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From: AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org>
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.tech
Subject: Re: For those who believe in electricity
Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2025 10:31:08 -0500
Organization: Yellow Jersey, Ltd.
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On 4/11/2025 4:15 AM, Roger Merriman wrote:
> Frank Krygowski <frkrygow@sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>> On 4/8/2025 8:56 PM, Frank Krygowski wrote:
>>>
>>> The switch is the tiny white box toward the bottom of this photo:
>>> https://www.flickr.com/photos/16972296@N08/54435279894/in/dateposted-
>>> public/ just below "3R 46 16V" which is probably a capacitor. The black
>>> pushbutton sticks out downward in the photo (or backwards, in the
>>> mounted headlight) and looks odd in the photo, again because of
>>> reflections. That switch is about 4.5mm x 2.5mm x 1.8mm tall. I removed
>>> the switch from the circuit board.
>>>
>>> I had assumed it was a toggle, but it seems instead to be a momentary
>>> switch. It connects to five tiny solder pads. The two big ones, at the
>>> "bottom" of the switch in the photo, are just for fastening it to the
>>> board. At the "top" face in the photo are three very tiny pads, call
>>> them A, B and C.
>>>
>>> Playing with a jumper wire ending in two sharp pins, I found that
>>> momentary contact from A to C changed the state of the light, on to off
>>> to back on, etc. A to B did the same. I had to be careful to touch
>>> fairly quickly and not bounce.
>>>
>>> At last check, the light is in "on" state. I think if I don't disturb
>>> things, it should stay in that state, and I can try reassembling and
>>> testing it on the bike. I've got other stuff to work on tonight, so I'll
>>> get back to it tomorrow.
>>
>> More bench testing this morning. The headlamp started right up,
>> perfectly consistently when driven by the dynamo spun with my drill
>> press. Momentarily jumping A to C (or B) of those switch solder pads
>> toggled the lamp on or off while running the dynamo. Shutting down the
>> dynamo put the lamp into "standlight" mode. In that mode, with no
>> voltage input, jumping A to C turned off the standlight. Applying power
>> turned the lamp back on, no switching necessary. It seems the headlight
>> is operating as it should.
>>
>> I'm convinced the problem was that faulty switch, probably with internal
>> parts rattling around enough to occasionally toggle that A to C or A to
>> B contact. I suspect it will work fine if I successfully reassemble it
>> without the switch.
>>
>> It's still slightly worrisome, because a headlight really does have to
>> be reliable. Maybe I'll carry a little battery light as a spare for a
>> while. I often do that anyway when night riding with others, because of
>> so many incidents of other folks' headlights failing on rides.
>>
> Who on earth to you ride with that have light failures? I’ve never had a
> light fail on the ride, I’ve had in the early days ooh batteries is a bit
> tired as the light dims as the battery can’t hold the voltage any more, and
> had cheap lights mounts and so on start to wear.
> 
> I still have multiple lights that I’ve upgraded from which still work, but
> time and technology has moved on.
> 
> Likewise I see a lot of bikes, and meet up with folks for a Wednesday night
> ride, most weeks it’s not a thing that is common, it’s not impossible but
> definitely rare.
> 
> Roger Merriman
> 

I have had light failures.  Mine run incandescent globes not 
LEDs. Those fail at about 8~10 years.  Those bikes have been 
1/2 year daily rides, that is, a winter bike and a summer bike.


-- 
Andrew Muzi
am@yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971