Thread: Lights????
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Old 05-15-2012, 02:17 PM   #20
ToyCollector
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Waukegan, Il, USA.
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Default Lights I have known, sort of

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scuba_Michael View Post
Ok......so I am going to be buying a light to use my Segway at night to get home from work.

What lights are you all using? Please tell me which light and why.

Thanks so much!!!

-Scuba_Michael
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I have two of the original Segways.. right now they are resting because the battery packs died.
But I had one heck of a time riding them, and will again soon as I find a place to get reasonable batteries.

Back to the ride, when I first bought them, I rode in the daylight. I think I was/am the only one in town to have one because they really get the looks. People stopping and asking about them and such is a common occurance.

I started riding at night, and the first few times I used a flashlight to see. Some of the streets/sidewalks have no lights so its pitch black in darkness. My very first light was a bicycle light with regular tungstan bulbs. It worked but the beam pattern was not very focused for riding... They eventually stopped working. My very first experiment for better lighting was to put a 12vdc battery pack in the Seg handlebar bag, added a switch and mounted the head of a yard spot light below the handlebar. The bulb inside is a MR11, more commonly used for yard lighting and interior spot lighting, complete with reflector.....lolol, yup, it got really bright... CARS WOULD FLASH ME! In fact, I down graded to a 6vdc battery but I would still get cars flashing their headlights at me. This is because of the super reflector on the bulb.

I started getting concerned that the PO-lice may not like the fact that the light was bright enough to cause a problem to on coming traffic so I tried the led light that you wear on your head, it was reasonably bright, limited when compared to the MR11 but ok. I mounted this light under the handlebar with a red Bicycle light mounted low on the bar facing rearward. The light blazes between your feet.
The only problem with this head type light is the battery pack, used 3 AAA's and it was made in CHINA, cheap and subject to failure.

I currently picked up a bicycle light from AllelectronicsCorp ( May, 2012 limited supplies ) that has two reflectors of 4 LEDs. Uses three AAA's will come on normally or flash. It also has a rear red light with 7 programed flash patterns. It was really cheap ( you get what you pay for?? ) but it works fine. I use it on the bicycle right now and will put it on the Seg when I have the Batts renewed.

Which were best, Oh, the MR11 takes it all the way, lol Good strong beam with some sideways lighting... Maybe aiming it down a bit more would control the bright flash to on coming traffic..... The only way it could be better is if it had a dimmer on the 12vdc battery.
Yeah, the MR11 is more a home project but you can't ask for better lighting, lololol...
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