Switchable dynamo lighting - pic heavy
Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2015 1:59 pm
Hi all, thought some might have some interest in this so here goes...
After receiving a box curtesy of Shona over at keep peddling and a steady stream of packages from other internet sources I had all I needed to start making an idea a reality
Dynamo light build by drew Whitley, on Flickr
I wanted to be able to with the dynamo light on and off, and I also wanted to be able to send the current to the Cycle2Charge device as well. I could have wired them up in parallel but I did some research and came up with this.
Dynamo light build by drew Whitley, on Flickr
The main issue I had was mounting the switch and the C2C device, I didn't want it on my stem cap, as thats where the Dakota lives, the switch also needed to be in a handy location for the obvious reasons. It was as I was touring school checking on the pupils, I came across the answer, and after a packet of biscuits, our talented engineering teacher had used a nice laser cutter to make this sketch
Dynamo light build by drew Whitley, on Flickr
become these!
Dynamo light build by drew Whitley, on Flickr
As the C2C wasn't going to be stem mounted, I had reservations about damaging the wire and connector underneath, a stem spacer and the disc with holes helped solve that, just waiting on a shorter bolt to tidy it up a bit.
IMG_8433 by drew Whitley, on Flickr
After dusting off my soldering skills and using a "hello kitty" hairdryer for the heat shrink, I had come up with switch system Mk1.
IMG_8434 by drew Whitley, on Flickr
Mounting on the bike, I was realising that had been generous with the wire lengths but was happy with the switch position and how it worked.
Dynamo light build by drew Whitley, on Flickr
So once on, I promptly head out into the wintery hills to test the system, well the charging arrangement as I was too impatient to wait until dark to test the revo!
Dynamo light build by drew Whitley, on Flickr
It all worked very well, with the light from the revo visible in the forest section, and the switching between the charge/off/light very good. All in all, I'm pretty chuffed with it. But I finished the Mk2 version this morning that I think will be a little less fragile using a piece of tubing from Zippy (thanks again!)
Dynamo light build by drew Whitley, on Flickr
Edit to add the Mk2 to the bars!
Untitled by drew Whitley, on Flickr
Hopefully get out after dark later to test it again!
Thanks
Drew
After receiving a box curtesy of Shona over at keep peddling and a steady stream of packages from other internet sources I had all I needed to start making an idea a reality
Dynamo light build by drew Whitley, on Flickr
I wanted to be able to with the dynamo light on and off, and I also wanted to be able to send the current to the Cycle2Charge device as well. I could have wired them up in parallel but I did some research and came up with this.
Dynamo light build by drew Whitley, on Flickr
The main issue I had was mounting the switch and the C2C device, I didn't want it on my stem cap, as thats where the Dakota lives, the switch also needed to be in a handy location for the obvious reasons. It was as I was touring school checking on the pupils, I came across the answer, and after a packet of biscuits, our talented engineering teacher had used a nice laser cutter to make this sketch
Dynamo light build by drew Whitley, on Flickr
become these!
Dynamo light build by drew Whitley, on Flickr
As the C2C wasn't going to be stem mounted, I had reservations about damaging the wire and connector underneath, a stem spacer and the disc with holes helped solve that, just waiting on a shorter bolt to tidy it up a bit.
IMG_8433 by drew Whitley, on Flickr
After dusting off my soldering skills and using a "hello kitty" hairdryer for the heat shrink, I had come up with switch system Mk1.
IMG_8434 by drew Whitley, on Flickr
Mounting on the bike, I was realising that had been generous with the wire lengths but was happy with the switch position and how it worked.
Dynamo light build by drew Whitley, on Flickr
So once on, I promptly head out into the wintery hills to test the system, well the charging arrangement as I was too impatient to wait until dark to test the revo!
Dynamo light build by drew Whitley, on Flickr
It all worked very well, with the light from the revo visible in the forest section, and the switching between the charge/off/light very good. All in all, I'm pretty chuffed with it. But I finished the Mk2 version this morning that I think will be a little less fragile using a piece of tubing from Zippy (thanks again!)
Dynamo light build by drew Whitley, on Flickr
Edit to add the Mk2 to the bars!
Untitled by drew Whitley, on Flickr
Hopefully get out after dark later to test it again!
Thanks
Drew