My Lighting Project So Far

[butterbean]

I'm running a 98cc minibike engine. It makes decent power all around, geared it for 32mph redline and it seems to be right in this engine's powerband. Plenty of power for cruising and climbs hills ok too, even without a shift kit. And I weigh almost 300 lbs.

 

[KCvale]

Good stuff KC. Especially the regard for your "helpers". IM going 4 the relay idea. Stupid simple, and I can bypass it with another switch at night, right?.

I still think an automotive fuse box plug in blinker would be cheaper and easier to make your front light blink, and with your system the faster you were going the faster it would blink, and yes you can just jump across it's two connections to make it solid on ;-}

 

[Stoltzee]

Well I got a float charger, and was able to get a full charge on the battery. Sure did fry my home made LED head light. Good news is its been a few months, so my Gas bike budget regenerated.

I see that on E bay the Chinese sellers have come up with an affordable Cree head light for bikes. Affordable equals "I'm not spending more than $8 dollars a month."

I also remove the R/C tire from the generator, but am looking for a rubber chair foot for it now.

The light has a 10 Watt Cree led with circuitry, and is a spot light. $24.00 US, and free shipping. 60 degree light/ 15 degree spot beam.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10W-Cree-LED-Work-Light-Spot-Lamp-Driving-Fog-12V-Car-4x4-Motorcycle-ATV-Boat-/251369818321?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a86cf08d1&vxp=mtr

 

[KCvale]

The light has a 10 Watt Cree led with circuitry, and is a spot light. $24.00 US, and free shipping. 60 degree light/ 15 degree spot beam.

Watts are no longer a valid measure of a lights brightness as LED's consume far less power than other light sources, that light is:
Operating Lumens Output: 760LM which is a pretty decent amount of lumens but nowhere near what just a single CREE T6 puts out for less and it comes with a battery system and charger.

Just food for thought guys as I to tried to reinvent the light for MB's and made it work but it was just silly folly in hindsight.

 

[Stoltzee]

Watts are no longer a valid measure of a lights brightness as LED's consume far less power than other light sources, that light is:
Operating Lumens Output: 760LM which is a pretty decent amount of lumens but nowhere near what just a single CREE T6 puts out for less and it comes with a battery system and charger.

Just food for thought guys as I to tried to reinvent the light for MB's and made it work but it was just silly folly in hindsight.

I thought $24 was a good price for a bicycle light with a Cree led. Someone on this forum stated that anything over 10 watts was too consuming, and it states its a daytime light, and that's what I wanted in for; until someone comes out with a viable charging system for these bikes that is cheap. I'm all about cheap. This bike project lost its funding.

 

[Stoltzee]

Well I got the lights working including the blinkers. Use the float charger sometimes, and the bottle generator hits 12 volts at around 3500 to 4000 rpm, and seems to keep the battery up. Time will tell though, but in the mean time seems good. Tried out my day time light at night, and got flashed by a car, so I adjusted it lower. Only plan to ride at night if its absolutely necessary.