The latest thing:
https://pedalcell.com/

with videos even.
--
Andrew Muzi
<www.yellowjersey.org/>
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

On 10/12/21 2:15 PM, AMuzi wrote:
> The latest thing:
> https://pedalcell.com/
>
> with videos even.

https://pedalcell.com/products/pedalcell

300 bucks, yikes!

I'll stay with mit Li-Ion pack for lighting and the li'l charger in the
garage. It's so light I can even throw it into a pannier if charging at
another location is required.

The MTB has four 18650 cells, plenty for getting home on the trail at
night. The road bike has eight because I keep the ship fully lit every
time I am riding on a road, and that can be many hours.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

On 10/12/2021 2:15 PM, AMuzi wrote:
> The latest thing:
> https://pedalcell.com/
>
> with videos even.

Amusing. They claim 20 watts which is extremely unlikely. In one place
they claim 7 watts which might be correct.

Also, they compare their price with that of the most expensive hub
dynamo, even though the SP dynamos are higher output, and lower cost,
than the SON dynamos.

I could see this selling well at $70-80, but $299 is about 4x what it
should cost.

On Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at 4:15:17 PM UTC-5, AMuzi wrote:
> The latest thing:
> https://pedalcell.com/
>
> with videos even.
> --
> Andrew Muzi
> <www.yellowjersey.org/>
> Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Isn't this just a Soubitez dynamo generator? Or a Chinese copy of one. Adapted for the modern era so its electricity generated by the dynamo now goes to a USB outlet instead of to a bicycle light. Looks like Soubitez is no more. But you can still get old ones for somewhat cheap. And Google showed a $23.99 dynamo from China. You would have to do some soldering and electrical figuring to feed it into a USB outlet. This Pedalcell is $299.

On 10/12/2021 5:24 PM, russellseaton1@yahoo.com wrote:
> On Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at 4:15:17 PM UTC-5, AMuzi wrote:
>> The latest thing:
>> https://pedalcell.com/
>>
>> with videos even.

> Isn't this just a Soubitez dynamo generator? Or a Chinese copy of one. Adapted for the modern era so its electricity generated by the dynamo now goes to a USB outlet instead of to a bicycle light. Looks like Soubitez is no more. But you can still get old ones for somewhat cheap. And Google showed a $23.99 dynamo from China. You would have to do some soldering and electrical figuring to feed it into a USB outlet. This Pedalcell is $299.
>

I'll keep my Soubitez CL-89.

Acquired from a customer who asked to have it removed from
her bike about 30 years ago and it was old then. Works fine.

--
Andrew Muzi
<www.yellowjersey.org/>
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

On Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at 5:43:54 PM UTC-5, AMuzi wrote:
> On 10/12/2021 5:24 PM, russell...@yahoo.com wrote:
> > On Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at 4:15:17 PM UTC-5, AMuzi wrote:
> >> The latest thing:
> >> https://pedalcell.com/
> >>
> >> with videos even.
> > Isn't this just a Soubitez dynamo generator? Or a Chinese copy of one. Adapted for the modern era so its electricity generated by the dynamo now goes to a USB outlet instead of to a bicycle light. Looks like Soubitez is no more. But you can still get old ones for somewhat cheap. And Google showed a $23.99 dynamo from China. You would have to do some soldering and electrical figuring to feed it into a USB outlet. This Pedalcell is $299.
> >
> I'll keep my Soubitez CL-89.
>
> Acquired from a customer who asked to have it removed from
> her bike about 30 years ago and it was old then. Works fine.
> --
> Andrew Muzi
> <www.yellowjersey.org/>
> Open every day since 1 April, 1971

30 years ago. You were just a young kid then Andy. Just starting out in this bicycling world. And if it was old then it must have been made long before you were even born.

On 10/12/2021 3:24 PM, russellseaton1@yahoo.com wrote:
<sno
You would have to do some soldering and electrical figuring to feed it
into a USB outlet.

Not too difficult. You can buy a tiny switching regulator board that has
a bridge rectifier built in
<https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003150923469.html>. Personally I'd
small it up a little with Schottky diodes, 16 volt capacitors, a smaller
heat sink, and get rid of those screw terminals.

On 10/12/2021 6:43 PM, AMuzi wrote:
> On 10/12/2021 5:24 PM, russellseaton1@yahoo.com wrote:
>> On Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at 4:15:17 PM UTC-5, AMuzi wrote:
>>> The latest thing:
>>> https://pedalcell.com/
>>>
>>> with videos even.
>
>> Isn't this just a Soubitez dynamo generator?  Or a Chinese copy of
>> one.  Adapted for the modern era so its electricity generated by the
>> dynamo now goes to a USB outlet instead of to a bicycle light.  Looks
>> like Soubitez is no more.  But you can still get old ones for somewhat
>> cheap.  And Google showed a $23.99 dynamo from China.  You would have
>> to do some soldering and electrical figuring to feed it into a USB
>> outlet.  This Pedalcell is $299.
>>
>
> I'll keep my Soubitez CL-89.
>
> Acquired from a customer who asked to have it removed from her bike
> about 30 years ago and it was old then. Works fine.

That's approximately how I acquired more than half of my dynamos. But
not from customers; from other old bikes.

--
- Frank Krygowski

russellseaton1@yahoo.com wrote::
> On Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at 4:15:17 PM UTC-5, AMuzi wrote:
>> The latest thing: https://pedalcell.com/
>>
>> with videos even.

Here's the brilliant anti-theft feature: If you mount the Pedalcell to
a bike that was as sloppily thrown together as this,
<https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0254/6935/4059/products/IMG_3715_1_Cropped_1024x1024.jpg>
(including a logo design that should condemn the Dawes executives to
tar-sands gulag) the device absolutely looks like $12.95!

> This Pedalcell is $299.

No problem, haven't we all been saving for a Supernova M99 DY Mini Pro,
apparently the first Stvzo-legal low+high dyno lamp? Scharfie will be
delighted to record the price tag, 325 euros:
<https://www.rennrad-news.de/news/eurobike-2021-fahrradlicht-neuheiten/>

--
"Oui, bien sur, of course, jawoll, Madame Lagarde, there is no
inflation, it's just progress!"

On 10/13/21 2:50 AM, Sepp Ruf wrote:
> russellseaton1@yahoo.com wrote::
>> On Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at 4:15:17 PM UTC-5, AMuzi wrote:
>>> The latest thing: https://pedalcell.com/
>>>
>>> with videos even.
>
> Here's the brilliant anti-theft feature:  If you mount the Pedalcell to
> a bike that was as sloppily thrown together as this,
> <https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0254/6935/4059/products/IMG_3715_1_Cropped_1024x1024.jpg>
>
> (including a logo design that should condemn the Dawes executives to
> tar-sands gulag) the device absolutely looks like $12.95!
>

Strange. Another case where someone went to great lengths and expense to
supply power to their electronic gadgets but they don't even have a tail
light. Just a reflector that fell out of position.

Some cyclists are basically an accident waiting to happen.

<shaking head>

>> This Pedalcell is $299.
>
> No problem, haven't we all been saving for a Supernova M99 DY Mini Pro,
> apparently the first Stvzo-legal low+high dyno lamp?  Scharfie will be
> delighted to record the price tag, 325 euros:
> <https://www.rennrad-news.de/news/eurobike-2021-fahrradlicht-neuheiten/>
>

Luckily we don't have no stinking StVZO 8-)

I have really bright 8W LED front lights and flashing tail lights on
both the road bike and the MTB.

In Germany the police once tried to give me a ticket for "non-standard
lighting" but had to tuck their tails because I was a foreign rider so
the bike couldn't be considered a German vehicle. However, I had to
prove my foreign residency. Guilty until proven innocent, or something
like that.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

On Wednesday, October 13, 2021 at 1:58:34 PM UTC-7, Joerg wrote:
> On 10/13/21 2:50 AM, Sepp Ruf wrote:
> > russell...@yahoo.com wrote::
> >> On Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at 4:15:17 PM UTC-5, AMuzi wrote:
> >>> The latest thing: https://pedalcell.com/
> >>>
> >>> with videos even.
> >
> > Here's the brilliant anti-theft feature: If you mount the Pedalcell to
> > a bike that was as sloppily thrown together as this,
> > <https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0254/6935/4059/products/IMG_3715_1_Cropped_1024x1024.jpg>
> >
> > (including a logo design that should condemn the Dawes executives to
> > tar-sands gulag) the device absolutely looks like $12.95!
> >
> Strange. Another case where someone went to great lengths and expense to
> supply power to their electronic gadgets but they don't even have a tail
> light. Just a reflector that fell out of position.
>
> Some cyclists are basically an accident waiting to happen.
>
> <shaking head>

What's notable to me is the size of the dyno -- its more like a beer can than a bottle dyno, and the size of the junction box on the bars -- and all the clutter. It's obviously a small frame, but still, a dyno hub is neater, at least for light. Converting dyno power to a USB charger is a different thing -- and apparently expensive.

-- Jay Beattie.

On 10/13/2021 6:06 PM, jbeattie wrote:
> On Wednesday, October 13, 2021 at 1:58:34 PM UTC-7, Joerg wrote:
>> On 10/13/21 2:50 AM, Sepp Ruf wrote:
>>> russell...@yahoo.com wrote::
>>>> On Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at 4:15:17 PM UTC-5, AMuzi wrote:
>>>>> The latest thing: https://pedalcell.com/
>>>>>
>>>>> with videos even.
>>>
>>> Here's the brilliant anti-theft feature: If you mount the Pedalcell to
>>> a bike that was as sloppily thrown together as this,
>>> <https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0254/6935/4059/products/IMG_3715_1_Cropped_1024x1024.jpg>
>>>
>>> (including a logo design that should condemn the Dawes executives to
>>> tar-sands gulag) the device absolutely looks like $12.95!
>>>
>> Strange. Another case where someone went to great lengths and expense to
>> supply power to their electronic gadgets but they don't even have a tail
>> light. Just a reflector that fell out of position.
>>
>> Some cyclists are basically an accident waiting to happen.
>>
>> <shaking head>
>
> What's notable to me is the size of the dyno -- its more like a beer can than a bottle dyno, and the size of the junction box on the bars -- and all the clutter. It's obviously a small frame, but still, a dyno hub is neater, at least for light. Converting dyno power to a USB charger is a different thing -- and apparently expensive.

I rarely use my phone while riding, and while touring it's always been
easy to stop where there's electricity. But I wonder about the high prices.

I've seen homebrew circuits for doing this job. Also, I've seen
descriptions of commercial products costing less than $50. For example,
https://www.cyclingabout.com/list-of-hub-dynamo-power-supplies-for-usb-devices/

It seems to be a simple task, so I wonder about the expense of most of
the units. Cleverly hiding them in a steerer tube must add cost, but
that's hardly essential.

OTOH, I've been surprised about the (to me) incomprehensible electronics
in a pretty standard dynamo LED light. Perhaps some of the electricity
experts can give details on what must be done and why it's difficult and
expensive?

--
- Frank Krygowski

On 10/13/21 3:06 PM, jbeattie wrote:
> On Wednesday, October 13, 2021 at 1:58:34 PM UTC-7, Joerg wrote:
>> On 10/13/21 2:50 AM, Sepp Ruf wrote:
>>> russell...@yahoo.com wrote::
>>>> On Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at 4:15:17 PM UTC-5, AMuzi wrote:
>>>>> The latest thing: https://pedalcell.com/
>>>>>
>>>>> with videos even.
>>>
>>> Here's the brilliant anti-theft feature: If you mount the Pedalcell to
>>> a bike that was as sloppily thrown together as this,
>>> <https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0254/6935/4059/products/IMG_3715_1_Cropped_1024x1024.jpg>
>>>
>>> (including a logo design that should condemn the Dawes executives to
>>> tar-sands gulag) the device absolutely looks like $12.95!
>>>
>> Strange. Another case where someone went to great lengths and expense to
>> supply power to their electronic gadgets but they don't even have a tail
>> light. Just a reflector that fell out of position.
>>
>> Some cyclists are basically an accident waiting to happen.
>>
>> <shaking head>
>
> What's notable to me is the size of the dyno -- its more like a beer can than a bottle dyno, and the size of the junction box on the bars -- and all the clutter. It's obviously a small frame, but still, a dyno hub is neater, at least for light.

In the US finding a wheel set with a dynamo hub isn't easy. In Europe it
is easy. Spoking it in yourself is, of course, possible but many
including myself really don't like to do that.

Then, some folks might mistake that for a small hub motor and look down
on you :-)

> Converting dyno power to a USB charger is a different thing -- and apparently expensive.
>

That is one of the less difficult exercises and cheap. If lazy one can
just buy a USB step-down converter via EBay and hang a rectifier plus
capacitor in front. Plus a zener diode in case there is no load. Those
usually even have the USB output jack right on the board. Or get one
that can take in AC, then its just a bidirectional transient voltage
suppressor (TVS) that needs to be added.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

On Thursday, October 14, 2021 at 12:42:28 AM UTC+2, Frank Krygowski wrote:
> On 10/13/2021 6:06 PM, jbeattie wrote:
> > On Wednesday, October 13, 2021 at 1:58:34 PM UTC-7, Joerg wrote:
> >> On 10/13/21 2:50 AM, Sepp Ruf wrote:
> >>> russell...@yahoo.com wrote::
> >>>> On Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at 4:15:17 PM UTC-5, AMuzi wrote:
> >>>>> The latest thing: https://pedalcell.com/
> >>>>>
> >>>>> with videos even.
> >>>
> >>> Here's the brilliant anti-theft feature: If you mount the Pedalcell to
> >>> a bike that was as sloppily thrown together as this,
> >>> <https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0254/6935/4059/products/IMG_3715_1_Cropped_1024x1024.jpg>
> >>>
> >>> (including a logo design that should condemn the Dawes executives to
> >>> tar-sands gulag) the device absolutely looks like $12.95!
> >>>
> >> Strange. Another case where someone went to great lengths and expense to
> >> supply power to their electronic gadgets but they don't even have a tail
> >> light. Just a reflector that fell out of position.
> >>
> >> Some cyclists are basically an accident waiting to happen.
> >>
> >> <shaking head>
> >
> > What's notable to me is the size of the dyno -- its more like a beer can than a bottle dyno, and the size of the junction box on the bars -- and all the clutter. It's obviously a small frame, but still, a dyno hub is neater, at least for light. Converting dyno power to a USB charger is a different thing -- and apparently expensive.
> I rarely use my phone while riding, and while touring it's always been
> easy to stop where there's electricity. But I wonder about the high prices.
>
> I've seen homebrew circuits for doing this job. Also, I've seen
> descriptions of commercial products costing less than $50. For example,
> https://www.cyclingabout.com/list-of-hub-dynamo-power-supplies-for-usb-devices/
>
> It seems to be a simple task, so I wonder about the expense of most of
> the units. Cleverly hiding them in a steerer tube must add cost, but
> that's hardly essential.
>
> OTOH, I've been surprised about the (to me) incomprehensible electronics
> in a pretty standard dynamo LED light. Perhaps some of the electricity
> experts can give details on what must be done and why it's difficult and
> expensive?
>

Last Sunday during a coffee stop in Germany (just across the border) a young couple stopped on nice touring bikes. They guy's handlebar was cluttered with a GPS unit, a smart phone in a waterproof case, a normal bike computer and a battery powered headlight. I asked him if they were on a long touring trip. "No just a daytrip he answered" WTF.

Lou

Joerg wrote:

> Luckily we don't have no stinking StVZO 8-)

True, California prefers lawnmower sealed-beams. And instead of the
solid Schuko-Stecker, fires and earthquakes to aid tear down walls 8-)

> I have really bright 8W LED front lights and flashing tail lights on
> both the road bike and the MTB.

On the MTB in the woods, but not when hiking on lion-infested trails?
You are certainly taking great risks!
<https://news.in-24.com/news/211101.html>
;-)

> In Germany the police once tried to give me a ticket for "non-standard
> lighting" but had to tuck their tails because I was a foreign rider so
> the bike couldn't be considered a German vehicle. However, I had to
> prove my foreign residency. Guilty until proven innocent, or something
> like that.

You have repeatedly mentioned that story. Of course, these policemen
should have looked for more serious matters of road code to enforce.
But they at least seem to have acted according to the book, and to the
UN's 1968 Vienna Treaty (on international traffic). Claiming to reside
abroad, to successfully avoid a fine, of course you had to document your
residency, regardless of supposed privileges due to citizenship. If you
neither had to pay a fine nor a huge "Sicherheitsleistung" upfront, nor
spent half an hour waiting at some police post to present your papers,
there actually was little to complain about. Especially compared to
today's travel bans and threats of forced physical injury under the
guise of health policy.

--
<https://www.wochenblick.at/kommunikations-experte-dr-roman-braun-so-werden-wir-betrogen-und-gelenkt/>

On 10/14/2021 9:48 AM, Lou Holtman wrote:

<snip>

> Last Sunday during a coffee stop in Germany (just across the border) a young couple stopped on nice touring bikes. They guy's handlebar was cluttered with a GPS unit, a smart phone in a waterproof case, a normal bike computer and a battery powered headlight. I asked him if they were on a long touring trip. "No just a daytrip he answered" WTF.

Not sure why anyone would need a GPS in addition to a smart phone. And
if the phone supports ANT (no iPhones, but many Android phones) you can
also do away with the bike computer). But a headlight makes sense. Most
people around here do have a DRL on their bike for use in the daytime.
When I was in New England a couple of weeks ago we did three different
bike rides and I saw that DRL use is not limited to engineer nerds in
California!

Personally, I take the minimalist approach. I stopped using bike
computers, while I have a phone mount for my handlebars I rarely use it,
though it's useful when riding in areas where I need the GPS
functionality. I have a small USB rechargeable light for daytime rides
where a DRL is beneficial.

On 10/14/2021 12:09 PM, Joerg wrote:
> On 10/13/21 3:06 PM, jbeattie wrote:
>>
>>  Converting dyno power to a USB charger is a different thing -- and
>> apparently expensive.
>>
>
> That is one of the less difficult exercises and cheap. If lazy one can
> just buy a USB step-down converter via EBay and hang a rectifier plus
> capacitor in front. Plus a zener diode in case there is no load. Those
> usually even have the USB output jack right on the board. Or get one
> that can take in AC, then its just a bidirectional transient voltage
> suppressor (TVS) that needs to be added.

I'd be interested in a circuit diagram, if you'd care to post it.

--
- Frank Krygowski

sms <scharf.steven@geemail.com> wrote:
> On 10/14/2021 9:48 AM, Lou Holtman wrote:
>
> <snip>
>
>> Last Sunday during a coffee stop in Germany (just across the border) a
>> young couple stopped on nice touring bikes. They guy's handlebar was
>> cluttered with a GPS unit, a smart phone in a waterproof case, a normal
>> bike computer and a battery powered headlight. I asked him if they were
>> on a long touring trip. "No just a daytrip he answered" WTF.
>
> Not sure why anyone would need a GPS in addition to a smart phone. And
> if the phone supports ANT (no iPhones, but many Android phones) you can
> also do away with the bike computer). But a headlight makes sense. Most
> people around here do have a DRL on their bike for use in the daytime.
> When I was in New England a couple of weeks ago we did three different
> bike rides and I saw that DRL use is not limited to engineer nerds in
> California!
>
> Personally, I take the minimalist approach. I stopped using bike
> computers, while I have a phone mount for my handlebars I rarely use it,
> though it's useful when riding in areas where I need the GPS
> functionality. I have a small USB rechargeable light for daytime rides
> where a DRL is beneficial.
>
I have a Garmin edge, which will last far longer than I will, it will flash
up messages/notifications from the phone. Which remains in my pocket. I
have lights but again they will out last me.

Essentially if I really needed to, I can charge from a power bank, but
frankly all above will last all day so not a issue!

Roger Merriman.

On 10/13/2021 3:06 PM, jbeattie wrote:
> On Wednesday, October 13, 2021 at 1:58:34 PM UTC-7, Joerg wrote:
>> On 10/13/21 2:50 AM, Sepp Ruf wrote:
>>> russell...@yahoo.com wrote::
>>>> On Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at 4:15:17 PM UTC-5, AMuzi wrote:
>>>>> The latest thing: https://pedalcell.com/
>>>>>
>>>>> with videos even.
>>>
>>> Here's the brilliant anti-theft feature: If you mount the Pedalcell to
>>> a bike that was as sloppily thrown together as this,
>>> <https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0254/6935/4059/products/IMG_3715_1_Cropped_1024x1024.jpg>
>>>
>>> (including a logo design that should condemn the Dawes executives to
>>> tar-sands gulag) the device absolutely looks like $12.95!
>>>
>> Strange. Another case where someone went to great lengths and expense to
>> supply power to their electronic gadgets but they don't even have a tail
>> light. Just a reflector that fell out of position.
>>
>> Some cyclists are basically an accident waiting to happen.
>>
>> <shaking head>
>
> What's notable to me is the size of the dyno -- its more like a beer can than a bottle dyno, and the size of the junction box on the bars -- and all the clutter. It's obviously a small frame, but still, a dyno hub is neater, at least for light. Converting dyno power to a USB charger is a different thing -- and apparently expensive.

You can probably count on one hand the people that would buy that Pedal
Cell device for $299. Fortunately for the manufacturer, they could
easily cut the price to $99 and still make money once they write off the
development and tooling costs. At $99 they might sell some.

The cost of the electronics is trivial. You can buy a pre-made board
with all the electronics other than a USB connector which you can attach
via a cable to the phone and another cable to your dynamo, if you really
saw a need.

It's the packaging into a cute little steering tube size or other
waterproof package, plus the mark-up that makes it so ridiculously
expensive. Also, the volumes are probably super low, especially when the
limited demand is divided up among all the people selling these.

Most battery powered lights now include a USB charging port, and since a
phone can generally go a whole day without being charged, the need for
these dyno-powered USB chargers is very low.

What I would buy for a DIY solution is this
<https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001270624512.html> ($8.39 for 10)
then I would use four Schottky diodes
<https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001552094086.html> ($1.20 for 50)
and a capacitor <https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32790482708.html> 20
for $7.54 to convert the AC from the dynamo to DC. I'd use a cable with
a Lightning or USB-C connector and not put in a USB-A port. I could
build these for about $7 each, including a waterproof housing. But I
wouldn't because in the U.S. there'd be almost no one to sell them to,
even if I sold them for only $50.

It's the answer to a question that nobody asked.

On 10/14/2021 2:19 PM, sms wrote:
>
> Not sure why anyone would need a GPS in addition to a smart phone. And
> if the phone supports ANT (no iPhones, but many Android phones) you can
> also do away with the bike computer). But a headlight makes sense. Most
> people around here do have a DRL on their bike for use in the daytime.
> When I was in New England a couple of weeks ago we did three different
> bike rides and I saw that DRL use is not limited to engineer nerds in
> California!

Use of DRLs is not strictly limited, but I really wonder how much you
overstate their use. I see DRLs on perhaps three percent of cyclists;
and when I do, it almost always goes like this: "There's somebody on a
bike. [five second pause] Oh, and look, he's got a light on."

The last bike DRL headlight I saw was three days ago on a long stretch
of two lane country road. The road is mostly along a wetland, so there
are no driveways or intersections. I wondered about the point of it.

Other than safety inflation, of course.

--
- Frank Krygowski

On 10/14/21 11:25 AM, Frank Krygowski wrote:
> On 10/14/2021 12:09 PM, Joerg wrote:
>> On 10/13/21 3:06 PM, jbeattie wrote:
>>>
>>>  Converting dyno power to a USB charger is a different thing -- and
>>> apparently expensive.
>>>
>>
>> That is one of the less difficult exercises and cheap. If lazy one can
>> just buy a USB step-down converter via EBay and hang a rectifier plus
>> capacitor in front. Plus a zener diode in case there is no load. Those
>> usually even have the USB output jack right on the board. Or get one
>> that can take in AC, then its just a bidirectional transient voltage
>> suppressor (TVS) that needs to be added.
>
> I'd be interested in a circuit diagram, if you'd care to post it.
>
>

It's simple to describe, doesn't need a schematic. ... from memory ...
Run the dynamo output into a bridge rectifier, an electrolytic cap at
the DC connections of that rectifier, a unipolar _big_ TVS of about 20V
across that capacitor, then into a buck module:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/124449956229

The TVS voltage at full clamp should be selected such that it never
exceeds the max for the rectifier, capacitor and the converter,
whichever is lowest.

Mind that some dynamos are single wire with chassis (frame) return.
That's generally a bad idea for several reasons so I mounted them
isolated and ran two wires. If you don't want to do that make sure the
connected devices never electrically contact the bike's frame. If this
cannot be avoided you could use a single-diode rectifier but it'll be
less efficient.

The capacitance depends on at how low a speed you still want this to
work. I never needed it because I always had a battery as well. Like in
a car.

Do not try this without a TVS or some other sort of protection
(disconnect etc.). Else the converter or other parts could fry if it
doesn't have a load. Dynamos are essentially current sources and can run
up incredible voltage levels. I have only used electronic circuitry on
side-roller dynamos since I never had a hub dynamo or a BB-roller dynamo.

If you have a very wimpy dynamo you can double the voltage. Same goes if
you ride with lights driven by this same dynamo. Like in the diagram here:

https://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/57039/converting-and-stabilizing-output-voltage-of-a-dynamo-hub

When I was young I had two dynamos driving a common DC rail, for more
oomph. That way I had enough power for my lights and the radio, without
running down the batteries.

If you do not use any buffer battery and ride very slowly the output
will, of course, become erratic because the converter chip will go in
and out of undervoltage lock-out (UVLO). In the other direction, if you
have no load and ride a very long downhill at high speed the TVS will
have to dissipate all the energy from the dynamo and must be
rated/cooled accordingly.

Disclaimer: Do this at your own risk, as there is always some
opportunity to mess up and then a fancy iPhone or whatever goes *PHUT* :-)

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

On 10/14/21 12:15 PM, sms wrote:
> On 10/13/2021 3:06 PM, jbeattie wrote:
>> On Wednesday, October 13, 2021 at 1:58:34 PM UTC-7, Joerg wrote:
>>> On 10/13/21 2:50 AM, Sepp Ruf wrote:
>>>> russell...@yahoo.com wrote::
>>>>> On Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at 4:15:17 PM UTC-5, AMuzi wrote:
>>>>>> The latest thing: https://pedalcell.com/
>>>>>>
>>>>>> with videos even.
>>>>
>>>> Here's the brilliant anti-theft feature:  If you mount the Pedalcell to
>>>> a bike that was as sloppily thrown together as this,
>>>> <https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0254/6935/4059/products/IMG_3715_1_Cropped_1024x1024.jpg>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> (including a logo design that should condemn the Dawes executives to
>>>> tar-sands gulag) the device absolutely looks like $12.95!
>>>>
>>> Strange. Another case where someone went to great lengths and expense to
>>> supply power to their electronic gadgets but they don't even have a tail
>>> light. Just a reflector that fell out of position.
>>>
>>> Some cyclists are basically an accident waiting to happen.
>>>
>>> <shaking head>
>>
>> What's notable to me is the size of the dyno -- its more like a beer
>> can than a bottle dyno, and the size of the junction box on the bars
>> -- and all the clutter.  It's obviously a small frame, but still, a
>> dyno hub is neater, at least for light.  Converting dyno power to a
>> USB charger is a different thing -- and apparently expensive.
>
> You can probably count on one hand the people that would buy that Pedal
> Cell device for $299. Fortunately for the manufacturer, they could
> easily cut the price to $99 and still make money once they write off the
> development and tooling costs. At $99 they might sell some.
>

Yeah, not a chance at $299.

> The cost of the electronics is trivial. You can buy a pre-made board
> with all the electronics other than a USB connector which you can attach
> via a cable to the phone and another cable to your dynamo, if you really
> saw a need.
>

They often even have the USB connector on the board so it's almost
plug-and-play.

> It's the packaging into a cute little steering tube size or other
> waterproof package, plus the mark-up that makes it so ridiculously
> expensive. Also, the volumes are probably super low, especially when the
> limited demand is divided up among all the people selling these.
>

Yup. Making a weather-proof enclosure is usually 90% of the work. Or as
a friend once said. the lion's share of an EE's work is packaging.

> Most battery powered lights now include a USB charging port, and since a
> phone can generally go a whole day without being charged, the need for
> these dyno-powered USB chargers is very low.
>

That depends. Cyclists often leave location on all day and also keep
some app going. On MTB trips in remote areas I find that constantly
trying to re-negotiate the connection between various cell towers runs
it down. That can all tax the battery.

I have an MP3 player on the bikes and that is internally limited to
about 2h of runtime. If I want more I have to draw either from a dynamo
or my lighting battery.

Where all this makes perfect sense (but not at $299 ...) is for
bike-packers. Like when you cycle from this ocean to the other ocean.

> What I would buy for a DIY solution is this
> <https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001270624512.html> ($8.39 for 10)
> then I would use four Schottky diodes
> <https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001552094086.html> ($1.20 for 50)
> and a capacitor <https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32790482708.html> 20
> for $7.54 to convert the AC from the dynamo to DC. I'd use a cable with
> a Lightning or USB-C connector and not put in a USB-A port. I could
> build these for about $7 each, including a waterproof housing. But I
> wouldn't because in the U.S. there'd be almost no one to sell them to,
> even if I sold them for only $50.
>
> It's the answer to a question that nobody asked.
>

I think someone posted a module that even had the bridge rectifier, cap
and the USB connector on there. However, for wimpy or already loaded
dynamos you need a voltage doubler circuit, Cockroft-Walton style.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

On Tue, 12 Oct 2021 15:20:03 -0700, sms <scharf.steven@geemail.com>
wrote:

>On 10/12/2021 2:15 PM, AMuzi wrote:
>> The latest thing:
>> https://pedalcell.com/
>> with videos even.

>Amusing. They claim 20 watts which is extremely unlikely. In one place
>they claim 7 watts which might be correct.

7.3 watts at 20 km/hr

See graph about 1/4 way down the page:

"Rim Dynamos Can Now Generate 70% MORE Power Than Hub Dynamos"
<https://www.cyclingabout.com/rim-dynamos-can-now-generate-more-power-than-hub-dynamos/>
"The PedalCell offers significantly more power
than any other USB charging system, it’s 42-70%
more power than the best hub dynamo charging setup
tested (Schmidt SON28 dynamo hub & Forumslader V5
charger)."

The Best Hub Dynamo Charging System:
1.7-watts @ 10KPH
3.4-watts @ 15KPH
4.8-watts @ 20KPH
7.0-watts @ 25KPH

PedalCell Rim Dynamo:
2.9-watts @ 10KPH - 70% more power
5.2-watts @ 15KPH - 53% more power
7.3-watts @ 20KPH - 52% more power
10-watts @ 25KPH - 42% more power

"Socket on the go - part 8. Three-phase current and more"
<https://fahrradzukunft.de/30/steckdose-unterwegs-8/> (German)
(For automatic English translation, view the article using Google
Chrome browser).

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
PO Box 272 http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Ben Lomond CA 95005-0272
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

On Wed, 13 Oct 2021 18:42:27 -0400, Frank Krygowski
<frkrygow@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

>OTOH, I've been surprised about the (to me) incomprehensible electronics
>in a pretty standard dynamo LED light. Perhaps some of the electricity
>experts can give details on what must be done and why it's difficult and
>expensive?

I was thinking it might be full of exotic materials, rare earth
magnets, complex stator windings, synchronous rectifiers, etc. Nope.
It looks very simple inside:
<https://patents.google.com/patent/EP2819914B1/en>
<https://patents.google.com/patent/US5932943>
<https://patents.google.com/patent/US20150062939>
Well, it does have supercaps in the charger instead of batteries.

Hint: What is being done is mostly un-doing what the bottle dynamo
makers did to save money. They eliminated the cost of a voltage
regulator by converting the stator into a saturable reactor, which
acts like a crude voltage regulator. Today, it's cheap enough to
include a genuine electronic voltage regulator. So, they switch to
better stator core material and get more efficiency and power output.

I'm out of time. Back in a few days.

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
PO Box 272 http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Ben Lomond CA 95005-0272
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

On Thu, 14 Oct 2021 09:48:17 -0700 (PDT), Lou Holtman
<lou.holtman@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Thursday, October 14, 2021 at 12:42:28 AM UTC+2, Frank Krygowski wrote:
>> On 10/13/2021 6:06 PM, jbeattie wrote:
>> > On Wednesday, October 13, 2021 at 1:58:34 PM UTC-7, Joerg wrote:
>> >> On 10/13/21 2:50 AM, Sepp Ruf wrote:
>> >>> russell...@yahoo.com wrote::
>> >>>> On Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at 4:15:17 PM UTC-5, AMuzi wrote:
>> >>>>> The latest thing: https://pedalcell.com/
>> >>>>>
>> >>>>> with videos even.
>> >>>
>> >>> Here's the brilliant anti-theft feature: If you mount the Pedalcell to
>> >>> a bike that was as sloppily thrown together as this,
>> >>> <https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0254/6935/4059/products/IMG_3715_1_Cropped_1024x1024.jpg>
>> >>>
>> >>> (including a logo design that should condemn the Dawes executives to
>> >>> tar-sands gulag) the device absolutely looks like $12.95!
>> >>>
>> >> Strange. Another case where someone went to great lengths and expense to
>> >> supply power to their electronic gadgets but they don't even have a tail
>> >> light. Just a reflector that fell out of position.
>> >>
>> >> Some cyclists are basically an accident waiting to happen.
>> >>
>> >> <shaking head>
>> >
>> > What's notable to me is the size of the dyno -- its more like a beer can than a bottle dyno, and the size of the junction box on the bars -- and all the clutter. It's obviously a small frame, but still, a dyno hub is neater, at least for light. Converting dyno power to a USB charger is a different thing -- and apparently expensive.
>> I rarely use my phone while riding, and while touring it's always been
>> easy to stop where there's electricity. But I wonder about the high prices.
>>
>> I've seen homebrew circuits for doing this job. Also, I've seen
>> descriptions of commercial products costing less than $50. For example,
>> https://www.cyclingabout.com/list-of-hub-dynamo-power-supplies-for-usb-devices/
>>
>> It seems to be a simple task, so I wonder about the expense of most of
>> the units. Cleverly hiding them in a steerer tube must add cost, but
>> that's hardly essential.
>>
>> OTOH, I've been surprised about the (to me) incomprehensible electronics
>> in a pretty standard dynamo LED light. Perhaps some of the electricity
>> experts can give details on what must be done and why it's difficult and
>> expensive?
>>
>
>Last Sunday during a coffee stop in Germany (just across the border) a young couple stopped on nice touring bikes. They guy's handlebar was cluttered with a GPS unit, a smart phone in a waterproof case, a normal bike computer and a battery powered headlight. I asked him if they were on a long touring trip. "No just a daytrip he answered" WTF.
>
>Lou

There is a saying in the U.S. that might apply. "If you got it, flaunt
it". (:-)
--
Cheers,

John B.