Help identifying this connector

[SRB22]

Hello,

This is my first post on Endless Sphere!

Short version: Attached is a picture of a connector. Does someone know how it is called?

Long version:

This is the headlight connector of a Bulls ebike with Brose motor. I just installed a turn signal indicator kit from velorian.de. The kit is powered from small additional battery, but I would really like to power it from the main battery, although I don't think there's something "officially" available on this bike. I'm considering powering it from the headlight cable, but before cutting and Y-soldering it (if there's such a thing?), I'd like to know if I can find a Y-connector - that would be much easier (I'm not very experienced with soldering).

Thanks for your help!

 

[amberwolf]

Most of the light cables from controller systems can only handle a tiny current, a few dozen mA at best, and some are only low-voltage systems (5-6v) rather than full battery voltage. They don't typically state what their limits are, making it hard to guess if anything other than the OEM supplied light will work on it.

Adding anything in parallel to the OEM light is likely to damage things as it is probably only designed for that amount of load.

Even without any original lighting or anythign else already on that connection, it's easily possible to damage the controller system or the display unit for it (depending on where the light circuit is) by connecting a light (or anything else) that has a higher current draw than the system can handle. It may only cause the light output to fail, but if it's not designed fail-safe it may take out the system's voltage regulation and then the system doesn't work at all.

Then:

What voltage does your new light run from?

Is that the same voltage that your system's light output supplies?

If those are not the same, then the systems aren't directly compatible either, and may not be able to be made to connect this way.


If you were up for some DIY circuit building, after measuring and noting down some voltages, you might be able to build a relay circuit that runs off the light output connector that then powers both the original light and the new light. It's not very complicated, but it will take some soldering and wiring, and possibly troubleshooting, to accomplish. If done wrong, it can also damage the light output (and possibly the rest of the system) just like putting too high a load on it.


That said, I don't know which connector that is. It resembles a Julet / Higo connector but doesn't match any I've seen. It may be a custom connector for their system. If they sell extension cables for it you might be able to splice two of them together to make the Y-cable...assuming everything is compatible and can supply enough current.

This is the headlight connector of a Bulls ebike with Brose motor. I just installed a turn signal indicator kit from velorian.de. The kit is powered from small additional battery, but I would really like to power it from the main battery, although I don't think there's something "officially" available on this bike. I'm considering powering it from the headlight cable, but before cutting and Y-soldering it (if there's such a thing?), I'd like to know if I can find a Y-connector - that would be much easier (I'm not very experienced with soldering).

 

[SRB22]

Thanks amberwolf for this detailed answer!

The headlight cable has a voltage of 12V, I managed to measure it by inserting very thin cables into the connector. The turn indicator system accepts a voltage of 6-55V. So voltage should not be a problem.

Now for the available power... no idea what I can get there. I emailed the manufacturer to ask, but they never answered.

I tried powering the turn indicators from there and it works, so I can get at least the 4-5W I need for them. But for this I had to disconnect the headlight, so I still don't know if there's enough power for both of them simultaneously.

I hadn't considered a relay, that might be an idea, if the simpler direct connection is too dangerous.

 

[SRB22]

To answer my own question in case someone has the same one, I finally stumbled upon something that looks very similar. I Think that might be a Hipo EB-A 4-pins:
https://www.hipo-systems.com/de/produkte/e-bike.html

Now I'm not sure that helps, because I was unable to find any dealer that would sell that - probably they only do B2B.

 

[SRB22]

Most of the light cables from controller systems can only handle a tiny current, a few dozen mA at best, and some are only low-voltage systems (5-6v) rather than full battery voltage. They don't typically state what their limits are, making it hard to guess if anything other than the OEM supplied light will work on it.

Thanks Amberwolf for your words of caution. It encouraged me to look more carefully into the matter.

I had some trouble finding out whom to ask, because this is a Bulls bike with Brose drive and BMZ computer. Bulls and BMZ did not answer my requests, but I finally discovered that the Brose S mag in my bike has two light outputs, one for the headlight and one for the taillight, so that's most probably where my lights are connected.

Brose was actually very helpful and answered quickly:

- Headlight is 12V@2A
- Taillight is 12V@.1A

So forget the taillight circuit, but the headlight definitely has some power available. That should be enough for my Fuxon headlight plus turn signal indicators

 

[mumpel]

So what. Please also point this out in the Velorian forum.

 

[amberwolf]

So what. Please also point this out in the Velorian forum.

What is a "Velorian forum"?

 

[LewTwo]

So what. Please also point this out in the Velorian forum.

What is a "Velorian forum"?

Velorian is a race of people in Sconce Fiction:
"The People of Velor and one of the most famous species in the Galaxy. They are a branch of humanity formally known as Homo Sapiens Supremis."

https://aurora.fandom.com/wiki/Velorian

 

[amberwolf]

Ah, so quite possibly a spammer (some of them come by and post nonsense that is then later edited into spam).

 

[SRB22]

No not a spammer, just a member of the forum https://velorian.de/support/

Velorian.de is a German company selling nice ebike turn indicator kits.

 

[mumpel]

So what. Please also point this out in the Velorian forum.

What is a "Velorian forum"?

https://velorian.de/support/viewtopic.php?t=119