After a wet week, bike wash and a filthy, soaking Audax, my Schmidt Edelux yesterday developed some problems:
• The hub has vibrations at low speed (estimate <10km/h) and the lamp has noticeable flicker where previously this was not the case
• Lamp was initially at normal brightness but later reduced to a level similar to that which would be expected on the standlicht
• Standlicht intermittently did not work or worked for reduced duration
Today the Edelux appears to be functioning better – no vibration from hub and maintains its brightness in use but I notice misting on the inside of the lens glass. Clearly the lamp has suffered from water ingress and now appears to be drying out, hopefully it will recover fully. However, whilst the conditions last week were quite bad, I am concerned that there may be some lasting damage or corrosion to the components within the lamp. Does anyone know if the components are designed or manufactured (e.g conformal coated) to cope with moisture ingress or is there something I can do to help (WD40, GT85?) in the event that the lamp has a soaking in the future? BTW, I always ride with mudguards. Has anyone else experienced this and does the long term prognosis for my expensive lamp look bad?
Thanks
Jimmer
Moisture in Edelux
Re: Moisture in Edelux
Don't know about the Edelux but if the hub's a Schmidt then don't leave it out on a frosty night until the water's drained away. I unsuspectingly left mine in the shed at -13 back in early November, just after several commutes in heavy rain. When I tried to get the bike out the front wheel was solid. The half a yard I pushed it seems to have trashed the wiring by grinding the ice around. After warming up it ran as a hub but there's no electrical output. The wheel's about to be stripped so I can send the hub to Germany for a rebuild. 
If at first you don't succeed - cheat!!
Re: Moisture in Edelux
Sorry to hear about the above problems. This is why I've always stuck to bottle dynamos . After several winters of heavy use the usual symptom is a death rattle whereby the dynamo still generates power but has mechanical wear in the pivot mechanism and sometimes the axle of the armature and it's relegated to a spare bike. I then fit, in a few minutes, a new AXA HR bottle costing about €18 from a German website and thus have a mechanically and electrically brand new generating system. I'll pay good money for a hub dynamo - as soon as they make a reliable one which attaches externally to the hub (so it's easy to detach for repair or replacement) and can be mechanically disengaged during daylight hours ( I know there were a couple of models on the market some years ago but they had poor reputations for reliability).
Re: Moisture in Edelux
the innards of an Edelux are on display here
http://www.xs4all.nl/~swhs/fiets/tests/ ... ex_en.html
You can unscrew the bezel to get the light dried out properly, and after reassembly I'd be inclined to squidge some silicon grease in round the outside edge of the bezel, and on the torx bolt that hides under the switching ring.
Schmidt hubs depend on vintage.
The older ones just rely on the bearing seals to keep the water out. These are good, but there's a fair bit of air volume inside, and temperature changes can lead to the resulting air pressure difference sucking water in past the seals.
On later hubs, there's a breather hole inside the middle of the hollow axle to allow pressure to equalise other than via the bearing seals. There's a warning not to clog up the breather hole by greasing your QR skewer too much.
Risk factors would be going out from warm indoors into cold wet weather, or leaving a wet bike parked where it won't dry out.
http://www.xs4all.nl/~swhs/fiets/tests/ ... ex_en.html
You can unscrew the bezel to get the light dried out properly, and after reassembly I'd be inclined to squidge some silicon grease in round the outside edge of the bezel, and on the torx bolt that hides under the switching ring.
Schmidt hubs depend on vintage.
The older ones just rely on the bearing seals to keep the water out. These are good, but there's a fair bit of air volume inside, and temperature changes can lead to the resulting air pressure difference sucking water in past the seals.
On later hubs, there's a breather hole inside the middle of the hollow axle to allow pressure to equalise other than via the bearing seals. There's a warning not to clog up the breather hole by greasing your QR skewer too much.
Risk factors would be going out from warm indoors into cold wet weather, or leaving a wet bike parked where it won't dry out.
Re: Moisture in Edelux
Thanks for the replies. The hub is fine and actually it's simply a result of the water in the light (I tried an old halogen B&M to prove the hub was OK). Googling a bit it seems there have been some problems with early production and there has been a fix applied later on. Seems I received one of the models without the modification.
I posted an enquiry to Schmidt who replied within 30 minutes and they've told me that the light has a fault. Without promting (I enquired only how best to dry the unit and how to avoid future problems) asked me to return the item to SJS and will supply a new light. Great service from them!
I posted an enquiry to Schmidt who replied within 30 minutes and they've told me that the light has a fault. Without promting (I enquired only how best to dry the unit and how to avoid future problems) asked me to return the item to SJS and will supply a new light. Great service from them!