Ultimate trike light

LEDBE
jawnn

jawnn

Enlightened
Joined
Nov 26, 2008
Messages
259
Location
a funny farm near Seattle
I have been looking for a good bright LED head light for my trike for a half a year. I finally learned enough to ask the right question and was directed to the vision x lights, they seem to be the most light for the watt per dollar. They don't seem to have a reflector but the 15 degree Euro beam width is better than the flash lights. The weight is about 4 lbs but that does not bother me.

Now I want to know if there is any better per dollar?
 
What model were you looking at? I assume by ~4lbs. that you mean the Solio model... Vision X seems to be the best lumens per dollar light system out there (in off-road LED lighting, anyhow).

But please define what you mean by "better" per dollar. More output, less weight, less power consumption, better beam pattern, etc.
 
jawnn said:
I have been looking for a good bright LED head light for my trike for a half a year. I finally learned enough to ask the right question and was directed to the vision x lights, they seem to be the most light for the watt per dollar. They don't seem to have a reflector but the 15 degree Euro beam width is better than the flash lights. The weight is about 4 lbs but that does not bother me.

Now I want to know if there is any better per dollar?
Click to expand...


znomit is right on, the chinese made light is the best for the buck. Buy two and for $170 US you get an unbeatable setup unless you build your own. I built a dual MCE light for my trike, and love it, but with the driver, emitters, charger and battery, I spent about $200. I think mine is significantly better, and more customized to my trike, but if I were to buy a set, I'd go with the Magicshine P-7's.

My trike lights
 
much better

This does look much better.... but is there any hidden falts????


znomit said:
Best light for the money is the magicshine P7, get it from GeoMan as it comes with a decent warrantee.
http://www.geomangear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4_41&products_id=138

90$, 3 hrs on high. 38 for an extra battery.

If you do get it please post detailed reports in all of the dozen threads you have started on this topic in multiple forums over the last few months. :shrug:
Click to expand...
 
building

so far I have not seen exactly how to build thse things with out much trouble...or at least a shop, with machine tools.



tiny68300 said:
znomit is right on, the chinese made light is the best for the buck. Buy two and for $170 US you get an unbeatable setup unless you build your own. I built a dual MCE light for my trike, and love it, but with the driver, emitters, charger and battery, I spent about $200. I think mine is significantly better, and more customized to my trike, but if I were to buy a set, I'd go with the Magicshine P-7's.

My trike lights
Click to expand...
 
Re: building

jawnn said:
so far I have not seen exactly how to build thse things with out much trouble...or at least a shop, with machine tools.
Click to expand...

Understood, but I built mine with only a drill press and a chop saw. If I had only a hacksaw and a handheld drill, I could still build it. I don't have a mill or any machine tools. It's more a matter of figuring out what materials are available that need minimal modification.

The bodies are simply 38mm inside diameter aluminum tubing from onlinemetals.com, cut to length, closed on one end by a 20mm thick slug cut from 38mm diameter aluminum rod (also from onlinemetals) that also acts as the mount for the led and the heatsink. Easy-peasy. No shaping or sanding or milling or much of anything. :thinking:
 
Voltage regulator

well I got crazy and sent for one of the geoman magic lights, then later realized it doesn't have a voltage regulator...so does that mean I need one?
 
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HEATING?

The Geoman Magicshine lamp is much better than I thought, it even has a flashing mode for city traffic. And the light does not dim with battery usage.

As the voltage gets too low for the safety of the battery the tail switch color changes to red. However the switch cover looks like it is not waterproof.

The beam is a bit smaller than I would like and I think I need one or two more of these, one 15 degree beam flanked by two 30 degree would be the best.

The lamp head is smaller than the photo shows it, but that s a good thing. The instructions say that there should be 40% of "state of charge" for long storage. Does that mean I need digital volt meter?

It does get hot....possably too hot......


$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

is there a conductive ointment? how can I fix this?????

I will try to open the light when I get home and look at it.....



linger said:
iirc, the goe whatever is the same as dx p7 bike like, which Ktronic dissected and reported on here:
http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=232163

Key point for you - heatsinking was horrible stock. You've got to reassemble it with a proper thermal path between the p7 and the heatsink, and improved path to casing would help too.
Click to expand...
 
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Re: HEATING?

I don't think there is a problem with getting the heat to out side, but there is a problem with getting enough heat off the out side.

The head weighs only .5lbs (vision X weighs almost 4lbs) and it gets so hot that I can't hold it or more than a few seconds.

This may not be a problem in the winter while I am moving, but I sure can't use it as a work light.
 
Confused out of my mind

Even with all the tidbits of info I have gathered from other theads I still don't know what I want...and this data base doesn't help very much.

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=176131

Is all this true???

Depending on the your speed you will watch the road at different distances. I ride slow and watch the road at about 20ft.



The SST-50 with an OP reflector 20 degree beam and defuser lens to reduce the rings would be the best lite for me. But some wouold need a "thrower" beam found in the flashlights.



The SST-50, XP-G, XR-E, and XP-E leave no black hole in the center of the beam unlike the SSC-P7 and MC-E LED's.

So I think I want a light simular to the Martin lamp but with an SST-50 to eleminate the dark spot.... and coolling fins because it may make more heat?
 
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Re: Confused out of my mind

I run less light with this on fast twisty mountain descents on 25c tyres.

With an MC-E light and three wheels you shouldn't be having problems riding at speeds up to 30mph. Lots of guys use less light on MTB trails.

What exactly is the problem you are trying to solve?
 
"hallelujah!" I see the light!

gosh its hard to learn about these lights. I was thinking that I could use three of the SST50's at half power to get 1500 lumins with out the heat problem.... now I see there is an even brighter LED: the SST-90!!!

And now even more? bridgelux C2000 for 3300 lumins, obviusly only good for motorized trikes.


http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=242015


My ideal lamp would be 3000 lumens over a double wide beam to 30ft ahead (the wider the beam the less bright it is) then a longer beam to 75ft ahead, all driven at low enough power to not exceed 120 degree f ???

Three XP-G http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=244110

I want to use two Martin lamps (martin-led ) with sst-90's for efficiency but may need to settle for SST-50's. Or build my own array.

Large batteries that will run the electric motor I am going to drive my trike with will power all this.


Battery packs http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?p=3116168#post3116168
'
 
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Rain proof lamps

Warning! The Chinese light is not totally waterproof! It's been raining so much that a friends Nite Rider light similar to it shorted out. I wonder how many other lights are not waterproof.
 
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