SP DYNAMO HUB PD-8X

[Mart]

Would putting the power from the hub through this
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tout-terrain ... prod32128/
charge a Garmin and/or a smart phone?

Yes, i can confirm it definately does charge a smartphone. When out riding I can run the GPS on my iphone (pretty power hungry). Without any charging this will last for about 4 hours or so.
I have recently upgraded from an iPhone 3 to a iPhone5 and there was no difference in the way these operated

Last weekend I started my ride with about 75% charge, with the GPS going . I didnt check how long it took to reach fully charged but it was at 100% when I got back 5hrs later. I did stop for tea and cake mid ride so it would have not been charging during this time

I like the Plug III, its a neat solution, as the PAT bit will sit concealed inside the head tube, I have the wires running up through the hole in the bottom (Singular swift forks)
One thing to watch is that with some carbon forks, or forks without the hole underneath then it wont be possible to run the wires this way.

So far this system has been 'Fit and Forget'

[johnnystorm]

Unless you're planning weeks at a time without access to mains power the extra drag, cost and faff of dynamo powered usb charging systems just doesn't seem worth it to me*.

The extra drag is neither here nor there imho, but you could well be right on the other points. I just like the idea of not needing batteries.

Get an external back up battery and use that to charge your device when stopped. Or, heaven forbid, take fewer gadgets. .

[Dusza]

Would putting the power from the hub through this
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tout-terrain ... prod32128/
charge a Garmin and/or a smart phone?

Yes, i can confirm it definately does charge a smartphone.

Mart, please be careful with such bold statements. I can assure you it will not charge each and every smartphone available on the market. As a matter of fact I assume the iPhone is currently the only one the Plug II will charge. I had this unit and it failed to charge two different smartphones (Motorola Defy+ and HTC Desire) plus bunch of cache batteries.
It will work excellent for charging a GPS and other electronics with charging currents =<500mA and it's a really nice design, the way it fits inside the steerer. In the end though I had to return it.
For charging current-hungry stuff I can recommend the E-Werk, very adjustable but not as sleek design wise.

[numplumz]

Ive messed with an SP hub and various home made lights and chargers for some time, and then finally got an Exposure Revo when I was sure a MK2 version wasn't round the corner.

I think the Revo light is superb, having used lights on low power to increase run time for so long it's great to have 800 lumens there all the time. OK it dims on long climbs but that's not an issue at low speeds. The standstill light is really good too. Great product so far.

[Ian]

....Revo.... I was sure a MK2 version wasn't round the corner.

Do you have this on good authority and know if is still the case?
Tempted by a Revo, but it would be typical that once I have one, the Mk2 would be released...

[composite]

....Revo.... I was sure a MK2 version wasn't round the corner.

Do you have this on good authority and know if is still the case?
Tempted by a Revo, but it would be typical that once I have one, the Mk2 would be released...

This is my dilemma. I have been forced into holding off getting one due to cash flow issues, which will improve in the new year, but after hearing something about the Mk2 I'm nervous about going for it. Rob Dean might be well placed to know as he seems to be very on the ball about Exposure stuff. He's sponsored by them isn't he?

[Son]

Just give them a bell.
i called up recently to ask about the models we stock (i work in a bike shop) and they were very nice and helpful indeed.

for your info i was asking the difference between last years and this years models, turns out its just the logos!

[numplumz]

....Revo.... I was sure a MK2 version wasn't round the corner.

Do you have this on good authority and know if is still the case?
Tempted by a Revo, but it would be typical that once I have one, the Mk2 would be released...

No Ian, just figured when all the trade shows had been and gone, and lack of heavy discounting on eBay stock meant it would be another year at least.
Like you say, they will upgrade now I have bought one.
I'm guessing it's inevitable they will add a USB output socket eventually.

[mtbmarkymark]

I've bought a Revo / SP8 combo. I can echo numbplumbz comments that it is nice to not having to run a joystick on low power as you can't remember last time you charged it.
i often carry the joystick however as a backup, for use around camp and to act as a battery backup to charge my smartphone using the exposure boost cable.

Has anyone tried using the boost cable fed from the back of the revo to charge a smartphone ? I seem to remember reading somewhere that it didn't work.

I've bought the bright bikes revolution usb charger and will let you know how i get on with it in due course. the idea would be to charge the joystick / smartphone during the day whilst riding.

[numplumz]

The boost cable has problems with Apple products.
I've had the Boost cable in the Revo output Port trying to charge up a small battery pack. The pack has a 4 light charge indicator and indicated charging was taking place while riding, but didn't increase the charge at all after a 2 hour fast road ride. Running the hub direct through a home made USB convertor usually charges the same battery pack from dead in just over an hour.

I personally have only ever connected an expensive electronic device to pure DC from a battery as even the regulated convertor outputs have AC ripple. One day as an experiment I hope to borrow some rollers and
do some measurements at speed.

There is power at the output port from standstill (there is a small internal battery in the Revo it would seem) but as the output is only there when the light is on its use is limited, perfect for the rear light it was designed for I guess.

I'm guessing a Mk2 Revo will come with an On/off switch and a USB output, but if they are using the lights as a ballast for the higher voltages at speed it will take some work to perfect with lights off maybe. It might end up with a larger stand alone battery to provide correct spec voltage and higher current for the USB, their not going to want to replace lots of expensive phones/GPS devices are they.

[Ian]

Interesting comments, Jack, thanks. I suppose in many respects, I don't have a use for the charging of USB devices as I have an Etrex 30 that runs off AA's. It's the light output I'm after, which the Revo is best at compared to other offerings.

Trouble is justifying the cost. I have the Two Ton event, which is only a single night and therefore not entirely necessary, and the HTR550 next year. The latter is the one where I will appreciate both the light output and not having to worry about my battery going flat. I just made it round with a Diablo this year, but can't see that happening with an extra 120 miles on the route.

[chris n]

A better investment then would probably be piggy back battery, a second diablo, or flog the diablo and buy a 6 pack. £400 for a single ride seems a lot.

[Ian]

Quite true. Obviously it's use would extend far beyond that event, and eventually/hopefully the TD.
I did think about a piggy back, but still have to watch my hours to make sure I don't run out.

[numplumz]

Ian as the HTR comes not long after the WRT I'm sure we can sort something out.

[johnnystorm]

A better investment then would probably be piggy back battery, a second diablo, or flog the diablo and buy a 6 pack. £400 for a single ride seems a lot.

MTB Batteries do triple piggybacks for £45 & Evans have the exposure branded ones for £54 at the moment. It won't cost £400 for a Revo/Hub/Wheel build though.

I'm looking forward to having fewer qualms with having the lights on all the time & not thinking of juggling the settings.


*edit*
Part of me wishes I'd not gone for a matching disc only rim but instead got one with a braking surface so I could use it on other bikes.

[Ian]

.... Evans have the exposure branded ones for £54 at the moment ....

Do you mean this one ? http://www.evanscycles.com/products/exp ... 5#features

It says it works with the new Maxx lights, but does that include the Diablo? Will it have all the necessary cables with it to plug and play.

[Blackhound]

Ian - I ordered one Christmas Eve and it arrived yesterday from Evans for my Maxx Enduro. If your Diablo has the charging port on the rear - I believe all recent Exposure lights do - then it will work just fine.

My only issue is that I have a red eye(?) rear light which charges off the rear charging port. I cannot use the piggyback and the rear light at the same time though.

[johnnystorm]

By way of comparison the one I got from Smudge is a 7.8ah and comes with the connector needed to charge it. I asked him for a 1.3m cable so the battery coukd go in my jersey back pocket.

[Brothersmith]

Was out the other morning when this happened

I was just riding along, honest! by Brother Smith, on Flickr

So have decided to take opportunity to replace with a PD-8. My main need is charging. I want to charge AA's and my phone. I was looking at Plug3 but I would have had to use it to charge a power pack and then charge my phone plus wouldn't have sorted the AA issue. So followed link on this forum to KLights. They use a Rechargable AA battery pack. You can use the batteries directly in a GPS or use the pack which has a USB to recharge phones and other electricals. They even do a six pack which can be used to recharge bike lights.

Kerry was incredibly helpful and is doing a custom connection for me so I run battery pack on own and add a light at latter stage if I want (battery pack normally runs from an output on back of light). So far whole lot has Come to £105 for 2 x 4 cell battery packs (one charging while I use one), custom connection and postage from Aus (free until 31st). His lights also look really good, 1,000 lumins with 1hr stand time.

Web site is a bit clunky and lacking info but he is really good at answering IM on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/kLite.com.au

[DoctorRad]

Have you seen the kLite teardown of an Exposure Revo light? No heatsink on the LEDs...!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... 039&type=1

@Brothersmith - I would appreciate your broken dynamo hub if it is still working electrically as I can use it in a test bicycle for powering DIY circuits.

[Brothersmith]

Was my trusty Chris King that broke. Had it for 15yrs so can't complain. Recently had it rebuilt into a new wheel by Tim at SidwAys cycles and I think new spoke tensions did for it. Not had a dynamo hub before.

Saw the tear down of the Revo. His lights do look good.

[DoctorRad]

Ah, fair enough, I couldn't tell from the photo, will keep looking. I may cannibalise the ex-hire-bike dynamo wheel I use on my commuter since it only cost me a fiver. Keen to get a test bicycle set up so that I can drive a dynamo hub with an electric drill in order to test lights and circuits.