generator hub
#26
How a shame? Their dynohubs were the bee's knees wearing the cat's pyjamas. The technology in the hub itself has not changed. Lights are better and more reliable now, but the same 40 (or 100) year old hub is a very solid design.
#27
Banned.
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 2,077
Likes: 1
Check out Peter White Cycles Home Page lots of good info and high end hubs and lights.
Awesome customer service from them as well, they've done me right more than once.
Awesome customer service from them as well, they've done me right more than once.
#28
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,012
Likes: 34
From: Perth Australia
Bikes: Surly Ogre, Extrawheel Trailer
I used SA dynohubs for many years.
Some years back I ordered a Son dynohub and Edelux for my then bike of two decades, a Moulton APB.
I couldn't immediately afford to get a wheel built up with the hub as all my funds had gone into the purchase of hub and headlight.
I wondered if the supposedly 1.8 watt SA might even awake the Edelux.
My uneducated logic and not a few different forum posted suggested not.
Curiosity took the better of me however and my ancient GH6 not only awoke my Edelux, it offered a suntan to any who crossed my cycle path at night.
Was it full brightness? Likely not but my middle aged eyes were unable to judge any difference.
The only real bonus then, before I learnt of the joys of charging my gps, phone etc, was the difference in weight as I discovered the GH6 was 1.1kg in weight whilst the Son around the 300g mark.
I'd happily have a SA dynohub than no dynohub at all
A look at the front wheel of my now sold Moulton will confirm the GH6 and Edelux combo.
Last edited by rifraf; 11-24-15 at 01:19 AM.
#29
Randomhead
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 25,930
Likes: 4,825
From: Happy Valley, Pennsylvania
with the advent of led lights, it probably makes a lot less difference, but they were low output hubs, and the lights of the day weren't very good. So my point was that rejecting current offerings based on 40 year old experiences doesn't make much sense. Apparently dynohub is a registered trademark from back in the day, don't remember if it belonged to SA or not.
I'm hoping to get an SA 3 speed/dynohub on the road soon, I've never lit anything with it yet, hoping not to have to replace the magnets. I never had any doubt that it would light up an led headlight, I'm a little concerned about adding a tail light, but we'll see. I think the worry about it lighting an Edelux comes from a misunderstanding about how both things work. The dynohub output voltage will increase until the current it wants to supply is flowing. So will definitely light up an LED. Maybe not that bright, depending on the current.
I'm hoping to get an SA 3 speed/dynohub on the road soon, I've never lit anything with it yet, hoping not to have to replace the magnets. I never had any doubt that it would light up an led headlight, I'm a little concerned about adding a tail light, but we'll see. I think the worry about it lighting an Edelux comes from a misunderstanding about how both things work. The dynohub output voltage will increase until the current it wants to supply is flowing. So will definitely light up an LED. Maybe not that bright, depending on the current.
Last edited by unterhausen; 11-24-15 at 01:31 AM.
#30
Senior Member



Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 12,728
Likes: 2,105
From: Madison, WI
Bikes: 1961 Ideor, 1966 Perfekt 3 Speed AB Hub, 1994 Bridgestone MB-6, 2006 Airnimal Joey, 2009 Thorn Sherpa, 2013 Thorn Nomad MkII, 2015 VO Pass Hunter, 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 2017 Raleigh Gran Prix, 1980s Bianchi Mixte on a trainer. Others are now gone.
The output from a dynohub (and I am including ones other than Sturmey Archer) will increase with speed. Don't assume a 3 watt or 2.4 watt or other watt rating and a 6 volt rating means very much. My SP PV-8 without any load on it will output about 34 volts AC when I ride down a hill at 25 mph, but once you start to supply a device (light, USB charger, both) with some current the voltage will drop.
I have come to the conclusion that the only time you notice differences in output from the hub are at low speeds where you are likely supplying too low a voltage for the device. I tried operating two LED headlights in series, I got double the light at normal riding speed but at slow speeds of about 5 or 6 mph, the lights were quite dim. A single light at those low speeds offered more light than the pair because at those low speeds the hub supplied adequate voltage and current for one light - but two lights cut the voltage in half and that was not adequate. At higher speeds the voltage climbed enough to supply both lights.
I also use an old bottle generator (actually an alternator) with incandescent bulb on my errand bike, that way I do not have to worry about bringing a battery powered light with me if I go shopping and come home after dark. Those lights are very voltage sensitive, I wired in some zener diodes to drain off excess power for going down hills so I do not loose my light at high speed. There was no over-voltage protection on those older lights, but that is built into the circuitry of modern LED headlights.
I have come to the conclusion that the only time you notice differences in output from the hub are at low speeds where you are likely supplying too low a voltage for the device. I tried operating two LED headlights in series, I got double the light at normal riding speed but at slow speeds of about 5 or 6 mph, the lights were quite dim. A single light at those low speeds offered more light than the pair because at those low speeds the hub supplied adequate voltage and current for one light - but two lights cut the voltage in half and that was not adequate. At higher speeds the voltage climbed enough to supply both lights.
I also use an old bottle generator (actually an alternator) with incandescent bulb on my errand bike, that way I do not have to worry about bringing a battery powered light with me if I go shopping and come home after dark. Those lights are very voltage sensitive, I wired in some zener diodes to drain off excess power for going down hills so I do not loose my light at high speed. There was no over-voltage protection on those older lights, but that is built into the circuitry of modern LED headlights.
Last edited by Tourist in MSN; 11-24-15 at 10:31 AM.
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