Flashing with a BuckPuck

[Garibaldi]

No, no pictures of me flashing with a Buckpuck - be thankful.

I was wondering if anybody knows if there would be an issue with using a standard car or motorcycle flasher unit, such as one of these http://www.superbrightleds.com/flashers.htm or from any automotive supply, on the output of a BuckPuck? I know you can add circuitry to the pins on the unit, but that would require two BuckPucks for turn signals and running lights as opposed to using a switch at the flasher unit. I'd like to have standard tail lights on all the time, along with turn signals, run off the same BuckPuck for simplicity and cost. And I don't want the tail light flashing like a standard bicycle flasher since that would confuse cagers when the actual turn signals came on, even though they would be amber.

 

[Capo_au]

Just trying to get an understanding of your setup. American tail lights are a bit different to those on Australian cars.

So you would have one single Buckpuck running just two led's in parallel? You then want to switch the output of each of these led's to indicate turning?

I havent used a buckpuck before so I have no idea how it handles when switching the outputs on and off. Just make sure it does spike the current in doing so or it might not last that long. Im sure one of the guys on here will know.

Depending on your soldering skill you could always look into some cheaper drivers. I bought an AX2002 recently and with a few modifications it would suit your purpose. You could then just drive it off the wires used for the excising light globe which blinked.

Not sure thats much help but its all i got :)

 

[Garibaldi]

After doing a little more research and pulling my head out of my orifice, I decided to use two buckpucks - one for the running lights, three rear red and one front white "see me" in serial on all the time, one for the turn signals, one front one back amber on each side. I'm not sure this will work, but the turn signal flashers are actually mechanical switches using a heating wire which flexes another piece of metal to make the contact and the heating/cooling cycle is what causes the flash. I'm using 5W LED's with a nominal 1A current and max 1.5A, so I'm hoping this will work to take transient current surges, or the heating wire may "buffer" it, though I have yet to try it.

And then I'm using two flashlight drivers from DX, similar to the one you linked, to run the brake light and the front "see the road" headlight.

I'm currently waiting for parts to put it all together.

 

[Capo_au]

Sounds interesting, let us know how you get on :popcorn: