Wireless Blinkers

Lachiepower0402 · Feb 5, 2015

I have seen a few wireless blinkers online, but they don't look very bright, does anyone know of blinkers that work well?

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Steve K · Feb 5, 2015

wireless blinkers? Do you mean blinkers that are powered by an internal battery instead of being powered by external battery? If so, I'm happy with the Cateye model TL-LD630-R:
http://www.cateye.com/en/products/detail/TL-LD630-R/
Powered by a single AA cell, bright, easy to use, good switch, good sealing, and has a very adaptable mount.
The Cateye appears to be built better than the Planet Bike Superflash that I've used before.

If "wireless" means that it uses bluetooth to remotely control the light, then I don't know of any.

And if "blinker" means "turn signal" instead of a blinking rear light... I still don't know.

Chicken Drumstick · Feb 5, 2015

Not sure what you mean by blinkers, but if you mean a light that flashes in any description, I fail to understand why any cyclist would want it on them.

Much harder to judge speed and distance of a flashing light and far more distracting to motorists, would think it increases your chance of being hit vs a non flashing light.

Think about it, normal cars don't have flashing lights on them to mark their position.

mcnair55 · Feb 5, 2015

Chicken Drumstick said:
Not sure what you mean by blinkers, but if you mean a light that flashes in any description, I fail to understand why any cyclist would want it on them.

Much harder to judge speed and distance of a flashing light and far more distracting to motorists, would think it increases your chance of being hit vs a non flashing light.

Think about it, normal cars don't have flashing lights on them to mark their position.

As a professional driver for a living it is easier to see a flashing cycle light,blues and two operators use flashing lights.

Lachiepower0402 · Feb 6, 2015

What I mean is turn signals. I come from Australia where we call them blinkers. I currently have a wired setup, but I don't like the messy wires.

Yes, I could use my hands, but I prefer to keep both hands on the bar at all times, just in case.

What I mean by wireless is, their is a switch on the handlebars and I flick it left and the left light flashes on and off and visa versa. Without the need to connect wires between the two, like a currently have to.

I can post a picture of my setup and maybe a wiring diagram if anyone is interested?

Chicken Drumstick · Feb 6, 2015

mcnair55 said:
As a professional driver for a living it is easier to see a flashing cycle light,blues and two operators use flashing lights.

Might be easier to see/notice it, but harder to judge it's speed and distance, which is kind of critical on something that is moving.

Why do you think cars don't use flashing lights for side or rear lights?

Planes on the other hand do, because the sky is vast and they are not constrained by roads and traffic the same.

Chicken Drumstick · Feb 6, 2015

Lachiepower0402 said:
What I mean is turn signals. I come from Australia where we call them blinkers. I currently have a wired setup, but I don't like the messy wires.

Yes, I could use my hands, but I prefer to keep both hands on the bar at all times, just in case.

What I mean by wireless is, their is a switch on the handlebars and I flick it left and the left light flashes on and off and visa versa. Without the need to connect wires between the two, like a currently have to.

I can post a picture of my setup and maybe a wiring diagram if anyone is interested?

Interesting.

To be wireless they would need some kind of wifi/bluetooth connectivity.

Not impossible although more costly I would assume and would require powering at both ends. I'd have thought a wired solution would be easier to achieve and maintain.

Steve K · Feb 6, 2015

this might be a good excuse to play around with an Arduino... I think there are some bluetooth peripherals available for them.

Out of curiosity.. what do your current blinkers look like? Do you have turn signals in front and in the rear? Are the left and right lamps widely separated, or is there a different way to indicate which direction you will be turning?

I don't do enough urban riding to make it worth making my own, but I do enough riding at night to wonder if drivers have any idea that I'm turning. I've started wearing reflective ankle bands on my wrists/gloves so that drivers will at least be able to see something that could help them know what I'm doing.

There was a kickstarter project for bike gloves with a small battery and some LEDs to function as a turn signal too. Not a bad idea.

BrianMc · Feb 6, 2015

These:

http://www.ledbylite.com/sol-48/

have a wireless control turn signal feature as well as 4-way. They are night functional when hand signals are often not seen. They are not bright enough in the day.

Here is the thread with the video. The camera is less sensitive than he human eye, but the daylight performance is not there. I have been thinking of what 4 XPE ambers and maybe 6 reds would swapped out in this setup. The battery (12.8 V), driver, and bluetooth connectivity are in one unit. I have not measured output. This might save a bit of work if the output was adequate for XPEs.

mcnair55 · Feb 6, 2015

Chicken Drumstick said:
Might be easier to see/notice it, but harder to judge it's speed and distance, which is kind of critical on something that is moving.

Why do you think cars don't use flashing lights for side or rear lights?

Planes on the other hand do, because the sky is vast and they are not constrained by roads and traffic the same.

Unless you are Sir Bradley Wiggins your speed theory is just that a theory.The flashing cycle lamp is a warning to others I am small but here,as a rider of a scooter(hobby) I can tell you that you are 54 times more likely of being hit than in a car,the numb nuts who drive in this country just do not see bikes hence the constant "think bike" campaign.

TEEJ · Feb 6, 2015

I think a key thing to note, is that he means for TURN SIGNALLING.

Cars, trucks, etc ALL use blinking lights for turn indication...and steady state for the rest.

Kudos for Wiggo reference btw.

Lachiepower0402 · Feb 6, 2015

Steve K said:
this might be a good excuse to play around with an Arduino... I think there are some bluetooth peripherals available for them.

Out of curiosity.. what do your current blinkers look like? Do you have turn signals in front and in the rear? Are the left and right lamps widely separated, or is there a different way to indicate which direction you will be turning?

I don't do enough urban riding to make it worth making my own, but I do enough riding at night to wonder if drivers have any idea that I'm turning. I've started wearing reflective ankle bands on my wrists/gloves so that drivers will at least be able to see something that could help them know what I'm doing.

There was a kickstarter project for bike gloves with a small battery and some LEDs to function as a turn signal too. Not a bad idea.

I took a light bar apart and when taken apart I got small little LED light bars. So I cable tied it to the back on the two bars next to the rear on each side. Then it is wired up to the handlebars to a DPDT switch, so I can add front if I want to.

The way the light blink is, the light bars came with a controller and I connect both lights to the negative of the controller, so they would flash and the positive came from the switch, because the switch is positively powered by a 9v battery.

My ideas is that if I have my rear red light in between the two indicators, people will be able to tell left from right.

I saw those gloves on a TV show once, they look good, but I do not want to take my hands off the handlebars. Thanks anyway

Lachiepower0402 · Feb 6, 2015

BrianMc said:
These:

http://www.ledbylite.com/sol-48/

have a wireless control turn signal feature as well as 4-way. They are night functional when hand signals are often not seen. They are not bright enough in the day.

Here is the thread with the video. The camera is less sensitive than he human eye, but the daylight performance is not there. I have been thinking of what 4 XPE ambers and maybe 6 reds would swapped out in this setup. The battery (12.8 V), driver, and bluetooth connectivity are in one unit. I have not measured output. This might save a bit of work if the output was adequate for XPEs.

I think that is a bit over my budget, I would get something around 30, not including battery, because I have plenty off batteries that I could use.

BrianMc · Feb 8, 2015

By the way, in parts of Canada they also complain of drivers not using their blinkers. So no translation was needed for some of us.

I suspect that with the wireless, driver, control for steady, four way, and directional blinking, and four lights, that an integrated Li-ion would be par for the course. The technology is in early days yet. The price will drop. In the meantime, you have your wired setup.

Lachiepower0402 · Feb 8, 2015

Well in that case, how would you recommend I organise my cables? Also what battery would be suitable, keep the 9v or use a lithium or other batter i.e. lead acid.

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BrianMc · Feb 9, 2015

The ledbylite system uses mini (not micro) usb connectors (males and females) giving you four leads, two for each side, front and back allowing a single cable to run forward from the rear set and one from the front to the battery pack mounted on the seat post or seat tube. That system of course, controls everything via the battery pack. You could use another USB cable to let you close the circuit on either side or on both if you want four way flashers, too. You would need a driver that does the flashing and supplies the correct current for your blinkers. You could have a high setting for day and a low for night. The LED voltage, current and layout (parallel or series) will dictate battery voltage range and driver. Multiple AA NiMH rechargeable cells or a Li-ion pack might be good choices. Others here are more experienced in setting up LED-driver arrays.

Lachiepower0402 · Feb 9, 2015

BrianMc said:
The ledbylite system uses mini (not micro) usb connectors (males and females) giving you four leads, two for each side, front and back allowing a single cable to run forward from the rear set and one from the front to the battery pack mounted on the seat post or seat tube. That system of course, controls everything via the battery pack. You could use another USB cable to let you close the circuit on either side or on both if you want four way flashers, too. You would need a driver that does the flashing and supplies the correct current for your blinkers. You could have a high setting for day and a low for night. The LED voltage, current and layout (parallel or series) will dictate battery voltage range and driver. Multiple AA NiMH rechargeable cells or a Li-ion pack might be good choices. Others here are more experienced in setting up LED-driver arrays.

The blinkers are already being powered my a driver, but the driver is quite large (about 30cm by 5cm), so I might replace the driver with a 555 timer or something alike.

With the battery pack. I have a battery pack from a Cable Internet modem that I am no longer using which is I think 8.4v and 2600mah. Which should be plenty. I am not sure about the maximum voltage of the lights, I only know the voltages for the driver.

The usb idea is quite good, but my soldering skills are not the best, so soldering small usb wires might be a bit difficult.

Wireless Blinkers

Lachiepower0402

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Steve K

Flashlight Enthusiast

Chicken Drumstick

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mcnair55

Flashlight Enthusiast

Lachiepower0402

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Chicken Drumstick

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Chicken Drumstick

Flashlight Enthusiast

Steve K

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BrianMc

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mcnair55

Flashlight Enthusiast

TEEJ

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Lachiepower0402

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Lachiepower0402

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BrianMc

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Lachiepower0402

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BrianMc

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Lachiepower0402

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