deconstructing a BM D-Toplight

Quoted message said:

I noticed that the shroud/lens that fits around the diode in my d
toplight plus has shaken loose from the PCB on which it should be
mounted. If I open up the light, it looks as though it /might/ be
possible to extract the PCB from the back. The other way to access it
would be to remove the red lense which seems to be bonded in place.
The light is just about one year old and I do not have any receipt.
Does anyone have any experience in getting these lights apart?
Failing that, any recommendations for dynamo powered rear lights

best wishes
james

Having bought a D-Toplight not too long ago, I find myself thinking that
I would be about as well off with a generator-powered headlight and a
battery powered taillight. The wiring is one more source of
malfunctions, and I still have to replace the batteries from time to
time if I want the standlight function. A pair of lithium AA cells in a
Cateye TL-1100 last a long, long time and the light itself is at least
as bright as the D-Toplight. It's nice to have my headlight and
taillight come on by flicking one switch, but I usually still end up
having to switch on the blinkie lights on my helmet and on my bike, so
I'm really not saving that much effort.

mark said:

Quoted message said:

I noticed that the shroud/lens that fits around the diode in my d
toplight plus has shaken loose from the PCB on which it should be
mounted. If I open up the light, it looks as though it /might/ be
possible to extract the PCB from the back.

Correct, leave the lens as the pcb is pushed in from behind. Pry up the
top left corner,I used a screwdriver behind the capacitor (I ensured
nobody was looking 😉) to get a grip and the pcb snaps out

--
/Marten

info(apestaartje)m-gineering(punt)nl

[email hidden] said the following on 10/01/2008 11:20:

Quoted message said:

Failing that, any recommendations for dynamo powered rear lights

The one I have is the Basta Ray Steady. This is an LED back light that
runs off a dynamo, has a standlight function and needs no batteries.
Just fit and forget!

About a third of the way down http://www.bastagroup.com/product.html

Like most good lights, it seems, I had to buy it from Germany at the
time, although maybe there are UK sellers now.

--
Paul Boyd
http://www.paul-boyd.co.uk/

Quoted message said:

Having bought a D-Toplight not too long ago, I find myself thinking that
I would be about as well off with a generator-powered headlight and a
battery powered taillight. The wiring is one more source of
malfunctions, and I still have to replace the batteries from time to
time if I want the standlight function. A pair of lithium AA cells in a
Cateye TL-1100 last a long, long time and the light itself is at least
as bright as the D-Toplight. It's nice to have my headlight and
taillight come on by flicking one switch, but I usually still end up
having to switch on the blinkie lights on my helmet and on my bike, so
I'm really not saving that much effort.

How do people rate the Toplight? I got one about a year ago (a
4DToplight) because it fits nicely on the back of a Tubus rack -
however, the on/off switch has never worked properly, takes carfeful
positioning/tweaking to get it to stay on, and then any slight knock
on the road can make it turn off again - so mush so, that I can't
trust it alone and have to run another light anyway.

Before I replace it for another one to see whether it's just a dodgy
unit, It'd be nice to know that some people are happy with it?

Other gripes with the design are that you need to get the spanners out
to remove the light from the rack, and then get the screwdriver out to
undo about four screws just to change the batts...

Regards,

Duncan

Quoting mark <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

Having bought a D-Toplight not too long ago, I find myself thinking that
I would be about as well off with a generator-powered headlight and a
battery powered taillight. The wiring is one more source of
malfunctions, and I still have to replace the batteries from time to
time if I want the standlight function.

Huh? These days, rear standlights are done by capacitors - no batteries
involved.
--
David Damerell <[email hidden]> flcl?
Today is Second Potmos, January.

Duncan Smith said:

Quoted message said:

Having bought a D-Toplight not too long ago, I find myself thinking that
I would be about as well off with a generator-powered headlight and a
battery powered taillight. The wiring is one more source of
malfunctions, and I still have to replace the batteries from time to
time if I want the standlight function. A pair of lithium AA cells in a
Cateye TL-1100 last a long, long time and the light itself is at least
as bright as the D-Toplight. It's nice to have my headlight and
taillight come on by flicking one switch, but I usually still end up
having to switch on the blinkie lights on my helmet and on my bike, so
I'm really not saving that much effort.

How do people rate the Toplight? I got one about a year ago (a
4DToplight) because it fits nicely on the back of a Tubus rack -
however, the on/off switch has never worked properly, takes carfeful
positioning/tweaking to get it to stay on, and then any slight knock
on the road can make it turn off again - so mush so, that I can't
trust it alone and have to run another light anyway.

Before I replace it for another one to see whether it's just a dodgy
unit, It'd be nice to know that some people are happy with it?

Other gripes with the design are that you need to get the spanners out
to remove the light from the rack, and then get the screwdriver out to
undo about four screws just to change the batts...

Regards,

Duncan

I agree you shouldn't have to for that kind of money, but drilling the
base and fitting an ordinary rockerswitch instead is highly recommended

Fitting the batteries is a juggling act indeed, but you don't have to do
it to often. Putting the bike in a rotating bikestand helps. It's only
one screw though, but you might have a different version as they do
zillions to the delight of the trade 😉

--
/Marten

info(apestaartje)m-gineering(punt)nl

David Damerell said:

Quoting mark <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

Having bought a D-Toplight not too long ago, I find myself thinking that
I would be about as well off with a generator-powered headlight and a
battery powered taillight. The wiring is one more source of
malfunctions, and I still have to replace the batteries from time to
time if I want the standlight function.

Huh? These days, rear standlights are done by capacitors - no batteries
involved.

My D-Toplight is wired to my hub dynamo, but has 2 AA cells. When I lost
the standlight function a while back (but still had a taillight when the
bike was moving), replacing the batteries solved the problem.

I think you mean "most rear standlights are done by capacitors". Given
the very limited availability of good generator lights in my country,
the D-Toplight was all I could find.

mark

Duncan Smith said:

How do people rate the Toplight? I got one about a year ago (a
4DToplight) because it fits nicely on the back of a Tubus rack -
however, the on/off switch has never worked properly, takes carfeful
positioning/tweaking to get it to stay on, and then any slight knock
on the road can make it turn off again - so mush so, that I can't
trust it alone and have to run another light anyway.

Before I replace it for another one to see whether it's just a dodgy
unit, It'd be nice to know that some people are happy with it?

Other gripes with the design are that you need to get the spanners out
to remove the light from the rack, and then get the screwdriver out to
undo about four screws just to change the batts...

Regards,

Duncan

Mine works as it should, is dependable and is quite bright. it is nice
to just reach down and flick one switch to get headlight and taillight
working. As I said earlier,though, the wiring from the headlight to the
taillight strike me as a potential Achilles' heel.

Duncan Smith said:

Quoted message said:

Having bought a D-Toplight not too long ago, I find myself thinking that
I would be about as well off with a generator-powered headlight and a
battery powered taillight.

How do people rate the Toplight? I got one about a year ago (a
4DToplight) because it fits nicely on the back of a Tubus rack -
however, the on/off switch has never worked properly, takes carfeful
positioning/tweaking to get it to stay on, and then any slight knock
on the road can make it turn off again - so mush so, that I can't
trust it alone and have to run another light anyway.

Before I replace it for another one to see whether it's just a dodgy
unit, It'd be nice to know that some people are happy with it?

I have had d-toplight pluses. I diode, standlight, no switch. The
first one failed after 18 months (it would work for a few minutes and
then cut out (cutting the headlamp as well). I rode for a while with
no dynamo tail lamp and the bought another which has had the problem
in the OP (incidentally, Marten's tip on the PCB worked so that is
fixed, thanks!). This second lamp failed as per the OP after 11
Months and having fixed it seems to be failing in the same way as the
first. This seems to have been triggered as a result of removing and
refitting the lamp so I may have disturbed the wiring but I feel
pretty suspicious. I think the lamps should last a lot longer

Quoted message said:

Other gripes with the design are that you need to get the spanners out
to remove the light from the rack, and then get the screwdriver out to
undo about four screws just to change the batts...

mine doesn't have batteries. Can yours run on batteries alone?

best wishes
james

Quoted message said:

mine doesn't have batteries. Can yours run on batteries alone?

best wishes
james

There is a toplight permanent which only runs on batteries, a Toplight
Multi, which uses batteries for standlight but switches over to the
dynamo if there is current and the standard Toplight plus with
capacitor. There are versions with a single and two leds (=4D)

--
/Marten

info(apestaartje)m-gineering(punt)nl

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I noticed that the shroud/lens that fits around the diode in my d
toplight plus has shaken loose from the PCB on which it should be
mounted. If I open up the light, it looks as though it /might/ be
possible to extract the PCB from the back. The other way to access it
would be to remove the red lense which seems to be bonded in place.
The light is just about one year old and I do not have any receipt.
Does anyone have any experience in getting these lights apart?
Failing that, any recommendations for dynamo powered rear lights

Firstly, it may be worth contacting Amba Marketing, a UK distributor for
B+M. I've found them to be very helpful in the past without needing a
receipt - you've nothing to loose by calling.

I was considering replacing my faulty Spanninga Ultra Xba rack mounted rear
light http://www.spanninga.com/group.htm with a B+M D Toplight but got in
touch with Spanninga in the Netherlands and they sent me a free updated PCB
for it (the motion sensor had stopped working). The new design specifically
addresses this problem and has fewer obvious components. It's been working
well since. This was around the time when the bike/light were a year old and
no receipt was needed. I cant speak highly enough of that companies service
and the revised Ultra Xba. They do make a dynamo powered version of the
Ultra X series (it's shown on that website) but I'm happy with the battery
life on mine (haven't needed to replace them yet) and I love the auto switch
on when it's dark and the bike is moving. It has standlight functionality
too.

Paul

Quoted post said:

Duncan Smith said:

Quoted message said:

Having bought a D-Toplight not too long ago, I find myself thinking that
I would be about as well off with a generator-powered headlight and a
battery powered taillight.

Quoted message said:

How do people rate the Toplight?

I have had d-toplight pluses. I diode, standlight, no switch. The
first one failed after 18 months (it would work for a few minutes and
then cut out (cutting the headlamp as well).

fumop. It occurs to me that the symptoms of my lamps could be caused
by the zener diode failing such that it breaks down at a lower voltage
(Do zeners do this ever?). I presume that the compnnet that is
soldered onto the earth plate and then connects to the positive rail
on the PCB is the zener diode. If I am correct then I could just
remove this and the lamps may work again (albeit unprotected) but with
zener protection on the lumo round halogen on the front this shouldn't
matter anyway. I've got the original unit still so I could aford to
just try this out (the front lamp is getting a bit ropey so I wouldn't
feel too cheated if I toasted it in the trial). Anyone got any
comments?

Finaly, If I was to get a IQ Fly for the front, does anyone know if it
cares whether it has a rear lamp or not. I have seen both scenarios
claimed for it

best wishes
james