Battery for headlight and turn signals, dash cam

[hoboin]

I can see both sides, i am here trying to learn, yes i know very little but it's an area where i want to learn. Yes i know very little, but i want to learn. I personally do not know electrician friends, but my boss does, and he can help me if needed, and so can my boss. He knows how to solder and i am happy to learn it. I talked to my dad about all of this, and he suggested also that i spend some more time with the basics and learn how to do this.

So i have decided to start with my other bike. It is older, but has a 12v power plug built right into the controller area. I looked up the size of the power cable needed (5.5mm x 2.5mm) and it can take up to 20w light the bike manual said. So i purchased a power plug to the red/black wires, a smaller, simpler switch, the 20w LED light and 4 turn signals, LED. For this bike, all i really want to do is setup the 20w light. If i can add the turn signals to it, that would be nice but i mainly just want the light. The bike said max of 20w out of the power port (draws from the battery) so i'm not sure if i can use the LED light and also the turn signals when it's all connected. Turn signals say they are 1 wotts, so maybe i will find a slightly weaker headlight and hook it up to this.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DBN9GFN/

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[hoboin]

i purchased a soldering kit, along with another 18wott light that included various cables, a small switch and included fuse!

 

[tomjasz]

That's why some of us, perhaps with a bit more experience than you have?

Yeah, doing customer support for nearly 6 years and communicating with hundreds, more likely thousands of DIY kit buyers leaves me with limited experience.

 

[retiredNH]

Yeah, doing customer support for nearly 6 years and communicating with hundreds, more likely thousands of DIY kit buyers leaves me with limited experience.

But how many things have you wired? How many projects have you designed and successfully built? Or is your experience just reading from a script to other people?

 

[hoboin]

OK so i purchased a soldering kit that comes with multimeter, various tools and stuff (wire cutter, stripper, tapes, solder wire, paste, wraps, etc.), different colored wires, a fuse kit with inline fuses, and the soldering kit came with an electronic book to explain how to use it all so i am going to read that this weekend.

I watched the following video on wiring LED lights to a turn signal and i am in a better position to understand everything needed to get this done. I first watched a video of the same guy explaining how relays and flashers work, and found his newer video on LED lights. So i purchased the things he was talking about to get everything running for me.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. Im starting to feel like i can finally do this once i learn all the basics.

 

[hoboin]

Here are a few of the things i got. I will probably watch some videos, read the book fully and decide on if i want to use the lights that i purchased or if i should get some other kind. I was also thinking about getting some kind of project kit to practice electrical skills, i saw this FM radio kit that can be put together that could be fun, if anyone knows of anything like this that i could practice on please let me know.

https://www.amazon.com/Elenco-FM-88K-FM-Radio-Kit/dp/B004YHZE0G

below are some of the things i got

 

[hoboin]

lastly i watched this video to also understand relays and flashers. This was very easy to follow for me and he showed how to wire it the "wrong" way without fuses and explains why its bad.

 

[hoboin]

i found this on amazon for the battery adapter for Ryobi one+. I will look for the larger batteries on sale. I also ordered a different soldering DIY radio building kit so i can practice soldering.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09839SHRK

 

[tomjasz]

Flashing headlights may be a violation of local laws and norms. Federal law protects the use of modulators, but don't allow flashing headlights.

 

[hoboin]

i dont want flashing headlights, i just want flashing (blinking) turn signals instead of just staying on solid. The headlight i want on solid. Just found a 25% of ryobi battery deal on slickdeals, going to try to find something good on a larger batteries.

edit: Got a 4ah and 6ah battery and a new charger, plus a bunch of various new tools as they were all on sale

 

[hoboin]

This is where i am planning on putting the box. I just checked, my 2ah battery fit inside so im using the larger ones will too, along with the adapter to it and hopefully everything else needed (relay, flasher, etc). The way it is, i did not adjust my seat at all, and i would have to move it up just a little bit to get full play with the suspension seat. But it actually sits at an angle where the top of the box pretty much is aligned with the angle in which the seat would go down when going over bumps, so i feel like it could work. The bottom bracket thing that it sits on could also be removed to gain an inch or so to put the box lower down and maybe it would be more easily accessible. Or i can keep it and drill holes into the box and secure it better, instead of using the straps (which i quickly attached, maybe a better way to secure it with the straps too obviously) or use both ideas. Also would be open for a different box. Currently, i have my bike battery wrapped in neoprene (an old back support converted to winter covering) and in the small case above the battery is my 30,000mah power pack that i use to run the camera currently.

 

[6zfshdb]

It looks like there is not enough clearance between the battery box and your seat springs. You need to provide compression space for your suspension seat post.

 

[kmccune]

Most cordless tool batteries, including Ryobi, have internal over current protection. A fuse would only be necessary if some other type of battery is used.
It is a good point to consider though.

It looks like there is not enough clearance between the battery box and your seat springs. You need to provide compression space for your suspension seat post.

Good grief, the OP can make this as complicated or simple as they want,I plan to use some of my Ryobi batteries to power a 6 led lght from "Super bright Leds" and use a donor charger base for putting the battery in, with the proper switches and a flasher or two you can have blinking turn signals, heck you could probably go to an auto parts store and get a universal turn indicator switch you could actually attach to the "riser" I wouldn't worry about High beam low beam just get something good enough for bikes speed and fix it so it doesn't shine in motorists eyes.
Back in the day you couldn't even use European spec headlights on our autos now it seems these things blast out with retina burning brightness on modern cars, not to mention those Bright Led conversions on those Kids 4X4s, the best thing to say about bike riding at night is Don't, unless you can travel on sparsely traveled roads, its bad enough in the daytime, the night only makes it worse and our driver license standards are really low in this great nation. And wear high visibility clothing( do not go stealth at night.)

 

[hoboin]

I might try some stuff today, just waiting on a few things from amazon and i need to finish cleaning my area before i start projects. I will take off the the light mount that the box is sitting on to move it down to give enough room for the sus post.

 

[DiggyGun]

It looks like there is not enough clearance between the battery box and your seat springs. You need to provide compression space for your suspension seat post.

It looks like the Blue box will foul the suspension seat post anyhow.

The bike is beginning to look like a fine example of being overloaded.

Can the bike take the weight of the rider and all the additional bags, boxes and other paraphernalia?

 

[penserv]

I've already got so much stuff on my handlebars, there is no place to put a signal light controller. I've decided that I will wait till Elon Musk invents an intuitive switch that also senses the change in balance and frame position and automatically turns on the signals on my bike and helmet. Also sensing deceleration and turns on my brake lights. In the meantime, pointing in the direction you want to go with your left arm particularly, seems to work pretty well, after checking your rear view mirror to make sure the road is clear for a ways behind you. Right turns are not much of a problem, since nobody is getting inside of me on the shoulder, but occasionally I'll use my right arm to point, especially if there's a black and white car behind me with a funny looking light bar on the roof.

I try to minimize my riding at night. If I have to turn, I'm inclined to check the rear view and wait for traffic to clear, even if it means slowing down. I'm not dying to get anywhere.

 

[hoboin]

In the next few days i want to get back to working on this. Snow and mainly ice has prevented me from riding and i was too busy to begin this project but things are dying down and i want to get the lights hooked up ASAP. I will plan it all out and work on the diagram for the switch i have.

 

[tomjasz]

Micah Toll did a piece a few years back using 18” led strips. 12V but used four feeding off his 48V. I took them off a bike I donated and will use the for running light on my trike. I have a multi-volt Roxim headlight Stvzo. I also found from another thread here an Aliexpress inexpensive copy for around $15.
StVZO LEDs are bike lights that comply with the safety standards developed by the German government. These lights feature a special lens that provides a floodlight that's leveled off so as not to intrude with oncoming traffic.
Properly set up to light the road, not shine in the face of oncoming cages.

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[tomjasz]

I've already got so much stuff on my handlebars

Many lights are set up to use the hole for brake/fender mounts on the fork.