Jon's Warrior Build

[JonHylands]

I've been busy over the last few weeks, working on a few different things, including the lighting setup for my trike.

Here's the tail light wiring:

Each end has waterproof connectors on it, so I can remove the light poles and the central control module.

Here's the front lights, mounted:

These are the lights I bought:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32822515878.html

Here's a closeup of the light/phone mount:

It is 3D printed in black ABS:

It fits over the downtube just above the front derailleur. I had to move the phone mount back a bunch so the top of the phone would clear the lights.

 

[Emiel]

Is the mount tight on the tube?
I made one for my display and I added a locking system just like the steering is mounted on a regular bike.
A bold from the top. This way it will not move.

I looked ad similar lights. They are give a lot of light and your road will be good visible.
Only watch out with other trafic. You will blind others very fast as you have aimed them straight forward.

Also ledstrips on your flags?

I used a similar phone mount. Your phone will stay in very well.

 

[vk3ckc]

Hi Jon

Do you happen to know how much current those headlights draw? That is a detail that is important to me but the ads never show it and never qualify what their quoted Watts mean. In this case they say Chip Power = 125W, Operating Power 3-9W. I assume that Operating Power is that drawn from the supply and equates to 3/12 = 250mA (supply of 12V) - each. Too high for my requirements.

 

[maddox]

What powersource do you use that can't provide 12W?

 

[Popshot]

I always made the inferrence when they quoted two power levels that the lower was the actual draw and the higher was their claim for a comparable tungsten filament lumen equivalent and that any such claim was a blatant lie. Not to put too fine a point on it but I trust Chinese claims on such matters no further than I can urinate.

 

[vk3ckc]

What powersource do you use that can't provide 12W?

No problems providing 12W but, add it to the drain required for other things that I will be running, and the total starts to become substantial as far as sustainability over a long period is concerned.

 

[vk3ckc]

Not to put too fine a point on it but I trust Chinese claims on such matters no further than I can urinate.

And the distance you can urinate diminishes with age.
The same comments apply to the number of lumens or other ways of referring to light output. When comparing the quoted lumens for my Warrior headlight with the quoted lumens of other headlights, both way lower and way higher, the light outputs must vary between that of candles and that of arc welders. I have used some of the way lower headlights but only for a very short time.
I'm sure some headlights are only for being seen while others are for seeing.

 

[maddox]

Solved that in 2 ways. Main powersource for my lights is the main battery. Just using a DC-DC converter. (60V max in, 12V 10A out). As backup I have a 5000mah 3S Lipo hardcase pack that I can insert on the terminal block if main power runs out.

But outside a mobile phone, GPS setup and a boatload of lights, what else can we run?

 

[JonHylands]

On high beam, each light draws around 750 mA at 12 volts. On low beam, each light draws around 140 mA. On the flash cycle, it averages about 375 mA.

 

[JonHylands]

Is the mount tight on the tube?
Also ledstrips on your flags?

The mount is very tight on the tube. So much so I might have to re-print with a slighly larger hole (0.1mm) to get it to slide all the way on. The flag poles have red led-strips along their full length, and each will be controllable separately, with full PWM brightness control.

 

[Popshot]

And the distance you can urinate diminishes with age.

Got to watch my feet these days.

 

[maddox]

You always can use the wind.

 

[Emiel]

The mount is very tight on the tube. So much so I might have to re-print with a slighly larger hole (0.1mm) to get it to slide all the way on. The flag poles have red led-strips along their full length, and each will be controllable separately, with full PWM brightness control.

That is why I made it so I can tighten it with a bold. Than it slides over very easy, but by tightening the bold, it stays on and in the position I want.

Bold goes in from the top.
This was a test model and made for my phone, but I am going to change it, so it can also hold my display. Nice thing is, is that you can print it in the diameter of the part and that you don't need the spacers.
I print it from tpu. It doesn't brake that fast and has some flex in it. Well not much, but you can decide that by the design.
Final print will be in black and smaller layer hight.

 

[vk3ckc]

But outside a mobile phone, GPS setup and a boatload of lights, what else can we run?

Horses for courses - no phone, but amateur radio transmitter/s, video camera, electric shifter, various USB charging, etc. Everything takes current. Can run anything if you have the battery capacity. More capacity = more weight. It's like building a trike, ignore the consequences and it gets heavier. It pays to consider it from the start.

 

[vk3ckc]

On high beam, each light draws around 750 mA at 12 volts. On low beam, each light draws around 140 mA. On the flash cycle, it averages about 375 mA.

That's the mentoned 9W on full beam, 1.68W on low beam, and 4.5W on flash (half of full, 50% duty cycle?).

 

[vk3ckc]

You always can use the wind.

Wind can change direction without notice.

 

[JonHylands]

That's the mentoned 9W on full beam, 1.68W on low beam, and 4.5W on flash (half of full, 50% duty cycle?).

Yeah, the flashing duty cycle looks very much like 50%.

The lights basically switch modes each time you power cycle them. First power cycle is high beam, then low beam, then flash.

 

[JonHylands]

I print it from tpu. It doesn't brake that fast and has some flex in it. Well not much, but you can decide that by the design.
Final print will be in black and smaller layer hight.

I'll have to think about whether I want to use TPU or ABS. I might just redesign the mount and include a screw for tightening.

 

[Emiel]

I am starting soon with building a new 3D printer, do I can print also with Carbon and nylon and way bigger and faster.
I prefer now tpu, because I used it a lot for my racing quads and it doesn't brake that fast.

 

[Emiel]

Horses for courses - no phone, but amateur radio transmitter/s, video camera, electric shifter, various USB charging, etc. Everything takes current. Can run anything if you have the battery capacity. More capacity = more weight. It's like building a trike, ignore the consequences and it gets heavier. It pays to consider it from the start.

Yes as you ad a lot to it then I becomes a problem. But as he keeps it simple as he does now, then I don't see the problem.
He can run those lights long enough with that battery for a nice ride in the dark.