Author Topic: Extended field test: Cinq5 Smart Power Pack II  (Read 43400 times)

Danneaux

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Re: Extended field test: Cinq5 Smart Power Pack II
« Reply #30 on: August 03, 2023, 06:18:40 AM »
Yes, pretty much all chargers will operate most efficiently if the headlight is turned off while charging so maximum voltage and current can be applied to charging. Bicycle dynamos are very useful, but really don't produce a lot of power at this time (there are a few three-phase models in very limited production but not widely available or packaged so nicely as the SON or Shimano hubs) and devices are getting more and more power-hungry. Some phones have a "trigger voltage" minimum that must be met before they will even accept a charge, so it pays to match your devices and charging source with care to get the best results.

I view effective, efficient charging while on-tour as a lifestyle. It is a lot to remember at first but soon becomes second nature. My preferred tours are most often in backcountry where there is no access to mains power and it is helpful to have a way of producing your own. However, if you are forced to travel slowly you will find your dynamo charges slowly as well. Many people get by with large-capacity rechargeable piles (batteries) and I certainly did so happily on my European double-crossing, where I could recharge it from mains power at least once a week. I combined this with a solar panel that had its own accumulator battery as well.  Others prefer to charge their storage batteries from their dynamos and then use that battery to recharge their devices (expect about a 1/3 loss in charging efficiency).

There's a number of options, but for easy, largely consistent charging while under way, a dynamo is hard to beat and my preference is for one located in the hub. If you don't ride so much each day or ride slowly and are near mains power once in awhile, there may be better options for you.

Best, Dan.

flocsy

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Re: Extended field test: Cinq5 Smart Power Pack II
« Reply #31 on: August 03, 2023, 08:24:36 AM »
Others prefer to charge their storage batteries from their dynamos and then use that battery to recharge their devices (expect about a 1/3 loss in charging efficiency).

This 1/3 loss is also there with Cinq5's battery, isn't it? So it's either you top up the battery when riding fast (and loosing 1/3) but then be able to use that when riding slow or at a traffic light vs not using a battery, not loosing the 1/3 but then needing to reset things after a traffic light.

mickeg

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Re: Extended field test: Cinq5 Smart Power Pack II
« Reply #32 on: August 03, 2023, 11:55:15 AM »
I used to use the Sinewave Revolution for bike tours to charge up stuff.

About a year ago, bought the Cycle2Charge V3.  That has become my new bike touring USB charging device.  It puts out about 50 percent more power.  But, it needs the bike to be going at about 7 or 8 mph (~11 or 12 km/hr) to turn on.  Thus, riding up slower uphills, it is off while the Sinewave would still be making a small amount of power.  Cycle2Charge also will not operate with lights on.

More detail on the Cycle2Charge here:
http://thorncyclesforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=12890.msg110427#new

One of my touring bikes is an S&S coupled bike (Nomad Mk II) and for me to travel on an airplane, I have to completely disassemble it to pack, reassemble it later.  Do that both at beginning and end of a trip.  I no longer put dyno powered lights on my bike when touring on that bike.  And even if I did have lights on it, they would typically be turned off.  I wrote up a piece on what I use for electrics on a bike tour at:
http://thorncyclesforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=13696.0

My light touring bike, I have lights permenently installed on that bike.  But on my last tour on that bike, I only used the dyno powered lights one day, the first day I started with charged up batteries so I used the lights.  Rest of trip, lights off.  (Battery lights on, but dyno powered lights off.)

And I described on a different forum how I wired up my rando bike wiring system for front and rear lights:
https://www.bikeforums.net/electronics-lighting-gadgets/1228845-wiring-up-dyno-powered-lighting-system-usb-charger.html


flocsy

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Re: Extended field test: Cinq5 Smart Power Pack II
« Reply #33 on: August 03, 2023, 12:40:58 PM »
My light touring bike, I have lights permenently installed on that bike.

Nice punch