Shock resisitant light bulb

saetta · #1 (**permalink**) 10-12-2008, 09:41 PM

My bike has a front and rear light powered by the white wire. These lights came off of a vintage bicycle generator system. Both lights work fine. The problem is, the light bulb filiment breaks in about one week of riding. I have rubber dampers between both light mounts, and it still occurs. Each bulb is a 6.3 V. Plus these lights were meant for a bumpy bike ride by design. My front one is mounted on the front fork. The rear light is mouted on my saddle. Anyone else having this problem? I wonder if their is a H.D. 6.V bulb that will resist breakage from vibration?

POPS · #2 (**permalink**) 10-12-2008, 11:17 PM

Hi Saetta
What about an old Volkswagon light bulb ? I don't know for shure but just a thought. POPS

spyer-secol · #3 (**permalink**) 10-15-2008, 10:35 AM

How about converting to LED's? With no sensitivity to vibration and 10,000hrs of usefull life they can't be beat! That is what I have on my bike and no problems since installing them in may this year! I have a kit from TMI Technologies (e-bay store) that came with lights for front, rear, sides, and just for show. It also comes with a cool remote that you use to turn the lights on and off with!
Spyer-secol.

saetta · #4 (**permalink**) 10-15-2008, 01:33 PM

Sounds good. Does this require replacing my light fixtures or can I replace my existing bulb with a LED bulb of the same threaded base size? I will look into this. Thanks.

Long&Black · #5 (**permalink**) 11-24-2008, 03:19 AM

LEDs would be the way to go.

There are several companies that offer LED conversion "bulbs" that replace a standard bulb.

Google "LED replacement bulbs"

Dan · #6 (**permalink**) 11-24-2008, 04:02 AM

Very cool L&B, thanks. I didn't know about them.

jasonh · #7 (**permalink**) 11-24-2008, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spyer-secol

How about converting to LED's? With no sensitivity to vibration and 10,000hrs of usefull life they can't be beat! That is what I have on my bike and no problems since installing them in may this year! I have a kit from TMI Technologies (e-bay store) that came with lights for front, rear, sides, and just for show. It also comes with a cool remote that you use to turn the lights on and off with!
Spyer-secol.

That is an expensive setup. Though, I guess considering it comes with an agm battery and charger it's not too terrible...but expensive. And that headlight doesn't look too powerful.

xPosTech · #8 (**permalink**) 11-24-2008, 02:24 PM

I didn't look at the LED setup. Your problem is most likely overvoltage. Some of these little alternators put out close to 12V. I'll bet at speed your lights get brighter? Real bright?

Have you metered the voltage from the white wire? Check into an inexpensive voltage regulator.

Ted

jasonh · #9 (**permalink**) 11-24-2008, 02:26 PM

I haven't seen these magnetos put out that much voltage. It could happen though, I suppose.

xPosTech · #10 (**permalink**) 11-24-2008, 06:16 PM

I can't remember the exact specs but for every volt over the rated voltage you decrease the life about 50%. There's another qualifier for length of time over the rated voltage but I can't remember it. It's getting where I can't remember a lot of stuff. I'm sure it's on line somewhere if you want to gargle for it.

Years ago (back in nineteen and sixty nine) we used incandescent lamps for the control panels on our computers. On a panel of about 160 lamps we were replacing 5 or 6 a month. Multiply that by a large customer base and you see the picture. Since they were only "on" about 150 msec per sec we didn't understand the short longevity (sounds oxymoronic). We finally traced it to a spike riding on the 15 volt supply. That narrow spike maybe 10 msec total width was burning out the lamps. A spike only ~1 volt.

Ted