Home made rear light £4

jeremyrundle

I am all in favour of cheap SAFE and legal. Someone asked me what was the best cheap rear light under £5.

Simple.

Get some proper red plastic, from a craft shop, thin red about £1 for a 6" square. That is similar to the red used to wrap sweets and YES that will also do and that is free.

Buy a £3 1W or even £3 3w light from that sales website, unscrew the lens, place the red plastic wrapper over the unit and screw back the lens, trim off excess.

VERY bright, still or flashing light for £4.

We use these at night in Astronomy when observing.

Initialised

Nice hack. XXX approved!

asquithea

Cheap, yes. Legal? No more so than most other lights.

PBo

asquithea wrote:

Cheap, yes. Legal? No more so than most other lights.

My guess is you could run into more legal problems in event of a crash because of the homebrew.

Headhuunter

How do yuo fix it to the bike? What are these 3w lights from "that sales website" you talk of?

jeremyrundle

Headhuunter wrote:

How do yuo fix it to the bike? What are these 3w lights from "that sales website" you talk of?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/3W-Bicycle-Bike-C ... 3f044fd89b

There are cheaper if you search

Headhuunter

jeremyrundle wrote:

Headhuunter wrote:

How do yuo fix it to the bike? What are these 3w lights from "that sales website" you talk of?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/3W-Bicycle-Bike-C ... 3f044fd89b

There are cheaper if you search

Thanks. The only problem with torch lighting like that is that it's not very visible from the side or diagonally. However I use a Fenix torch as a front light, but it's always something I wonder about!

jeremyrundle

There are plenty of "cheap" rubbish torches not visible from the side, I am more concerned about the cars "behind" me rather than the ones next to me, they should have already seen the light and at 3w they will, and for £4 !!!!!!!


Or perhaps it simply gives someone an idea who already has a spare torch and needs a new back one how to save money and use what you already have.

Gypsum_Fantastic

Headhuunter wrote:

jeremyrundle wrote:

Headhuunter wrote:

How do yuo fix it to the bike? What are these 3w lights from "that sales website" you talk of?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/3W-Bicycle-Bike-C ... 3f044fd89b

There are cheaper if you search

Thanks. The only problem with torch lighting like that is that it's not very visible from the side or diagonally. However I use a Fenix torch as a front light, but it's always something I wonder about!

A collar around the end of the torch made from some sort of semi translucent material (eg a yogurt pot) should sort that out

whyamihere

I'd use one of these if they'll fit your torch: http://www.fenixtorch.co.uk/accessories ... fuser.html

For the rear, you don't need a unified beam, a diffuse beam is actually better as it's purely for being seen by rather than seeing by.

jeremyrundle

Damn good idea, I have seen these available on E... for lenser torches for £5

cyberknight

jeremyrundle wrote:

Headhuunter wrote:

How do yuo fix it to the bike? What are these 3w lights from "that sales website" you talk of?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/3W-Bicycle-Bike-C ... 3f044fd89b

There are cheaper if you search

And hes lieing they are 1 watt max, they sell them at endingurgh cycles and deal extreme......

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.18307

$7.43 =£4.95 apprx

Cheap rear light, i find these nearly as good as the smart superflash.....for about £2 posted.

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.35036

PBo

@ cyberknight

dude - it says "not rain resistant" and the one review complains about it shorting out....what's your experience been?

Initialised

@PBo I have one of those lights (£6, local hardware store). I use it as a helmet mounted spot. I'll let you know if it fails next time it's dark and wet. In the mean time heres what happened to it when I submerged it in the kitchen sink:



P.S. I mix electronics and water for a living in PCs and take no responsibility four plonkers who try and copy me but fail miserably

djrock

jeremyrundle wrote:

I am all in favour of cheap SAFE and legal. Someone asked me what was the best cheap rear light under £5.

Simple.

Get some proper red plastic, from a craft shop, thin red about £1 for a 6" square. That is similar to the red used to wrap sweets and YES that will also do and that is free.

Buy a £3 1W or even £3 3w light from that sales website, unscrew the lens, place the red plastic wrapper over the unit and screw back the lens, trim off excess.

VERY bright, still or flashing light for £4.

We use these at night in Astronomy when observing.

I bet the light emitted is not red. More a pinky red than red. So not really acceptable.

cyberknight

PBo wrote:

@ cyberknight

dude - it says "not rain resistant" and the one review complains about it shorting out....what's your experience been?

Dude?

If you are referring to the rear light mine has never shorted out etc, i mount mine on the seat post and i have never had a problem with it .

I have had rear lights mounted on the seat stays before now that cost a lot more and have shorted out with a lot of spray in really bad weather, its a bit of a daft place to mount a light in my opinion.

jeremyrundle

1. If you use RED plastic the light has to be RED not pink

2. I have used mine on the bike in the pouring rain, they are soaked, what problems, none, ever, but you only have my word for that, or shall I also take a photo of them in a sink full of water too.

We are arguing about £3, not a £250 light. I have three RSP lights on the back, check out the battery compartment that of the catseye also, plastic on plastic no "O" ring seals there.

I have just fitted two LED Lenser P7s (not to be confused with cheaper torches that call themselves P7's check out

http://www.ledco.co.uk/

These are only supposed to be "shower/spalsh proof", at £40 each, but they withstand torrents.

jeremyrundle

cyberknight posted at 5:30 am, dont you ever sleep!!!

Initialised

djrock wrote:

I bet the light emitted is not red. More a pinky red than red. So not really acceptable.

Use red paint

cyberknight

jeremyrundle wrote:

cyberknight posted at 5:30 am, dont you ever sleep!!!

Just got in from night shift................. 4-5 miles on unlit country roads of a 10 mile commute .

It was 6.30 ish i think the forum clock must be out :shock:

PBo

cyberknight wrote:

PBo wrote:

@ cyberknight

dude - it says "not rain resistant" and the one review complains about it shorting out....what's your experience been?

Dude?

If you are referring to the rear light mine has never shorted out etc, i mount mine on the seat post and i have never had a problem with it .

I have had rear lights mounted on the seat stays before now that cost a lot more and have shorted out with a lot of spray in really bad weather, its a bit of a daft place to mount a light in my opinion.

cool, thanks for the feedback, and initialised - and of course I'll take your word Jeremy!!!

dude? - i guess i was trying to put over my question as a genuine, friendly enquiry, rather than some kind of adversorial "those lights leak and are cr4p!"!!

djrock

jeremyrundle wrote:

1. If you use RED plastic the light has to be RED not pink

I did not say pink. More a pinky red.

Since as you said above the red plastic from a craft shop is similar to a sweet wrapper then its not a true red.

I have tried a red marker and a red sweet wrapper. The red wrapper was better but I was not happy with the colour. Maybe the craft shop stuff is thicker and or possibly a deeper red?