Low voltage connector plug for cycle wiring

[David]

On my push bike I have a dynamo, which powers front and rear lights. The rear light has a pair of spade connectors which can be used to wire in an extra light (if so desired).

What I am looking for is a weather resistant plug and socket which can be used to plug in an optional additional light.

A bonus would be if it came apart easily instead of breaking if the lead was tugged.

More detail; I was considering having the extra light on a rear pannier and being able to take the pannier off and disconnect the light, fit the pannier and connect the light, and when I forgot to disconnect the light when taking the pannier off the plug and socket would come apart without damage (this assumes the half on the bike is firmly fixed, of course).

I thought that this kind of arrangement was called a snatch plug but searching so far hasn't shown me what I was looking for.

Cheers

Dave R

[Theo]

Waterproof plugs like this can be quite pricey. IP6x 'LED connectors' can be a good option:

? (as usual, available from many sellers)

There are magnetic USB-C cables, but they'll probably not be waterpoof. Or there's:

Theo

[Chris Green]

Take a look at Torberry connectors:-

[Peter Parry]

AMP Tyco Superseal. Not sure if they have snatch connectors in the range but they are capable of single handed disconnection and are waterproof.

[T i m]

Seconded. You can get rubber boots for them but with a bit of WD40 on now and again (the right use for WD40 <g>) they survive pretty well exposed to the elements.

I use them on things like portable solar panels (apart from RC cars etc) and they do pull apart if snatched.

If you don't want them to you can put a small cable-tie round them.

Not 'small' as cycle gear goes but if tucked up under some panniers ...

Cheers, T i m

[FMurtz]

Better by far to chuck the dynamo, (unless you are using the bike as an exercise bike)they use too much energy.(put unnecessary load on pedaling) use modern battery lighting

[Chris Bartram]

I'd agree. Modern LED lights can be USB chargeable and provide an incredible amount of light for the size. Some of the Lezyne units are great.

[Brian Gaff (Sofa 2)]

I was under the impression that the advice at the moment was that dynamo only lighting on a bike was frowned upon, as it goes out when you slow down. In this age of tech, surely there must be rechargeable lights that can give the best of both worlds? Brian

[Brian Gaff (Sofa 2)]

Surely at low voltage these days, almost anything will work? Even if they get wet the low voltage means that it won't cause any issues, protected by some greased they last for ages. My father had some which were crimped onto the wires back in the 1960s. Bit like the powered plugs on disc drives but a bit more robust. Brian

[Chris Green]

True as regards safety but given that they're low voltage corrosion, dirt, etc. will stop them working well because even a tiny bit of resistance is significant.

[David]

Two word.

Stand light.

This is short term storage in the lights (capacitor I assume) which means that they stay on for a few minutes after you have stopped pedalling.

Cheers

Dave R

[David]

It is a touring bike.

So if you want reliable lighting and you can't guarantee that you will have easy access to a 240V socket for regular charging then dynamo is the way to go.

A week of camping (with no guarantee that you will have access to power at night anywhere it is safe to leave your charger and lights) can make dynamo power more attractive. You can even use the dynamo to charge your power bank during the day so you can charge your phone/sat nav/whatever in the evening.

Battery lights are carried as a backup in case anything happens to the dynamo and lights.

Chucking away an almost new hub dynamo, which would require a new wheel, isn't the most economic of prospects anyway.

Modern hub dynamos offer relatively little resistance.

I also like the daylight running lights, especially at this time of year when it can be very murky even at noon.

So a question "where can I get a connector" is probably not best answered by advising me to throw away about £200-£300 worth of front wheel.

Cheers

Dave R

[T i m]

When a lad I tried wiring the dynamo to a bridge rectifier, battery and then the lights, but the charging load made cycling hard work.

With modern day charge controllers and very light (LED) loads, I'm guessing it would be far more doable.

Cheers, T i m

[David]

When I were a lad my bicycle had a front dynamo. One Christmas present as an add on was a battery tube (I think it took 3 cells) to use when stopped at the lights. The front light had a 3 way switch under it, on, off, battery.

Tell that to the kids of today etc. :-)

Cheers

Dave R

[Clive Arthur]

On 10/12/2019 10:50, T i m wrote: <snip>

Make the full bridge from LEDs with a supercap and another LED across the output.

Cheers

[Andy Burns]

rather a high voltage drop ...

[Clive Arthur]

You mean it doesn't work and all these years I've been hallucinating?

Damn that LSD was good.

Cheers

[Thomas Prufer]

I'd see the bonus as a requirement, and go easier on the weather resistance...

My bicycle has spade connectors on the light, open to the elements, and the bike parks outside, and I have no corrosion problems. I do put a light smear of grease on the spades when convenient.

I'd suggest "hollow plug" connectors:

or buy a cable with molded bits, cut in the middle, connect ends, done

This here is a powerbank and step-up converter charged from the hub, and uses a smaller hollow plug with a housing that screws down:

That would be more weatherproof, but wouldn't come apart without unscrewing.

Thomas Prufer

[Steve Walker]

At least a dynamo ensures that you have lighting when you unexpectedly need it. You can be sure that rechargeable lights are flat at that point.

Just a thought - with the low power requirements of modern LED lighting, it should be possible to design a dynamo that delivers enough for them, without much physical load. Magnetic points around the wheel-rim and a coil mounted on the frame would eliminate all mechanical losses - I know they (used to?) do hub mounted dynamos, but the faster linear speed of the wheel-rim would be better.

SteveW

[T i m]

<snip>

Unless you are stopped (without the battery addon). ;-)

Not if you are a responsible road user they aren't.

They do.

But turn your bike into a scrap / nail gun. ;-(

Do.

Given you can easily and quickly wear out the average cyclist by fitting some higher wattage lamps on a conventional / traditional hub dynamo (don't ask me how I know <g>), I'm not sure (ITRW) the efficiency is a particular issue.

Cheers, T i m