PV Gap

Sarah Said:

what difference would using two batteries make on my flashlight instead of using just one?

We Answered:

The extra part is most likely cosmetic. Some people prefer long flashlights, others prefer short.
Of course, you can probably use it as storage for an extra battery.

Even if there is wiring, most likely it will be using the second battery in parallel. This will just provide extended battery life.

Alfredo Said:

LED flashlight project?

We Answered:

What u mean to say is you are going to make the LED's turn on with the help of a source which is natural.. (Like solar, wind etc)..

I have an idea with the solar..
you cannot directly activate the LED's with solar energy. u need to convert that into electricity.. so u need a solar cell..
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_cell]

basic solar cell can produce a voltage of upto +5V DC..

if ur load{no. of LED's.. if they consume less than 5V.. then its ok.. or else... u need another solar cell which is connected in series with the previous solar cell described.. :)

and now.. the unit is ready.. just give the connections..
combine the LED terminals to the Solar cell and just check out... if u need to turn on tour LED's, your solar cell must be prerequisite-ly charged.. or else u have to charge them. :)

Courtney Said:

Bike Head lamp.. What do you use?

We Answered:

Hi Amanda

I Do a lot of riding at night and have done for years. I choose the light that I use based on where I am going and how long I am going for.(You tend to collect a few variations over the years.)

Head lights have two uses. To see wear you are going and so that you are seen by others. If you are riding around town there is often plenty of street lighting to see wear you are going so a simple three or four Led flasher does the job.The battery life is excellent. I tested one and it took after being left on for over a month there was still useful light emitted.

These are quite cheap so get TWO. It dosn't matter what kind of light you get, they will all fail at one time or another. Don't get caught in the dark. Same goes for tail lights. By al means get a super bright one but have an el cheapo as a back up.

When I get out into areas wear the street lighting is poor then it is time for the brighter lights. I have a range of choices of 5,10,15 or 20 watt halogen which I select depending on how far I am riding. (Battery life shortens with brighter lights.) (two batteries give about 4 hours of light @ 5 watts 1 hour @ 20 watts)

My favorite is an Ultra bright 4 watt led torch with a lithium ion battery. It is really low weight, gives good light (120 Lumens) and lasts for just over two hours. It has failed due to vibration a few times and was quite expensive to buy though.

I also like a dynamo hub generator front wheel to use on the all night rides.(limited to 5 watts) Use the generator to keep the battery topped up. (goes all night even when stopped.) The vintage ,on tyre generators are terrible by comparision,( noisey, hard on the tyres and like dragging a brake)

For tail lights the brightest, I know of is a brand Basta
http://www.croydoncycleworks.com/shop/pr…

There are heaps of good brands for head lights and some are ridiculously bright. You need to carry a hugh battery to keep them going for any length of time and they get very pricey.
http://www.lumicycle.com/pages/default.a…


What ever you choose make sure you have a back up. El cheapo are a lot better than nothing if you have to sneak home after a lamp,wiring or a battery fails.

Even when you light up like a Christmas tree there are some motorists that don't register bicycles.

Be careful !!!!

Kelly Said:

Solar energy question?

We Answered:

no. due to the energy loss through heat and lack of a completely closed system you won't be able to perfectly conserve and reuse the same energy infinitely. eventually the batteries on the flashligjt will drain and the system will stop working. also, i am not entirely sure solar panels are designed to absorb energy from light from a flashlight. spefically artificial light. another factor is the low effeciency of solar panels of today and how they are not able to convert 100% light absorbed into electricity. anothet factor is the wiring and its length. energy will be lost throigh wiring in the form of heat.

in short, if you could create a completely closed system taking into account all factors related to conservation of energy, and possessed a solar panel not only with 100% effeciency for light absorbtion but that would be able to absorb the light produced by the flshlight then you could generate an infinite cycle of light conversion, perfectly insulating all heat generated and reincorporating the heat back into the closed system.

Brittany Said:

What would be in your Zombie Preparedness Kit?

We Answered:

chainsaw and gas