My new solar headlight has 288 leds and is also a power bank

[ichitan]

My new solar headlight has 288 leds.

It has 4 modes when on.
1. 144 white leds on.
2. 120 yellow leds on.
3. Both white and yellow leds on.
4. 12 red and 12 blue leds flashing.

I use the 144 white leds as high beam.
I use the 120 yellow leds as low beam. When the white leds are on, it is bright enough to need a low beam.
There is no need to have the white and yellow leds on together, unless you want a very bright light, and know the battery will discharge quicker.
The flashing lights would be handy in an emergency.

They say the battery lasts for 6 to 12 hours. I have not had it on that long to test it.

It also functions as a power bank, and can be used to charge or power usb devices. This would be handy for people wanting to charge a phone while on a bike ride.

If you look at the cost price, and the brightness, it is probably the best value for money of any bright light you could use as a bicycle headlight.

It weighs one kilogram. Any device with a large battery pack will add weight on your bike.

I have ridden on bumpy tracks, and it has not broken yet.

Be aware.

It is not designed to be a bicycle light, and has no mounting brackets for a bicycle. You need to make your own.

It is not focused like a headlight, which shines brighter in the middle. It just lights the entire area in front evenly. Some people may prefer a light designed to be a headlight.

It is made of plastic. If the bike fell over, it could break. But a light made of metal would be heavier.

I could provide a link to where you can buy these online, but they change the links often, and the link will be dead soon. Just search 'portable solar led light.'

   

[ReapThaWhirlwind]

Coverage must be amazing, but I would question if something like this could get you in trouble with the law and how its brightness conforms to traffic regulations for headlights and usage. You should definitely consider looking into this as it's generally basic law that cyclists must obey all the same laws as motorists—although they have the right-of-way at all times.

[ichitan]

(01-04-2023, 03:44 PM)ReapThaWhirlwind Wrote:  Coverage must be amazing, but I would question if something like this could get you in trouble with the law and how its brightness conforms to traffic regulations for headlights and usage. You should definitely consider looking into this as it's generally basic law that cyclists must obey all the same laws as motorists—although they have the right-of-way at all times.

I don't think it would be a problem. The yellow leds are similar brightness as low beam on a car.

The light actually spreads wider than a car headlight. The lighting pattern is more like a street light, than a headlight. The middle of the road in the distance, is not lit as bright as a with car headlight.

It is bright compared to bicycle headlights.

[ReapThaWhirlwind]

Just wanted to put that out there.

Better safe than sorry as always.

Safety first.

[enkei]

I have to say, at least for riding off-road, I like this idea.

LOL at the thought of new products.

"New!!! Stadium lighting for bicycles! Stay safe! Be seen from space!"



Image attribution: David Merrett from Daventry, England, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

[ichitan]

My light is also a power bank. In the future I could add other things.

Maybe another light, maybe a brake light.

I would like to add an air horn. If you were cycling fast, and wanted to warn someone quite some distance ahead, an air horn would be handy. Imagine the reaction of a driver who cuts you off on the bicycle, and you give him/her a blast on the air horn.

The challenge is, this power bank puts out 5 volts, and many things I would add, run on 12 volts. But I keep my eyes open for new ideas.

[SPINMAN]

(01-04-2023, 07:52 AM)ichitan Wrote:  My new solar headlight has 288 leds.

It has 4 modes when on.
1. 144 white leds on.
2. 120 yellow leds on.
3. Both white and yellow leds on.
4. 12 red and 12 blue leds flashing.

I use the 144 white leds as high beam.
I use the 120 yellow leds as low beam. When the white leds are on, it is bright enough to need a low beam.
There is no need to have the white and yellow leds on together, unless you want a very bright light, and know the battery will discharge quicker.
The flashing lights would be handy in an emergency.

They say the battery lasts for 6 to 12 hours. I have not had it on that long to test it.

It also functions as a power bank, and can be used to charge or power usb devices. This would be handy for people wanting to charge a phone while on a bike ride.

If you look at the cost price, and the brightness, it is probably the best value for money of any bright light you could use as a bicycle headlight.

It weighs one kilogram. Any device with a large battery pack will add weight on your bike.

I have ridden on bumpy tracks, and it has not broken yet.

Be aware.

It is not designed to be a bicycle light, and has no mounting brackets for a bicycle. You need to make your own.

It is not focused like a headlight, which shines brighter in the middle. It just lights the entire area in front evenly. Some people may prefer a light designed to be a headlight.

It is made of plastic. If the bike fell over, it could break. But a light made of metal would be heavier.

I could provide a link to where you can buy these online, but they change the links often, and the link will be dead soon. Just search 'portable solar led light.'

Looks and sounds like a house security light! Why would you put a two pound light on a bicycle?

[ichitan]

(03-21-2023, 06:55 AM)SPINMAN Wrote:  Looks and sounds like a house security light! Why would you put a two pound light on a bicycle?

Because
1. It is much brighter than any bicycle light I have had in the past.
2. The battery lasts a long time before going flat, so you can use it for hours.
3. It is relatively inexpensive.

I have now used it on road and off road in the dark. Riding an off road trail in the dark, up close is nearly as bright as daylight. In the distance it is darker. With a dim light, you have to ride slower, because you can't see as well.

Many people expect bicycle lights to not be really bright. Why shouldn't a bicycle headlight be as bright as a motor bike headlight?

[ichitan]

To mount a light like this, you can use two pieces of aluminum pipe, or something similar. Bolt these to the sides of the light. Then clamp the tops to the handlebars.

Many lights are not waterproof. I mounted this light with the switch and USB ports at the bottom. I used silicone sealer to seal the joints at the top and sides. I left the bottom unsealed, so if water gets in, it can run out.

Many other inexpensive lights are not waterproof. It is a good idea to seal them.

[Sybian]

I applaud your thinking outside of the box, but that light not only adds excessive weight, requires special mounting (adding more weight), is not aerodynamic, is not easily removed (not needed during daytime), and blinds the cyclist heading towards you when it is dark. You can purchase a couple bike lights that provide the same effect at much less weight, are mounted in a couple minutes without adding more weight, are aerodynamic, pop off their mount in seconds to avoid theft or for daytime riding, and will not blind another cyclist. One will have long range, another will have a close range floodlight effect. Both have reduced power modes, both can be easily tilted or manipulated to adjust their beams in order to keep from blinding cyclists or other vehicular traffic.

[ichitan]

(04-01-2023, 07:08 PM)Sybian Wrote:  I applaud your thinking outside of the box, but that light not only adds excessive weight, requires special mounting (adding more weight), is not aerodynamic, is not easily removed (not needed during daytime), and blinds the cyclist heading towards you when it is dark. You can purchase a couple bike lights that provide the same effect at much less weight, are mounted in a couple minutes without adding more weight, are aerodynamic, pop off their mount in seconds to avoid theft or for daytime riding, and will not blind another cyclist. One will have long range, another will have a close range floodlight effect. Both have reduced power modes, both can be easily tilted or manipulated to adjust their beams in order to keep from blinding cyclists or other vehicular traffic.

I agree with a lot of what you say, but we do think differently. For example, I like to leave lights on the bike all of the time, and not remove them during the day.

Another thing to consider is cost. Show me some good bicycle lights, and tell me how much they cost. With a relatively inexpensive light, it would not be a big problem if it got broken or stolen.

Part of what I am doing, is putting ideas out there, and people can decide for themselves.

I am also experimenting for myself, so I can see what these lights are like. Some things I have experimented with, I will not do again. Other things I have experimented with, are good ideas, and I will continue to use.

[wocot]

Love the out-of-the-box thinking. So much of biking stuff is way more expensive than necessary. I have used lights, bags, and other such stuff not intended for biking, and with a few straps, works just fine.

[Sybian]

(04-15-2023, 06:45 PM)wocot Wrote:  Love the out-of-the-box thinking. So much of biking stuff is way more expensive than necessary. I have used lights, bags, and other such stuff not intended for biking, and with a few straps, works just fine.

Unfortunately, the cost for the iight, and extra costs for mounting materials was never mentioned; not including the extra time spent to mount it compared to lighting systems designed for bikes, and the fact that it is not readily removable for anti-theft or if it is not needed for every ride. There are many ways to fabricate or cross-utilize equipment for cycling use. Not all cycling equipment is that expensive, especially when you consider the cost of a quality bike if purchased brand new. Plenty of equipment is being sold online, new and used, that is well within the budget of the majority of bike users. I have only bought 2 new bikes in my lifetime, and only 1 new major component (pedals) aside from repair/maintenance items (chains, bearings, tires, tubes, etc.) to maintain, upgrade, or accessorize my bikes. I live on a small budget, and I cannot afford all the newest cycling equipment, but I still do not need to mount houselights to get similar efficacy as the "out of the box" thinking has done. I have used low cost led flashlights as an alternative to cycling lights and I was still able to quickly remove them, carry them on my person, and still utilize them for their original intended purpose at a very low cost, with very little weight added compared to the light being discussed. As the photo of the motorscooter shows, you can go overboard.

[Talha]

Is it possible to get a photo of this light on your bike?
I'm curious to know how it looks. Whether it obstructs anything or destroys the look.

Plus, is it shaky when pedaling?

[ichitan]

(04-16-2023, 07:01 AM)Talha Wrote:  Is it possible to get a photo of this light on your bike?

Different people think differently.

I like to leave it on the bike all the time. I don't know when I might come home after dark. To be stolen, the thief would need to bring a spanner, or remove it another way. It could not be sold as a bicycle light.

I think the air resistance is very little compared to the rider.

With any bright light which will stay on for hours, there will be weight in the batteries.

The solar charger is not really used. I found the light shines for hours. I have never run the battery flat. It also takes a few hours to charge from the mains power. The solar panel would take a very long time to charge it, so charging from the power would also be necessary, unless you rarely used it. I could mount it above the handlebars, to use the solar charger, but it would be much more likely to get broken.

The cost of mounting it is the cost of bolts, nuts and washers, plus your time.

A benefit I did not plan for. I can hang light weight items in plastic bags, from the light supports.

   

   

[TomC]

(01-04-2023, 03:44 PM)ReapThaWhirlwind Wrote:  it's generally basic law that cyclists must obey all the same laws as motorists—although they have the right-of-way at all times.

Hopefully you realize that those two statements are in direct opposition to each other.

Even more so, I hope you realize that the statement about cyclists always have the right-of-way is both false and a good way to get yourself killed or injured.

Or perhaps you meant that motorists have the right of way all the time -- which also isn't true but is a lot safer way to think.

[Sybian]

I comment after reading another vague post by the OP, and references here that are never clarified.
"If you look at the cost price"; price never mentioned.
"It is relatively inexpensive"; price never mentioned.
So aside from the added cost to mount it using general hardware it is never clarified as to why this is a less expensive option than a bicycle specific light (which you also have mounted).

Added weight (about 2.5 pounds with added hardware) is a lot.
Added drag coefficient is a lot due to surface area. You already have the rider's drag figured into the equation, but when you add something of that size the drag is considerably increased. Even at a slow cycling speed if you ride against the wind it adds a lot more resistance resistance. The increased weight also increases your rolling resistance.
The lighting duration does not figure into a benifit since I do not know anyone riding at night for that duration with a few exceptions and they would carry a spare battery (a couple ounces) over cycling with a 2.5 pound "boat anchor". I have toured and travelled at night for up to 5 hours without changing batteries or charging.
"Low beam" and "high beam" is a reference to the direction of the light's beam and not the intensity. A low intensity light shining directly into your eyes at night can still cause night blindness. Most cars have the same intensity for both "high/main" beam and "low" beam.
Again, if this wotks for you great; but it is not the best option for the vast majority of riders that I have spoken to. I have shown your setup to others and the main responses were, Why? No one said they wished to have that on their bike, and I know of some very open minded riders, but they all prioritized their time and money to dedicated dedigns. Since we never know the cost one cannot use that as a reference. Great bike lights can be found for $15-$20 to include multple intensities, flashing modes, beam focus, easy removal, weatherproof; and that includes the rear light (did your system include a rear light? No, so more cost and weight).
There are reasons behind design engineering. It is always possible to make or repurpose something (I have done it myself many times), but one must add up all the pros and cons for doing so; and in this case the cons far outweigh the pros considering that you can find more viable means to achieve the same results.
Adding an air horn is just taking things to a new level with added weight, decreased aerodynamics, and added cost. You would be surprised how far a simple bell chime can carry and be heard even in heavy traffic; you always have your voice (I assume).
If you are so inclined to continue to add weight add cost you can always install an electric air pump, but frame pumps work just fine, do not cost much, do not require electricity, weigh much less, etc. You can add a generator, solar panels, a cooler, a heater; there is no limit to what can be done. Just look at vintage trade bikes which were essentially shops on wheels, but that was based on a persons livelyhood and was an absolute necessity for their times.

By the way, what did it cost?