[Closed] DIY Bikelights

Cool cheers ruscle

Anyone going to post a link to this [i]quality[/i] light ?.

Just curious like.
😉

Link for the tripple cute XML:

http://forums.mtbr.com/lights-diy-do-yourself/another-cute-tripple-xml-727664.html

Also a link for the mini cute I purchased:

http://forums.mtbr.com/lights-diy-do-yourself/tripple-cuboid-has-had-baby-682068.html

Cheers Ruscle.

I'll take a look.

OK, question then.

How big are the batteries required to get a 3 hour run time while pumping 3A to the LEDs ?.

That lupine bottle battery looks quite large and I'm now thinking [i]what is the total system weight[/i]?.
You know, light unit, bar clamp, battery pack.

🙂

My DIY helmet light was fairly straight forward.

LED/driver and optics from lux-rc:
http://lux-rc.com/view.php?p=content/products/light_engines/3UP&_sx=0&_sy=100
http://lux-rc.com/view.php?p=content/products/secondary_optics/L333_20mm&_sx=0&_sy=100
I went with an XPE for a tighter beam.
I think they do silicon cables now as well.

Housing from Easy2led:
http://www.easy2led.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=181&zenid=d8a653bad00545f2616913c95e174364
I bought a mount from them too.

Switch and cable grommet from Farnell
IP67 momentary tactile switch and glue in grommet.

Magicshine extension from ebay chopped up for power lead.
Lipo battery and charger from a magic shine rear light.

An absolute doddle to build - about an hour. Drill two holes in rear cover for switch and gland. Glue them in place, Wire up the button and power cable to the light engine. 'Pot' the rear cover with silicone. Bit of thermal paste on the light engine and install screw in lens with a bit of silicon grease to keep water out. Same again with rear cover.

No pictures yet, but may try and get some of it before I go out tonight. Up against my P7 Bastid it completely outclasses it!

I know it's not in the same league as some of the DIY here, but it suits people without access to mills and lathes, and let me reuse batteries and chargers I already had.

It's that time of year again...wooohoooooooo 😛

ndg.

Would love to see your light once its finished.

😉

I got Li-ion batteries from smudge, did the usual of switching between settings as when needed to get 3+hrs of use, I did leave it in the full power setting for longish periods of time but when running both lights together it was only really required when hooning downhill and twisty single track. The battery I use on the bar light (tripple cute) was a 14.8v 5.2Ah Li-ion battery and for the mini cute it was 7.4v 5.2Ah Li-ion battery. I never once felt under powered with light. The tripple cute unit weighs around 210g and the mini cute is roughly 100g and battery weights are 480g and 240g add around 80-100g per lead. I used the battery bag for the bar mounted light strapped to the frame. I never noticed the weight of this setup and I do have a thing about trying to save weight on my bike, also didn't notice the weight of the head unit at all. So although it is a fairly heavy setup its worth it for the light produced imo.

Ruscle.

Thanks for that. I'm now kinda interested to see what others are getting from a 14.8v, 5.2Ah battery, with the triple turned up to max.
Theres a fair few lights going around now using the triple XM-L at high currents.
Goldiggers and Trout's being just two of them.

Infact, surely the bunch who are running Trout's triple, must have an idea of runtime while set constantly to Max ?.
(assuming they are using a 5.2Ah battery)

Trout.
What battery did you release your loan cutie with ?.

Tried to email the OP but the mail keeps bouncing back to me, can you contact me with a price for a both types please? Battery and charger also required.

Thanks

ndg - nice one I didn't realise you could buy the housings like that!

Do you have a rough total cost in £? I'm always hesitant to order stuff from the US having being shafted by tax before.

Luminous
the triple draws from a 14.8 v power supply. on full 3amps. 2.2 amps

so for it to last 3 hours it would need a 6.6 ah battery ( this does not take in the sag in the battery )

I think I have sent out the demo with a 4.4 ah pack
so 2 hours would be expected. approx

the demo is set up at the full whack as is the spidereyes demo

they can be programmed to any output.

Trout.

Yeah, thats along the lines I was thinking, and as others have posted, one may not need Max for 100 % of the ride.

Be interesting to see the finished cutie (or whatever you end up calling it) with its smoothed off housing.

Of course, I don't need to remind you to post a thread of the finished cutie, when you have them.
😉

Enjoy your hols

Cheers.

😉

Any recommendations of where to get drivers from?

I burnt out my last ones from that diy build thread on here.

Preferably ones which aren't current specific

[i]Preferably ones which aren't current specific[/i]

Not sure what you mean, but I have a few spare MaxFlex and I'm sure Trout will have stock too.

ones which don't burn out if i wire them up wrong, like the last one.

How much are the drivers?

Thanks for the good words Ruscle..
Troutie is correct about my prices being cheaper as they are not anodised lazer ettetched with a logo or made in batches by CNC..
To be honest the time it takes me to make the lights is not worth me quitting my day job for the price they go for.
Its just early days and i want to get some of my lights out there and see where it takes me 🙂
Heres some pics of the latest tripple cute and mini cute
[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]

PS my email address is in my profile..

Luminous - Member
OK, question then.

How big are the batteries required to get a 3 hour run time while pumping 3A to the LEDs ?.

That lupine bottle battery looks quite large and I'm now thinking what is the total system weight?.
You know, light unit, bar clamp, battery pack.

[i]Besides i use a 14.8v 5800mah lipo battery, so its an easy solution for storage for me..
As for runtimes i should get around 2.5hours on full out of the tripple cute (XML@3amps)[/i]

Hhmmm. Interesting.

5.8Ah
supplying upwards of 2.5 Amps.
runs for 2.5 hours.

A Model 701:
5.2Ah
supplying 1 Amp.
runs for 2.5 hours.

That looks like upwards of 2 x the current draw from the battery for the triple, on only an additional 800mah.

Is your runtime an actual measurement, or an estimate.

Just asking like.
Cheers.

😀

Just an estimate with these figures

14.8v 5800mah
14.8x5.8=85.84watts

3 XML 3.3v @ 3AMPS
3x3.3=9.9v
9.9x3=29.7watts

85.84/29.7=2.89hrs
minus 10% for driver ineffeciancey roughly 2.5

Using trouties measured 2.2amps pull we can calculate like this
5.800Ah/2.2Ax60mins=158.18mins
Use the 80% disharge rule
158.18*0.8=126.54mins

So just over 2hours that way

When i'm back from holiday i'll measure it with a lipo and again with some Lion cells (the li-on cells are just cheep surefire's so that might not be a great test)

🙂

Goldigger please could you send me a price of a mini-cute battery and charger package please.Email in profile.cheers

Goldigger,

Do you sell the remote switches separately? if so how much do they cost?

Bigjim,

the two main components came from Russia, and neither attracted the attention of HMRC (i think the housing was below the £18 limit anyway).

Luminous, here's a couple of photos:

[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]

Performance on Tuesday was brilliant (pun, much!), combined with the magicshine on the bars I was going down at least as fast as I would have in the day. The tighter beam from the XPE's worked well for a helmet light, and the outdoor colour balance was much easier on the eyes. The only thing I want to modify is to add an on/off switch in the cable - the momentary only controls the mode.

N.

You're all trying too hard, with your columater lenses and CNCd bodies 😉

Tonight's bodge: a lamp for the pub bike, to run from a a smudgepack that I run a troutie from on the main bike

Take:
1x 1 1/2" compression connector
1x MR16 lamp connector
1x 12v 35w Halogen bulb

some bodgin tools and hey presto:

[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]
[img] [/img]

thanks for using my comps, just a minor note about L333 light engine. In fact it can be switched ON/OFF just with a mom button, just keep to pressed for 2sec in any mode to switch off (standby). In standby mode it flashed each 5 sec with a small red led.

Also you can program low mode, just keep the button pressed for 4 sec and release when the desired level is reached.

Good luck with your night rides

-Serge

Thanks for the info, could do with an updated data sheet for these things really! I do like the blend from full to low, works very well, easy on the eyes, but not to slow (like the DX lamp)

N.

jere - Member
Goldigger,

Do you sell the remote switches separately? if so how much do they cost?

Hi Jere,
Please send me an email, email is in my profile.

Thanks

I agree with Stoner. I do like your slot design for the handlebars.. Nice!

My version is here.

http://www.mtbarena.com/2011/09/nights-drawing-build-recession-beating-mountain-bike-lights/

[img] [/img]

I've used this for loads of night riding and never failed. Also the light escapes through the plastic making a nice side on safety measure.

ha! nice one tractorman 🙂

@stoner. ha ha. I might paint them in John Deere colours 😉

Did you see my riser bar - bar end nightmare from 2003 🙂

Did you see my riser bar - bar end nightmare from 2003

nope. ❓

the horror 😉

I apologize to those who will be blinded....;-)

[img] [/img]

2003?

that was legal back then.

Few!, thats Ok then 🙂

Ruscle,

I dont suppose you have any pics of them on the trail do you? I've seen the ones on the forum but wanted to see a few more shots?

Also I notice your went for smudge's battery. Was there a reason for this? Are they better than the Lipo's that golddigger's come with?

cheers

Hi a week odd ago i asked for a price on the Tripple cute XML light but i lost all my emails,can you email me the price agian please your mail dont seen to work in your profile.
cheers
nige.

so I have my LEd board, my optic, my driver, just struggling to find a heatsink without resorting to machine shops..

PLanning on using my old rush (trailtech) hid housing, so could do with a decent waterproof switch with an LED and rear mounted...

Done the usual searches but can't find anything at rapid RS etc so would appreciate any tips and pointers for UK suppliers...

Stoner / redthunder - how good are those lights say in comaprison to a DE type light? I'm contemplating trying a build using something like [url= http://www.amazon.co.uk/Multibright-Underwater-Garden-Interchangeable-coloured/dp/B003JGJAVC/ref=sr_1_2?s=outdoors&ie=UTF8&qid=1316608887&sr=1-2 ]THIS[/url] [based on the pond scum light] rather than the B&Q method meerly for aesthetics only.

Also thinking about using the same 12v20w bulb as you have done so as I understand it I could use one of Smudges 14.8v batteries although it may get hot if not air cooled. What battery did you use? Did you both go lead acid from Maplin or similar?

i use a smudge 14.8v that normally runs my trout liberator.
Its only a pub light, so I only have it on for ten minutes.
Its not really comparable with a DX light (LEDs and LiIOn batteries have come along way since halogen MR16 lamps), more a jokey bit of fun.

No pictures yet, the flood produced is huge and they carry at least 75meters down the trail and then fades out. I normally ride with 2 lights, 1 on the bars and 1 on the helmet but you could easily get away with just the tripplecute on the bars.

I used smudges batteries as slightly lighter and require less care to prolong the life apart from storing in the fridge.

ruscle can you mail me goldiggers email please agian i lost it.

Goldigger ygm

Sorry guys just noticed my email address in my profile was wrong...now updated.

ygm to your new email address