Q. about Harbor Freight mini HID fog lights

[huskyrunnr]

Anyone messed around with these and have an idea of the quality and output and power? Would they make a couple of good bike lights? I'm also wondering why the ballast for these is so large compared to, say, NiteRider? Seems like a much cheaper yet bulkier alternative than NiteRider if it could work.

I know next to nothing about HID so please shoot it down if the idea seems stupid.

 

[Patriot]

For future reference, a link to the product always makes it quick and helpful.

I'll assume you're inquiring about these:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95058

It's very hard to determine anything about these since there aren't any specs given....not even wattage. As a mountain biker myself, I can suggest that the NR is a specialized product from an establish company who seeks to maintain a fine reputation. Undoubtedly NR has extensively researched and tested their lights in huge international races such as the 24 hours of Moab. Everything has been designed to be as lightweight as possible while still providing the durability necessary for a decade of good service.

The HF fog lights are generic Asian automotive lights designed for folks who want to cheaply augment their car lights. Could they be retrofitted for cycling....sure, anything is possible. Will they be ideal....never. As an HID fan myself, I have to admit that LED bike lighting really has a lot going for it these days with few disadvantages. The main reason is because the cycling HID lights are usually lower 10-16W types. HID is more efficient at higher wattage's of 30+. Using a 30W light on a bicycle isn't very practical for a serious cyclist because of the size and weight.

If you just really love HID for cycling or just really like the price, have a look at the Trailtech line of lights. http://trailtech.net/single_hid_scmr16.html
These will require some electrical and set-up knowledge even if you purchase the entire light and power package from trailtech. Just a heads-up.

 

[huskyrunnr]

Thanks so much, that is a lot of useful information. I sure do like the looks of those trailtech lights. I may have to save up for one of those.

 

[Patriot]

Thanks so much, that is a lot of useful information. I sure do like the looks of those trailtech lights. I may have to save up for one of those.

They are brighter than the NR HID's but the mounting hardware isn't as "trick" since it's not a dedicated cycling light. I believe they got started in ATV lighting and tricked down to other sports. The NR system also uses some fairly advance smart battery electronics that you won't get with the trailtech package. I've worn a 16W Trailtech on my helmet once and it was brighter than any cycling light I've ever used. It also had a very substantial weight and made my neck sore after a 16 mile night ride. I didn't buy it from the seller. It would make a better handlebar mounted light as long as you have front suspension, for mountain biking purposes. For road riding it would be fine on the handlebars.


Here is a helpful output to price graph from tests done at mountain bike reviews:
http://reviews.mtbr.com/files/2008/01/mtbr_claimedandmeasured.gif

You'll notice that the NR X2 Dual rates very highly.

 

[huskyrunnr]

Wow, that graph settles it for me. For my interests, it will be the trailtech. Full disclosure, I want the brightest light i can find to switch on whenever I hear a snowmobiler approaching. There has lately been a rash of 'bilers taking out sled teams on trails at night. I run a small enough team that I can jimmy them over to the side when I hear 'bilers coming, but a very powerful light on top of my ski helmet will also help stack the deck in my favor.

I'm hoping an erect stance with the light mounted directly on top of the helmet will make the weight not so bad.

Thanks again, this is invaluable to me and perhaps other dog drivers.

Ride on, Patriot!

 

[Patriot]

Since it sounds like you're getting pretty serious about this you might want to check out these guys: http://www.batteryspace.com/index.asp?PageAction=PRODSEARCH&txtSearch=trailtech&x=0&y=0

They also offer complete packages. I'm not sure how long a duration your sledding sessions are, but it's usually a good idea to get 30-50% more run-time that you expect to use. That's the back country mountain bike rule anyhow. In your case weight is even less of an issue (being carried by the sled) so I'd lean toward the 50%+ side of that rule. If you use 4 hours of light it would be good to get a battery pack for 6-7 hours and or carry a second battery pack for even more security.

 

[huskyrunnr]

I carry the batt. inside the parka to keep it warm, but that should not be a problem. Spares can go in the sled bag.

Great prices at that link. Thanks again. I have my eye on their 30W HID but only see one 30W post mount there. I'll surely keep my eye out though.

8 hr. runtime would be the holy grail but I'm prolly stuck w/ 200 or so lm LED for that. I'm thinking I'll have to revert to a switch on/off scenario with HID for signalling 'bilers. But that is OK if the switching is failsafe. Sledding or skiing in the dark behind dogs on a good trail is pretty nice when no one else is around.

 

[Patriot]

8 hour run-time shouldn't be a problem at all. The light will operate on any 14.4V pack and there is a large selection of packs over 5700mah. The main obstacle may be cost on something like a 7200mah pack.

http://www.batteryspace.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=1003


Just keep in mind that HID isn't "instant on" so I'm not sure it it will be ideal for quickly firing up to make yourself highly visible. The 16W light takes about 30 seconds to reach full brightness and color temperature.

 

[Ralph_S]

To supplement a bright light, maybe some reflectors would be useful. The brighter the snowmobile headlights, the brighter the reflections. Also, reflectors would work instantly, without additional effort. Maybe reflectors, reflective tape, or flexible reflective strips could be fastened to a vest or helmet.

However, reflectors would not work so well if the snowmobiles were coming around a sharp curve or some obstacle to direct line of sight. Other limitations of reflectors are mentioned in articles such as the following: http://www.bikexprt.com/bicycle/reflectors/index.htm

Given the potential speed of snowmobiles, could they run a sled down from the back as well as the front? If so, would at least two lights be needed, and perhaps enough reflectors that they could be seen from any direction?