Why not generator lights?

Steven M. Scharf said:

Matt O'Toole said:

Not always, and most people aren't up to a task like this.

Supposedly it doesn't always work, though I don't recall that I ever
found a shorted NiCad that I couldn't "fix" with my zapper.

I built a zapper back in 1977, based on the PE article.

Myers, D. C., "Zap New Life into Dead Ni-Cd Batteries," Popular
Electronics, July 1977, pp. 60-61.

And I've zapped many ni-cads back to life using only a 12 volt battery.

It's not necessary to spend hours at your electronic bench to achieve
practical results.

--
--------------------+
Frank Krygowski [To reply, remove rodent and vegetable dot com,
replace with cc.ysu dot edu]

Wed, 05 Jan 2005 03:59:08 GMT, Steven M. Scharf:

Quoted message said:

"...a cyclist operating at 15 mph can see well enough with less than 600
candlepower (e.g. 12 Watt halogen), and a cyclist operating at 7.5 mph
can see far enough in with less than 150 candlepower (e.g. 3 Watt
halogen).

Waaah... What is the source of this stupid numbers? I presume your other
"expert" statements are similar groundless...

The maximum "candelpower" rating of a halogen headlamp depends more on the
optics than on the nominal power uptake. Simple 2.4 W dynamo headlamps in
germany are required to reach 1000 candela (10 lux in 10 m distance) at
6.0 V. A good dynamo headlamp overvolted a little reaches easily 2000
candela.

Andreas

begin quoting Steven M. Scharf <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

The issue is really whether or not the hassle of charging batteries is
worth it for the lower expense and greater visibility that these lights
provide.

Assuming your own conclusion as an axiom, much?
--
David Damerell <[email hidden]> Distortion Field!

begin quoting Steven M. Scharf <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

better. No real dispute about that conclusion either, even the users of
dynamo lighting readily admit that they are less visible, and can see
less well, than users of higher power lighting, but they feel that the
increases gained by better lights do not add measurably to their safety.

This is, of course, not true; even ignoring the fact that we are a great
deal more visible than a battery user with a flat battery, I don't admit
this at all. I can see just fine at night, and I suspect visibility is
affected by factors like the size of the headlamp as well as raw power -
especially when that raw power is not necessarily pointed anywhere near
the eyes of motorists.
--
David Damerell <[email hidden]> Distortion Field!

Andreas Oehler said:

Wed, 05 Jan 2005 03:59:08 GMT, Steven M. Scharf:

Quoted message said:

"...a cyclist operating at 15 mph can see well enough with less than 600
candlepower (e.g. 12 Watt halogen), and a cyclist operating at 7.5 mph
can see far enough in with less than 150 candlepower (e.g. 3 Watt
halogen).

Waaah... What is the source of this stupid numbers? I presume your other
"expert" statements are similar groundless...

The sources are all on my web site, http://bicyclelighting.com

http://www.humantransport.org/bicycledriving/library/lights/lights.htm

Andreas Oehler said:

Wed, 05 Jan 2005 03:59:08 GMT, Steven M. Scharf:

Quoted message said:

"...a cyclist operating at 15 mph can see well enough with less than 600
candlepower (e.g. 12 Watt halogen), and a cyclist operating at 7.5 mph
can see far enough in with less than 150 candlepower (e.g. 3 Watt
halogen).

Waaah... What is the source of this stupid numbers? I presume your other
"expert" statements are similar groundless...

The maximum "candelpower" rating of a halogen headlamp depends more on the
optics than on the nominal power uptake. Simple 2.4 W dynamo headlamps in
germany are required to reach 1000 candela (10 lux in 10 m distance) at
6.0 V. A good dynamo headlamp overvolted a little reaches easily 2000
candela.

Andreas

:-) This is shocking! Apparently, the self-proclaimed "World's
Greatest Expert" may be off by a factor of more than six on yet
_another_ technical aspect of lighting!

You know, Steven, by this time most people in your position would stop
posting and actually go back to the library, trying to learn enough to
look less foolish.

I'm amazed that you don't do that. Instead, you keep shoveling more
manure, hoping to cover the old with the new!

Scharf: Often in error, but never in doubt. ;-)

--
Frank Krygowski [To reply, remove rodent and vegetable dot com.
Substitute cc dot ysu dot
edu]