Spanninga SPXba Mudguard mount LED lamp

[Tractorboy]

A few years back Chris Juden wrote an article on lighting, and mentioned a mudguard mounting rear LED lamp available by mail order - see http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=3817

I have bought two of the automatic versions (SPXba), and they are a neat solution. Its fixing bolt and alignment peg align perfectly with the holes in SKS chromoplastic guards. Perhaps the CTC shop should stock them - no one else in the UK does, and the postage cost from Europe is high.

They come with no instructions - and I can't find any on the web - so here is my effort to write a user guide.

1. Battery Fitting
* You don't need instructions for this! It's obvious.

2. Use.
* Press the switch once for 'Always on'

* Press again, and the LED flashes five or six times times, then, depending on the ambient lighting will either go out (The internal light-sensor has decided it's too bright for lights) or stay on (the unit decides it's dark enough for the LED to be lit).


* If the LED is 'ON' in auto mode, it will switch 'OFF' automagically if either
* Ambient lighting increases sufficiently OR
* No 'movement' (i.e. vibration) is detected for about 2 minutes


* It will switch on instantly again if it detects vibrations AND it's dark enough. In theory you can always leave it in 'Auto' mode - though I switch mine off when the bike is left for more than a few hours.

* Press the switch again to switch the unit OFF

Hope this might be useful to someone.

Andy Barkley

[melw1]

They do indeed look really neat. Thanks for that.

URL for them is here just incase anyone wants it.

[Jac]

Thanks for that information - have just ordered one.
Although the postage is high I have been looking for a battery light to fit to my mudguard without success.
I was advised by LBS not to wire the existing light that came with the mudguard into my dynamo as it would reduce the efficiency of the front light.
Dont know whether this is correct but the battery lamp looks a good solution - so thanks.

[CJ]

I was advised by LBS not to wire the existing light that came with the mudguard into my dynamo as it would reduce the efficiency of the front light.

True, but there's a downside to the "more effiecient" front light.

When no rear light is connected, the full 0.5A generator output (bike "dynamos" are more or less constant current devices) is delivered to a bulb designed for 0.4A. The extra current raises its filament temperature so it glows whiter, producing more visible light compared to useless infra red, but also increasing the rate at which tungsten evaporates from the filament, so the bulb fails much sooner. Very much sooner.

Because halogen bulbs are so sensitive to over-running, and because bike "dynamos" are not exactly constant current, "dynamo" lamps generally incorporate a small zener diode overload protector which diverts excess current when the voltage rises above about 7V, as it may do occasionally when going fast downhill. Running front lamp only, with a 0.4A bulb and a 0.5A generator, will result in almost constant operation this device. It's not designed for that and may itself overheat and fail.

So whereas front only gives a much brighter light, it causes more frequent bulb failure and ultimately kills the overload protector, leading to an even brighter lamp that fails even more often! And there's no easy way of testing whether the overload protector has failed, but if you have a lamp that eats bulbs, that is most likely the reason.

So if you operate front lamp only on a 3W dynamo, it is advisable to fit a 3W bulb in place of the 2.4W original, right from the start.

[Jac]

So if you operate front lamp only on a 3W dynamo, it is advisable to fit a 3W bulb in place of the 2.4W original, right from the start.

Thanks for explaining that - have just checked the bulb in my front light
It is a Smit dynohub - says 3W on the side - and a B&M Lumotec oval plus lamp - it has a 3W bulb. (dont think it is halogen but dont know how to tell - its the one that came with the lamp)
Havent had any problems with it blowing but its not a brilliant light.

[cyclistjohn]

A few years back Chris Juden wrote an article on lighting, and mentioned a mudguard mounting rear LED lamp available by mail order - see http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=3817

These look pretty good (I have seen them on a wheel), but they're axle mounted rather than mudguard.
Key feature is *no* batteries, & they have a ~ 2 minutes standby capacitor to keep them going whilst you're stationary.

http://reelight.com.linux98.123hotel.dk/index_en.php

Cheapest I've seen them is £30 a pair.

[cyclistjohn]

It is a Smit dynohub - says 3W on the side - and a B&M Lumotec oval plus lamp - it has a 3W bulb. (dont think it is halogen but dont know how to tell - its the one that came with the lamp)
.. but its not a brilliant light.

Interesting; is that the posh expensive German hub? I'm thinking of getting one with a view to charging AA's rather than powering a lamp directly.

Are you comparing the light with another type, or is that just a general observation?

[Jac]

Interesting; is that the posh expensive German hub? I'm thinking of getting one with a view to charging AA's rather than powering a lamp directly.

Are you comparing the light with another type, or is that just a general observation?

Yes it was quite expensive but decided it was worth the cost because of its reliability and there is no drag at all when the light is turned off.
I did expect the lamp to be a bit brighter - but on the plus side it is fairly constant and has the standlight when stoped at junctions.

Would thoroughly recomend the Smit dynohub - lamp not as good as I had hoped for dark country lanes.

[cyclistjohn]

....
Yes it was quite expensive but decided it was worth the cost because of its reliability and there is no drag at all when the light is turned off.
....
Would thoroughly recomend the Smit dynohub - lamp not as good as I had hoped for dark country lanes.

Thanks for the info'. If only I could afford one for each bike

[AndrewClark]

I used to have a Cateye AU100BS on my rear mudguard until I smashed it. How does the Spanninga compare to this for brightness & visibility ?

[Wildoo]

There is a brand new SPXba on EBAY right now for anyone interested!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... :IT&ih=002