I made a KILLER Light!!!!

[Marktur]

This was too cool! A hybrid of two different projects I saw on Instructables. I'll post pictures first thing in the AM, but let me paint the picture:

I used a 1 1/2" theaded connector pvc to a 1 1/2 pvc End Cap. I drill a hole in the center of the end cap for the wires to pass through.

On the front of the open pipe sits a 1 1/2" Halogen 12v 55 Watt bulb with lens. I drilled 4 1/16 holes N,S,E,W on the rim of the pvc, then used screws and washers to hold the light in. Solid.
Wires come out to a set of connectors, so I can disconnect if I need to. These 2 wires are routed down the bike, to my rear bike bag which holds a 12v Motorcycle Battery. ($23 at Discount Auto)

I sprayed the assembly black and it looks sweet!

It's mounted to the handlebars using conduit mounting brackets, and I drilled a hole in the side of the pvc end cap to accept a nut and bolt. I sandwiched rubber so it won't slip or take damage from vibration.

So how does it work???

Well! I turned it on, and blinded myself just about! I saw a white dot for a good 2 minutes! WOW! It's BRIGHT!

I think in the end, I spent $30 for a rechargeable light that looks good, and works tremendously!

I have pix on my phone, but can't unload until at the office tomorrow. I'll post pix for sure.

Did I mention that the battery fits nicely into my beautiful new AXIOM rear bag? It's got fold-out panniers, insulated, great reflective stuff. Really nice - $39 shipped!

Hopefully, oh hopefully I'll get my springers in tomorrow!

My bike is killer!

 

[Marktur]

Somebody PLEASE take away my credit cards!!!!

 

[pabickwermert]

Pictures?

Come on, we are still waiting for the pics of this light (and bag)

Where did you get the bag from?

Good idea, and I can't wait to see it!

Paul

 

[wmassregulators]

I had built about the same thing but I added an on off switch and a high/low beam I just took it off the fat burner bike and was going to put it on the MB tonight

they work great

 

[Marktur]

Sorry, I posted elsewhere...doh!

I did post the pics...let me find them again...sorry.
It's working out...I just ordered a box of the MR 16 light connectors...my shrinkwrap idea to hold the wiring on didn't work. BUT THE LIGHT IS KILLER!

You can really ride it at night and see.

I will be selling light kits once I get the connectors in...stay tuned - mid-week next week for sure.


In the 2 pics attached, you can see it, but it's not turned on...it's small - smaller than the Bell light next to it. I had them on for comparison...the Bell light, or any of these $20 "bike lights" are for visibility of YOU, not to really light the road. You can't even see that it's on while my light is on.

At the bike shop the other day, I was looking at the $40 Cat Eye lights...they're 3W Halogen lights...3!!! That's it! I'm using the 35W lights. They BLIND YOU!

I'll send pix tonight of the light...but basically it looks like there's a small star sitting on my handlebars, burning so brightly it washes everything else out.

 

[wmassregulators]

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m14/munkeyboy1977/IMG_2359.jpg

this is the set I made they have worked well on my GT for a few years now

 

[Marktur]

Rewired it!

OK, I think I finally got the right switch! Check it out...I need to paint the "threads" on the light body, but this is the final version. So much better now that I got the right connectors for the bulbs. Thinking about hooking up a second, "low beam" (20W) as opposed to my blinding 35W High (only) beam.

I need a grommet for the wiring coming out of the body. Way better than any light I've seen for bikes commercially...it runs on a 12v motorcycle battery (smallest I could find for about $23). If nothing else, it will be 100% complete, just attach to your power source. You cab really ride at night with this, and it lights up the road in front of you.

I have run at least 2 hours on a single charge, but decided to recharge today, so I don't know what the real capacity is.

All I know is that I'm a helluva lot more visible today than a few weeks ago - that's a good thing!

 

[eljefino]

just as well you're charging now; those MC batteries don't like deep discharges like many other lead acid types.

 

[crabdance]

Nice lights Mark.. Way to Go!!! Hopefully I will have me some in the future. I'm jealous.

 

[chrisnbush]

Cool Light !

I did something of the same thing, but with LED. Got MR16 format LED bulb - mounted in PVC pipe connector, don't remember inches ID. Fit just inside it. My solution was to fill the connector with wax which held the bulb in. I notched the rims of the PVC connector and wrapped a thin strand of wire crisscross around the whole fixture - in case the lamp dropped out in (really) hot weather. It was a quick kludge

Check out the LEDs on Ebay, search MR16. You get a 3 watt LED and I guarantee you cars are going to be brighting you and you will need to aim it down (!). I had 2 6volt heavy duty lantern batteries first wired in series, then started using an old moped battery (rechargeable). Used and used it, never threw away batteries (still have them), went to moped battery as greener.

One thing I had trouble with was making connections to MR16 LED bulbs, they have pins. I was going to get an MR16 fixture, these are cheap also on EBAY but I got sidetracked - decommissioned that bike. I have a union bike light and generator on the other which works well enough, is reliable and green BUT I will go back to LED at some point as it is BRIGHT AS THE SUN and uses small amount of power

Regards