USA, Soldering Skills, Wanna be SEEN!

[patc]

OK, I'm in the USA so I need parts (Nashville to be specific.)

I wanna be seen more than to see. Commuting is my priority.

I've read so many threads on so many things - Cree, etc. I understand current versus voltage, and what a regulator does. I can handle a soldering iron and an oscilloscope. I have a good multimeter, but my scope is gone, and I wish I still had it. Time domain is my domain....

I see so many options - Cree this, cree that. I can JB weld like a pro, but not MIG weld. I have a drill press. I have an angle grinder. I can do home shop fabrication. I have a job and I'm an active bicycling advocate so I don't have a ton of time.

So, give me a recipe for a really cool bike light that makes drivers go - holy crap - what is that? Oh, a bicycle. I can't believe that thing is so bright."

I want my wife to say "You only spent $100? And you didn't buy any tools. That's great!"

I want to be able to dim - I don't know why. And I don't want to use resistors. My route is only about 10 miles, and maybe 45 minutes max. It needs to last that long. I have a couple of lead acid batteries sitting around that fit nicely in a bottle cage, along with a charger.

OK, is that enough requirements? I need links to USA suppliers, part numbers, wiring diagrams. Again, I think it's all here, but I'm having trouble putting it all together.

Thanks so much in advance!

Days are getting shorter, commuting route is getting darker...

www.patclements.com
www.tennessee3feet.org

 

[Buck91]

Deal Extreme is your friend, not the highest quality parts, but I've had very few issues.

That said, when I run my modded cateye commuting, drivers will flash their brights at me (which is why I've switched to a lowly L1T v2.0 Q2 on the helmet for commuting).

 

[herulach]

By far & away the cheapest option will be either a torch (preferably with a flashing mode) like the Fenix L1D etc and a mount, or a cheaper torch modded with a better emitter. Are you desperate to make something yourself?

 

[patc]

I like the idea of building something myself. I particularly like the "curtain rail" setup one of you guys built. You all are so advanced with specific parts knowledge like "buckpucks" and Q5's and whatever. It's hard to follow the lingo.

But, I do have an old incandescent bike light with a separate battery that I could probably mod easily. But that option probably ends up heavier than the curtain rail.

I'm hesitant about "torches" which I think means "flashlight". The one LED flashlight I have uses special lithium batteries and I'm afraid I'd be buying batteries after repeated commuting use.

OK, I'll go poke around DealExtreme a little more and check back.

 

[StevelKnievel]

There are some good USA suppliers out there. Taskled and the Sandwiche Shoppe have great drivers and SS has LEDs and optics too. Also LED Supply is in the USA. Between there and the local electronics supply store you could have a complete light.

Parts:

CREE MC-E ... http://www.ledsupply.com/creemce.php

Shark Driver ... http://theledguy.chainreactionweb.com/product_info.php?cPath=48_49_61&products_id=1136

IMS 20mm reflector (requires some mods to work with this LED, you have to open the hole in the reflector some) ... http://theledguy.chainreactionweb.com/product_info.php?cPath=48_50_64&products_id=400

Local electronics store for switches, wire, etc.
Good Luck!

 

[npkeith]

You want drivers to say "what the heck is that?" then you need a Down Low Glow in acid green or purple. Check it out at Rock The Bike.

 

[FrontRanger]

I like the idea of building something myself.

I'm hesitant about "torches" which I think means "flashlight". The one LED flashlight I have uses special lithium batteries and I'm afraid I'd be buying batteries after repeated commuting use.

If you don't insist on self-building, batteries are not an obstacle. A decent 2xAA light and a 4-pack of decent quality AA NiMH cells will provide you with enough runtime for a 10-mile commute. For more light, you can double up. And there are rechargeable RCR123's, but you may find that more expensive.

Of course, there's always the dynamo approach that many here favor. A good hub dynamo itself is about US$90 (Shimano DH-3N71), so unless you have one already you'll miss your sub-$100 mark. I use a 2-LED dynamo setup with a 1-LED flashlight supplement.

I'll have to respectfully disagree that it's a good goal to have motorists say "What the heck is that?". I believe you want them to know you're a bicycle so that they will know what to expect from you. Perhaps a better goal would be the kind of light that elicits a "Wow, your bike light is bright!" Not because that's a good goal in itself, but because your decent light will be so much better than the grossly inadequate (or nonexistent) lights that most cyclists use.

 

[Zero_Enigma]

This is my light. http://www.flickr.com/photos/49184877@N00/page3/

No housing -YET- ghetto looking but at night I keep getting 'holy crap, Daaaaaaaamn, Oh snap, what the hell?' comments on it. It's ~800lms and eye searing if you're in front.

-486 heatsink

-LED's from DealExtreme (SSC P4 U-bins), 2 week shipping but free S/H.

-L2 optics (I got mine from a CDN supplier but Ledsupply if you want USA)

-24ga wire or strip it out of network cable (I do network cable runs for companies so I have quite a bit of spare wire around)

-Some silicone chalk be it clear or white (I used white chalk for kitchens) which holds the LED holder to the LED.

-Arctic Alumina Adhesive (Get smallest bottle. It is -EXPENSIVE-!!! You only need about 1-2 pinhead amount of it on each LED. Anything extra can be used on the housing later in the corners and such to help give a better heat transfer)

-Mini toggle on/off switch

-Small project box (you may have to bend the contacts on the switch if the project box is a bit small to shimmy that switch in or get one with more depth)

- 4pack 3.6-9v @ 800mA drivers from DealExtreme (very popular item so they may be out but they keep restocking very often) which allows you to use 3-6AA batteries

-For modes I used a 3.6-9v 5-mode driver from DealExtreme. Works well and proven reliable after 1yr burn in (~2hr rides at a time on).

-Small bit of thin 1/16" plexi glass to keep the dirt/dust off the LED lenses.

-Masking tape or electrical tape.

-Heavy Duty 9v battery clip (Philmores is the best I can find locally)

-Battery holder for 4AA and 6AA (6AA should be default for more brightness)

-A pair of sunglasses when done. :laughing:



Those crazy bright pics are with 4x SSC P4 LED's glued to the 486 heatsink. I didn't use a project box then as I really wanted to ride so it was a dangling on/off switch. I wired a 3.6-9v @800mA to each LED then wired the drivers in PARALLEL to the battery.

It's a one mode setting I have right now but I can't wait to try that out with a flashing/strobe light. :devil: Good for day use and night time very traffic areas when the prick in the BMW is too busy on the phone + coffee + MP3 + GPS (yes I've seen that full combo before trust me. I almost lost a 6D Maglite to that prick that night. 'lost' being the right word :devil

I run that with a 6xAA battey pack. ANd turn it on/off when I need it. Mostly on downhills or when I'm riding fast on unlit/low light areas or definately when I'm in the woods to get out fast. Runtime is not the best given it's bloodly bright. You'll get probably 15-20mins peak brightness then it starts to slowly wane. Thus why I cycle it on/off when I need it. Tho I carry 2 battery packs with 6xAA NIMH 2500-2650mAh's. I have kept the light on sustained for about ~1-1.5hrs before and it still is brighter then most normal LED lights you see on bikes that the average non-flashaholic Jack or Jill has gotten from the local X-mart store. I'd say it's about 20x brighter when it's on low power. I just change the battery then.

A warning while I use 6xAA to power 4xSSC P4's it does tax the batteries quite a bit for that amount of brightness. THe cells DO get quite warm over time but the expression on the drivers face off a fresh battery is worth it. Especially the prick drivers. It ranks up there with the prick honking driver and a rider honking back with a air horn of 120dB out sounding the car and scaring the be-jesus out of the driver to wet themselves. :devil: So basically what I mean by taxing is that I'm draining the batteries hard. Thus killing them quicker over time.

Better then carrying 16xAA for what my friend did with I think a 4xLED and a Nflex. That 16AA is bulky!

Edit I ride ~20-35km nightly for that ~1-3hr ride pending my route.