Alternatives to the E-WERK?

[Sparky54321]

Hi everyone,

I'm considering buying a SON hub dynamo, and am looking to use it to power a set of lights, and to charge mobile phone/GPS etc. while touring.

The only device charging set-up I've come across is the Busch and Muller E-Werk. It looks like a good system but it's quite pricey, and needs a cache battery (sold separately).
http://www.bumm.de/produkte/e-werk-und-zubehoer.html
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/busch-and-muller-e-werk-prod21393/?src=froogle

Has anyone come across a reliable system that can cope with both lights and USB devices, and is cheaper? Also, if anyone has used the E-werk system, is it reliable?

Any advice/insights would be much appreciated!

 

[Aushiker]

I have a PedalPower+ Super-i-Cable and so far I am pretty happy with it. It will not charge and run the lights at the same time (well I cannot pedal fast enough to achieve that outcome) so having the battery is a handy feature for me. Also if you use an iPhone I believe you need the battery to act as a consistent power source for it.

Regards
Andrew

 

[PpPete]

I would certainly expect the e-werk to be reliable, but the possibilities of multiple output voltages/ampages all seems a little un-necessary (and source of potential confusion to tired cyclists) when everything is standardising around USB voltages.

The best known of the alternatives is probably the Dahon Biologic Reecharge. The reliability is said to be good so long as you follow the instructions to the letter. There is one well documented failure mode where AIUI if you a leave one part switched on and nothing connected, a high speed downhill will fry the unit. I've never looked at one "in the flesh", but IIRC the rectifier circuit box thingy and cache battery come as two separate boxes to attach to your bike.

There are any number of alternatives out there, including a very neat looking, but expensive one called "The Plug" which build in to your headtube/headset. No idea on reliability.

There is also one called the Softhema which I think is also marketed as a Kemo M172. A least one bad report, but others have found ok.

I'm currently using a Pedalpower SIC cable. This is the latest iteration from an Australian company. Their original models had separate cache battery, but the SIC integrates a relatively small cache battery (which can also be charged from mains before you set off). Two things I didn't like about it as originally supplied (both easily rectified):

• the supplied handlebar mounting (not as shown in aushiker's post) is flimsy and although the unit supposedly weatherproof I'm not keen on leaving electronic gubbins out in driving rain! Mine lives in a small handlebar bag, along with the various output leads I might use (Nokia/USB/mini-USB/micro/USB) and a lightweight battery charger for AA NiMh cells.

• The "piggy-back" spade terminals that enable it to run in conjunction with the lighting yields an arrangement of astonishing fugliness (and potential for loss of small but vital parts if taking front wheel off for puncture repair). I have re-arranged things to use the standard Shimano "leg-brick" connector at the hub, and a Tamiya connector by the (fork-crown mounted) light so I can disconnect the SIC "on the move" (should I ever need to) whilst leaving the light connected.

Or of course you can make your own... google "bicycle usb charger" and you will soon find circuit diagrams.

For fuller discussions in "another place".... see this thread and this one.

 

[PpPete]

I have a PedalPower+ Super-i-Cable and so far I am pretty happy with it. It will not charge and run the lights at the same time (well I cannot pedal fast enough to achieve that outcome) so having the battery is a handy feature for me. Also if you use an iPhone I believe you need the battery to act as a consistent power source for it.
Regards
Andrew

Strange! Mine seems to run light (Philips SafeRide Dynamo) and charge at the same time... or at least the little "hub" LED on the unit says the internal battery is charging. Connecting up the Garmin Etrex Legend HCx, and switching the unit "off" so it doesnt draw power from the battery, the Garmin shows as being on external power even at low speeds with light on or off. Below about 3 mph with light on the Garmin beeps "external power lost". Switching the SIC on removes that irritation... but do remember to turn it off overnight!

EDIT: Correction... it doesnt charge and run lighting concurrently. Think my memory has faded since testing some weeks ago.

 

[Aushiker]

Strange! Mine seems to run light (Philips SafeRide Dynamo) and charge at the same time... or at least the little "hub" LED on the unit says the internal battery is charging. Connecting up the Garmin Etrex Legend HCx, and switching the unit "off" so it doesnt draw power from the battery, the Garmin shows as being on external power even at low speeds with light on or off. Below about 3 mph with light on the Garmin beeps "external power lost". Switching the SIC on removes that irritation... but do remember to turn it off overnight!

I should have qualified my comment. My first unit behaved the way I described. It turned out to be faulty (wouldn't charge my phone) so my experience may have been peculiar to that particular unit. I haven't as set-up the new unit but I did discuss this with PedalPower+ and Nicholas seemed to think what I was experiencing was the norm, that is my Garmin Edge 800 would loose external power if the light was on.

Hopefully I can replicate your experience with my new unit

Andrew

 

[PpPete]

I should have qualified my comment. My first unit behaved the way I described. It turned out to be faulty (wouldn't charge my phone) so my experience may have been peculiar to that particular unit. I haven't as set-up the new unit but I did discuss this with PedalPower+ and Nicholas seemed to think what I was experiencing was the norm, that is my Garmin Edge 800 would loose external power if the light was on.

Hopefully I can replicate your experience with my new unit

Andrew

Good to compare notes.... I am planning doing on some "serious" testing on this weekend's 600km ride.

 

[Aushiker]

The "piggy-back" spade terminals that enable it to run in conjunction with the lighting yields an arrangement of astonishing fugliness (and potential for loss of small but vital parts if taking front wheel off for puncture repair). I have re-arranged things to use the standard Shimano "leg-brick" connector at the hub, and a Tamiya connector by the (fork-crown mounted) light so I can disconnect the SIC "on the move" (should I ever need to) whilst leaving the light connected.

I used some Sugru as per the idea from the Middle Aged Cyclist to enclose the piggyback connectors. This resulted in a single block connector. Much more robust, but I might have a look a the Shimano connector if I can find one.

I like your idea of the Tamiya connectors.

Regards
Andrew

 

[Aushiker]

@PpPete I assume this is the Shimano connector you are referring to?

Thanks
Andrew

 

[Aushiker]

Good to compare notes.... I am planning doing on some "serious" testing on this weekend's 600km ride.

That is serious testing! All the best with the ride.

Andrew

 

[PpPete]

yes - that's the one. I have a Shimano DH3N80 hub, much cheaper than a SON, and supposedly very nearly as good.

I beefed up individual wires with Sugru, like this:

Then promptly took it apart because it looked so sh1t.

 

[PpPete]

Above post edited too, but today on my final check ride before the weekend (first time I've put the full works on the bike in a while) I found it was NOT charging the battery and running the lights at the same time. My memory of earlier testing was clearly at fault.

 

[PpPete]

Or was it?
Now I really don't know anymore...
I found that plugging in the SIC at night affected the light (a Phillips Saferide) quite dramatically.

Running the light + SIC, which was "full", but providing power via USB to a SCH600F battery charger with 4 AAs in it gave some "interesting" flickering effects on both the light and the LCD display of the charger.

Running the light + SIC, which was nearly "empty", but still providing external power to the Garmin Legend HCx (to keep the screen backlight on) simply dimmed the light to near standlight levels (which didnt matter because I had the monster 1000 lumen XML-T6 torch on the bars)

I did manage to charge a set of AAs during the following day's riding with the SIC connected but without the light on... not sure how long it took.

Next thing to try.... can I charge an 18650 Li-Ion off it? more to come.

 

[Jezston]

lol "bumm"

 

[PpPete]

Hold up folks..... this looks like a serious alternative contender:
http://translate.google.co.uk/trans...t=2&eotf=1&u=http://www.axa-nano.com/&act=url
Decent enough light (possibly even a very good one).... with a USB port in the side. For no more than a decent dynamo light:
http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/k1004/a70819/nano-50-plus-steady-auto-led-front-light.html?lg=en

You'll likely want to charge a generic cache battery off the USB, and then charge phone/GPS from the cache, but even so it's going to come in as a much lower cost solution if you don't already own a dynamo light.