E-scooter rear light that runs on 5-58V
Added 2021-01-20 08:49:09 +0000 UTCI guess they tried to make this little light as universal as possible. It can operate with any polarity and with a huge voltage range of 5V to 58V, which it then efficiently converts to drive a single red LED at 50mA.
Quite interesting for the two layer voltage and current regulation.
Comments
In a closed 12v system where the power source is shared with drive motors there are likely huge transients as motor demand is switched in and out suddenly, especially at the point of applying the brakes, it might go from full demand to zero instantly. I suspect the perceived over engineering is a way to deal with a rough incoming power rail, motor noise etc.
The Tinkering Shed
2021-01-27 08:20:58 +0000 UTCI'm guessing the 58V rating is so they don't have to validate it against "high" voltage applications, which starts at 60V in the automotive world.
Witold Witkowski
2021-01-23 03:02:51 +0000 UTCI agree..... overdone. A linear regulator would cover up to 25v. reliably. You wouldn't expect much more in a mobile application.
2021-01-23 00:47:51 +0000 UTCThis... I should read all comments before jumping in myself :)
Paul Slootman
2021-01-21 10:19:29 +0000 UTCLooking at it as an ebike light... WOW! overdone... Then looking a bit closer... HHHMMM... That circuit (laid out properly) could be a rather handy way to simplify powering small devices. Damn it Clive! Now you've sent me down yet another rabbit hole.
Scott Miller
2021-01-21 01:27:55 +0000 UTCMaybe I'm just tight lol
Alan King
2021-01-21 01:07:55 +0000 UTCI feel a little bit better about the price after seeing what was inside because at first all I was expecting was a resistor and a LED
Lostngone
2021-01-21 00:41:16 +0000 UTCYou can buy voltage regulator modules on eBay. But it may be better to get a dedicated 12V power supply from a reputable source.
Big Clive
2021-01-21 00:33:53 +0000 UTCI thought it looked complicated for a bike light, I assume it's regulated to provide a constant brightness, which seems fair enough. €30 is a bit steep though!
Alan King
2021-01-20 20:35:37 +0000 UTCHello they loving the videos as all ways definitely got me back into electronics big thanks but iif its ok can i pick your brain's over sum thing ? What i have is a mans power supply from a tv signal booster it puts out 35 volts what like to do is step it down to 12volts is they any thing you can point me to that i can make as its using mains power one one side just want to make shore its the rite thing and dont set sum thing on fire LOL or get a shock of it HAHA done that in the parst and its no fun any help be helpful big thanks in advance :)
Mort
2021-01-20 20:33:52 +0000 UTCI think it got physically broken.
Big Clive
2021-01-20 18:56:05 +0000 UTCI guess when somethings subject to certain standards (like roadworthiness etc) you need the rugged design - then again they didnt do a great job with that cable :p
Raven Luni
2021-01-20 17:39:09 +0000 UTCI guess the bridge rectifier, the wide range and the huge cap are meant to work well with classic bike dynamos.
MrTridac
2021-01-20 17:31:22 +0000 UTCYou mentioned the light failed so I,my assuming the failure was caused by the cables chafing you don't mention specifically what was the failure. And it's working in the demo or did I miss that.
Pierre
2021-01-20 16:39:01 +0000 UTCIt looks very much like overkill, but once you dig into it makes more sense. Better than a resistor and an LED for the same price.
DC Allan
2021-01-20 16:25:43 +0000 UTCThe waterproofing wasn't inspiring, although there was a rather vague layer of some sort of conformal coating on it.
Big Clive
2021-01-20 15:26:41 +0000 UTCOr a sloppy linear regulator that cooked at higher voltages.
Big Clive
2021-01-20 15:25:26 +0000 UTCThe layout does leave a lot to be desired. They really need to get that inductor closer to the chip. I'm not sure why they didn't use a wide range current regulator. Or even just set the voltage to 4V and use a fixed resistor.
Big Clive
2021-01-20 15:24:42 +0000 UTCFrom Germany, but made in China.
Big Clive
2021-01-20 15:23:07 +0000 UTCIt will be supplying dc, the bridge rectifier is so that it can be connected either way around.
Namirred
2021-01-20 14:40:56 +0000 UTCA Chinese version would use an led, and that would be it!
Phil Collins
2021-01-20 12:46:38 +0000 UTCI'm interested why this E-scooter is supplying AC to the lamp, would have expected DC?
Mike Hanley
2021-01-20 12:33:12 +0000 UTCWhy not regulate the current directly? And the layout of the buck is terrible - I expect it radiates a lot of switching related harmonics
2021-01-20 11:45:49 +0000 UTCYes I posted as much. Wow how things have changed...
Michael Thompson
2021-01-20 11:30:10 +0000 UTCI agree it is interesting. I admire how versatile it is, but wowee it makes you miss just changing a bulb. I wonder how long they last in the vehicular environment by comparison.
Michael Thompson
2021-01-20 11:28:28 +0000 UTCGerman engineered? I’m shocked! 🤣
Lostngone
2021-01-20 09:51:51 +0000 UTCIt’s really impressive (the range / polarity) and interesting, but part of me does yearn for the simplicity of older things where it would simply be a bulb holder and an incandescent (replaceable) bulb and not a £35 module. Yes with vibration I can imagine the LED will outlast an incandescent but that’s a lot of simple bulb replacements to match the cost.
RDM
2021-01-20 09:16:43 +0000 UTC
