Author Topic: Scmidt Edelux permanently on while riding  (Read 3450 times)

fergusd

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Scmidt Edelux permanently on while riding
« on: April 06, 2020, 10:49:04 am »
Nomad 2:
My Schmidt Edelux (not II so presumably I) front light charged by front hub is permanently on.
The controlling circular "dial" marked "0 S 1" seems to have no clicks and only trivial buffers (for want of a better word) and with minor effort can be rotated continually. It looks to be more of a circlip than a disc and I feel could almost be removed with a bit of stretching. Should I try?! Has anybody experienced similarly?
Really don't want an expensive repair / replacement, but all the injunctions relating to this item seem to reduce to "Leave Well Alone". Any instructions / suggestions?
I guess I ought to be pleased that it's permanently ON rather than permanently off - but actually I'm getting (all of) totally understandable objections / comments / gestures from (all of) oncoming pedestrians / cyclists / drivers, which is embarrassing and guilt-inducing.
Thank you! 

Aushiker

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Re: Scmidt Edelux permanently on while riding
« Reply #1 on: April 06, 2020, 11:18:15 am »
I cannot help you with your specific concerns but I was surprised by the reaction you get. I ride my bikes with the lights on full time and cannot recall ever getting negative comments. Is it possibly an alignment issue?

PH

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Re: Scmidt Edelux permanently on while riding
« Reply #2 on: April 06, 2020, 11:22:36 am »
It's a clever switch, there's no physical connection between the outer and inner, the outer can be removed completely.  There's a magnet in it by the lump, it's this which flips the internal switch.  First thing I'd do is remove the switch and give that and the track it runs in a clean. 
The outer part of the switch is so simple I can't imagine why it would fail, though if for some reason it has replacements are £2
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/lighting-spares/schmidt-switching-ring-for-edelux/   EDITED FOR CORRECT LINK!

If the internal part of the switch has failed, I have no clue how you'd go about fixing it.
« Last Edit: April 06, 2020, 11:55:15 am by PH »

Andre Jute

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Re: Scmidt Edelux permanently on while riding
« Reply #3 on: April 06, 2020, 11:31:23 am »
I too keep my lamps on day and night. When the bike runs, the lamps are on. It gives an additional margin of visibility and thus safety. No adverse reaction from motorists that I can remember, not that I would care anyway; the lamps are about my safety, not their luddite conviction of what is proper on the roads.

I do remember though that c1980 other drivers would flash to warn that our Volvo Estate's daylight running lamps were on, and presumably mistaken for dimmed lamps. But that was 40 years ago.* Today virtually all the cars I see have daylight running lamps and the drivers use them.

* And every time I cursed them, because I'd slow drastically in the belief that they were warning me about a speed trap, and then I'd find no speed trap...

JimK

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Re: Scmidt Edelux permanently on while riding
« Reply #4 on: April 06, 2020, 03:40:25 pm »
Probably you know this already, but just in case... the Edelux is a great light... one key feature is that there is a sharp cut-off to the upper edge of the beam of light that it projects. The light is very bright - if you have it aimed a bit too high so the beam gets into people's eyes, it is definitely dazzling to distraction and discomfort. You can notch the direction down just a touch, so that sharp edge to the beam goes below e.g. the eyes of drivers, and then people won't complain.

I have to readjust maybe every year. The direction of the light seems to drift gradually from getting knocked about in the course of things.

martinf

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Re: Scmidt Edelux permanently on while riding
« Reply #5 on: April 07, 2020, 07:36:54 am »
I ride my bikes with the lights on full time and cannot recall ever getting negative comments. Is it possibly an alignment issue?

I also  ride with lamps on nearly all the time. Exceptions are one of my Brompton folding bikes that had battery lamps until this year, and I sometimes switch off the hub generator lamps on other bikes in full sunlight when riding somewhere where there is very little traffic.

Done this for a few years now. To start with, I would frequently have pedestrians or cyclists tell me "you forgot to switch off your lights". This happens much less frequently now. The effect on cars was very positive when I started doing this, I can't remember any negatives. I think the reaction used to be "daytime headlamp = motorcycle" so cars in side roads were more likely to wait instead of pulling out in front of me. Nowadays, I think motor vehicles have got used to daytime running lamps as there are so many about.