Author Topic: Solar powered LED lights for your wheels?  (Read 2658 times)

pretzelz

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 13
    • View Profile
Solar powered LED lights for your wheels?
« on: April 24, 2010, 08:31:57 PM »
Hi All, this is in addition to my earlier post (as my Agility 125 is currently work, need to check spark plug but hey ho)

So my idea is this, for some LED wheel lights. (And yes I know about led valve caps from ebay, tried them and they lasted a month)

I've bought 2 of these solar powered LED lights from ebay:

http://www.geekalerts.com/u/3led-solar.jpg

I plan to cable-tie them onto each wheel. However, I don't want to manually turn them on or off each time before a journey, so I thought how about replacing the switch with a tiny motion-activated switch?

Something like this for example: 
http://www.rapidonline.com/Electronic-Components/Sensors/Tilt-Tip-Switches/Sensolute-micro-vibration-sensor-omnidirectional/178104

But I really don't know how suitable it is for this purpose, and if the voltage requirements or whatever would be feasible! There is another similar switch on that website at half the cost too.

Any ideas?

zombie

  • You never know do ya!
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 13870
  • Close enough to get the idea!
    • View Profile
Re: Solar powered LED lights for your wheels?
« Reply #1 on: April 24, 2010, 08:43:15 PM »
How about a mercury tilt switch from a Home thermostat. Mount it inside a piece of tubbing to protect it.
"They have nothing in their whole imperial arsenal that can break the spirit of one Irishman who doesn't want to be broken."   Bobby Sands...

pretzelz

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 13
    • View Profile
Re: Solar powered LED lights for your wheels?
« Reply #2 on: April 24, 2010, 09:33:38 PM »
The issue with a tilt switch as I understand it, is that it is OFF at a certain angle (eg horizontal) and ON at another angle. This means when you pull back into the drive way and your wheels aren't in the OFF position, your lights will remain on.

zombie

  • You never know do ya!
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 13870
  • Close enough to get the idea!
    • View Profile
Re: Solar powered LED lights for your wheels?
« Reply #3 on: April 25, 2010, 02:00:06 AM »
Roll it forward. There is one thing I don't get... Solar powered? Who needs a light in the day time?
"They have nothing in their whole imperial arsenal that can break the spirit of one Irishman who doesn't want to be broken."   Bobby Sands...

pretzelz

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 13
    • View Profile
Re: Solar powered LED lights for your wheels?
« Reply #4 on: April 25, 2010, 11:06:34 PM »
nobody, was just for at night, although if it illuminated during the day then who cares nobody would notice

zombie

  • You never know do ya!
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 13870
  • Close enough to get the idea!
    • View Profile
Re: Solar powered LED lights for your wheels?
« Reply #5 on: April 26, 2010, 01:09:41 AM »
I'm still lost~ Is that a good place for a ~,?
"They have nothing in their whole imperial arsenal that can break the spirit of one Irishman who doesn't want to be broken."   Bobby Sands...

wordslinger

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10766
  • undead primate
    • View Profile
Re: Solar powered LED lights for your wheels?
« Reply #6 on: April 26, 2010, 10:44:04 AM »

      8')~
..every mod (action) necessitates a (reaction) mod..

zombie

  • You never know do ya!
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 13870
  • Close enough to get the idea!
    • View Profile
Re: Solar powered LED lights for your wheels?
« Reply #7 on: April 26, 2010, 08:54:15 PM »
What I mean , Is there a battery inside the unit? Must be...  What is an 8')~ Hope I didn't get roped into something here!
"They have nothing in their whole imperial arsenal that can break the spirit of one Irishman who doesn't want to be broken."   Bobby Sands...

Hoolander2

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1180
    • View Profile
Re: Solar powered LED lights for your wheels?
« Reply #8 on: April 27, 2010, 05:11:15 AM »
Might scare off a thief if the wheels suddenly lit up when he tried to move it.  Ha! 

If it's what you want to do, then do it, Pretzelz. 

Now, if you used a tilt switch, you think you'd get a on-off-on-off effect?  At least at slow speeds? That might actually look cool. 

You might need to balance the wheels with wheel weights after installation.  Just something to consider.   
« Last Edit: April 27, 2010, 05:15:47 AM by Hoolander2 »

wordslinger

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10766
  • undead primate
    • View Profile
Re: Solar powered LED lights for your wheels?
« Reply #9 on: April 27, 2010, 10:44:57 AM »
What I mean , Is there a battery inside the unit? Must be...  What is an 8')~ Hope I didn't get roped into something here!


..lmfao...look at   8')~    sideways.....


..itsa eyeballs nose lips and a dangling tongue....

wheretf u been??

 ;D
..every mod (action) necessitates a (reaction) mod..

zombie

  • You never know do ya!
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 13870
  • Close enough to get the idea!
    • View Profile
Re: Solar powered LED lights for your wheels?
« Reply #10 on: April 27, 2010, 02:13:18 PM »
Floatin' on a Hippie cloud Brother!
"They have nothing in their whole imperial arsenal that can break the spirit of one Irishman who doesn't want to be broken."   Bobby Sands...

An Error Has Occurred!

Call to undefined function split()