A quick search didn't show anything but I'm wondering a) what's a nice cheap 50v+ dc dc buck b) what do you use for tail lights? Is there an easy way to tap into the wires that kill the motor when braking to have them light them like brake lights? I used to have a set of cheap lights that would do this but those had a push switch that sat between the calipers. I'm just wondering because it seems like this should be possible. And I'll be doing some riding at night and want to stay alive.
Led brake lights?
- Thread starter corim123
- Start date
bowlofsalad
100 kW
corim123 said:
No matter what lighting setup you go with, I recommend always having some other lights setup and probably on. Some red blinkers on the back, maybe the back of your helmet, and some regular lights flashing on the front, both powered by external batteries. If something goes wrong with your pack, you run out of power or whatever, still being able to be seen assuming you intend to pedal your ride home is very important.
With that said, the topic you mention interests me much, it's something I have had planned for some time but I still haven't setup myself. I don't know what you mean though by a search didn't show anything, my guess is you'd rather have things spoon fed to you. Not the end of the world.
Anyway, here are some links to related topics.
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=41060
endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=47983
wesnewell
100 GW
Want to be seen at night, wear reflective clothing. Reflective tape on coats, helmets, bike, everywhere.
Ebrakes provide a ground to controller. Should be easy enough to hook it to some leds through any +5V out of controller.This might be an option.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-A-Wireless-Bicycle-Brake-light-Batteries-INCLUDED-from-San-Diego-/121142439482
Ebrakes provide a ground to controller. Should be easy enough to hook it to some leds through any +5V out of controller.This might be an option.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-A-Wireless-Bicycle-Brake-light-Batteries-INCLUDED-from-San-Diego-/121142439482
bowlofsalad
100 kW
wesnewell said:
Reflective tape is good, but in my opinion it doesn't hold a candle to very bright lights. I can think of several situations where I wouldn't have been seen otherwise, even though I have plenty of reflective tape. Reflective is really only good if you are in their path. The problem is, that doesn't always work out the way we hope, this is especially true around turns or crossings.
Anyway, that device has been talked about plenty, in the ebay link, it's supposedly far from ideal and it's functionality is poor. The concept sounds good, but it doesn't work out the way one might hope.
Kingfish
100 MW
Don't depend on that to work. Not enough current there, and you'll end up nullifying the ebrake function by tacking on the extra EBrake lighting demand.wesnewell said:
I use +12V DOT-rated lighting, power provided by a separate DC-DC source. You really can't drive much off the Controller's +5 and +12VDC sources as they are designed specifically to manage signals only.
Some of my experiments with Throttle & Regen expose how delicate these systems are. It doesn't cost much to tap into your battery pack and create a secondary supply having 10-60W, enough to drive the lion's share of ebike lighting needs.
Let the controller be. KF
Like I said, I'm planning on using a Dc dc converter. Since the ebrake ties it to ground, I thought it might be possible to turn it on when grabbing the handles. Not necessarily be powered by it. Seems this is more trouble than it would be worth though. I'll just use a simple on/off switch and be done with it.
bowlofsalad
100 kW
I don't know if you read the threads I linked to, but it seems that setting it up isn't too difficult, all it involves is a relay and some fancy wiring. Personally, I think the idea of a brake light is invaluable. I think that the idea of a manual on off switch that you have to turn on prior to or in conjunction with stopping for activating a brake light is a little silly and may be hard to utilize plenty of the time. A relay is basically an on off switch, you should be able to splice it into your ebrake wire and use the relay to turn the brake light on or off. Spend some time reading the thread and studying relays and such, you might find it's easier than you thought. Most things are pretty simple and easy with the skills and tools to do them.
Kingfish
100 MW
You can't drive a relay off the ebrake current; I tried that.
There are a number of other solutions that do work though:
Brake lights to me are worth the trouble to get right cos it will save your bacon when in the lane. There's an undercurrent of bikes that frown on brake lights but they are trogs IMO; safety, my safety comes first - and I check my brake light before I ride to be sure it's working cos I sure don't want to get run over. That in itself makes it worth it :wink:
50 to 0 in 4 seconds flat! KF
There are a number of other solutions that do work though:
- Two distinct switches - one for ebrake and one for brake light circuit, both triggered off the same lever. This is what I use now.
- Hall Effect Reed Switch DPDT; Mine attempt was too sensitive and flakey; ended up using the above.
- Electronically with a SPDT switch: A little more complicated using a pnp; if you look how I was doing this in the regen studies you'll get an idea how it can be applied to a brake light.
Brake lights to me are worth the trouble to get right cos it will save your bacon when in the lane. There's an undercurrent of bikes that frown on brake lights but they are trogs IMO; safety, my safety comes first - and I check my brake light before I ride to be sure it's working cos I sure don't want to get run over. That in itself makes it worth it :wink:
50 to 0 in 4 seconds flat! KF
edventure
100 W
Adding a break light function should be very easy without using the regen switch. I have the a Lyen setup for the switches that activate the Regen function. I attached a photo here. These are basically what they call low current reed switches. There was a magnet that came with the setup that is glued or taped to the handle so when the handle is moved the magnet moves away from the switch body and the reed either closes or opens "not sure which". Both types of reeds are available. This same magnet could be used to activate a secondary reed switch purchased from an online supplier like Newark, Allied, Mouser, Digi-Key and the list continues. You would run power from your DC/DC converter to the switch, this power would then power the coil of a very small relay that could easily handle the current of multiple LED's. Since the LED's are low current, you may even be able to find a reed switch that can drive the LED's directly. These reed switches are small and only need to be placed near the magnet to operate correctly so mounting is fairly simple. If you can't find a brake light you could easily modify one by either adding a perf board and mount all your lights to the perf board internal to your current light. you may even be able to just add the LED's to the current circuit board built into your tail light. This sounds like this would be a good project to build a commercial unit and sell? I have not done this on my system yet, since I ma still completing my build, but I am definitely considering it. IF I do maybe I can post a link here. If you have any specific questions about wiring I might be able to help.
Let us know if you do find something and install it.
Ed
Let us know if you do find something and install it.
Ed
Attachments
Chalo
100 TW
corim123 said:
You can use contact microswitches on the levers or even on the brakes themselves. 5mm LEDs are typically rated for 20mA, so even ultra-bright versions should be well within the current capacity of a microswitch. Red LEDs usually have a forward voltage of about 1.9V. Divide your battery voltage by that number and you have the number of LEDs you need to connect in series to run them without a buck converter.
Salvage an old Lite Brite toy to get grid material that should be a tight fit on 5mm LEDs. You can use that as your mounting surface, and fit a piece of it into a suitable bezel to serve as a brake light.
Get LEDs that have a wide viewing angle.
Brake lights are not a tenth as valuable to your safety as always-on head and taillights, by the way.
ken1645
10 W
I like these bad boys. http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=750515#p750515
12V super bright strips that fit perfectly along the back of your bicycle frame. I used a 3s lipo battery as an external source which has worked out great, wired the lights to a button on my thumb throttle controller to easily turn it on / off if I want to throw on some brake lights before braking.
12V super bright strips that fit perfectly along the back of your bicycle frame. I used a 3s lipo battery as an external source which has worked out great, wired the lights to a button on my thumb throttle controller to easily turn it on / off if I want to throw on some brake lights before braking.
dogman dan
1 PW
Maybe time to get a scooter or old motorclyle, and scavenge it for stuff like the brake light switches?
I agree with the idea of having a simple back up, such as the inexpensive blinky rear bike lights. My cargo bike relies on that, plus some large reflectors. I don't do lots of night riding, and NO riding where I would be depending on a guy behind me seeing a brake light.
I agree with the idea of having a simple back up, such as the inexpensive blinky rear bike lights. My cargo bike relies on that, plus some large reflectors. I don't do lots of night riding, and NO riding where I would be depending on a guy behind me seeing a brake light.
alsmith
100 kW
Another one of those 'project pile' things. I've got led back lights originally destined for a motorbike so has tail light, brake light and white number plate leds pointing down that have been mentioned positively in the forums in the past (don't have a link though).
This has the option of indicators in the future too....
Looks like they are out of stock but how about $4.43 (free shipping) for tail, brake and number plate lights? You can always take the white ones out if you don't want to use them.
This has the option of indicators in the future too....
Looks like they are out of stock but how about $4.43 (free shipping) for tail, brake and number plate lights? You can always take the white ones out if you don't want to use them.
See my DayGlo Avenger thread in it's later pages for a solution to that, using a relay scavenged from a dead UPS, driven by a transistor (2n2222 I think), which is driven by the hall ebrake signal. (it would also work with a 2-wire brake switch, but I had hall levers).Kingfish said:You can't drive a relay off the ebrake current; I tried that.
If you wish to use regular brake levers, like those on trigger shifters, you'd have to add a switch to them or the line somewhere, and there are a number of threads discussing how to do that, mostly findable with search terms like "brake" and "switch" or "light".
The "hidden wire brake switch" is another option, like what came with my Fusin "1000w" kit, as it installs inline with the cable and so works on any cable-operated brakes. BUT: it does not engage the hall sensor inside it until the cable-operated brakes are already producing significant drag, so it's not that useful to me.
