DIY LED BIKE LIGHT... can it be as good as a high end light!? / How to make a bright LED bike light! 

Does this light have a built in dc-dc converter

@@mtbhillbilly I'm not sure. It's a sealed unit with no way to open it up. It basically operates from 9v to ~28volts.... so I suspect some sort of regulation is built in unless the LED's can operate in that range. Not a lot of specs on these lights. I may have to crack one open one day! cheers

@@MikeFreda I bought this after seeing this video what a great light for night riding been going out at night since i got it shredding them muddy trails, i add longer wire then connected it straight up to the 2 pin sm plug on my sw900 e bike display

Also thanks for showing us this i got mine for £9.50 of amazon

I wired my light bar into an ebike light/horn switch. I use it in combination with a cheap light/horn in one. I dim it for pedestrians, I live in a city with extensive bike paths. It makes a shadow of riders I overtake in the spot their own lights are shining into.

Yeah I have a GoPED esr1000h electric scooter that is awesome. I get about 20m at about 28mph and 35m at 15mph on a stand up scooter. I ride it everywhere since I don't have a car nor want one. Didn't wanna mess with my battery life adding in lights and I had a 24v 25ah li-ion battery not in use anyways so I figured max it out. I put a 12in 72w lightbar on the handlebars, a 3in round 18w red led light on the rear, and the blue 12in 18w led strip underneath. I have my lightbar mounted creatively where it rests all the way down and that's right where I want it and it's just out of blind em range but I put a little easy to grab and push lever that will raise it up with no effort and into the "how does that feel when it's you asshole" range. Oh I've had people stop and want to fight me a couple times but I live in Texas and we believe in guns and it's legal to carry as long as it's not concealed and they see that on my hip and conversations over Everytime. But it's overkill but I love blinding em back. Got sick of people thinking it was funny to blind me on that thing hoping I would wreck because of it. Now it's me hoping they do 😉

Blinded by the light... Turned mine on then shined it in their eyes... 😵⚡◻️◽▫️🛴💨😎 🖕😇🤫

@@matthewfiedler2787 I always say a blind eye for a blind eye if they keep their high beams so do I ..

Amen brother. I'm a night owl and broke my back, neck, pelvis and tail bone early last year from a 20ft fall off an overpass. (Robbed and thrown off)... So after I healed enough buying this scooter used was a no-brainer. Easier on my still fragile body getting around and made it so I can go more than a couple blocks. Well, I got better but still have bad days but don't matter I love riding it and go everywhere even if it's nowhere in particular feel me. So safety was a must because I cannot afford to get hurt on this at any speed but especially top speed like I ride it. Well, every night I get 1-2 high beamers during the week and Friday and Saturday it's probably 2-4 just depends. I don't count the people who see me and turn em off, that's just the 1s turning em on for me and can't be for anything but to blind me which anyone can figure out would make me wreck. So I took action. Armed my scooter with what my mom likes to call my "FUCK YOU MODE" LOL... I was already carrying myself due to what happened to me even B4 Texas changed the law to anyone can carry without a license as long as it's not concealed. It's proven to be a wise move since my scooter is about $3000 new and especially after fuck you mode was installed. I've had many run ins with people trying to jack me or pissed because I had the gall to do onto them as they did onto me. I've even had cops see the whole situation happen and not give a damn about any of it. Only things ever been said was... "Wow that's bright for a scooter" or something like it and "you got what you deserved" or something like that also.... I don't feel bad for doing it I just hope that since I am up at night that none of these people have kids in the car and that my "return fire" doesn't cause them to wreck and kids get hurt. I could care less about the adults. Kids getting hurt would really mess me up inside bad. Probably end up back on drugs again or some shit. Took a long time to get off em and been off a couple years but that probably would get me on em again. So I think about it all the time about how much could happen just from it all going "south". It keeps me on my toes and aware of my surroundings for things that could make each situation go bad so that I make a wise choice when it's needed for everyone to get home safe.

The 3D printed mount sound like a perfect solution for a plug and play setup. I’d like to see what it looks like.

@@MikeFreda it is designed to fit 32mm handlebars. I'll upload to thingiverse and put a link here tonight.

@@MikeFreda also, i forgot to mention, it is not quick disconnect. it uses m3x16mm bolts to permanently attach. designing quick disconnect might be above my 3d design abilities.

Check my channel out for vids of something similar I wired into my ebike. I used a truck light that is rated to 36v.

Cool. Hope it turns out for you! Cheers.

Thanks for commenting. Yes, it’s a fun project with amazing results. Cheers.

Appreciate it! Cheers.

Thanks. You just have to make sure what is positive and negative since LED’s on work one way.

Thanks for the comments and feedback. Most of your findings is what I encountered as well. The 18650 is the better battery for this task. I've tried a lot of things and have come full circle back to the M12 battery pack and the charge/power adapter. Have a look at my last bike light video.

@@MikeFreda with the battery pack from the drill, do you use the battery charger that it came with to recharge the battery?

@@NicolaMs007 Yes

Thanks for commenting. Glad you found my video inspiring. Cheers.

Yes, those batteries work great. Look at my version 2 light system. I use those batteries and a different light bar to see what the difference is.

Talaga?

@@jasonm1690 yes po. Sa shoppe.😊

@@jasonm1690 Oo Nilalagay Sa Mga Headlight Pampalit

@@jasonm1690 Mura Lang Yan Sa Shopee At Lazada

@@puroroy9 May aluminium may plastic. Pero just the same. Pwdeng pwd sa ebike. Same lang ang lakas nila eh😁

Hope it works out. You could get away with a smaller light if it’s just for a scooter and used around town.

Thanks for commenting. Hope it works out for you. Cheers.

Good idea. I wonder if heat dissipation is an issue? I do have another video showing how to use that style of battery. Cheers.

Thanks for commenting. My son and I have been rocking these for almost 2 years now with no issues. Full power for 1/2-1hr at a time. I’ve made a couple other versions with battery protection and different LED lights and they all work great. The light bar in this video is a bit heavy but for the cost and performance you can’t go wrong. I experimented with lighter/smaller lights and they work good enough for any trails I plan to ride. Cheers.

You’re welcome. I hope it works out well for you.

Cool. That would work pretty good. I’m doing something like that for my version 3&4 light.

Thanks for commenting. Yes, you are correct and it’s something I struggle with. Low light and night filming is hard to do without higher quality cameras and lenses. With this video I used a GoPro and an iPhone that automatically adjust (as you stated). When editing I try to capture what it really looks like from my minds eye and still photos. It may be perceived that I’m trying to skew or trick people to think this is way better then it really appears to be, but I’m not. Another option would be to use a light meter to measure the brightness/lumens. Thanks again. Cheers.

With the 1.5amp hour battery we got over 1.75hrs of actual "light" time... since we took breaks and took turns with each other lights on (going up hill) you can easily do a +2.5hr ride on one battery. If you had a 2 or 3 amp/hr battery you could ride as long as you wanted. Also, they are small enough that you could carry a spare. Check out my ride video for more info.... that being said, a 3 hr night ride is a long ride! lol

Thanks for your comments. I have more videos of different versions of this light. Please have a look.

Thanks

Great idea. What's the life span on that? Are those Step up converters rated for 1amp or more?

@@MikeFreda Man im not gonna lie i have no clue about electrical stuff, i just know positive, negative and volts lol. Everything plugged in i just hoped it would work and it did. But i have a 8 inch light bar and the rechargeable battery keeps it on for an hour and change. I have a motorized bike i didnt want to use power from the motor

Glad it was helpful! Cheers

Cool. That should work well around the city. You may need something with more of a spot to ride trails. Cheers.

​@MikeFreda i bought a 1100 lumen led head lamp with spotlight feature,I can turn night into day..lol

Actually, where I live this is not an issue at all. In the summertime night riding beats the heat. Cheers.

That should be a cool setup. Hope it works out for you. Be interested in see it work.

Show a video I’m interested!

Thanks for the tip. Cheers.

Wow. That will turn night into day.

Yes, you can save some money doing it that way but some people don’t feel comfortable doing that sort of wiring. Check out my other video, I make a battery pack like that and try a flood style of light.

Yes, I was looking at those as well but some of them got bad reviews that the lids would pop off, so I was sceptical. I did find a stubby water container with a wide mouth the very durable and seals really good. I will post a follow up video of the finalized light system.

I had it left over from a past project. You can find it at Industrial Plastics. I got this from Robertson plastics. You would also sculpt something with JB weld. Cheers.

Nice. Was wondering how they would work.

@@MikeFreda too bright but dimmer should work.

Thanks! No, I haven;t really thought about it. Tail lights are so cheap (~$10) it would be hard to make it cheaper than that. That bought said, you could make a simple 3 to 4 LED flashing circuit and mount it in a small container.

There are diy car trailer rear light with leds that work with usually 9~30v that are way brighter than regular bike taillights

Ebay has 12v blinky 4 or 6 led strips with 18 blink modes. Have bought a pair for my 2 greenspeed trikes here in Oz. Cost AU $17.00 pair. Much brighter than bicycle gear.

True, I suspect I'd get ticket as well if put a set of theses on my truck and drove around town. They are surprisingly bright!

Just put another with lower wattage and use it as a low beam😅

Depending on the light brand/manufacturer it should. These lights typically have a operational voltage range from 9v to 32v. You will have to read the manufacturer specifications. Cheers.

Yes, that can be an issue. If you look at my other bike light videos I link some pre-made options that would work from Amazon.

Yes, that is the right math but, if the power bank is for Cel phones, those typically output 5.0vdc. If you step that up to 12v you will have less capacity that what it is rated for.

Yes, that is something you can consider. Lights behave differently than motor load and since I don't run this system all the time and I never 100% drain the batteries I'm not too worried about it. If you ran it regularly and drained the battery all the time you should probably consider a circuit like that. My Version 3 light will include all this sort of tech. Stay tuned.

Perhaps. You will have to see what your light specs are. A lot of these lights look the same but don’t have the same parameters. The light I purchased works between 9-28volts. A larger capacity 12v battery (3+ amp/hr) will make this light run for several hours. Cheers.

At the handle bar union, take the positive side battery wire over to the switch, then back again and splice into the light wires. The ground is connected directly from the battery to the light. Solder and heat shrink. Remember to test before heat shrinking. LED’s can only be wires one way. Hope that helps?

@@MikeFreda Thanks Mike.... kind of embarrassing how easy this was to wire up. Thank you for the help

Thanks, link fixed. www.princessauto.com/en/6-led-18w-flood-spot-light/product/PA0008816159

Yes, I have. The light at 12v draws just under 1amp. A 2.0amp hour battery will last almost 2hrs (depending on the age and quality of the battery). This type of battery also comes in a 3A/hr so that’s a long night ride. You can also keep a spare with you since they are small. Cheers.

Yes. This mini light bar is meant to used on cars/trucks. They are also known as "Work lights" "Automotive flood light" "Light pod". I have found almost anything with this size and power output will work.

@@MikeFreda gotta be careful only buy the ones with smooth reflectors, some have crinkle finish reflectors and scatter light too much - they are useless as headlights.

Im not familiar with that battery pack or even tried it. I’d be a bit careful on the 3000mah rating. I suspect they use a bargain brand batteries here. I think it should work, just don’t get it wet. Cheers.

Thanks for your comment, I would not rely on claimed amazon numbers. The watt rating are misleading. Most batteries are measured in Amp/Hours. Most lights have a Amp draw or a Wattage rating. In my case in this video, the light draws around 1.0amp at 12Volts. In simple terms, in order for the light to run for 2 hours, I need a 2 amp/hour battery of battery. Volts = Current x Resistance (V=IxR) and Power=Amps x Volts. (P=IxV). Not sure if that helps? cheers.

@@MikeFreda ok i did some more research and talked to a previous instructor of mine who taught me electrical in automotive school. here's what I came up with. so yes you are correct for calculating the amp hours and knowing the light will run for 2 hours. what I was concerned about was choosing the right battery for the light. so If a light sais it is rated at 18 watts and 12v that basically means its going to draw 1.5 amps if everything is accurate. and using a battery that is rated for at least 1.5 amps would be good. now amp hour (aH) are a different measurement saying that the listed amperage will go for an hour and the actual amp rating of the battery can be higher. so in this case you are fine clearly because your bike hasn't blown up, but using a light that draws more amps and rated for a higher wattage can cause batteries to cath fire and explode so that was my main concern. i saw your video on the 3.0 light also and the light there said 0.87 amps at 12v which is around 10w power. so there i am confused why they said 18w. maybe a if it is ran at higher voltage i guess but not at 12v right?. sorry if this is confusing i just don't want exploding batteries haha

They seem to be fine. I've never completely drained them on any ride yet. I do turn the light off at times during the ride. I guess it wouldn't be any different than running a grinder of drill non-stop until the battery dies and I've done that a lot. lol. Check out my Version 2 light. I use a different battery.

@@MikeFreda the milwaukee tools use onboard electronics to sense battery overheat conditions...they will shut them down or reduce current if it sees that.i was just wondering if the 1.5 amp draw with no safeguards would hurt the battery....

Good point. I've been using the batteries in the tools and on the light and they seem to be fine but I'll keep a closer watch. I have measured the actually current draw on the light and it's 0.95amps @ 12v.

@@pl5624 when pulled apart, all lithium battery packs have the electronic safety gear in them, not in the tool. Same for laptop batteries. Many 18650 battery brands have overheat prevention circuits built into each battery. I know from pulling a dud battery apart I bought. Reminded me of a cia spy tracker from a movie!

Not really… but I’ve changed my light design and but so it could let the one in the video going you like.

It’s inline with the positive lead. I have a couple other videos that show has things are wired. Please have a look. Cheers.

Never tried 6 Volts. Depending on the manufacturer, These lights typically have a range from 9-32 volts. Yes, you can use a seperate mount to hold the battery. I use a Camelback and keeping the weight off the bars and lower down on the bike would be preferred in my case. Cheers

Not sure. You would have to check the specs on the light. A lot of these LED light bars do have a voltage range that they can operate within.

The light body is is 6-1/2" wide x 1-7/8" tall x 2-1/4" deep.

You should be able to. Or order one online. The flood/spot combo seem to be the best for all types of riding.

try aliexpress, check my channel for the one I made

With the older 1.5amp hour battery, I got over 1hr of solid ride time. If you stop for breaks, turn it off.... that makes for ~1.5 to 2 hour ride. If you used a larger capacity battery, like 3amp hour... I could see you going for a min of 3hours... if you include rest time and breaks a 4 hour night ride would be possible on this light.

@@MikeFreda I have a Milwaukee 12Ah so it should give me like 5 hours continued

A normal Milwaukee M12 Battery weighs 178grams (6.2lbs).

Yes. I'm surprised more people haven't thought of this. We got 1.5hrs of lighted ride time on my older battery. When you consider rest stops... this is a 2+hr night ride. If you have a 3amp/hr battery you can make it at least 3 hours! That's a long night ride!

Did 4x100W for buggy and it was absolutely overkill. For a bike, it's way too much. Not to mention battery pack would need to be huge, something like e-bike battery pack. You need 500Wh pack just to run it one hour, that's about 50 18650 batteries.

I have a 10s 10p battery with a 50amp bms the battery i am using is a Panasonic NCR18650BD 3200mah

@@pyrounlimited7035 That's decent, a little bit over 2h of runtime. What would distract me more is just amount of output. It would blind you if you are going to drive on trails. If you are going to use cheap 100W LEDs, that's going to be about 40000 lumens. Even single one at 8000 lumens might be too much for trail. Trees and leaves are really close to you and they are going to be really bright, not to mention it's going to "flash" as you pass them at higher speeds. It should be fine on open fields or roads where there is no drivers.

@@cekpi7 its for my daily ride to work living about 10 kilometer from work butt through a woody area with almost no lighting from the local county. And yes indeed i am using the cheap 100watt aliexpress cob leds.

@@pyrounlimited7035 I used to commute through woody area that was unlit and 1000 lumens was enough. I don't really need more than that unless I'm going on trail or messing around with bike. I would definitely start with single 100W and build from that, I've did that in past and it was way more than i needed and also really unpractical.

Thanks for reaching out. I could make you a bracket to mount the light. You should me able to source everything from Amazon and put it together yourself. It’s really not that hard to solder the few wires together.

Thanks for commenting. Yes, I tried that and it didn’t work. There is too much current draw at start up for the chip and battery. You would need to find a beefier converter chip and a high amperage battery pack and they are expensive. Cheers.

which one

Yes but no cars drive on the mountains