Philips LBL on dynamo.

swhs

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First results are in, I made some videos too. Driving a LBL with this driver makes all other dynamo headlamps look like rubbish. Oh yes, and forget about LEDs without cutoff: A beam with cutoff is about 3-4 times as effective as a circular symmetric beam due to overexposure of the near field which happens even pointing at the horizon (and this results in eyes adapting to that light which is why the Lupine Betty at 1850 lumen although looking a little better on beamshot images than the LBL, in use I found it not better than the LBL so for that reason in this case it's 6 times more powerful yet not better), light wasted above the horizon, light wasted too much to the sides.

See: http://swhs.home.xs4all.nl/fiets/tests/verlichting/dynamo_led_driver/index_en.html

I will use a b2flex and Joe Gross method too to see how well that performs. A b2flex with battery as well to get some good beamshots of the LBL at various LED currents. But that will be a few weeks probably.

Triple XM-L to be tested with this driver in a few days... This will give a really good dynamo MTB system which should kick Brown dwarf's ***.

And then I come to the Philips SLD (dynamo): Mine has developed an intermittent contact in the standlight circuit. I asked a guy from Philips if he was interested, no response so far, so I will cut it open and also for fun run it on the new dynamo driver.

So, those who wanted to see one cut up will get their wish. Now I have to decide, where to open it so that I can still use it... Suggestions?
 
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HakanC

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Looks very interesting.
Can you share anything more about the new dynamo LED driver?

/Håkan
SWEDEN
 

Savvas

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I'd second HakanC's interest in the driver please. I'm interested in this general discussion because I have the standard Philips dynamo light - the dynamo version of the LBL - and I'm quite pleased with it. My needs are relatively modest - commuting only at relatively slow speed - but I do believe that it has a better beam than my eDelux. I don't quite have the same confidence in the SDL's build quality as I have with the Schmidt and the eDelux remains a very fine light in the regard IMHO. Basically I see the Philips as being a fine design that has been 'built down' a bit to be price competitive with plastic lights such as the Cyo and Fly. I think this is a shame as the design (again, IMHO) warrants better build quality! However I guess that's where 'modification' comes in...
Sam.
 

swhs

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I'd second HakanC's interest in the driver please. I'm interested in this general discussion because I have the standard Philips dynamo light - the dynamo version of the LBL - and I'm quite pleased with it. My needs are relatively modest - commuting only at relatively slow speed - but I do believe that it has a better beam than my eDelux. I don't quite have the same confidence in the SDL's build quality as I have with the Schmidt and the eDelux remains a very fine light in the regard IMHO. Basically I see the Philips as being a fine design that has been 'built down' a bit to be price competitive with plastic lights such as the Cyo and Fly. I think this is a shame as the design (again, IMHO) warrants better build quality! However I guess that's where 'modification' comes in...
Sam.

I will provide more details over time but how much is determined by considerations about the future, how it will be used. I suggested the maker to sell the design. If this doesn't work out it may become an open project. So, at the moment my experiences with this driver are a view to the future and what I can tell more is dependant on how this all works out. Also dependent on what I think of it as I know the mfg interested in it.

As to the SLD: It has some bad points, but all lamps have bad points. I don't think the design was 'built down' to compete with the Cyo. What I see in particular is some what we in Dutch call when a new product has flaws: 'child deseases'. The mount is not vertically stiff enough, and the lamp lets light go upward in particular. No manufacturer makes a perfect product from scratch... The early Edeluxes were prone to leakage, the Cyos had various other problems.
 

BrianMc

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^We call it the bleeding edge, if pushing new technologies, and 'teething problems' if not. Much the same.
 

Savvas

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...I don't think the design was 'built down' to compete with the Cyo.

Sorry - I didn't mean to sound like I was putting the SLD down. I just feel that it's not made quite as nicely as it should be. For instance, it has an excellently manufactured metal case but uses a sealed switch which - while it works well electrically - provides absolutely no 'click' or other feedback when pressed. Perhaps beiher here nor there given you soon find out whether you've switched the light on, but it doesn't seem quite in keeping with the rest of the light's 'mechanics'. The stainless steel bracket on mine seems rock solid. Maybe you have a different bracket of maybe you have cobbles?

Anyway, I look forward to further appraisal of this very good light.

Sam
 

swhs

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Sorry - I didn't mean to sound like I was putting the SLD down. I just feel that it's not made quite as nicely as it should be. For instance, it has an excellently manufactured metal case but uses a sealed switch which - while it works well electrically - provides absolutely no 'click' or other feedback when pressed. Perhaps beiher here nor there given you soon find out whether you've switched the light on, but it doesn't seem quite in keeping with the rest of the light's 'mechanics'. The stainless steel bracket on mine seems rock solid. Maybe you have a different bracket of maybe you have cobbles?

Anyway, I look forward to further appraisal of this very good light.

Sam

Well, I don't mind if you put the SLD down, with good arguments, that's up to you :)

Yes, the bracket is not stiff enough on brick of cobble roads. I also said in my review that it's difficult to feel the switch. But the Cyo RT for example has a quite bad switch too as it's very hard to see in which position it is. The Edelux is the best one in that respect. I also don't like the fact that the mount on the lamp uses a non standard width, so one would need to do some DIY to use another bracket.

I'm not sure how long Schmidt has been making their headlamps, but they have been at it for ages. And that helps. Teething problems was indeed the expression that escaped me for a while, but describing it was obviously also clear. Anyway, what I'm most disappointed at with Philips is the lack of response to suggestions I made and problems I encountered...
So I'm not sure what's going to happen with future lamp versions, and the LBL still has the firmware and/or hardware problem that limits runtime to ca. 1h 12m unless you take out the batteries. With some DIY the LBL can be made into a great lamp, e.g. using a maxflex or b2flex...

The LBL was the lamp that made me think there was very little more to wish for, and the LBL with the special dynamo driver is great for me as I prefer a dyno system. This is where future dynamo lighting will go, but there may be a split into StVZO and almost-StVZO (see my StVZO analysis page for esp. the 2.4 W restriction at 15 km/h).
 

HakanC

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I will provide more details over time but how much is determined by considerations about the future, how it will be used. I suggested the maker to sell the design. If this doesn't work out it may become an open project. So, at the moment my experiences with this driver are a view to the future and what I can tell more is dependant on how this all works out. Also dependent on what I think of it as I know the mfg interested in it.
I know several bicyclist that would love to have a dynamo LED driver like this as soon as possibly, and at the latest this August.
To use in France during the 1200km Paris Brest Paris randonne'
http://www.paris-brest-paris.org
 

NightOwl™

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I didn't expect to find you here Håkan, but hey on the net everyone is nowhere and sometimes everywhere!
But you haven't made a comment on my 3xp7 project yet. (my thread at happy is way back..)

Well back to topic, this dynamo is very interesting. I will read it all, after a good night sleep and make a better comment.
After all, I hade the same plans as you did.
So keep up the good work.
 

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