Brightest LED Bike Lights

[Lock]

This is a review of four high-powered LED bike lights published last November 16th:
http://ledlightreviews.net/bike-lights/brightest-led-bike-lights.html#more-489

I know there are threads on ES about rolling yer own outta Crees and so on but I'd be happier just picking up one of these mentioned in the review. What I am NOT interested in is carrying around a separate batt pack dedicated to the lighting, but rather would want to wire this to run off the traction pack... So I believe I am looking at a DC-DC convertor (pack is 48V nominal LiPeFO4)

Anyone know what lights like the Betty 14 run at? What voltage? I see the Cree XP-G runs on 3.0-3.3V, so does seven of them in the Betty mean about a 23V power supply?

Tks
Lock

 

[biohazardman]

As with our batts it depends on how they wired them and what they are using to power them. They are not normally hooked straight to batts but through something like this. http://www.cutter.com.au/proddetail.php?prod=cut750. I run a 48V-15V DC-DC converter then one of the BFlex units with 4-24V input and three LEDS in series that need near 12 volts total. The BFlex gives the LEDs what they need without toasting them and me the choices of low, med, high beam, flashing ect. You would likely need to do some research on the individual light to find the voltages it will accept. You can always buy a couple of the less expensive units to get the light you want at better price. Then again, if you have $1000 for a bike light maybe I can be your friend? ;^) I'm in the middle of light build two right now got one of the K-Light DIY kits with the newest and brightest Cree Led a few months back. Need to get battery pack two mounted on the bike so I will have somewhere to mount the converter for the light. I wish you luck with your quest and will be waiting to see what you come up with in the end.

 

[Lock]

Thanks biohazard! Yah, understand (dimly) that the LED arrays have those driver boards... I note that the one you linked to actually mentions 23V as its max. Also that it runs at 85% eff... Looked up the mfgrs name (TaskLED) and apparently in November they announced this:

http://www.taskled.com/hbuck.html

Version 1.0 HyperBuck driver board
Adjustable output current up to 1500mA output

Operates from 8V to 80V.
Ideal LED driver for ebikes with up to 80V battery packs.
Constant current buck regulator. User adjustable current limit (onboard multiturn precision trimpot)
Supports external Potentiometer for LED dimming.
Can drive multiple series connected LEDs.
Maximum output voltage 50V (open circuit protected).
Protected against reverse polarity connection and output short circuit.
Regulator requires 2V over the total LED Vf to maintain regulation, current drops when out of regulation.
Board is 1.2" x 1.4 ". Components only on top side of the board. For higher power applications the board can be mounted to a heatsink with thermal pad material.



...which looks very cool as it seems no DC-DC converter would be needed with this? Only $40, plus the Crees at about $6ea... Hmmmm! Making roll-yer-own look pretty attractive!

Lock

 

[kfong]

The magic shine is a good cheap option. I'm really impressed with the light output. I was able to use it on the trails in the fall, seemed like I had car headlights on.

http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=14125

 

[ktronik]

As with our batts it depends on how they wired them and what they are using to power them. They are not normally hooked straight to batts but through something like this. http://www.cutter.com.au/proddetail.php?prod=cut750. I run a 48V-15V DC-DC converter then one of the BFlex units with 4-24V input and three LEDS in series that need near 12 volts total. The BFlex gives the LEDs what they need without toasting them and me the choices of low, med, high beam, flashing ect. You would likely need to do some research on the individual light to find the voltages it will accept. You can always buy a couple of the less expensive units to get the light you want at better price. Then again, if you have $1000 for a bike light maybe I can be your friend? ;^) I'm in the middle of light build two right now got one of the K-Light DIY kits with the newest and brightest Cree Led a few months back. Need to get battery pack two mounted on the bike so I will have somewhere to mount the converter for the light. I wish you luck with your quest and will be waiting to see what you come up with in the end.

Hey, Bio would love to see pics of your finished k-light kits when done & mounted...

K

 

[www.recumbents.com]

Can you string multiple low voltage LED drivers in series to get to higher power?

For example, for a high powered 48V light could you string 4 - 12V nominal LED drivers in series? I can't think of any reason why not...

-Warren.

 

[biohazardman]

As with our batts it depends on how they wired them and what they are using to power them. They are not normally hooked straight to batts but through something like this. http://www.cutter.com.au/proddetail.php?prod=cut750. I run a 48V-15V DC-DC converter then one of the BFlex units with 4-24V input and three LEDS in series that need near 12 volts total. The BFlex gives the LEDs what they need without toasting them and me the choices of low, med, high beam, flashing ect. You would likely need to do some research on the individual light to find the voltages it will accept. You can always buy a couple of the less expensive units to get the light you want at better price. Then again, if you have $1000 for a bike light maybe I can be your friend? ;^) I'm in the middle of light build two right now got one of the K-Light DIY kits with the newest and brightest Cree Led a few months back. Need to get battery pack two mounted on the bike so I will have somewhere to mount the converter for the light. I wish you luck with your quest and will be waiting to see what you come up with in the end.

Hey, Bio would love to see pics of your finished k-light kits when done & mounted...

K

I would like it to be done yesterday but have had no luck getting back there to do it yet so probly a week or two. I will post pics here.

 

[ktronik]

What lock said, taskled high voltage drivers are the ducks nuts...

stringing drivers together, won't work, unless they are very basic ones.

Magic shine looks good & cheap but now have a look @ the 100's posts on MTBR.com & other fourms about all the problems they have been having... they are cheap & you get what you pay for...

rolling your own is easy now with the k-lite or trouty CNC kits... you just buy the guts & slap it together...

& DC to DC converters are cheap to boot, but not constant current, that LED need so you would need a LED driver as well... why not just buy the right driver for you voltage app...

hope this helps

K

 

[biohazardman]

OK that was a fast two weeks and the light is on and functioning. Wiring is not permanent yet though as I have more batts to install. It's a nice bright light although I hear of recent releases of the XP-G S2 as of late so maybe an upgrade soon? Nothing is ever finished. ;^) There is lots of spill with the narrow frosted lens maybe a bit more than I would like. I will try the clear lens soon. I took it out to a nearby park with paved trails and no lighting. It seems to be good enough for 15-20 MPH in the woods cleared of underbrush and for 25-30 on the dark roads in the burbs. It's not my perfect light yet but, way far above my last build and, a very good bright and usable light. I will try to get a decent pic out in the woods soon. I bought this one cuz I already had the B-Flex and DC-DC converter and it was very small and light. OK out in the park/woods shot. Trees are a bit more than twenty five yards and over the crest of a hill. Frisbee golf hole/net, in the middle, is thirty yards. Crummy pic and place to take it I will do it again soon. Still lots of light from a tiny housing.

Frosted lens

clear lens

 

[ktronik]

OK that was a fast two weeks and the light is on and functioning. Wiring is not permanent yet though as I have more batts to install. It's a nice bright light although I hear of recent releases of the XP-G S2 as of late so maybe an upgrade soon? Nothing is ever finished. ;^) There is lots of spill with the narrow frosted lens maybe a bit more than I would like. I will try the clear lens soon. I took it out to a nearby park with paved trails and no lighting. It seems to be good enough for 15-20 MPH in the woods cleared of underbrush and for 25-30 on the dark roads in the burbs. It's not my perfect light yet but, way far above my last build and, a very good bright and usable light. I will try to get a decent pic out in the woods soon. I bought this one cuz I already had the B-Flex and DC-DC converter and it was very small and light.

View attachment 1

Hi Bio,

thank you for the pics, please PM me you address & I will send you a non frosted optic to try, no charge, as the frosted optic will kill your punch (lux)...just in case you have not figured it out, I am the maker of the k-light product... & want you to be totally happy with your light...frosted is mainly for off road & the non frosted is the best for all types of riding...

best

Ktronik

 

[Lyen]

I have a P7 Cree from DX at 900 lumen. The brightness was sufficient until after I upgrade my battery & controller. Now I am travel at 35MPH and the brightness from the P7 seem like not enough at all. So my question is what LED bike light is more suitable to speed at 30-35MPH?

 

[ktronik]

I have a P7 Cree from DX at 900 lumen. The brightness was sufficient until after I upgrade my battery & controller. Now I am travel at 35MPH and the brightness from the P7 seem like not enough at all. So my question is what LED bike light is more suitable to speed at 30-35MPH?

Brightness, measured in lumen, has less to do with what you need than LUX or 'punch forward'... so the faster you go the more LUX you need rather than more LUMEN...

its very hard to get good LUX with, in this case a large quad 'die' of the P7, without a larger reflector, that's why HID lights have great LUX they have a very small 1.2mm HV arc between to points...

To get the LUX you need for going fast you would really need a 5-8deg beam pattern...

for a cheap fix you could try a home made cree XRE light with KAI 8deg optics...

OR run you MS with another light for the punch, using a big reflector... a Maglite is easy to mod to LED & can be chopped to suit a bike...with one XPE/G in a maglite reflector could yeald easy 10,000 LUX, this would complement the spill you with with you MS...

hope this helps

K

 

[biohazardman]

OK that was a fast two weeks and the light is on and functioning. Wiring is not permanent yet though as I have more batts to install. It's a nice bright light although I hear of recent releases of the XP-G S2 as of late so maybe an upgrade soon? Nothing is ever finished. ;^) There is lots of spill with the narrow frosted lens maybe a bit more than I would like. I will try the clear lens soon. I took it out to a nearby park with paved trails and no lighting. It seems to be good enough for 15-20 MPH in the woods cleared of underbrush and for 25-30 on the dark roads in the burbs. It's not my perfect light yet but, way far above my last build and, a very good bright and usable light. I will try to get a decent pic out in the woods soon. I bought this one cuz I already had the B-Flex and DC-DC converter and it was very small and light.

View attachment 1

Hi Bio,

thank you for the pics, please PM me you address & I will send you a non frosted optic to try, no charge, as the frosted optic will kill your punch (lux)...just in case you have not figured it out, I am the maker of the k-light product... & want you to be totally happy with your light...frosted is mainly for off road & the non frosted is the best for all types of riding...

best

Ktronik

Well it's hard to beat an offer like that! Nice light you have made for sure. My first DIY was a conversion of a small chrome Wally world driving light. http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=7716&start=15#p118711 It turned out pretty good but not near as nice as the K-Light which is a third the size and weight and twice as bright. PM sent the information and lens are very much appreciated. Well I had some internet/computer trouble and by the time I got it sorted out you had already replied to my PM. That is way fast.

Thanks
Duane

 

[biohazardman]

Clear lens for my K-light arrived from Australia. What a difference just a lens can make I thought it was good before but that was before I was blind. It is way bright for sure. Sorry poor pics I will do them better at a later date.

Frosted lens

Clear lens

 

[Mark_A_W]

I have a DC-DC converter from ebay, 18-72v in, 3, 6 and 12v out, about 30watts.

It kinda looks like this, but better;

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/DC-DC-Converter-48V-1-1A-to-12V-1-67A-LW020B871-Qty-3_W0QQitemZ220550541462QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3359d63096



Edit: mine is made by Hitron. Cost me $5.

 

[biohazardman]

I bid on a set of three of the 1.67A units and then went and bought three 2 amp models instead. That means there is now not much of a chance I will not win the bid on the first three as that is the way it always werqs. Guess I will put them up for sale in the classifieds.