Electric Bike Lights

[Official_eBikeSupply]

Hi Mark,

Yamaha PW system can't accept most of the M99 series. (M99 Pro or M99 Pure+) and it will take only M99 Pure which puts out only 500 lumens.
The new PW-X system can't even accept the M99 Pure. So, the latest 2017 systems can't accept any of the M99 series.

I have confirmed this with Supernova. The Yamaha system is not designed for such high power draw.

Your solution would be to try smaller lights like Supernova V521S or V6S.

http://supernova-lights.com/en/supernova-e3-e-bike-v6s

Great info.

What was the Nominal wattage the PW-X light output can take?

 

[Official_eBikeSupply]

Great info.

What was the Nominal wattage the PW-X light output can take?

I found a great informational regarding popular ebike motors and Amp/Watt tolerances for Light output.

 

[tomjasz]

Roxim can be run off several battery voltages and not use power from controller or motor.

 

[Augsburg]

I use a Nip800 alongside a Tuck on the handlebars, and a Tuck at the rear (see pic's above on this thread). They pulse, not strobe, and I think that a strobe would be more visible then the pulse, which is a slow ramp up and down. I wish there was a way to change them to the strobe.
But the overall quality of the lights, the fact that they run off the bike's battery, and they are made in the good 'ol USA, along with some of the best customer service of any company I've ever dealt with, make them a great addition to the bike. And like you mention there aren't many, if any, other lights that use the bike battery and pulse.
A shout out to Alaskan who turned me on to them, as well as other goodies. He has a great feel for the gear and is totally into doing the research to find the right gear.

Thanks for the info. I think there was a study in the state of Georgia, or someplace, where they found pulsed lights are "safer" than flashing lights. That said, I've found the light manufacturers are not very consistent on what they term as pulse vs. flash. In any event, my use of lights is during day time - and from what I've seen, I think the flash are as visible or better than pulse.

 

[tomjasz]

Strobe lights are illegal. On public roadways, as running lights. We could be ticketed. A MODULATING light is used on motorcycles 50-70% of the time the light is at full power. The device will modulate from 20% power to 100%. If memory serves, 240 times a minute. It never shuts off completely.
I had them on my Vespa, I knew within the first coupl3 of miles riding when I forgot to actuate. Just by the way traffic was responding. I wish a bicycle version was available.

 

[Augsburg]

Strobe lights are illegal. On public roadways, as running lights. We could be ticketed. A MODULATING light is used on motorcycles 50-70% of the time the light is at full power. The device will modulate from 20% power to 100%. If memory serves, 240 times a minute. It never shuts off completely.
I had them on my Vespa, I knew within the first coupl3 of miles riding when I forgot to actuate. Just by the way traffic was responding. I wish a bicycle version was available.

I think you are correct - for some jurisdictions "strobe" lights might be illegal. That said, the bike light manufacturers seem to use the words "flash" and "pulse" - and not always consistently. Some manufacturers refer to flash, others to pulse, some to both. Most lights I've owned have multiple settings for different kinds of "flash" and/or "pulse".

In any regard, wherever I have ridden in the U.S., I see "flashing" bike lights used on the road - both day and night. I'm on the road riding my bikes 100 miles (161km) per week and I've never heard of a ticket being issued for any kind of bike light. That does not mean all the "flashing" lights are technically legal. Could be many of the police in the U.S. simply do not know what is legal or illegal.

 

[tomjasz]

I think you are correct - for some jurisdictions "strobe" lights might be illegal. That said, the bike light manufacturers seem to use the words "flash" and "pulse" - and not always consistently. Some manufacturers refer to flash, others to pulse, some to both. Most lights I've owned have multiple settings for different kinds of "flash" and/or "pulse".

In any regard, wherever I have ridden in the U.S., I see "flashing" bike lights used on the road - both day and night. I'm on the road riding my bikes 100 miles (161km) per week and I've never heard of a ticket being issued for any kind of bike light. That does not mean all the "flashing" lights are technically legal. Could be many of the police in the U.S. simply do not know what is legal or illegal.

Yes there is still confusion. I always carried the Federal law citation. Used it twice. I can’t believe a two wheel vehicle operated at night with flashing lights, and wasn’t stopped. Everywhere I’ve lived 6 states and a territory it would have been a ticket and find.
https://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-headlight-modulators/

It’d be a trip to the courthouse, to sort a modulating bike light, in some places.

 

[Sean McIllwain]

Want to add the Light & Motion Nip-N-Tuck lights to my Haibike (Yamaha). I have the OEM wiring harness (see pic) but do not know what type of connectors these are. I will need to add these to the Nip-N-Tuck, correct?

From the videos I've seen, adding lights to the Yamaha system looks very straightforward.

Any advice is much appreciated!!!

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Want to add the Light & Motion Nip-N-Tuck lights to my Haibike (Yamaha). I have the OEM wiring harness (see pic) but do not know what type of connectors these are. I will need to add these to the Nip-N-Tuck, correct?

From the videos I've seen, adding lights to the Yamaha system looks very straightforward.

Any advice is much appreciated!!!

Lots of useful material here(Haibike Sduro + Supernova M99). http://www.markkitaoka.com/tag/ebike-headlight/

 

[Gdogg]

Hi Sean,I have used one of these cables to fit a lupine light to my Haibike fitted with a Yamaha PW motor.Yamaha only use this cable across all 3 motor variants and is easy to use.First undo the skid plate,then remove 3 of the 4 mounting bolts (only loosen the bottom bolt as this is used to pivot the motor down) you will find one spare plug this is were you plug in your cable,(note,there is a dummy bung you have to remove first,) a top tip is either buy a spare frame plug that accepts two cables or you can craft your own using a round file,this is easy to do as the cable guide is in two halves.Once you have run the wire through your frame and re-installed the motor all you have to do is connect the bare ends of the wire to the light of your choice,it took me about an hour to do mine and I’m no expert,please note the Yamaha system uses 6v and around 2amps don’t be tempted to go bigger or you run the risk of ruining the circuit board! My lupine is very bright and the daytime running lights have saved my hide on a couple of occasions when motorists weren’t paying attention,hope this helps if you need anymore info I’ll be glad to help.

 

[Gdogg]

I’ve just noticed the picture you put up is actually a y splitter cable used to run a front and rear light,you will need at least one more cable to run a front light .The top picture is the cable you need the bottom picture is the one you posted.

 

[tomjasz]

Roxim lights from ebike.ca. We could do a group buy and save the expensive CA to USA shipping.

 

[BikeMike]

I use L&M Nip 800 on my Haibike. Really wonderful lights compared to the crappy ones that came with the bike.
I always use the flashing mode during day time and 800 lumens is plenty for night riding.
My experience with Supernova M99 Pro is so good that I have been trying to find something that matches such quality.

I recently ordered Seca 1800 because I was so impressed seeing it in person. It puts out same amount of light that you would expect from M99.
The M99 has much sharper beam pattern but the L&M seca is close second. very powerful too.
For $150, it is way cheaper than the M99.

Do you have any experience riding through tunnels? I am looking for a light beam pattern for a tunnel that goes under an interstate highway. My guess is the tunnel is 150 feet long? The tunnel is hazardous all year. In summer, mud accumulates at the far end of the tunnel. I fishtail because I cannot see the mud with my Light & Motion 650.

In winter, giant ice clumps form from dripping water. I ride through five tunnels. Some flood. They are much better than crossing the major artery roads in Denver.

I would connect the light to an Intuvia mount.

I read about the Seca, but have not seen the light in a long tunnel.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[BikeMike]

We commonly discuss different types of lights available to connect to your ebike battery so I figured I would make a thread to discuss some of the brands that offer ebike lights as well as the different models available.

First it's helpful to understand how they work. Most ebike lighting systems run off of 6 Volts DC power. Ebike batteries are generally 24 volts, 36 volts or 48 volts. There are some other voltages, but these are the most common. It's important to note that electric bike lights run from DC power as opposed to AC power since there are lights that only run on AC power and will not work with your ebike. Dynamo hubs generate AC power to power lights and there are many lights made to work with these systems. For now I just want to focus on ebike lights though.

At the moment in the US there are several brands that make ebike lights, but this list is in no way exhaustive. Below are some brands that we have worked with in the past, feel free to add some others.

Busch & Müller - Made in Germany and we have found them to be of high quality. They are trusted by many major OEM's and also available as aftermarket upgrades. The German version of their site is more up to date including the new IQ-X model which is quite nice.

Light & Motion - US based light manufacturer producing lights for many different market sectors. They are well known in the bike industry for high power mountain bike lights. They recently introduced ebike lights to their offerings with 500 lumen, 800 lumen and 1200 lumen lights.

SON (Schmidt Original Nabendynamo) - Another German made light manufacturer with a focus on producing one of the best dynamos available they later introduced lights to pair with it and now have a DC version available for ebikes.

Supernova - Widely regarded as the gold standard in bike lighting. Manufactured in Germany of high quality materials, we have found these lights to be very reliable and they push the envelope on what's possible with bike lighting.

I want to highlight some products that are popular in our shop and on ebikes overall. Again this list is in no way exhaustive, but I figured it would be good to highlight some of the lights available from the different brands.


Busch & Müller IQ-X - A new introduction from B&M with a similar design to the classic Supernova Ebike light at a slightly lower price point. I think we're going to see this light a lot more in the near future. Currently there are a couple of Riese & Müller bikes that spec this light. (Note: their website doesn't show the ebike variety currently, but it is available)

View attachment 14696
Busch & Müller Lumotec IQ2 eyc - Nice mid range ebike light at an affordable price.

View attachment 14699

Light & Motion Nip & Tuck Set - Recently introduced. Comes standard with a 500 lumen headlight, but they have a 800 lumen version and a 1200 lumen headlight available.
View attachment 14702

Supernova Ebike Light- Available with different mounting options for handlebars and forks. Most work with 6 volts, but they have some that will work with 12-60 volts if your system doesn't have a low voltage output and you want to connect directly to your battery.

View attachment 14705

Supernova M99 - Available in three varieties M99 pure (6 volts 500 lumen low beam only), M99 pure+ (6 volts 1100 lumen low beam), M99 Pro (24v-60v 1100 lumen low beam, 1600 lumen high beam). This is the best ebike light on the market at the moment coming standard on many high quality bikes like the ST2S, Riese & Müller Delite GX and the Bulls Dail-E Grinder.

View attachment 14708

Tail lights are a little simplier, but there are several varieties available. We mainly work with Busch & Müller and Supernova. The most recent development here is the integration of brake lights which we're starting to see with the Stromer ST2S and the Supernova Brakelight shown below.

View attachment 14711

Some other notes about ebike lights. Most new ebike systems have the ability to connect directly into the system and turn the lights on and off from the display. This includes Bosch, Shimano, most Brose systems, etc. If your system doesn't have a switch you'll need a light with a switch. Some ebike systems like the Bosch system require a lighting wire kit in order to connect to the motor system and some will require a dealer to activate the lights.

Feel free to post questions below or any of your own experiences with electric bike lights. I hope this will be helpful for those looking to add or upgrade the lights to their ebike.

Do you have an option about https://magicshine.us/product/eagle-m2-front-bike-light-mtb/ ?

I like the way this article describes light patterns as a graph:

https://www.action-led-lights.com/pages/bike-light-beam-patterns

My main concern is a light that is optimal in a tunnel about 150 feet long, 10 feet wide and 10 feet high. The name of this pattern might be "off-road spot lamp".

But I also need a normal bike light pattern. This light has two patterns:

https://magicshine.us/product/eagle-m2-front-bike-light-mtb/ ?

 

[drewberz]

Want to add the Light & Motion Nip-N-Tuck lights to my Haibike (Yamaha). I have the OEM wiring harness (see pic) but do not know what type of connectors these are. I will need to add these to the Nip-N-Tuck, correct?

From the videos I've seen, adding lights to the Yamaha system looks very straightforward.

Any advice is much appreciated!!!

i could do a write up if there's interest in how i did mine (2017 giant road-e+ 1). i have a nip-n-tuck series and used special fittings to make it work. i originally bought a lupine connector as found here: https://www.lupinenorthamerica.com/item.asp?PID=568
...but it had the wrong connector (it was either female when it had to be male or vice versa, i forget).
either way, you could do a splitter with the fittings or clip off the fittings on the bike and solder the cables together. there is actually a front connector where the cables come out on the frame above the fork and there is a rear connector you can access once you drop the motor. i have spare cable and fittings so feel free to let me know if you need anything.

 

[Mauronic]

I would like to add extremely bright lights such as the Supernova M99 Pro to my new E-Glide S/T bike. I contacted Supernova but they were not much help - I was told that
"we never received any test samples from this engine manufacturer". The tech at E-Glide said that any 48V light would work - just swap their stock one with my new one. I assume that's incorrect because a high power draw could cause issues.

1. What questions should I be asking to confirm that the lights would be compatible?
2. Supernova likes to perform compatibility tests? Why? Is it possible that their light could appear to work but cause long term damage and burn something out?

I am not sure how my bike head and tail lights are wired right now. But I assume they go through some controller and that controller has some limitations.

 

[Chris Nolte]

The M99 Pro with 24v-60v input would work if you wire it directly to the battery. The stock light probably runs off of a lower voltage. I haven’t tested this on your bike, but it shouldn’t be an issue.

https://supernova-lights.com/en/products/e-bike-lights-45-kmh/m99-pro/

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

I would like to add extremely bright lights such as the Supernova M99 Pro to my new E-Glide S/T bike.

M99 pro costs 1/3rd the cost of your bike. If you can absorb that, you need to check if your controller can supply 32W of power to the light. Most controllers are not designed for that.
If that is not possible, then as Chris mention, check the wiring b/w motor and the battery and if you can get another parallel line from the battery, running at 48V, M99 pro should work.
Since it will be wired in directly, you need a separate switch to operate the light. All in all, you are looking at $550 cost.

or you can do something like this for < $100.

https://electricbikereview.com/forums/threads/lets-talk-lights.4442/page-2#post-54014

or something like this:

 

[Mauronic]

@Ravi - I totally messed up the pricing, I thought it was ~$250!! I don't want to spend more than that for sure.

So I took the bike apart to check out the controller.



When you tap a button on the LCD, the lights go on and off. My guess is that the light cable sends power and signal wire to the small circuit that in turn switches the lights on and off. And then the output from this box goes to the head light and brake light.





I measured the voltage to the light and it's 48v. The stock light takes a wide range.




I still need to find out the max amp draw that the controller can handle. From a wiring standpoint, it looks like 22 gauge which I think should handle over 200W @ 48v

It would be great to find a light that took a native 48V input so I don't have to add a step down to the mix...

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

It would be great to find a light that took a native 48V input so I don't have to add a step down to the mix...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1X-Electri...1800LM-LED-Spot-Light-Headlight/232328519851?