Author Topic: New B&M IQ2 headlight with 'bar mounted remote USB charging  (Read 64885 times)

jags

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Re: New B&M IQ2 headlight with 'bar mounted remote USB charging
« Reply #30 on: February 10, 2013, 05:26:51 pm »
yes i was thinking of routing the cables inside the tubes make for a nice neat job , but is it worth going to all that bother.dont get me wrong i love keeping my bike looking really clean and smart thing of beauti after all ,but with the inventing of cable ties you can get  cables tidy very easy.

so Andre are you getting any closed to buying that new U light. ::) ::)

Andre Jute

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Re: New B&M IQ2 headlight with 'bar mounted remote USB charging
« Reply #31 on: February 10, 2013, 07:04:06 pm »
so Andre are you getting any closed to buying that new U light. ::) ::)

No. I've been burned by enthusiasm for BUMM rubbish before. I'l wait till I see the lamp and the beamshape in person, or in the photographs of a reliable, known person, not a salesman. The remark in that review about the "hotspot not being too bad" gives me plenty of pause and should give you pause too; it's a judgement that's influenced by a new toy, and in a few weeks could shift to "that ™‹›??‡° hotspot is really, really irritating".

Andre Jute

il padrone

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Re: New B&M IQ2 headlight with 'bar mounted remote USB charging
« Reply #32 on: February 10, 2013, 11:12:18 pm »
The remark in that review about the "hotspot not being too bad" gives me plenty of pause and should give you pause too; it's a judgement that's influenced by a new toy, and in a few weeks could shift to "that ™‹›??‡° hotspot is really, really irritating".

Here is a super wide angle shot (16mm) of the distance beam from Peter White, showing what I assume to be the hot-spot.



I reckon I could put up with a 'hot-spot' that big - wider than the roadway  ;) Also regarding beam-shots, I do pretty much trust the approach Peter White has taken with his photos.  They match up closely with what I have experienced for several of these lights for me.
« Last Edit: February 10, 2013, 11:14:30 pm by il padrone »

jags

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Re: New B&M IQ2 headlight with 'bar mounted remote USB charging
« Reply #33 on: February 10, 2013, 11:34:09 pm »
if that's true to life (photo) then that's one hell of a light  much better than my cateye.but your going to know for sure unless you see it in real life for yourself.
but saying that if i had the dosh i would buy in a heartbeat. ;)

Andre Jute

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Re: New B&M IQ2 headlight with 'bar mounted remote USB charging
« Reply #34 on: February 11, 2013, 02:43:10 am »
Here is a super wide angle shot (16mm) of the distance beam from Peter White, showing what I assume to be the hot-spot.



I reckon I could put up with a 'hot-spot' that big - wider than the roadway  ;) Also regarding beam-shots, I do pretty much trust the approach Peter White has taken with his photos.  They match up closely with what I have experienced for several of these lights for me.

I'd need the Luxos E 60/140 lumens, which will cost €180 landed here. I think I'll wait and see; I don't like those striations but they may be more pronounced on icy tarmac than on my normal dry nighttime ride. There are several months yet before nighttime rides for pleasure come into the frame here.

Maybe I'll make a DIY LED MR16 lampset first; I had a lot of fun with MR16s in the past.

Andre Jute

ianshearin

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Re: New B&M IQ2 headlight with 'bar mounted remote USB charging
« Reply #35 on: April 29, 2013, 10:14:09 am »
Hi guys,

Training has been going well, getting a bit fed up with the windy/wet weather this last Month but it can't last forever can it?

Im now thinking of some longer rides where I will need a sat nav, I don't really want to splash out on a dedicated garmin just yet so Im going to use my iphone with a gps app.

The charging of such a device appears full of pitfalls, there is some good posts here on various solutions but as we all know these can often be outdated within Weeks of posting.

I am looking at this at the minute
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Busch-Muller-Lumotec-IQ2-Luxos/dp/B009IUOE6O/ref=reg_hu-rd_add_1_dp

I just cant seem to figure out if it will charge an iphone, any ideas?

Ian
In the end, it's not going to matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments took your breath away.
'shing xiong'

Andre Jute

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Re: New B&M IQ2 headlight with 'bar mounted remote USB charging
« Reply #36 on: April 29, 2013, 03:08:09 pm »
I am looking at this at the minute
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Busch-Muller-Lumotec-IQ2-Luxos/dp/B009IUOE6O/ref=reg_hu-rd_add_1_dp

I just cant seem to figure out if it will charge an iphone, any ideas?

Luxos U offers 5V capped at 1A. The built-in battery keeps the charge steady, even if the bike stops. But the bit you want to pay attention to is where it says the lamp will receive priority up to 20 Lux. If the lamp output falls below 20 lux, USB charging is interrupted. There's a red light to tell you when USB charging is available.

This, "Permanent USB charging with more than 100 mA is only possible when all light functions are switched off", seems to imply that you'll be able to charge an iPhone fully at the normal wallwart speed (5V, 1A) only during daytime without even the daylight running LEDs in operation. 100mA for sure is not even enough to keep the screen from draining the battery further.

However...

What happens when you plug an iPhone into a PC with a limp USB, and it doesn't charge up, or it charges up very slowly, is that most of the juice is used merely to keep the screen alive. I don't have a PC set up right now to test it on, but it is a well-known phenomenon.

My iPhone 4S (the least battery-efficient of the current iPhones) with a near new battery, even sucking on the slightly more efficient iMac USB rather than the full strength wallwart, recharges from 50% to full under two hours. More than twice as fast on the wallwart.

So, I think eight hours on the bike, even with daylight running lights on, even with a moderate average speed, should be more than enough to charge an iPhone, especially if you're meticulous about switching off the screen when it is not in use for GPS or whatever.

All the same, I think it would be smart to have a piggy-back battery to be charged during long stretches in which you won't be using the GPS. That would give you the security of a couple of days' use if you're in the mud going very slowly, or riding mainly at night with all lamps blazing, or your wiring to the USB has been snagged and snapped, or you read on into the night and ran the primary battery dry, or you want to take video of some rare event, or you get really lost and need to use the GPS constantly.

Andre Jute
« Last Edit: April 29, 2013, 03:10:32 pm by Hobbes »

ianshearin

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Re: New B&M IQ2 headlight with 'bar mounted remote USB charging
« Reply #37 on: April 29, 2013, 03:24:57 pm »
Thanks Andre,

Thats useful info.
I intend to just use the iphone towards the end of a ride to find the B&B or maybe occasionally to get through a town.
My concern was compatibility, on the sjs site it makes a point of saying the ewerk doesnt charge an iphone even with the bakup battery so that made me think about the B&M light
I will have access to mains power in the evenings so no problem there.

Looks like its a goer, just gotta find the nerve to press 'buy it now' on Amazon :p
In the end, it's not going to matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments took your breath away.
'shing xiong'

Danneaux

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Re: New B&M IQ2 headlight with 'bar mounted remote USB charging
« Reply #38 on: April 29, 2013, 05:06:04 pm »
Hi Ian!

Andre answered you well. I can only add the most efficient way to recharge any gadget while on-bike is to do so while it is powered-down; off is preferable. Otherwise, it is like trying to fill a leaking bucket.

I don't own an iPhone, but many devices which use high-demand lithium batteries have thresholds built into the charging circuitry, and Apple was known for this with their early iPods and first-generation iPhones and it is still an issue. Unless initial current was sufficiently high, the device (and its battery) simply wouldn't go into charging mode. For more on this, see: http://www.ladyada.net/make/mintyboost/icharge.html

Simply (re)charging or topping off a device is sufficient for many needs -- say, recharging some AA/AAA cells or a camera battery for later use (I've tried to standardize my gadgets on AA/AAA cells for this reason whenever possible). If you wish to continually power a device, then a buffer battery is pretty much a necessity, especially if you want uninterrupted operation as with a GPS. Many Garmin units require a manual reset after voltage drops too far, though Garmin's built-in "Spanner" software can largely alleviate the problem in more recent Garmii.

The real problems come with extended time away from mains power (where batteries can be quickly brought to full charge by simply plugging the charger into the wall). Eventually, the buffer batteries go down and with only a single charging source, that can mean some downtime until you catch up with the deficit. This is a problem for me in my goal to have the GPS continuously track my progress; it takes a *lot* of power to do so and it seems most people simply go back and recreate their path in an online mapping program like ridewithgps or CGOAB.

The powered device usually has a battery of its own and in the short term that provides power while the buffer battery is recharged. The trick is to balance charging time against loss. If your device has a removable battery, the cheapest solution is to simply carry a spare if the remaining battery can be charged outside the device. If it can't -- or you can't swap the battery -- then a second charging source will be needed if the device is run continuously. Bicycle charging solutions rarely keep up with the full demands of an operating device. Usually, they make for a smaller leak in the bucket. Some of my touring friends have chosen Android phones (Samsung's Galaxy series, for example) precisely because the batteries can be exchanged. You can get to the same end by using an external booster battery (a bit different from a buffer battery in use) with an iPhone.

Fitting a dynohub and e-Werk to my trailer is one way I can address the shortcoming of "only" a dynohub and Tout Terrain The Plug2 with PAT cable on the front wheel. I plan to use the trailer to charge a second buffer battery while in motion, then swap that for the one in my HB bag as needed. Solar can provide a needed second charging source if the weather and conditions allow for it, but can be less efficient for charging while in-motion due to suboptimal sun-tracking.

Best,

Dan.

Andre Jute

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Re: New B&M IQ2 headlight with 'bar mounted remote USB charging
« Reply #39 on: April 29, 2013, 05:48:38 pm »
That's a lot of messing around, Dan, just to keep electronic devices charged up. I bet you can remember when you toured without anything electronic, and managed just fine.

Thanks for the excellent overview of the possibilities.

Andre Jute

Andre Jute

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Re: New B&M IQ2 headlight with 'bar mounted remote USB charging
« Reply #40 on: April 29, 2013, 05:57:06 pm »

My concern was compatibility, on the sjs site it makes a point of saying the ewerk doesnt charge an iphone even with the bakup battery so that made me think about the B&M light
....
Looks like its a goer, just gotta find the nerve to press 'buy it now' on Amazon :p

Whoa! If there is something about the E-Werk electronics that the Apple iPhone doesn't like, chances are, Murphy's Law being what it is, that the offending (for want of a better word) design was carried over into the Luxos lamp. Something like, say, the charging threshold that Dan says featured in earlier Apple mobile gear. You'd better clear that up, Ian, before you blow the money -- it's a pretty expensive lamp!

Andre Jute

ianshearin

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Re: New B&M IQ2 headlight with 'bar mounted remote USB charging
« Reply #41 on: April 29, 2013, 06:56:30 pm »
Thanks guys, always full of great info as usual  :)

Too late Andre, I pressed the button......

Oh well guess I will be providing a test run for the forum..... ::)

At the end of the day I still get a decent front light and im sure it will charge a Garmin if/when I get one of those.

Ian
In the end, it's not going to matter how many breaths you took, but how many moments took your breath away.
'shing xiong'

Andre Jute

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Re: New B&M IQ2 headlight with 'bar mounted remote USB charging
« Reply #42 on: April 29, 2013, 07:05:32 pm »
Thanks guys, always full of great info as usual  :)

Too late Andre, I pressed the button......

Oh well guess I will be providing a test run for the forum..... ::)

At the end of the day I still get a decent front light and im sure it will charge a Garmin if/when I get one of those.

Ian

I look forwards to your results keenly. Beamshot photos would be much appreciated. -- AJ

Danneaux

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Re: New B&M IQ2 headlight with 'bar mounted remote USB charging
« Reply #43 on: April 29, 2013, 08:02:17 pm »
Quote
That's a lot of messing around, Dan, just to keep electronic devices charged up.
It sure is!
Quote
I bet you can remember when you toured without anything electronic...
Sure can!
Quote
...and managed just fine.
Yep!

There are several reasons for the change:

• In an attempt to "share" more of my trips, I am now hauling three still/video cameras, which are all battery powered. I used to take one film camera, and it was essentially manual except for the light meter and I could accurately guess my exposures if need be. More cameras also mean more batteries, mounts, and gear (tripods, monopods/extenders, etc).

• I plan to carry a netbook (very small laptop) so I can journal and blog my trips...to go with my photos and video. My handwriting has deteriorated over the years (heading toward carpal tunnel syndrome) and my hands are toast after 17 hours/day holding the handlebars on rough roads, so handwriting is out. The netbook gives me a shot, plus a repository for storing/editing/uploading the lot whenever I find free wifi.

• Increased touring farther afield in remote areas for longer periods of time, so I'm away from mains current and must be more self-sufficient. I'm also alone, so the cell phone -- which did not exist for many of my touring decades -- has become an essential. I can't hunker down while a buddy seeks help. Going off-road over a much larger area makes the GPS a "necessary convenience" where previously it was paper maps and a compass (or two, I'm risk-averse). Same for the cellphone, where I can get reception. It stays off and charged till I need it, 'cos the attempts to link to out-of-range and distant cell towers greatly increases battery drain while on standby.

• Going alone, I can't split the haulage of gear, so I need to make my supplies self-renewing to a degree to save weight and bulk. Generating electricity helps greatly and is lighter than batteries. For example, the powered SteriPen water purifier ends up being lighter and less bulky than the fuel and time needed to boil water and lasts longer than the supply of water-purifying pills I have taken (though I still carry some and have the option to boil if needed). A small radio -- when I can get reception -- helps in lieu of actual companionship. Dynohub lighting is far less weighty than batteries for the extended night riding I sometimes have to do to beat the extreme heat of daytime desert crossings and the GPS helps with nocturnal navigation. Combined with the phone, the GPS gives me a way to guide help to my exact location in trackless wilderness -- if I can get a phone signal. Trouble is, they both need electricity.

Of course, this can all reach a tipping point where there are diminishing returns. A bike tour isn't nearly the relaxing, carefree experience if you integrate it with what amounts to "work". Instead of getting away from it all...you're carrying it all with you!  Even the Nomad falls into this category...if I didn't have need to haul so much food and water for extended forays into the back-of-beyond where there is no ready means for resupply, I could get by with a much lighter bike and gear -- and fewer electrically powered gadgets -- making me more nimble and faster. I've done this, but there's far less margin for error, accident, or injury before things go bad very quickly. The Nomad's hauling capacity does one critical thing: It increases my safety margin greatly in terms of reserve food and potable water, and that is worth every extra kilogram. There are *no* emergency services in all of Nevada's northern Washoe County, so if something goes haywire, no one is going to come looking for me except the folks at home who will take action if I don't check in. The Nomad's cargo capacity also allows me to choose to stay a bit longer or go at a slower pace if I desire.

So, yeah. Lots more complicated than it usta be.

Like Andre, I'm greatly looking forward to your experience with the Luxos, Ian. Thanks in advance for sharing with us.

Best,

Dan. (...who still enjoys wild touring where it is allowed)
« Last Edit: April 29, 2013, 08:29:45 pm by Danneaux »

nikit

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Re: New B&M IQ2 headlight with 'bar mounted remote USB charging
« Reply #44 on: May 23, 2013, 07:11:14 pm »
Hello guys,

I've emailed B&M with the following letter:

"I have a question regarding the USB charging functions of Lumotec IQ2 Luxos dynamo light.The service manual provided at your website states that: "Connected devices are provided with 5 V and up to 1 A current (Angeschlossene Geräte erhalten dann bei 5 V Spannung bis zu 1 A Stromstärke). The standard output of dynamo hubs (such as SON 28) is 6 V with 0.5 A current. The output for dynamo hubs is limited to 0.5 amps, while voltage can potentially go up to 10-12 V (depending on a model of dynamo hub and cycling speed). 10 V at 0.5 A can theoretically be converted to 5 V at 1 A.

Thus, the question is next: does Luxos cache battery use the additional volts provided by dynamo hub to charge itself more quickly and to be able to provide constant 5 V 1A charging to the USB device? Otherwise the device that needs 5 V 1 A charging current (such as most smartphones) will drain the cache battery quicker than it will be charged by dynamo hub."

The reply I got was following:

"It depends how much your smartphone needs... You cannot charge the phone and use apps the same time, as the energy is not enough."

I wrote without much knowledge of electricity principles (as you might have understood), but the question was quite simple: how quickly (with what current and voltage) can cache battery be charged by dynamo, with limited amperage of 0.5 A. Will it charge quickly enough to power the smartphone, given that the wall plug charges it with 1 A at 5 V. Will 0.5 A be enough for it to charge but more slowly? It's a guess. Because if not, the cache battery will be discharged every 10-15-whatever minutes and there will be no use of it.

I'd guess you'd need sort of the same thing as they've done with their USB-werk: http://www.bumm.de/produkte/e-werk-usb-werk.html

Does providing more volts by cycling quicker matter at all? More volts does get you with more watts even if the amperage stays at 0.5 level. But can the battery (circuit) transform those volts into more amps for the usb?

"The SON dynamo can supply 12V-6w from approx 20 kp/h (12 mph) onwards" http://www.m-gineering.nl/son12vg.htm

while

"Most devices that charge via USB need .5 amps. Some devices require more amperage to charge than others. And hub dynamos have only so much amperage to give. If your device requires 1 amp, your hub dynamo won't be able to charge it. You should check the specifications on your device and determine that the input amperage is below 1 amp before buying the USB-WERK. The USB-WERK can delivery 1 amp when the internal cache battery is charged. However, since the hub dynamo cannot produce that much power, the battery will steadily drain. Once it has fully drained, the USB-WERK can no longer charge your device while the device is running. And keep in mind that some devices cannot be charged and run simultaneously."  http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/b&musbwerk.asp