Inexpensive, Rechargeable Headlight
Cape Cod Cyclist Sees the Light

September 2001

Visit this great web for information on:
Winter
Cycling

 
JET Lites

 Riding at night is not a problem when you are visible to other vehicles on the road... this means LIGHTS are necessary. Lights on bicycles after dark are also the law in most states. I have spent some time riding with cheap "C" cell battery powered lights... not bad for being visible, but hard on the debit card. The solution to this problem was to find a nice set of rechargeable, battery operated lights (or light).

 There are some great options out there (i.e. JET Lites, Night Hawk and NiteRider, etc.) ... if you are lucky enough to find them locally. I visited five local shops, finding no recent models (all last year or several years older) and vastly over-priced. REI offered nice lamps at a decent price, but the closest REI  was over an hour away. One could purchase them online or mail order, but why wait?

 I must admit, my solution was far from original. I took bits and pieces from various ideas presented in others' webs, put the ones I liked (and those that fit my wallet) together, did some improvising, and, ""PRESTO,"" LET THERE BE LIGHT!" I am sure I have neglected some important piece of lighting etiquette or small matters of technical importance, but I have a light that works well and automatically recharges in five hours time. Thank you RadioShack!

To investigate lighting options yourself, before you begin, a good place to start is: Articles About Bicycle Commuting and Lighting, by Sheldon Brown & Marty Goodman

The following directions are for a "be seen" light, not a "see it all" light. For a quality commuting or trail light I highly recommend JET Lites or upgrading my recommended headlamp assembly for one better suited to the voltage of the battery pack.

DO-IT-YOURSELF INEXPENSIVE, RECHARGEABLE HEADLIGHT

Author's Note: I am not selling anything here!
Feel free to patronize any retailer you prefer
for these items (I recommend your small, local
businesses). The places I purchased these items
were out of convenience and due to the late
hour in the evening when I shopped. Get
creative and do some planning before your
excursion, this is but an example.

YOU MAY CLICK ON IMAGES FOR LARGER VIEWS

Step One: Purchase the goods

I made a one-stop trip to RadioShack and Wal-Mart (as much as I hate to support the retail giant... 7% of consumer, retail spending goes to Wal-Mart!!!). A trip in the auto was necessary to get there, so I kept it within the same plaza.

At RadioShack I purchased the following:

ITEM #1:

Combo Pack! 7.2V Ni-Cd Racing Battery and Charger
$29.99 Reg. Price (I paid $24.99) Brand: Radio Shack
Cat.#: 23-322 Model: 23-322

7.2V racing battery and charger. 2000mAh, Ni-Cd battery.
 Charger plugs into AC, and can charge Ni-Cd or Ni-MH.

This item is currently not available online (checked 9/07/01) or by calling RadioShack, so is limited to availability at your local store. There were other models available however. Watch out for their "clearance" table... they offered the chargers separately on this table for $9.99. This is fine if you only need the charger, but the batteries are $24 each when purchased separately (this kit includes both battery and charger for the price of one battery)!

ITEM #2:

RC 7.2V Battery Pack Connector Repair Kit
$1.99 Reg. Price Brand: RadioShack Cat.#: 23-444 Model: 23-444

RC 7.2V Battery Pack Connector Repair Kit.

This item is available online, by phone or through your local store. This pigtail repair is necessary to the headlight connection.

ITEMS #3 & #4:

Wiring connectors ( butt connectors) and a wire crimper. Hopefully if you are attempting this project you have some wiring experience and some butt connectors & wire crimpers laying around. I didn't have to purchase these (I have a large wiring kit for installing car stereos, etc.), but I included photos because I thought they looked nice. Expect to pay $5-$15 for a wiring kit (depending on your interest).

Wire-Crimping Tool Set
$12.99 Reg. Price Brand: at Radioshack or your local auto parts store Cat.#: 64-409 Model: No model information available

Here's everything you need to install the popular
 crimp-on terminals used in electrical wiring.

ITEM #5:

Spare and high output krypton bulbs. A large selection of bulbs is available here, but to avoid a return trip you should select a headlight assembly or flashlight head first to determine the lamp's socket style (threaded or push-in, etc.). Expect to pay an avg. of $1.49 each.

At Wal-Mart (7% of consumer, retail spending goes to Wal-Mart,) I purchased the following:

Please note that you may improvise the headlight assembly in any way you feel will work for you... my primary concern was mounting, not brightness (I just want to be seen). My methods may, or may not work for you. A little imagination (and more planning than I put into it) will put your assembly far ahead of mine very easily.

ITEM #6:  (*SEE UPDATE TO THIS ITEM*)

Sportsman,  4AA Head-Lite, Sport Headlamp
$9.97 Reg. Price  Brand: Rayovac
Cat.#: SPHLT4AA-4  Model: SPHLT4AA-4

Sportsman,  4AA Head-Lite, Features & Benefits:
Water Resistant, Super Bright Krypton Bulb (Rayovac K4SB-2),
Spot-to- Flood Focus, Push Button Switch, Convenient Mounting
Unconditional Lifetime Warranty, no receipt required

I dismantled this baby in seconds... all that remained was the headlamp assembly. Remove straps, disconnect battery pack, and unscrew swivel mount. Ready to splice!

*UPDATE 9/22: I have since found that I was going through bulbs too quickly (I did not have the correct bulbs for this voltage). This headlight assembly was swapped for a small diameter halogen fog lamp that works great! I will follow up with updated pictures as soon as I get the time.

                                   
                                   Current Headlamp Set-Up
                                    Uses Similar Halogen Off-Road Lamp
                                          (Purchased at WalMart $14.00)

You may have more time and energy to put into this project than I did... there are krypton bulbs and headlamps available for spelunking, etc. that I did not take the time to go hunting for. I chose to go with the higher voltage, off-road halogen set-up.

ITEM #7:

A water bottle with a wide mouth (wide enough to fit the battery).
$.99 - $4.99 Available Anywhere

This bottle is the ideal size... I painted mine black
(because I had the paint)

ITEM #8:

Multi Clamp, all purpose clamp (a Zip-Tie on Steroids)
$2.47 Reg. Price  Brand: CAMCO RV (Greensboro, NC)
Available at Wal-Mart (www.camco.net)
Cat.#: 39103  Model: 39103

Secure objects of almost any shape or size with the Camco Multi Clamp. An all purpose clamp-no tools required. One clamp will hold objects between 1/2" and 4". Made of flexible, hardened plastic with UV inhibitors. Multi Clamp will not rust and is resistant to most chemicals. Maximum tightening force of 220 Ibs. Use in temperature range of -4 degrees F to 302 degrees F. Join two or more together for larger jobs. Patented.

I will buy more of these clamps now that I have tried it. Zip-ties are junk once you use them once (they must be cut to be removed). It is hard to grasp from the picture, but these are completely reusable clamps. The knob, pictured at bottom left, tightens down on the serrated ends of the tie, pulling both ends through as you tighten. To loosen, or unfasten, just unscrew. These clamps appear to have been designed for attaching circular or tubular objects... fits just about anything on a bicycle! Perhaps a little excessive for the anal, but works great for me!

Enough about me, now what about me?

STEP 2: To the directions... it's about time!!!