Comments on: How To Set Up The Best Hub Dynamo System For USB Charging & Lights https://www.cyclingabout.com/best-hub-dynamo-system/ Bikepacking, Bicycle Touring, Equipment, Testing, Videos Wed, 27 Dec 2023 15:07:54 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.2 By: He La https://www.cyclingabout.com/best-hub-dynamo-system/#comment-3955 Sat, 09 Sep 2017 10:00:00 +0000 https://www.cyclingabout.com/?p=11406#comment-3955 Just returned from a 4 day cycle tour with our two girls (8 and 10 yo) – which means an average speed of 10-15km/h and max. 3 hours of cycling per day: haven’t had any issues while perfectly loading 2 iPhone SE, Sony A6500 and several black diamond headlamps. The only thing I have had to care about: changing the plug when the batteries where fully charged.

Setup: Schmidts Original Namendynamo SON 28, Thomas Dreiers Dynamo Harvester plus

Dynamo Harvester ??? see the webpage: https://www.be-on-bike.de

For detailed information you should also read the fulminant article series by A. Oehler in “Fahrradzukunft” (http://fahrradzukunft.de) and especially part 5 (http://fahrradzukunft.de/22/steckdose-unterwegs-5/)

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By: loic https://www.cyclingabout.com/best-hub-dynamo-system/#comment-3940 Wed, 06 Sep 2017 10:24:00 +0000 https://www.cyclingabout.com/?p=11406#comment-3940 In reply to Alee | CyclingAbout.com.

Thanks for the answer,
I just checked and my dynamo is a Shutter Precision PD-8 6V3W.
So it sounds like I have the proper model.

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By: Alee | CyclingAbout.com https://www.cyclingabout.com/best-hub-dynamo-system/#comment-3939 Wed, 06 Sep 2017 00:11:00 +0000 https://www.cyclingabout.com/?p=11406#comment-3939 In reply to loic.

It’s interesting that you’re having these issues. You’re not running the SP 9 Series hub by any chance? That’s a 6V 1.5W hub model that isn’t intended for charging (it sounds like you have the 6V 3W model). The other thing is that the hub might not be producing the right output.

The smartphones that I’ve used don’t at all struggle with the 5V 500mA output, but they do charge MUCH slower than from the wall. Using a Schmidt SON28 hub and Plug III, my iPhone 5S is happy getting a trickle charge over 12km/h, as is my 6700mAh unbranded power bank.

The iPhone has a 1500mAh battery, so at a rate of 500mA per hour from my dynamo hub (cycling speed ~20km/h), plus a 20% loss in the charging circuitry, it takes about 3.6 hours to fill up. The battery is twice as big in your BQ Aquaris M5, so you can expect a 7 hour ride to fill the battery at 20km/h! Definitely not a fast enough charge if you’re a heavy phone user, and are cycling less than 100km per day.

I hope this helps!

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By: loic https://www.cyclingabout.com/best-hub-dynamo-system/#comment-3935 Tue, 05 Sep 2017 15:31:00 +0000 https://www.cyclingabout.com/?p=11406#comment-3935 So on the topic of USB charging with a dynamo hub I think some clarifications need to be made.
First of all, all I am about to say is based on my own experience with my personal bike and dynamo setup, I do not know for other setups.

I am running a Shutter Precision dynamo hub with a Supernova/tout-terrain the plug (I believe it is the model III). My smartphone is a BQ aquaris M5 and I have several powerbanks including the Anker one mentioned in this article.
The plug is hooked directly to the dynamo, for the moment I am not running any lights.

So, the basic output of a dynamo hub is 500mah and so is the output of the plug on the USB port. Most modern smartphones (meaning 5″+, full HD, 2GB ram…) require 1ah or more to be able to charge properly; which in practice, if I connect my telephone to the plug USB port it will NEVER CHARGE properly, actually even discharge faster. The same is true with the Anker power core, it cannot be charged with the plug, the output is too weak.

The only devices that I successfully managed to charge with the plug are a small usb powered bike light and a Goal Zero 3000mah power bank (they are used with solar panels). And for the powerbank I would charge half of it in a full day (~100kms) ride.

Of course it is possible that I am doing something wrong, but I think it’s important that I share my experience.

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By: Tom Shield https://www.cyclingabout.com/best-hub-dynamo-system/#comment-3929 Mon, 04 Sep 2017 00:57:00 +0000 https://www.cyclingabout.com/?p=11406#comment-3929 Do you know about how marine wiring is done? Bike wiring has similar corrosion issues I would assume. There are adhesive lined crimp connectors and heat shrink tubing that seal the connections. You can also get tinned wire as well (but as the link below explains, it’s sealing the connections that is important). Here’s a link with a picture of a sealed crimp connector:

https://www.practical-sailor.com/issues/34_6/psadvisory/Tinned-Wire_5632-1.html

West Marine also has a marine wiring page. Amazon also has the crimp connectors and adhesive lined heat shrink.

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