B & M Lumotec Lighting Questions

On 17/11/2007 12:10, vernon said,

Quoted message said:

Is there any point in considering the Senso models?

Not in my opinion. They're great as a fit and forget solution, but I'd
rather my lights came on when I wanted them on instead of whenever a
cloud passes by.

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

On 17/11/2007 12:10, vernon asked,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Is there any point in considering the Senso models?

On 17/11/2007 14:40, Paul Boyd opined:

Quoted message said:

Not in my opinion. They're great as a fit and forget solution, but I'd
rather my lights came on when I wanted them on instead of whenever a
cloud passes by.

Obviously YMMV. Having used a Lumotec Oval Senso Plus for the last 7
years, I wouldn't now consider a non-Senso dynamo light. I like having
the lights permanently set to come on when it starts to get dark, or
when I ride into a tunnel.

The sensor originally turned the light on slightly later than I would
like. I solved that by sticking a couple of layers of masking tape over it.

The only time I have to turn the lights on manually is when it's foggy.
On a foggy morning the sensor won't turn the lights on automatically
because ambient light levels tend to be high. I want the lights on to
be seen by because of poor visibility, which is caused by water droplets
scattering the ambient light rather than by low ambient light levels.

--
Danny Colyer <http://www.redpedals.co.uk>
Reply address is valid, but that on my website is checked more often
"The plural of anecdote is not data" - Frank Kotsonis

vernon said:

I'm wanting to but a B & M Lumotec fron light for use with a bottom bracket
generator - a Union 8601 model. I'm not too sure what I need to do with
respect to changings bulbs etc if I want to just power the front light and
rely upon battery powered rear lights.

Some of the lamps have over voltage protection. Does this mean that I do
not have to fit a 3V bulb?

Yes, you DO need to fit a 3 WATT (not Volts) bulb, instead of the
default 2.4W which comes with the lamp. Using only the 2.4W front light
will still blow the bulb prematurely, irrespective of a voltage protector.

Quoted message said:

Models that I am considering are:

Lumotec oval
Lumotec 2 plus

Is there any point in considering the Senso models?

No idea what the Lumotec 2 is, couldn't find it on www.bumm.de. The
"plus" models have a standlight.
There is no point in "senso", as they are for hub dynamos where there is
constant power to the lights. In your case with the BB dynamo, you would
switch it on and off by activating the BB dynamo.

Quoted message said:

cheers

Vernon

On 17/11/2007 16:26, renum said,

Quoted message said:

There is no point in "senso", as they are for hub dynamos where there is
constant power to the lights. In your case with the BB dynamo, you would
switch it on and off by activating the BB dynamo.

That is a very good point!!! In this case there is absolutely no point
in paying for the sensor option.

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

On 17/11/2007 16:00, Danny Colyer said,

Quoted message said:

Obviously YMMV. Having used a Lumotec Oval Senso Plus for the last 7
years, I wouldn't now consider a non-Senso dynamo light. I like having
the lights permanently set to come on when it starts to get dark, or
when I ride into a tunnel.

That's exactly what I had, and a starling only had to flutter past the
sun and the lights would come on. I guess manufacturing tolerances need
to be tightened up! Anyway, in this case the OP has a BB dynamo, so any
kind of sensor or switch becomes redundant.

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

Paul Boyd said:

Not in my opinion. They're great as a fit and forget solution, but I'd
rather my lights came on when I wanted them on instead of whenever a
cloud passes by.

Then use the manual overide on/off... though unless you have a hub
dynamo it is a bit of a moot point (but just another reason to have
one, of course!).

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Paul Boyd said:

Anyway, in this case the OP has a BB dynamo, so any
kind of sensor or switch becomes redundant.

Yeah, I missed that bit originally. That's what comes of replying to
your post (which, quite reasonably, didn't quote the bit about the BB
dynamo) rather than replying to the OP.

Hey, Vernon, you need a hub dynamo as well.

--
Danny Colyer <http://www.redpedals.co.uk>
Reply address is valid, but that on my website is checked more often
"The plural of anecdote is not data" - Frank Kotsonis

On 17/11/2007 17:40, Peter Clinch said,

Quoted message said:

Then use the manual overide on/off... though unless you have a hub
dynamo it is a bit of a moot point (but just another reason to have one,
of course!).

I did use the manual on/off, which kind of defeated the object of the
sensor :-)

(I do have a hub dynamo)

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

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

Quoted message said:

vernon said:

I'm wanting to but a B & M Lumotec fron light for use with a bottom
bracket

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Some of the lamps have over voltage protection. Does this mean that I do
not have to fit a 3V bulb?

Yes, you DO need to fit a 3 WATT (not Volts) bulb, instead of the default
2.4W which comes with the lamp. Using only the 2.4W front light will still
blow the bulb prematurely, irrespective of a voltage protector.

Ooops, I did mean 3W...honest!

Next question.

Could a pair of Lumotecs wired in parallel be adequately powered by a
dynamo?

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

Quoted message said:

Next question.

Could a pair of Lumotecs wired in parallel be adequately powered by a
dynamo?

Parallel - no, it'll be dreadful. Series - yes, provided you're going fast
enough.

Dynamos are sort of current generators - they top out at about 0.5A. But
they'll give more volts if there's enough resistance in the way and speed to
generate them.

So the classic dual-lamp circuit has them in series, with the second lamp
having a switch which shorts it out, leaving the main lamp as the only lamp
in the circuit.

cheers,
clive

vernon said:

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

Quoted message said:

vernon said:

I'm wanting to but a B & M Lumotec fron light for use with a bottom
bracket

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Some of the lamps have over voltage protection. Does this mean
that I do not have to fit a 3V bulb?

Yes, you DO need to fit a 3 WATT (not Volts) bulb, instead of the
default 2.4W which comes with the lamp. Using only the 2.4W front light
will
still blow the bulb prematurely, irrespective of a voltage protector.

Ooops, I did mean 3W...honest!

Next question.

Could a pair of Lumotecs wired in parallel be adequately powered by a
dynamo?

No, won't work. Your dynamo(*) only puts out 0.5amps, its a current limited
device. So, sticking half the current through each, you get 0.25amps going
into a bulb rated to require 0.4amps. Each will glow like a bad Never Ready
lamp.

You can wire a pair in series, but you still need 3W bulbs in them. In that
case, at higher speeds the dynamo voltage will rise, and eventually you hit
12V and get decent light. Put a switch across one of them as a bypass for
use at lower speeds. (This being a common trick used by hub dynamo owners).

However, I suspect you'd do a lot better with the new B&M IQ-Fly LED lamp,
which started to appear in shops at the start of November. It appears to be
twice as bright as the bulb models for about £40. Officially it needs a
tail lamp as well, being 2.4W rated.

(* assuming it is built to the usual German standard, which is the case for
most dynamos).

- Nigel

--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at http://www.2mm.org.uk/

In article said:

However, I suspect you'd do a lot better with the new B&M IQ-Fly LED lamp,
which started to appear in shops at the start of November. It appears to be
twice as bright as the bulb models for about £40. Officially it needs a
tail lamp as well, being 2.4W rated.

Which apparently will also work in pairs in either series or parallel:
http://www.fahrradzukunft.de/fz-0704/0704-05.htm
Article in German, but Babel or Google Translate make it reasonably
understandable.

Paul Boyd said:

I did use the manual on/off, which kind of defeated the object of the
sensor :-)

At least you have the option. I have the option too, and very
rarely use the manual overide. It does switch on a little earlier
than I would normally bother with, but since I don't notice the
drag in any case tyhat's a Big Fat "so what?".

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Paul Boyd <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

On 17/11/2007 12:10, vernon said,

Quoted message said:

Is there any point in considering the Senso models?

Not in my opinion. They're great as a fit and forget solution, but I'd
rather my lights came on when I wanted them on instead of whenever a
cloud passes by.

I'd wait for the LED based Lumotec IQ Flys greater availibility. I is
newer and a much better construction than the older Lumotec models.

Wrt Senso: I'm testing a Lumotec Fly senso plus (not LED based) on my
commuter bike. I'll move it to another bike when I get my hands on an IQ
fly. In the meantime, I've got some experience with how the sensor
works. Actually, it works quite well and better that I expected.
Whenever it came on unexpectedly, it was right. I have two dark
underpasses on my way to work, which both trigger the sensor. So did a
cloud cover, about 1 h before darkness, once. I'd have used the switch
to force the light to on, if it hadn't switched automatically. I've
never seen it go on just because a cloud passes by.

--
Wir danken für die Beachtung aller Sicherheitsbestimmungen

Paul Boyd <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

On 17/11/2007 12:10, vernon said,

Quoted message said:

Is there any point in considering the Senso models?

Not in my opinion. They're great as a fit and forget solution, but I'd
rather my lights came on when I wanted them on instead of whenever a
cloud passes by.

I'd wait for the LED based Lumotec IQ Flys greater availibility. I is
newer and a much better construction than the older Lumotec models.

Wrt Senso: I'm testing a Lumotec Fly senso plus (not LED based) on my
commuter bike. I'll move it to another bike when I get my hands on an IQ
fly. In the meantime, I've got some experience with how the sensor
works. Actually, it works quite well and better that I expected.
Whenever it came on unexpectedly, it was right. I have two dark
underpasses on my way to work, which both trigger the sensor. So did a
cloud cover, about 1 h before darkness, once. I'd have used the switch
to force the light to on, if it hadn't switched automatically. I've
never seen it go on just because a cloud passes by.

--
Wir danken für die Beachtung aller Sicherheitsbestimmungen

On 18/11/2007 11:51, Wolfgang Strobl said,

Quoted message said:

I've never seen it go on just because a cloud passes by.

I was being mildly facetious :-)

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

Alan Braggins said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Nigel Cliffe

Quoted message said:

However, I suspect you'd do a lot better with the new B&M IQ-Fly
LED lamp, which started to appear in shops at the start of November.
It appears to be twice as bright as the bulb models for about £40.
Officially it needs a tail lamp as well, being 2.4W rated.

Which apparently will also work in pairs in either series or parallel:
http://www.fahrradzukunft.de/fz-0704/0704-05.htm
Article in German, but Babel or Google Translate make it reasonably
understandable.

Fascinating article. Thanks.

My friend who has an obsession with the brightest lights possible from his
Schmidt dynamo will no doubt be shopping for more bits and pieces...

- Nigel

--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at http://www.2mm.org.uk/

Wolfgang Strobl said:

Paul Boyd <[email hidden]>:

Quoted message said:

On 17/11/2007 12:10, vernon said,

Quoted message said:

Is there any point in considering the Senso models?

Not in my opinion. They're great as a fit and forget solution, but I'd
rather my lights came on when I wanted them on instead of whenever a
cloud passes by.

I'd wait for the LED based Lumotec IQ Flys greater availibility. I is
newer and a much better construction than the older Lumotec models.

Wrt Senso: I'm testing a Lumotec Fly senso plus (not LED based) on my
commuter bike. I'll move it to another bike when I get my hands on an IQ
fly. In the meantime, I've got some experience with how the sensor
works. Actually, it works quite well and better that I expected.
Whenever it came on unexpectedly, it was right. I have two dark
underpasses on my way to work, which both trigger the sensor. So did a
cloud cover, about 1 h before darkness, once. I'd have used the switch
to force the light to on, if it hadn't switched automatically. I've
never seen it go on just because a cloud passes by.

There is one minor issue with the senso models - since the standlight
can't easily be turned off once the bike is stopped[1], helpful folks
in the bikeshed will try and turn your lights off for you by flicking
the switch, messing up your settings. I was riding around for ages one
summer with both lights on all the time because someone fiddled with
the switch, which drastically shortened the bulb's useful lifespan,
chiz.

Regards,

[1] Some have switches to kill the light but you have to hold them
down for a fair while to actually discharge them completely. This is
faffy.

--

In article said:

My friend who has an obsession with the brightest lights possible from his
Schmidt dynamo will no doubt be shopping for more bits and pieces...

He might be interested in http://lists.topica.com/lists/bikecurrent/
which is where I saw the link.