Front light to rear light conversion

On 12/15/2014 1:45 PM, Joerg wrote:

snip

Interesting. Since most bicycle rear lights are rather lousy these days
I tried this with a similar front light I have. Except mine is for 8.4V
Li-Ion batteries. Even at the highest power setting where it pulls in
7-8 watts it loses a ton of brightness when holding red lens material in
front. Do you think amber makes a difference to red?

Check out directionality. "Modern" bicycle lights have a surprisingly
narrow beam, meaning that when viewed form 30 degrees or more they are
fairly dim.

Cateye had one very good rear light, the TL-LD1100, with a wide beam and
side LEDs. 10 LEDs total. The earlier model, the TL-LD1000 was also
good, but the LEDs were not as bright.

I think they discontinued it because a) it was rather large since it
used two AA batteries, b) it was much more expensive to manufacture than
a rear light with one brighter LED, c) they wanted to move to
rechargeable models with an internal non-removable battery.

Since there are still a few available I stocked up, following
Rivendell's advice: "If you find something you really, really like, buy
a lifetime supply; because it'll either be changed for the worse or go
out of production." Three arrived this morning from China. $37 online
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MQPEW10.

The Light and Motion Vis 180 also looks promising, $80 online
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LH1W9AU.

Modern front lights often do have a decent beam but you have to be very
choosy. Watch out for "StVZO compliant" front lights, which by
definition have a sub-optimal beam.

On motor vehicles, there are separate side marker lights so there's no
real need for the rear lights to have wide visibility.

On Tuesday, December 16, 2014 4:45:23 AM UTC-5, somebody wrote:
On Thu, 11 Dec 2014 20:53:50 -0800 (PST), Sir Ridesalot
wrote:

A friend gave me a front light that the wire of broke at the join of the male/female connector. Repairing the join only gave a flashing mode on high beam no low beam or steady on light. The light looks like this one and comes with a nice 4.8 volt battery.

http://www.iaminthestore.com/media/c..._Silvery_0.jpg

I went to a cmper trailer supply store and bought an amber trailer-light cover. It's bigger inside diameter than the outsid diameter of the light housing so I wrapped some foam pipe insulation around the leight and taped the amber lens to it for testing. The light was then connected to a 7.2 volts NiMh battery. I just got back in from a nightime ride. That light is very bright and has a flash cycle about the same as those amber traffic warning barricades. With my red rear reflector I'm road legal and have a rear warning light that can be seen for at least one mile on a straight road. It's really really bright like a car turn signal yet doesn't flash so fast aas to annoy drivers. A police officer pulled up beside me as I was returning home and asked me where I got the light because it was so visible from so far away and he'd like to get one.

Cheers

Using a white LED with a color filter wastes a portion of the light
output. Many of the XML bins have a high color temperature, that is
they have a blue tinge.

Yellow LED's with a clear diffuser is a good choice.

Maybev that yellow cover loses a bit of light but given how bright the rmaining light is and that it's visible from over 1 mile away I don't think that the lost light is a problem.

Cheers

On 12/16/2014 12:57 PM, sms wrote:


Modern front lights often do have a decent beam but you have to be very
choosy. Watch out for "StVZO compliant" front lights, which by
definition have a sub-optimal beam.

That also applies to all motor vehicle lights, which are either StVZO
compliant, or compliant with extremely similar regulations.

IOW, in a Scharfian world, one should remove the headlights from one's
car and replace them with Chinese flashlights.


--
- Frank Krygowski

Sir Ridesalot wrote:
On Monday, December 15, 2014 5:47:30 PM UTC-5, Joerg wrote:
Sir Ridesalot wrote:
On Monday, December 15, 2014 4:45:48 PM UTC-5, Joerg wrote:
Sir Ridesalot wrote:
A friend gave me a front light that the wire of broke at the
join of the male/female connector. Repairing the join only
gave a flashing mode on high beam no low beam or steady on
light. The light looks like this one and comes with a nice
4.8 volt battery.


http://www.iaminthestore.com/media/c..._Silvery_0.jpg



That looks similar to the Magic Shine.

I went to a cmper trailer supply store and bought an amber
trailer-light cover. It's bigger inside diameter than the
outsid diameter of the light housing so I wrapped some foam
pipe insulation around the leight and taped the amber lens to
it for testing. The light was then connected to a 7.2 volts
NiMh battery. I just got back in from a nightime ride. That
light is very bright and has a flash cycle about the same as
those amber traffic warning barricades. With my red rear
reflector I'm road legal and have a rear warning light that
can be seen for at least one mile on a straight road. It's
really really bright like a car turn signal yet doesn't flash
so fast aas to annoy drivers. A police officer pulled up
beside me as I was returning home and asked me where I got
the light because it was so visible from so far away and he'd
like to get one.

Interesting. Since most bicycle rear lights are rather lousy
these days I tried this with a similar front light I have.
Except mine is for 8.4V Li-Ion batteries. Even at the highest
power setting where it pulls in 7-8 watts it loses a ton of
brightness when holding red lens material in front. Do you
think amber makes a difference to red?

Check out directionality. "Modern" bicycle lights have a
surprisingly narrow beam, meaning that when viewed form 30
degrees or more they are fairly dim.

-- Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/
Seems to me that amber is more visible than red. Amber is
recognized everywhere as a warning light. This set up of mine is
very visible from the sides and can even be seen from the front.
At least that's what my friend said the other night as I was
riding to meet him.

Ok, but if you are running this full bore and it has a Cree T6 in
there you'll be burning well north of five watts while on. With
flash cycles I guess that sort of power consumtption is still ok.
Whatever works.

The outer ring usually screws off on those lights so you could
possibly saw out a lens, smooth the perimeter, put small O-rings in
there and screw it back on. I swapped out the lens on my similar
front light so I get a wider beam.

-- Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Why should I cut/saw anything when what I have works really well and
is simple to use = KISS?


If a taped-on lens fulfills your qualitty requirements then by all means
go for it. For me it would not. Just like the stock battery holders
don't but luckily I am married to a woman who made me some nice
additional fasteners for it. Now it doesn't tear off anymore.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

sms wrote:
On 12/15/2014 1:45 PM, Joerg wrote:

snip

Interesting. Since most bicycle rear lights are rather lousy these days
I tried this with a similar front light I have. Except mine is for 8.4V
Li-Ion batteries. Even at the highest power setting where it pulls in
7-8 watts it loses a ton of brightness when holding red lens material in
front. Do you think amber makes a difference to red?

Check out directionality. "Modern" bicycle lights have a surprisingly
narrow beam, meaning that when viewed form 30 degrees or more they are
fairly dim.

Cateye had one very good rear light, the TL-LD1100, with a wide beam and
side LEDs. 10 LEDs total. The earlier model, the TL-LD1000 was also
good, but the LEDs were not as bright.

I think they discontinued it because a) it was rather large since it
used two AA batteries, b) it was much more expensive to manufacture than
a rear light with one brighter LED, c) they wanted to move to
rechargeable models with an internal non-removable battery.

Since there are still a few available I stocked up, following
Rivendell's advice: "If you find something you really, really like, buy
a lifetime supply; because it'll either be changed for the worse or go
out of production." Three arrived this morning from China. $37 online
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MQPEW10.


Thanks, never saw that one. The holder looks flimsy though but what is
weird is 50h runtime on constant from just two AA cells. Let's be
generous and assume 2500mAh and 3V for the stack. That's 7.5 watt-hours.
At 50h this means the grand total input power for all the LEDs in there
combined canmnot be more than 150mW. That doesn't strike me as a very
bright light.


The Light and Motion Vis 180 also looks promising, $80 online
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LH1W9AU.


70 lumens sound a bit better but I am looking for something way more
serious. Something with 1-2W LEDs. Like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Cygolite-Hotsh...ct_top?ie=UTF8

But it seems to have the usual problems, beam is too narrow and the
holder is too flimsy. In the good old days bicycle lamp holders were
still metal, with really good ones the whole lamp was metal-enclosed.
Luckily I followed the same advice you did 30+ years ago and stocked up.
So if I can't find anything I'll just buy powerful red LEDs, build a
current source switcher and jam that in there.

Alternatively this with an LED mod should be almost bullet-proof:

http://www.amazon.com/Protective-Alu...cle+tail+light


Modern front lights often do have a decent beam but you have to be very
choosy. Watch out for "StVZO compliant" front lights, which by
definition have a sub-optimal beam.


Yup. Hence I have a 1000 lumen "real" light with a diverter lens. Works.
Now I no longer have to slow down at night and people see me during the
day. I ride with the lights on all the time.


On motor vehicles, there are separate side marker lights so there's no
real need for the rear lights to have wide visibility.



You don't see the side markers from the rear so they need good rear
lighting. And in contrast to bicycles they've got that.

I just received a PDW Danger Zone light. Beam totally off kilter and
both LEDs very obviously non-centered. Wrote to them and they said this
is "normal". Could not believe it. So I sent it back for refund. Such
stuff is not what I consider quality lighting.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Sir Ridesalot wrote:
On Tuesday, December 16, 2014 4:45:23 AM UTC-5, somebody wrote:
On Thu, 11 Dec 2014 20:53:50 -0800 (PST), Sir Ridesalot
wrote:

A friend gave me a front light that the wire of broke at the join
of the male/female connector. Repairing the join only gave a
flashing mode on high beam no low beam or steady on light. The
light looks like this one and comes with a nice 4.8 volt battery.


http://www.iaminthestore.com/media/c..._Silvery_0.jpg


I went to a cmper trailer supply store and bought an amber
trailer-light cover. It's bigger inside diameter than the outsid
diameter of the light housing so I wrapped some foam pipe
insulation around the leight and taped the amber lens to it for
testing. The light was then connected to a 7.2 volts NiMh
battery. I just got back in from a nightime ride. That light is
very bright and has a flash cycle about the same as those amber
traffic warning barricades. With my red rear reflector I'm road
legal and have a rear warning light that can be seen for at least
one mile on a straight road. It's really really bright like a car
turn signal yet doesn't flash so fast aas to annoy drivers. A
police officer pulled up beside me as I was returning home and
asked me where I got the light because it was so visible from so
far away and he'd like to get one.

Cheers
Using a white LED with a color filter wastes a portion of the light
output. Many of the XML bins have a high color temperature, that
is they have a blue tinge.

Yellow LED's with a clear diffuser is a good choice.

Maybev that yellow cover loses a bit of light but given how bright
the rmaining light is and that it's visible from over 1 mile away I
don't think that the lost light is a problem.


I'll second that, especially given the fact that nearly all bicycle real
lights are flimsy.

Another option might be to swap out the white LED in there for a
powerful red one and if needed adjust the switcher or series resistor
accordingly. This would be really bright:

http://www.luminus.com/products/Lumi..._Datasheet.pdf

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

On Wednesday, December 17, 2014 1:24:56 PM UTC-5, Joerg wrote:
Sir Ridesalot wrote:
On Tuesday, December 16, 2014 4:45:23 AM UTC-5, somebody wrote:
On Thu, 11 Dec 2014 20:53:50 -0800 (PST), Sir Ridesalot
wrote:

A friend gave me a front light that the wire of broke at the join
of the male/female connector. Repairing the join only gave a
flashing mode on high beam no low beam or steady on light. The
light looks like this one and comes with a nice 4.8 volt battery.


http://www.iaminthestore.com/media/c..._Silvery_0.jpg


I went to a cmper trailer supply store and bought an amber
trailer-light cover. It's bigger inside diameter than the outsid
diameter of the light housing so I wrapped some foam pipe
insulation around the leight and taped the amber lens to it for
testing. The light was then connected to a 7.2 volts NiMh
battery. I just got back in from a nightime ride. That light is
very bright and has a flash cycle about the same as those amber
traffic warning barricades. With my red rear reflector I'm road
legal and have a rear warning light that can be seen for at least
one mile on a straight road. It's really really bright like a car
turn signal yet doesn't flash so fast aas to annoy drivers. A
police officer pulled up beside me as I was returning home and
asked me where I got the light because it was so visible from so
far away and he'd like to get one.

Cheers
Using a white LED with a color filter wastes a portion of the light
output. Many of the XML bins have a high color temperature, that
is they have a blue tinge.

Yellow LED's with a clear diffuser is a good choice.

Maybev that yellow cover loses a bit of light but given how bright
the rmaining light is and that it's visible from over 1 mile away I
don't think that the lost light is a problem.


I'll second that, especially given the fact that nearly all bicycle real
lights are flimsy.

Another option might be to swap out the white LED in there for a
powerful red one and if needed adjust the switcher or series resistor
accordingly. This would be really bright:

http://www.luminus.com/products/Lumi..._Datasheet.pdf

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Seeing as how the light is very bright, very visible a very long distance away and not annoying to other road users; there's no need to change anything. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" applies here.

Cheers

Sir Ridesalot wrote:
On Wednesday, December 17, 2014 1:24:56 PM UTC-5, Joerg wrote:
Sir Ridesalot wrote:
On Tuesday, December 16, 2014 4:45:23 AM UTC-5, somebody wrote:
On Thu, 11 Dec 2014 20:53:50 -0800 (PST), Sir Ridesalot
wrote:

A friend gave me a front light that the wire of broke at the
join of the male/female connector. Repairing the join only
gave a flashing mode on high beam no low beam or steady on
light. The light looks like this one and comes with a nice
4.8 volt battery.


http://www.iaminthestore.com/media/c..._Silvery_0.jpg



I went to a cmper trailer supply store and bought an amber
trailer-light cover. It's bigger inside diameter than the
outsid diameter of the light housing so I wrapped some foam
pipe insulation around the leight and taped the amber lens to
it for testing. The light was then connected to a 7.2 volts
NiMh battery. I just got back in from a nightime ride. That
light is very bright and has a flash cycle about the same as
those amber traffic warning barricades. With my red rear
reflector I'm road legal and have a rear warning light that
can be seen for at least one mile on a straight road. It's
really really bright like a car turn signal yet doesn't flash
so fast aas to annoy drivers. A police officer pulled up
beside me as I was returning home and asked me where I got
the light because it was so visible from so far away and he'd
like to get one.

Cheers
Using a white LED with a color filter wastes a portion of the
light output. Many of the XML bins have a high color
temperature, that is they have a blue tinge.

Yellow LED's with a clear diffuser is a good choice.
Maybev that yellow cover loses a bit of light but given how
bright the rmaining light is and that it's visible from over 1
mile away I don't think that the lost light is a problem.

I'll second that, especially given the fact that nearly all bicycle
real lights are flimsy.

Another option might be to swap out the white LED in there for a
powerful red one and if needed adjust the switcher or series
resistor accordingly. This would be really bright:

http://www.luminus.com/products/Lumi..._Datasheet.pdf

-- Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Seeing as how the light is very bright, very visible a very long
distance away and not annoying to other road users; there's no need
to change anything. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" applies here.


If the duct tape holds :-)

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

On 12/12/2014 2:53 PM, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
A friend gave me a front light that the wire of broke at the join of the male/female connector. Repairing the join only gave a flashing mode on high beam no low beam or steady on light. The light looks like this one and comes with a nice 4.8 volt battery.

http://www.iaminthestore.com/media/c..._Silvery_0.jpg

I went to a cmper trailer supply store and bought an amber trailer-light cover. It's bigger inside diameter than the outsid diameter of the light housing so I wrapped some foam pipe insulation around the leight and taped the amber lens to it for testing. The light was then connected to a 7.2 volts NiMh battery. I just got back in from a nightime ride. That light is very bright and has a flash cycle about the same as those amber traffic warning barricades. With my red rear reflector I'm road legal and have a rear warning light that can be seen for at least one mile on a straight road. It's really really bright like a car turn signal yet doesn't flash so fast aas to annoy drivers. A police officer pulled up beside me as I was returning home and asked me where I got the light because it was so visible from so far away and he'd like to get one.

Cheers

That appears to be the cheap Chinese copy of the cheap Chinese
Magicshine light. I have several of each. The copies have a stepped side
profile, the Magicshines have a smoothly curved profile and usually have
the brand name printed on the silver lens surround.
It sounds like yours has a half dead driver board if it only has flash
mode operational. If you have sufficient interest and a soldering iron
suitable for making four small joints, here is the driver board I have
used to resurrect the same type of light.

http://www.dx.com/p/4-mode-1-5a-led-...01#.VJOQ5v8wCE

Its SKU is 241101. For a small expense and a little trouble you can
restore the light to full high/med/low/flash functionality.

Here's a Magicshine teardown. Whether genuine or copy, these bullet
shaped ribbed aluminium lights are all very similar internally.

http://el34world.com/Misc/bike/BikesLights35.htm

PH

On Thursday, December 18, 2014 10:27:17 PM UTC-5, Peter Howard wrote:
On 12/12/2014 2:53 PM, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
A friend gave me a front light that the wire of broke at the join of the male/female connector. Repairing the join only gave a flashing mode on high beam no low beam or steady on light. The light looks like this one and comes with a nice 4.8 volt battery.

http://www.iaminthestore.com/media/c..._Silvery_0.jpg

I went to a cmper trailer supply store and bought an amber trailer-light cover. It's bigger inside diameter than the outsid diameter of the light housing so I wrapped some foam pipe insulation around the leight and taped the amber lens to it for testing. The light was then connected to a 7.2 volts NiMh battery. I just got back in from a nightime ride. That light is very bright and has a flash cycle about the same as those amber traffic warning barricades. With my red rear reflector I'm road legal and have a rear warning light that can be seen for at least one mile on a straight road. It's really really bright like a car turn signal yet doesn't flash so fast aas to annoy drivers. A police officer pulled up beside me as I was returning home and asked me where I got the light because it was so visible from so far away and he'd like to get one.

Cheers

That appears to be the cheap Chinese copy of the cheap Chinese
Magicshine light. I have several of each. The copies have a stepped side
profile, the Magicshines have a smoothly curved profile and usually have
the brand name printed on the silver lens surround.
It sounds like yours has a half dead driver board if it only has flash
mode operational. If you have sufficient interest and a soldering iron
suitable for making four small joints, here is the driver board I have
used to resurrect the same type of light.

http://www.dx.com/p/4-mode-1-5a-led-...01#.VJOQ5v8wCE

Its SKU is 241101. For a small expense and a little trouble you can
restore the light to full high/med/low/flash functionality.

Here's a Magicshine teardown. Whether genuine or copy, these bullet
shaped ribbed aluminium lights are all very similar internally.

http://el34world.com/Misc/bike/BikesLights35.htm

PH

Thanks for that link. I wonder if it gives a slower flash rate than what mine had. Mine was nearly stroboscoptic and I very much prefer a slower flashing mode if I use a flash mode. Right now the flash mode is about to flashes per second.

I think I might get that part and perhaps a couple more of the lights too.

Thanks again and cheers.