Voltage Regulated [5v] Bicycle Dynamo Light & USB Charger

Even though, there are plenty of "Dynamo Bike Light" instructions on this site, I thought I would share mines.   The great news, there are NO resistors in my circuit.    It has a fixed 5 volt output, so you can ride as fast as you want without worrying about burning out the LEDs.  Also, since this has a 5v output, you can hook up virtually any high-powered (CREE/Luxeon) LED flashlights (typically rated 4.5v - 8v).  I use this circuit to power a CREE RC-G4 Flashlight , which i bought  from DealExtreme for $17. (It's very bright, but I will most likely upgrade to SSC P7  900-Lumen LED Flash Light, not bad deal for $38.67).

I will also hook up a USB connector plug to charge my BlackBerry Phone and Ipod.  Most USB devices are rated 5v , so with this circuit like this, you will never need to deal with a solar charger to charge your phone, GPS, ipod, recharable batteries, or to power any standard USB device.  

Please refer to Step 1, Step  2, Step 3 & Step 4 for further details..

FYI: This is a work in progress, and I will update my instructions as my project progresses.  Please bear with me given my hectic schedule and feel free to contact me if you have questions regarding where to get the parts or accessories.   And don't forget to leave feedback and suggestions.   

Thank you for visiting & Have a Happy and Safe riding!

Sonnet

Step 1: Building the AC to DC Driver & Voltage Regulator Circuit..

 
Before you begin, it would greatly help if you review the following links:

      1. Useful Dynamo/LED Circuits:  http://www.pilom.com/BicycleElectronics/DynamoCircuits.htm
      2. Voltage Regulator Circuit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSzVs7_aW-Y

 Few Helpful links for novices:   
      1.  Alternating Current (AC)
      2.  Direct Current (DC)
      3.  Full Bridge AC to DC rectification
      4.  Voltage Regulator
      6.  AC generator (Brushless Dynamo)
      7.  DC Motor (Commutated DC motor can also be used to as a DC generator)
      8.  Light Emitting Diodes
      9.  Soldering instructional video


And now...the Nut's & Bolts (Components Required) :

The circuit modules I used have been out there for a while, but what I did is combine both the Full Bridge Circuit & USB Voltage Regulator circuit to make something useful out of it using a bicycle AC generator.

1. [Full Bridge Circuit Diodes]
D1: 1N4007
D2: 1N4007
D3: 1N4007
D4: 1N4007

2. Voltage RegulatorComponents
[Capacitors: Left to Right]
C1: 10uF
C2: 10uF
C3:   N/A

3. Voltage Regulator [7805 Transistor]
Q1:  7805

4. High Charge Capacitor
Note: I don't have it in shown the circuit diagram.  I will have to try out some high capacitance capacitors to supply voltage to the LEDs when my bike comes at complete halt.   It may take few trials to find a powerful capacitor  that fits the Altoids box, and also holds ample amount charge to keep the LEDs lit for few minutes.  I will update the instructions once i find the best match.  Meanwhile, If you have any recommendations, please feel free to suggest. 

5.  Dynamo Generator:
For this project,  I assumed you already have a dynamo generator for your bike, but no worries if you don't.   I can help get you started.

Bottle Dynamo: If you want to play and get started with one without spending a fortune,  the X Factor 3-Inch Bicycle Generator Light Set  from Amazon would be a great place to start.  They sell for $13.11 at Amazon.  A great & cheap little unit.  This is the one shown in my project.

Hub Dynamo: if you are a more serious rider, you should probably switch to a Hub Dynamo.   You can gather much more information on Hub Dynamo's and lighting on Peter White's website:   http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/shimano3n70.asp

I also highly recommend Anthony from Longleaf Bicycles. A very helpful fellow and awesome wheel builder. You can find great deals here: http://www.longleafbicycles.com

In my opinion, switching to dynamos may seem expensive to start off with, but in the long run, these units pay off and puts back money in your pocket. And, if you are like me, who enjoys cool evening rides during hot summer months, that can save you a lot of dough.

I personally prefer and use both the Bottle and Hub dynamos.  The Advantage of a Bottle dynamo is that you can engage or disengage it as needed, but with Hub Dynamos, you are stuck with it.  It doesn't matter whether or not you need the electricity or not!  This dynamo generators do add some resistance to the wheels, but not noticeable when riding.

Step 2: Mod & Prep the Flash Light

A picture says a thousand words, hopefully, its self explanatory.

Components:    Every electronic componets I have used for this circuit were all bought form RadioShack, except for the following items:

 1.  High Power CREE Flash light  (you can get it from dealextreme).
       >    SSC P7 3-Mode 900-Lumen LED Flash Light: $38.67  [Recommended]

     If you are on low budget, the Romisen Cree RC-G4 Flashlight isn't a bad choice either. 
       >    Romisen Cree RC-G4 Flashlight : $17.48
   

 2.  Bicyle Top Tube Pouch (to contain the circuit box)
      You can find these pouces from Amazon or Ebay.
       >  Axiom Power Bag 2 Top Tube Bag
     
 3. Glue Gun (to seal the flash light)

 4. Flashlight Handlebard Mount (Purchased from Amazon).
      
 5. Circuit Box (I have used Altoids box in this example,but will upgrade to something better in the near future).

 

Step 3: Modding Stock Taillights to Be Dynamo Powered

Check out the video:   Click on the images above for details

I plan on using this as an Supplementary Taillight during touring or heavy traffic. I already use a very nice Busch & Muller's dynamo taillight, and i dont want to replace it with this cheap light. I did it to see whether it could be done or not, and it actually turned out very nice.  You can power it both using a battery pack or a dynamo. 

Actually, I got this idea from this cool instructable: https://www.instructables.com/id/LiteBack---Backpack-or-Camelback-Mounted-LED-Bike-/

While the taillight which i put together worked fine with a dynamo during initial testing, but I have not stress tested it.  At worse,  it may burn out and I may need resistors to run it safely with 5V.  The problem is I am not really sure specifications of the LEDs, so it would be difficult to calculate the resistance.   I will do a stress test tomorrow and  see what happens.  If it doesn't burn out, I know it will work fine without resistors.   

This taillight in this project turned out rather cool.  Click on the images. You will get the idea and details on how it was done.  Let me know if you have any questions.   You may find cheap taillight to experiment from Dealextreme:  http://s.dealextreme.com/search/bicycle+tail+light

Step 4: Configure USB Type-A Connector Plug

I have a good news and bad news.  The good news, this circuit will charge any USB standard phones and devices, but the bad news is it wont work with Apple Ipods.  But fear not,  Apple users can gladly lookup or reverse engineer the MinityBoost Kit.

As for now, I am happy because my BlackBerry phone was my biggest concern.  I use the GPS, Email, Facebook, internet, phone & camera  all in one device, and the battery can wear out in matter of hours. But now, I dont have to worry about the batteries running out of juice during a tour.  I can always recharge it whenever i want.  That's really awesome in my book, and the best part, no bulky solar panels to deal with.  I hope you benefit from it too.

DISCLAIMER:  Please use this circuit at your own risk.  I will not be held responsible if your phone or USB device gets damaged.  

Other than that, life is good.  Time permitting, I will try to modify the circuit for Apple Ipod Touch or Phone.  However, there are already plenty of Instructables to do so: 

If all fails, you can always use this device to charge an external USB battery charger pack.

Few links to help out Apple users:
          http://www.ladyada.net/make/mintyboost/icharge.html
          https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-get-your-iPod-to-charge-with-your-homemade-/#step1
          http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2008/03/making-the-runtyboost.html


Good luck.

Step 5: Future Enhancements

I would like to add the following enhancements in the future.

 1.  A better circuit box to protect the circuit.
 2.  Add a switch
 3.  Add a female USB Type A plug
 4.  Add a super capacitor, or some sort of backup/rechargeable batteries to power the LEDs during slow hill climbs or a traffic stop.
 5.  Modify circuit to be able to charge Ipod Touch
 6.  Last but not least, upgrade to hub dynamo.

I already have a few of these items gathered, but need to accumulate and build the rest.    I will update as i progress.