lightman 12V strobe run OK off a 13.2V system, or does it really need to be hooked up to a (nominal) 12V source?
#1003
Senior Member
Originally Posted by alwier
If you add an extra cell in series to increase voltage, there is no extra increase in actual runtime or aH. Unlike a cell added in parallel. But in parallel, there is no increase in voltage.
#1004
Survival of the Fitest
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Well...they're a week or two late but here they are! Pics of my "Geekiness" headlight in final form. You can click on the pics to see a larger version.
On the rack, that's the 10ah SLA battery covered by a small canoe dry bag I had. Under the cover is the 5amp mini fuse. It's held to the rack using two 1" nylon webbing straps on a no-slip pad. The wires are inside a 1/4" loom, the switch box is silicone sealed (not the prettiest), the switch has a waterproof boot on it. The connection from the switchbox to the light itself uses a weatherproof trailer connector. She rocks 37.5watts for 2.5~3 hours...beyond that...I don't know, haven't had to run it that long!
On the rack, that's the 10ah SLA battery covered by a small canoe dry bag I had. Under the cover is the 5amp mini fuse. It's held to the rack using two 1" nylon webbing straps on a no-slip pad. The wires are inside a 1/4" loom, the switch box is silicone sealed (not the prettiest), the switch has a waterproof boot on it. The connection from the switchbox to the light itself uses a weatherproof trailer connector. She rocks 37.5watts for 2.5~3 hours...beyond that...I don't know, haven't had to run it that long!
#1005
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[QUOTE=TheDL]Well...they're a week or two late but here they are! Pics of my "Geekiness" headlight in final form. You can click on the pics to see a larger version.
On the rack, that's the 10ah SLA battery covered by a small canoe dry bag I had. Under the cover is the 5amp mini fuse. It's held to the rack using two 1" nylon webbing straps on a no-slip pad. The wires are inside a 1/4" loom, the switch box is silicone sealed (not the prettiest), the switch has a waterproof boot on it. The connection from the switchbox to the light itself uses a weatherproof trailer connector. She rocks 37.5watts for 2.5~3 hours...beyond that...I don't know, haven't had to run it that long!
QUOTE]
Nice job! You only need to add an amber strobe to the mix and you will be done.
On the rack, that's the 10ah SLA battery covered by a small canoe dry bag I had. Under the cover is the 5amp mini fuse. It's held to the rack using two 1" nylon webbing straps on a no-slip pad. The wires are inside a 1/4" loom, the switch box is silicone sealed (not the prettiest), the switch has a waterproof boot on it. The connection from the switchbox to the light itself uses a weatherproof trailer connector. She rocks 37.5watts for 2.5~3 hours...beyond that...I don't know, haven't had to run it that long!
QUOTE]
Nice job! You only need to add an amber strobe to the mix and you will be done.
#1006
GN BIKN
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Question on NightSun strobes, for anyone who knows:
Speaking of amber strobes, my 12V NightSun/Lightman strobe arrived yesterday (as did my Optronics housings, subject of a later post). It mostly looks straightforward to hook up to the system I'm building, Except there's no indication of polarity on the supplied connectors. The instructions say nothing about this either, except just plug it in to your NightSun battery - which of course I don't have because I'm making a homebrew system. Anyone know which side is + and which side is - on these things? Or is it polarity protected so I don't have to worry about it?
Speaking of amber strobes, my 12V NightSun/Lightman strobe arrived yesterday (as did my Optronics housings, subject of a later post). It mostly looks straightforward to hook up to the system I'm building, Except there's no indication of polarity on the supplied connectors. The instructions say nothing about this either, except just plug it in to your NightSun battery - which of course I don't have because I'm making a homebrew system. Anyone know which side is + and which side is - on these things? Or is it polarity protected so I don't have to worry about it?
#1007
Sumanitu taka owaci
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Originally Posted by GlowBoy
Speaking of amber strobes, my 12V NightSun/Lightman strobe arrived yesterday...there's no indication of polarity...Anyone know which side is + and which side is - on these things? Or is it polarity protected so I don't have to worry about it?
(No indication of polarity tells me it's probably protected, but it's better to be safe than sorry. If you were hoping of hooking it up tonight--sorry! )
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#1008
Sumanitu taka owaci
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Originally Posted by LittleBigMan
I'm pretty sure it's protected, but I'll check my Lightman strobe when I get home to be sure, and post it tomorrow.
(No indication of polarity tells me it's probably protected, but it's better to be safe than sorry. If you were hoping of hooking it up tonight--sorry! )
(No indication of polarity tells me it's probably protected, but it's better to be safe than sorry. If you were hoping of hooking it up tonight--sorry! )
(It's Christmas and all kinds of stuff is goin' on...)
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#1009
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Hi, About an idea I have not seen elsewhere in this thread which you first posted. Searching under LED truck tail lights I found some massive LED lights that take 650 milliAMPS at 7 to 12 volts. A 7~ watt tail-light? About $45 and $14 for a bracket to support it. They have it in amber, red, and WHITE. Have you or anyone else you know of tried these? These LED arrays are up tp 7" across. A visual angle that large might get more attention than a narrow spot or point. Any ideas? You and SVLOID seem to be the sharp ones on lights.
#1010
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I use Item 1284R on this page: https://www.led-r-us.com/smlights.shtml for a rear light. It's a truck "marker" light with a built-in reflector. It's about as bright as a car taillight, it casts light in all directions (it casts a red pool on the pavement), it's weatherproof, it meets the legal requirement for a reflector, and it runs on my 12V system. Oh, and it was six bucks.
If I recall correctly it's rated at about 1.8 watts.
If I recall correctly it's rated at about 1.8 watts.
#1011
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Good. I found a different truck supply web sire. Prices about the same. If the light were white would it be strong enough for a headlight? As I understand the physics of an LED chip the light comes out of the edge of the chip with something like a 90 degree spread. That spread is fine for a tail-light. A collimating or lense system is needed if one needs a narrower beam. Laser pointers completely correct the spread to give a very tight beam. Too tight for us. One bike supplier calls their system Opticube; marketing tactic ? Part of what I like about a six or seven inch wide light emitter is you can get s good amount of light down the road without the painful intensity of n H.I.D. system. Comments?
#1012
SS Commuter
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Just wanted to share some pictures of my 12v light setup. I am using the Optronics driving light housing. A 20w 12 degree spot in the front and the Vellman strobe in the rear. I am using the BatterySpace 4500 aMh NimH battery and easily get over a hour run time. The battery box is a waterproof food storage container. The little black protusion on the clear battery container is a switch. There is a second one on the other side. I also use a helmet mounted 10w spot running on it's own 2000aMh battery that is stored in a side compartment of my hip bag. You can never have too much light
Thanks again to all that shared their advice and experience.
Kevin
Thanks again to all that shared their advice and experience.
Kevin
#1013
GN BIKN
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OK, my system is now built, and I rode in with it today. Sorry no pics or beamshots yet, but I'll post them eventually. Meanwhile, here's the lowdown:
- High beam: Philips Masterline 35W MR16, Optronics housing, mounted on front canti stud. $24, 150g.
- Low beam: Luxeon III MR16 (from autolumination.com), Optronics housing (housing drilled out in back to fit the bulb), mounted on front canti stud. $32, 140g.
- Front blinkie: Night-Sun/Lightman Xenon strobe, amber lens, on the handlebar. $40, 140g.
- Running lights: Pirahna 2-LED clearance lights, amber on front fork, red on rear seatstay. $15, 30g.
- Battery: pre-built 12V, 5000mAh NiMH pack (10 "C" cells) from batteryspace.com, fitted into a Zefal Magnum water bottle. 2 external connectors - one always "hot" for charging or high beam, one controlled by a waterproof switch mounted on the bottle cap, just like TurboCat sets them up. $60 (plus $30 charger), total weight 1050g including bottle, wiring, switch, fuse, etc.
- Connectors, switches, misc.: I utilized a number of parts from an old dead "donor" TurboCat system someone gave me. Bonus: TurboCat connectors mate perfectly with the connectors on the strobe, making it plug-n-play. By the way, the "pent" side of the connector is "+" and the "flat" side of the connector is "-".
Until now I have been riding with a 25-watt TurboCat S25 6V headlight system, which is just bright enough for my hilly, poorly lit suburban commute. The Macho SLA battery gives me plenty of runtime, but is also plenty heavy and bulky.
My objectives with this new system were:
- Water bottle battery. The placement of the TurboCat's huge brick makes it a major PITA to carry my bike up 4 flights of train station stairs in the morning. As it turned out, I needed the big Magnum bottle to hold the battery and associated wiring on top, but that's OK.
- Luxeon III based low beam. Low power consumption and still plenty of light for bike paths and moderate-speed offroading I occasionally do on the way home from work.
- Brighter high beam, with more total output and a broader beam than my current spots. And the new system ends up more than doubling the light output of the old one.
- No more weight than my existing system. The S25/Macho weighs 1550g. As it turned, out, the battery+headlight came in at about 1350g, plus 200g for the strobe and running lights. Nice!
- Moderate runtime on high beam. My evening commute is only about an hour, and I only need the high beam on 75% of it. Even assuming only 65% effectiveness due to cold temps and high current drain, 5000mAh should be enough for 45 minutes of high beam and plenty of leftover time on low beam+running lights. Or 6+ hours on low+running lights alone.
- Total cost under $200 for the battery+headlights. I hit that target easily, and the total cost for everything (including miscellaneous parts & supplies) was around $230.
So far I've only taken it out for a quick night ride around the 'hood, plus this morning's commute in broad daylight and a few minutes of demo'ing for curious coworkers. The real test will come in about a few hours. Here are my observations so far:
- Man, that 35W Philips bulb is bright! Even the 20W (spot beam) Philips is just as bright in the center as the full 25W of my TurboCat, but with a substantially broader beam. Impressive, since TurboCats are the best MR11-based systems out there besides Light & Motion. Just goes to show how much better off you are with a high-efficiency MR16. The 35W (narrow flood) is nearly as bright as the 20W Philips spot in the center, with an enormously broader beam. Definitely feels like we're in car-headlight territory. On last night's test ride, I kept looking back to see who was following me.
- The Luxeon III should be fine for low-beam use. This MR16-enclosed emitter is noticeably less bright than my Luxeon III Princeton Tec Apex headlamp, but still far brighter than their Luxeon 1W Eos headlamp. The Apex has much more sophisticated optics than the MR16, so no surprise here. In any event, it still throws quite a bit of light and should work fine for my low-beam purposes.
- The Luxeon III MR16 has a surprisingly well-focused beam, considering that it is specified as 100 degrees. The width of the hot spot is actually comparable the Philips 20W spot, and not much broader than the Apex. It's the spill that appears to go out to about 100 degrees, and while that area is proportionally a bit brighter than with other halogens, it's not excessive at all and there's still plenty of throw.
- The (automotive) LED clearance lights are amazingly bright too, enough to draw attention from any direction even in broad daylight. Well worth the 15g (!) of weight and 500mA of draw that each unit represents. I may put a second amber one on the other side of the fork. Maybe I'll also get myself a much smaller battery for summertime and commute with these babies year-round.
- I believe that the lumen output figures on the widely-quoted Starlight 78 Watts vs. Lumens page are flat-out wrong. I just don't think there is any way that an MR16 halogen is putting out 40+ lumens/Watt at rated voltage (or 50+ when over-voltaged), as claimed on that page I've looked at all the major light manufacturers' product lines, and there is hardly a halogen bulb in ANY format or of any size that puts out more than 15-20 lum/W. Check the Philips catalogue itself: their standard 20W MR16 only puts out 240 lumens, or 12 lum/W, and the super-efficient MasterLine (spot) I have puts out 370 (not 850), which is 18.5 lum/W. Even the 35W puts out 800 lumens, or 23 per watt. Many discussion threads on this board and elsewhere have cited these figures to show that Halogens are vastly more efficient than LEDs and just as efficient as HIDs. I've never been convinced, and the more I look the more it seems that the best Halogens are just as efficient as LEDs, and still not in the same league as HIDs. Don't get me wrong: it looks like my 880 lumen system will outshine many HIDs, but it also consumes an awful lot more juice and needs a much bigger battery.
All in all, thanks again to everyone who has contributed to the ENORMOUS amount of valuable information in this thread. Between this and the Starlight 78 page, I was able to make a huge number of "right" decisions that I might not have made otherwise.
- Dan
- High beam: Philips Masterline 35W MR16, Optronics housing, mounted on front canti stud. $24, 150g.
- Low beam: Luxeon III MR16 (from autolumination.com), Optronics housing (housing drilled out in back to fit the bulb), mounted on front canti stud. $32, 140g.
- Front blinkie: Night-Sun/Lightman Xenon strobe, amber lens, on the handlebar. $40, 140g.
- Running lights: Pirahna 2-LED clearance lights, amber on front fork, red on rear seatstay. $15, 30g.
- Battery: pre-built 12V, 5000mAh NiMH pack (10 "C" cells) from batteryspace.com, fitted into a Zefal Magnum water bottle. 2 external connectors - one always "hot" for charging or high beam, one controlled by a waterproof switch mounted on the bottle cap, just like TurboCat sets them up. $60 (plus $30 charger), total weight 1050g including bottle, wiring, switch, fuse, etc.
- Connectors, switches, misc.: I utilized a number of parts from an old dead "donor" TurboCat system someone gave me. Bonus: TurboCat connectors mate perfectly with the connectors on the strobe, making it plug-n-play. By the way, the "pent" side of the connector is "+" and the "flat" side of the connector is "-".
Until now I have been riding with a 25-watt TurboCat S25 6V headlight system, which is just bright enough for my hilly, poorly lit suburban commute. The Macho SLA battery gives me plenty of runtime, but is also plenty heavy and bulky.
My objectives with this new system were:
- Water bottle battery. The placement of the TurboCat's huge brick makes it a major PITA to carry my bike up 4 flights of train station stairs in the morning. As it turned out, I needed the big Magnum bottle to hold the battery and associated wiring on top, but that's OK.
- Luxeon III based low beam. Low power consumption and still plenty of light for bike paths and moderate-speed offroading I occasionally do on the way home from work.
- Brighter high beam, with more total output and a broader beam than my current spots. And the new system ends up more than doubling the light output of the old one.
- No more weight than my existing system. The S25/Macho weighs 1550g. As it turned, out, the battery+headlight came in at about 1350g, plus 200g for the strobe and running lights. Nice!
- Moderate runtime on high beam. My evening commute is only about an hour, and I only need the high beam on 75% of it. Even assuming only 65% effectiveness due to cold temps and high current drain, 5000mAh should be enough for 45 minutes of high beam and plenty of leftover time on low beam+running lights. Or 6+ hours on low+running lights alone.
- Total cost under $200 for the battery+headlights. I hit that target easily, and the total cost for everything (including miscellaneous parts & supplies) was around $230.
So far I've only taken it out for a quick night ride around the 'hood, plus this morning's commute in broad daylight and a few minutes of demo'ing for curious coworkers. The real test will come in about a few hours. Here are my observations so far:
- Man, that 35W Philips bulb is bright! Even the 20W (spot beam) Philips is just as bright in the center as the full 25W of my TurboCat, but with a substantially broader beam. Impressive, since TurboCats are the best MR11-based systems out there besides Light & Motion. Just goes to show how much better off you are with a high-efficiency MR16. The 35W (narrow flood) is nearly as bright as the 20W Philips spot in the center, with an enormously broader beam. Definitely feels like we're in car-headlight territory. On last night's test ride, I kept looking back to see who was following me.
- The Luxeon III should be fine for low-beam use. This MR16-enclosed emitter is noticeably less bright than my Luxeon III Princeton Tec Apex headlamp, but still far brighter than their Luxeon 1W Eos headlamp. The Apex has much more sophisticated optics than the MR16, so no surprise here. In any event, it still throws quite a bit of light and should work fine for my low-beam purposes.
- The Luxeon III MR16 has a surprisingly well-focused beam, considering that it is specified as 100 degrees. The width of the hot spot is actually comparable the Philips 20W spot, and not much broader than the Apex. It's the spill that appears to go out to about 100 degrees, and while that area is proportionally a bit brighter than with other halogens, it's not excessive at all and there's still plenty of throw.
- The (automotive) LED clearance lights are amazingly bright too, enough to draw attention from any direction even in broad daylight. Well worth the 15g (!) of weight and 500mA of draw that each unit represents. I may put a second amber one on the other side of the fork. Maybe I'll also get myself a much smaller battery for summertime and commute with these babies year-round.
- I believe that the lumen output figures on the widely-quoted Starlight 78 Watts vs. Lumens page are flat-out wrong. I just don't think there is any way that an MR16 halogen is putting out 40+ lumens/Watt at rated voltage (or 50+ when over-voltaged), as claimed on that page I've looked at all the major light manufacturers' product lines, and there is hardly a halogen bulb in ANY format or of any size that puts out more than 15-20 lum/W. Check the Philips catalogue itself: their standard 20W MR16 only puts out 240 lumens, or 12 lum/W, and the super-efficient MasterLine (spot) I have puts out 370 (not 850), which is 18.5 lum/W. Even the 35W puts out 800 lumens, or 23 per watt. Many discussion threads on this board and elsewhere have cited these figures to show that Halogens are vastly more efficient than LEDs and just as efficient as HIDs. I've never been convinced, and the more I look the more it seems that the best Halogens are just as efficient as LEDs, and still not in the same league as HIDs. Don't get me wrong: it looks like my 880 lumen system will outshine many HIDs, but it also consumes an awful lot more juice and needs a much bigger battery.
All in all, thanks again to everyone who has contributed to the ENORMOUS amount of valuable information in this thread. Between this and the Starlight 78 page, I was able to make a huge number of "right" decisions that I might not have made otherwise.
- Dan
Last edited by GlowBoy; 12-22-05 at 04:13 PM.
#1014
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Dan --
Sounds like a great setup. I like to have a set of lights that has motorists scratching their heads and saying, "What kind of aircraft is trying to land on the road ahead?" and sounds like you've got it.
The MR-16's put out a lot more light than the MR-11's because they have bigger reflectors. The best thing you can do to increase efficiency is to have a big reflector.
Do you have a link for the clearance lights?
Sounds like a great setup. I like to have a set of lights that has motorists scratching their heads and saying, "What kind of aircraft is trying to land on the road ahead?" and sounds like you've got it.
The MR-16's put out a lot more light than the MR-11's because they have bigger reflectors. The best thing you can do to increase efficiency is to have a big reflector.
Do you have a link for the clearance lights?
#1015
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Originally Posted by DCCommuter
I use Item 1284R on this page: https://www.led-r-us.com/smlights.shtml for a rear light. It's a truck "marker" light with a built-in reflector. It's about as bright as a car taillight, it casts light in all directions (it casts a red pool on the pavement), it's weatherproof, it meets the legal requirement for a reflector, and it runs on my 12V system. Oh, and it was six bucks.
If I recall correctly it's rated at about 1.8 watts.
If I recall correctly it's rated at about 1.8 watts.
#1016
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Originally Posted by DCCommuter
Dan --Do you have a link for the clearance lights?
v168a is amber, v168r is red.
#1017
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Originally Posted by mechBgon
DCCommuter, how's the weathertightness on those, pretty decent?
They are sold for use on tractor-trailers; the big selling point is that they are more durable than conventional tungsten bulbs. According to the web site they are rated for 100,000 hours (22 years of continuous use).
#1018
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Originally Posted by GlowBoy
OK, my system is now built ... Philips Masterline 35W MR16, Luxeon III MR16, Night-Sun/Lightman Xenon strobe, Pirahna 2-LED clearance lights amber & red, 5000mAh NiMH pack ... So far I've only taken it out for a quick night ride around the 'hood, plus this morning's commute in broad daylight and a few minutes of demo'ing for curious coworkers. The real test will come in about a few hours.
At first I wasn't very impressed at all with the Luxeon III low beam, because it was really only lighting up the pavement in darker areas between streetlights. Then at one point, while riding down a really dark street I noticed a cone of bluish light moving through the trees! So after a quick stop to re-aim the thing so it actually hit the road, it did quite well, casting almost as much light as my old 10W low beam. Sweet!
I got the idea of mounting the lights on the canti studs from this thread, but this decision is causing several problems. (1) The lights end up pretty close to the wheel (unless you seriously mangle the mounting bracket), causing the tire to cast a major shadow and causing a blind spot for oncoming drivers. And that's with the lights hanging down below the canti studs -- if I'd done the opposite it would be even worse, positioning them right next to the tire. (2) Even though I'm using washers, the bolt holding the housings onto the canti studs comes loose way too easily. Maybe I should have put Loctite on the bolt instead of grease! (3) The lights are too hard to remove and put on my other bike.
Finally (4) this location makes for a very serious safety hazard if in the event a light came loose and either rotated sideways into the wheel -- or worse, fell off completely, in which case they would swing down on their wires into the front wheel. I'm paranoid about this: many years ago I had a brake lever come loose and swing down on its cable into the front wheel, causing an instant 25 mph endo onto pavement that I never want to repeat. For this reason, I've always been careful to loop headlight wires over and not under the handlebar, so if they rattled loose they wouldn't fall very far. The Optronics housings will easily bolt onto my TurboCat CNC QR brackets, so I think I'll go that route and position them just under the handlebar.
Last edited by GlowBoy; 12-23-05 at 03:24 PM.
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From the sublime (post 1021) to the rediculous. No really. In the early 1980s before blinkies and HID lights I converted a steady red tail light to blinking by putting a mercury switch in series with the light. Stopped, the light stayed on. Moving caused the mercury to splash around making and breaking the circuit and causing the light to blink. Now for brake lights . . .
Last edited by ken cummings; 12-29-05 at 10:31 PM. Reason: to give referent for sublime
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So, I've got an old 6v Vistalite light body, cables, and a dead, disassembled 4 C-Cell nightstick that I want to repurpose as a 12v, 15-20 watt backup light.
• Can I assemble a new battery array of 8 rechargeable C-cells and hope to charge it with the original wall wart recharger, or do I need a different charger?
• Do I need more than 8 cells? I generally see 12 volt systems rated around 13.7v, or so, it seems. Or is it because rechargeables are rated lower?
• This seems pretty easy and straightforward... what am I forgetting?
• Can I assemble a new battery array of 8 rechargeable C-cells and hope to charge it with the original wall wart recharger, or do I need a different charger?
• Do I need more than 8 cells? I generally see 12 volt systems rated around 13.7v, or so, it seems. Or is it because rechargeables are rated lower?
• This seems pretty easy and straightforward... what am I forgetting?
Last edited by truman; 01-10-06 at 09:02 AM.
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Originally Posted by truman
Can I assemble a new battery array of 8 rechargeable C-cells and hope to charge it with the original wall wart recharger, or do I need a different charger?
Originally Posted by truman
Do I need more than 8 cells? I generally see 12 volt systems rated around 13.7v, or so, it seems. Or is it because rechargeables are rated lower?
Alkaline cells are rated at a nominal 1.5V so eight of them makes 12V.
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Originally Posted by DCCommuter
Alkaline cells are rated at a nominal 1.5V so eight of them makes 12V.
Thanks for the help, I'll keep the thread posted with progress.
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Originally Posted by truman
So, I've got an old 6v Vistalite light body, cables, and a dead, disassembled 4 C-Cell nightstick that I want to repurpose as a 12v, 15-20 watt backup light.
• This seems pretty easy and straightforward... what am I forgetting?
• This seems pretty easy and straightforward... what am I forgetting?
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no, the body is pot-metal. Should be good to go, in that regard.
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Is there a way to test a battery charger? I got a Battery Tender not more than 2 months ago and I think it's already on the fritz. It seems like it's not charging my battery all the way. As a result I've had the end of some of my commutes be a little scary 'cause my light was so dim. Last night I left my light on to totally drain my 10Ah SLA battery before hooking it up to the charger. The Battery Tender said it was fully charged in about 2 hours....heh...I don't think so! Any ideas?