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General Category >> Technical >> HHT (Honkin' Huge Taillight) plans thread
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Message started by FlyingLaZBoy on Jul 23^rd, 2009, 8:45am

Title: HHT (Honkin' Huge Taillight) plans thread
Post by FlyingLaZBoy on Jul 23^rd, 2009, 8:45am

(moved from different thread - PB)

JimFPU wrote:

OK, Opus: can you post the plans for the HHT? I believe you got most of the components from (some electronic store here in town-can't remember...) or is this another creation?

Title: Re: HHT (Honkin' Huge Taillight) plans thread
Post by JimFPU on Jul 23^rd, 2009, 9:16am

Sorry for posting in the wrong thread...thanks FLB.

Title: Re: HHT (Honkin' Huge Taillight) plans thread
Post by Opus the Poet on Jul 23^rd, 2009, 6:17pm

OK I'm cutting my own throat here, but this is how you make a Honkin' Huge Taillight^tm

First you need the actual light, I prefer to use this one http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95809 as it can be modified to have a battery box all its own.

You need a power source, and one that both works and runs the light for a long time is this one http://www.bgmicro.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=10961

And of course you need to keep that battery charged, I use http://www.bgmicro.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=9072 as it will not cook my battery

Of course you have to connect the charger and the battery, I used this http://www.bgmicro.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=10927 to run from the charger and one of these http://www.autozone.com/autozone/catalog/accessories/accProductDetails.jsp?displayName=UniversalCigaretteLighter&itemId=prod62363&navValue=100420&parentId=cat30081&productId=3305&fromString=&itemIdentifier=3305_0_0_&filterByKeyWord=&categoryNValue=&subSubPartId=&subPartId=prod62363&store=1599&skuDisplayName=CigaretteLighterWell&categoryDisplayName=ElectricalandLighting&_requestid=49125 to stick on the light. This has the benefit of using the battery to run a cell phone during the day, or any other 12V appliance that won't drain the battery in a few seconds

I have changed to a better switch than my original model and use this switch http://www.bgmicro.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=9324 for a system that has headlights and just a single setting for the taillight or this switch http://www.bgmicro.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=8942 and some diodes for a dual setting taillight and front light. For just a taillight no diodes needed.

if you desire headlight action I used to run 6 of these http://www.bgmicro.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=10263 but now I just use one as a low beam, and one of these http://www.superbrightleds.com/specs/mr16-wlx-spec.htm in the cool white with a 10 degree beam for the high beam. Burn time for the 2 and the low setting on the taillight is 3:45

I went to a hardware store for the stuff to mount the headlight and taillight

Anyway, back to the Honkin' Huge Taillight^tm If you have a Dremel tool with the abrasive disk you just run the disk down the top of the light where it plugs into the hitch to take off the top leaving a deep channel for the battery to rest in. I used industrial strength Velcro^tm to hold the battery in place, it works best with the loops on the battery and the hooks on the bottom of the channel.

Determine which wire is ground and which is the hot lead for the low power setting by trial and error. (hint, they are on opposite sides of the 4 conductor cable). If you're just going to use the low power setting cut the other 2 off, otherwise short them together. The logic in the light requires both of the brake light inputs to be hot before lighting the high power setting (brake light) but as long as either remains hot the brake will stay lit.If you plan on using the lighter well as a power source then run a fused lead from the + terminal on the battery to the center terminal on the well, if you're just going to run a taillight then the lead can be just a wire, and not a very big wire at that, measured current draw on low was 66 mA 22 Ga wire will handle that fine. Run a wire from the shell of the well to the - terminal of the battery and the ground connection on the taillight. Run a wire from the center terminal to the center terminal if you got the SPDT or either terminal if you got the SPST switch.

If you got the DT switch chose a terminal that will be the high power and if you have a headlight run a diode so that current will flow from the high power side to the low power terminal, then connect the pair of shorted wires from the taillight that turn on the brake light to the high power terminal, No headlight? then leave out the diode.

Run the wire from the taillight power setting to the other terminal on the light, and also the headlight wire, if equipped.

Of course I'm leaving out the brackets because that is a custom job for each bike [smiley=evil.gif] Also leaving out how to attach all that hardware to the light leaving that as a problem for the student

Title: Re: HHT (Honkin' Huge Taillight) plans thread
Post by JimFPU on Jul 24^th, 2009, 8:12am

OK, I thank you Master Poet!

I suppose if I wanted to have a functioning brake light I could do that also with some trial and error? I'm looking toward a velomobile or fairing...

Title: Re: HHT (Honkin' Huge Taillight) plans thread
Post by Opus the Poet on Jul 24^th, 2009, 3:31pm

Functioning brake lights are a piece of cake, once you know which wires are the high powered section of the light, just run a wire to a brake mounted NC micro switch that releases when you pull the brake handle, or a NO micro switch on the caliper that closes when the brakes are activated. Just remember that you have to take both wires on the high powered side hot to get the brake light lit. My version with brake lights on the Stratus used a lever action switch on the caliper, when the brake was activated the switch was closed and voila! brake lights.

Title: Re: HHT (Honkin' Huge Taillight) plans thread
Post by JimFPU on Jul 24^th, 2009, 10:44pm

Cool. should budget about $50 or so, that about right?

Title: Re: HHT (Honkin' Huge Taillight) plans thread
Post by Opus the Poet on Jul 25^th, 2009, 3:21pm

Roughly, and depending on your tinkering genes 4 to 8 hours of time to get the light working. How you get it mounted may take much loooonnnnngerrr. That's where having materials available st hand and an analytical mind helps.