Wiring up Shimano dynohub

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ericonabike
Posts: 362
Joined: 24 Apr 2008, 4:05pm

Wiring up Shimano dynohub

Post by ericonabike »

After some 10 years [don't like to rush these things] I'm getting round to fitting the Shimano dynohub wheel that I bought. I've got as far as installing the wheel, but the wiring side of it is making me frown. The wheel came complete with the Shimano Nexus switch ]on/off/auto] with 18" dual core wire fitted, and a Basta Horizon halogen lamp. The latter has no obvious terminals and it's not immediately obvious how to get inside it.

Grateful for any pointers to online guides, or instructions from helpful posters, as to how to start. Have done due diligence on Google, but nothing seemed to fit the bill.
Motorists' mantra: Cyclists must obey the law and the Highway Code AT ALL TIMES. Unless their doing so would HOLD ME UP.
Brucey
Posts: 44522
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: Wiring up Shimano dynohub

Post by Brucey »

basta lamps (of which there are many types) either have ~3mm wide blade terminals secreted about them somewhere, or a single trailing wire (the other connection -which ultimately needs to go to the right one at the hub end- being made through the bracket). The ones I have seen are not super quality and anyway a Halogen lamp of any kind is more or less obsolete now.

The Nexus Auto/switch system made some sense when lamps were unsophisticated but (unless you must have the thing on the handlebars and you are prepared to accept the possibility of water leaks, it getting knocked, etc etc) those days are long gone now. You should be able to find the relevant techdocs for this item on the interweb if you try hard enough. (tip; try using the wayback machine to access the shimano website circa 2005)

[edit; I found the SW-NX10 (which is what I assume you have) SI techdoc here;http://www.kurbelix.de/Shimano_Technische_Daten_Anleitungen/Shimano_Anleitung_SWNX10_EN-SI20Y0D-EN.PDF]

In terms of light output (esp at low speeds) you can do so much better now with an LED light (even one costing less than £15) that I would think carefully about bothering to wire up the auto-switch and the lamp you have; there is a lot more wiring than is necessary (esp if you are running a rear light), there is a regulator you may not need, and there is just more to go wrong.

By contrast working a switch on the headlamp shell (where it ought to be a good deal more reliable/less easily damaged) once in a journey doesn't seem such a chore to me.

cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ericonabike
Posts: 362
Joined: 24 Apr 2008, 4:05pm

Re: Wiring up Shimano dynohub

Post by ericonabike »

Cheers Brucey, much appreciated. I've managed to get into the Basta [starting to seem it's short of a couple of letters at the end] that has two terminals hidden within it, which seem to require bare wires to be poked through them. Agree that things have moved on apace in the last ten years, and am currently looking at led lights on t'internet. Any recommendations? Will be used on my town bike rather than for audaxing, so car headlight type output not required.
Motorists' mantra: Cyclists must obey the law and the Highway Code AT ALL TIMES. Unless their doing so would HOLD ME UP.
Brucey
Posts: 44522
Joined: 4 Jan 2012, 6:25pm

Re: Wiring up Shimano dynohub

Post by Brucey »

AXA pico comes well recommended as good VFM. Union ones seem OK too. They are about £15 or something. Just be sure to get the right one, with a switch, a standlight, etc as you require.

cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ericonabike
Posts: 362
Joined: 24 Apr 2008, 4:05pm

Re: Wiring up Shimano dynohub

Post by ericonabike »

By way of update - bought a Busch and Miller light from SJS cycles - 30 lux, plus standlight and day riding mode. It is stunning! Light enough for anything other than manic descents, and simplicity itself to instal. Power take off for a rear light too, which I may add later. Thanks again to Brucey for diverting me from my original plan.
Motorists' mantra: Cyclists must obey the law and the Highway Code AT ALL TIMES. Unless their doing so would HOLD ME UP.
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