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-   -   More About Lights (http://www.cyclebanter.com/showthread.php?t=252150)

Frank Krygowski[_4_] March 7th 17 05:05 AM

More About Lights
 
On 3/6/2017 1:47 PM, wrote:

I notice that a large number of the people in our group have flashing red rear lights and it isn't long before these batteries run down enough that the taillight even blinking is almost entirely unnoticeable. So I don't have much respect for battery power for a great deal of use.


When the first twinkling LED taillights (by Vistalight) came out in the
1990s, people were very impressed by how visible they made a bike.
Bikes were visible up to half a mile away, and AA batteries in those
units last months.

Since then, "safety inflation" has proclaimed that they're insufficient
because they're too dim. Now you need a taillight so bright that it
blinds following riders. Of course those consume much more electricity.

--
- Frank Krygowski

Jeff Liebermann March 7th 17 05:10 AM

More About Lights
 
On Mon, 6 Mar 2017 16:57:41 +1100, James
wrote:

What if I don't want to play with batteries?


Then play with calcium carbide (produces acetylene gas) instead:
https://www.google.com/search?q=acetylene+bicycle+lamp&tbm=isch

--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D
http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

Frank Krygowski[_4_] March 7th 17 05:11 AM

More About Lights
 
On 3/6/2017 9:37 PM, sms wrote:

This light http://supernova-lights.com/en/supernova-e3-triple-2 claims
640 lumens at 4.5W. 4.5W is definitely possible from a nominal 3W
dynamo. It claims 800 lumens peak.

Note that his light, while sold in Germany, is not "road legal."
because, according to reviews, it doesn't suffer the problems of StVZO
lights, "It has a very broad light output that is closer to a floodlight
than a focused beam, and so doesn’t give the ‘tunnel’ effect of some of
the powerful battery-powered lights. This means it’s great for
illuminating branches and hazards above you and off to the side." As we
all know, the problem with StVZO legal lights are related to the
extremely focused spot beam.


Here's an example of an StVZO headlamp (2013 model) with the "extremely
focused spot beam" the Scharf complains about.
http://peterwhitecycles.com/images/p...lux-II-800.jpg

See that tiny spot? ;-)


--
- Frank Krygowski

Jeff Liebermann March 7th 17 05:29 AM

More About Lights
 
On Mon, 6 Mar 2017 23:11:26 -0500, Frank Krygowski
wrote:

Here's an example of an StVZO headlamp (2013 model) with the "extremely
focused spot beam" the Scharf complains about.
http://peterwhitecycles.com/images/p...lux-II-800.jpg

See that tiny spot? ;-)


Here's the same photo with brightness converted to pseudo colors:
http://802.11junk.com/jeffl/pics/bicycles/Front-Light-False-Color/sch-edelux-II-800.jpg
No obvious hot spot.

--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D
http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

DATAKOLL MARINE RESEARCH March 7th 17 07:08 AM

More About Lights
 
never experiencing dyna lighting, the White photo bears no relation to anything I've read here.

I aaside the cycle is moving at 35 mph.

[email protected] March 7th 17 08:58 AM

More About Lights
 
On Tuesday, March 7, 2017 at 5:11:29 AM UTC+1, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 3/6/2017 9:37 PM, sms wrote:

This light http://supernova-lights.com/en/supernova-e3-triple-2 claims
640 lumens at 4.5W. 4.5W is definitely possible from a nominal 3W
dynamo. It claims 800 lumens peak.

Note that his light, while sold in Germany, is not "road legal."
because, according to reviews, it doesn't suffer the problems of StVZO
lights, "It has a very broad light output that is closer to a floodlight
than a focused beam, and so doesn’t give the ‘tunnel’ effect of some of
the powerful battery-powered lights. This means it’s great for
illuminating branches and hazards above you and off to the side." As we
all know, the problem with StVZO legal lights are related to the
extremely focused spot beam.


Here's an example of an StVZO headlamp (2013 model) with the "extremely
focused spot beam" the Scharf complains about.
http://peterwhitecycles.com/images/p...lux-II-800.jpg

See that tiny spot? ;-)


--
- Frank Krygowski


That is the headlight I use and it looks exactly the same on a pitch dark street. So again I don't understand why people find this amount of light insufficient.

Lou

John B.[_3_] March 7th 17 01:06 PM

More About Lights
 
On Mon, 6 Mar 2017 11:15:54 -0800 (PST), jbeattie
wrote:

On Sunday, March 5, 2017 at 9:57:44 PM UTC-8, James wrote:
On 06/03/17 10:22, Barry Beams wrote:


Burn time: What if you had five or ten hours battery time at your
generator's brightness? My Oculus gives at least that much
brightness, and a quickly field replaceable battery so you can put in
a fresh battery. Other rechargeables leave you out of light and out
of luck when the battery drains. Oculus also comes with a spare
battery included.


What if I don't want to play with batteries?


Then you're done with the battery light discussion and may move on to helmets.

-- Jay Beattie.


I thought that chain-lube was next on the agenda?
--
Cheers,

John B.


John B.[_3_] March 7th 17 02:00 PM

More About Lights
 
On Mon, 06 Mar 2017 20:10:21 -0800, Jeff Liebermann
wrote:

On Mon, 6 Mar 2017 16:57:41 +1100, James
wrote:

What if I don't want to play with batteries?


Then play with calcium carbide (produces acetylene gas) instead:
https://www.google.com/search?q=acetylene+bicycle+lamp&tbm=isch


Ahem! I don't think you should suggest acetylene gas devices to some
of the folks here. After all the safe limit for acetylene gas is 15
psi, above which it tends to go BOOM! :-)

(but maybe if you wear a helmet and have a bright light... :-)
--
Cheers,

John B.


Joerg[_2_] March 7th 17 05:37 PM

More About Lights
 
On 2017-03-06 20:00, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On 3/6/2017 4:33 PM, Joerg wrote:

The real McCoy would be a worryfree system like in a car where it
recharges while riding. If I ever switch the road bike front wheel to
one with a hub dynamo I will do that. Right now it only has a bottle
dynamo, too much drag and it eats the left side wall of "modern" tires.


I've done well with a bottle dynamo whose drive wheel has an added
circumferential groove to hold a thick O-ring. That O-ring runs on the
rim's braking surface, not on the tire. Zero tire wear, and it runs
very smoothly. I've experienced no slipping - but it's not been tested
in the rain.


May main issue isn't rain but mud. Often the Soubitez bottle dynamo on
my road bike mutates into a clump of drying clay.

Back in Europe slush and ice was the main issue. Typically on a night
ride back home when a cold front rushed in. The slush accumulated at the
dynamo, gradually froze up there and at some point ... phseeeee ... no
more light on our bikes except on mine because that had a battery.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Jeff Liebermann March 7th 17 07:38 PM

More About Lights
 
On Tue, 07 Mar 2017 20:00:47 +0700, John B.
wrote:

On Mon, 06 Mar 2017 20:10:21 -0800, Jeff Liebermann
wrote:

On Mon, 6 Mar 2017 16:57:41 +1100, James
wrote:

What if I don't want to play with batteries?


Then play with calcium carbide (produces acetylene gas) instead:
https://www.google.com/search?q=acetylene+bicycle+lamp&tbm=isch


Ahem! I don't think you should suggest acetylene gas devices to some
of the folks here. After all the safe limit for acetylene gas is 15
psi, above which it tends to go BOOM! :-)


I once found a patent for an acetylene lantern design that used the
heated gas pressure from the burning acetylene to pressurize a reed
and thus act as a horn. I don't recall if it had a built in red tail
light.

What keeps an acetylene lantern from blowing up and ruining a ride is
that the drip of water into the calcium carbide chamber is regulated
by the back pressure produced by the reaction. No water means no gas
is produced. It's a gravity fed affair, that's quite reliable and
should never raise the internal pressure anywhere near 15 psig.

(but maybe if you wear a helmet and have a bright light... :-)


The light isn't for me. It's for James who wants an alternative to
changing batteries. I solved my lighting problem long ago:
http://802.11junk.com/jeffl/pics/bicycles/slides/bicycle-flashlight.html

The big problem with an acetylene bicycle lantern is that a typical
lantern only delivers about 30 to 50 lumens (my measurements).

If you need a project, build an acetylene lamp that screws into an
aluminum water bottle.
http://www.4bobandbob.com/pages/pics/PremierDia.gif

--
Jeff Liebermann
150 Felker St #D
http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558


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