![]() ![]() Older incandescent dynamo lights could be plugged straight into a dynamo hub because they work with either AC or DC current, so were much simpler. They also typically include over-voltage protection and logic circuits that detect whether the standlight needs to be activated. ![]() To start, they have to convert the AC power produced by the dynamo into DC (this circuit is known as a rectifier). Modern LED-based dynamo headlights are fairly complex. To be absolutely clear, dynamo lights cannot be powered by a battery.Ĭonversely, most battery-powered headlights cannot be run directly from a dynamo (some lights, such as the Light & Motion Rando 500 allow you to slowly charge the internal battery via a dynamo as you ride). FairlightĪ dynamo bike light relies on the power produced by a dynamo to work.Īpart from a small battery or capacitor that keeps the light illuminated for a short time after you stop (known as a standlight), a dynamo headlight requires your wheels to be spinning to provide illumination. Internally, dynamo lights are quite different to typical battery-powered lights. While a dynamo typically refers to the component generating power, it’s also often used to describe a light powered by a dynamo hub. Its widely-sold Dynohub, which was originally released in the 1930s, became synonymous with generator hubs and ‘dynamo’ has become everyday parlance in the cycling world (even if the name is technically incorrect). So where did the name ‘dynamo hub’ come from, and why has it stuck?Īs with a Xerox, Velcro or an Escalator, Sturmey Archer is the victim of a form of genericization. As such, it’s technically more accurate to refer to a dynamo hub as a generator hub. The key difference is that a dynamo in the strictest sense of the word produces direct current (DC). Dynamo or alternator?įor the pedants out there, most dynamos are technically single-phase alternators (a magneto if you want to be really specific) that produce alternating current (AC). However, they can slip in wet or muddy conditions and are usually noisier when running. ![]() They can also be fully disengaged when not required. These have the advantage of being easier to retrofit to a bike and are typically cheaper than a hub dynamo. However, instead of being embedded into a hub, a bottle-shaped generator that’s bolted onto the seatstays runs a small wheel on the outside edge of a bicycle’s tyre or rim to generate power. Jack Luke / Immediate Mediaīottle dynamos (also known as sidewall dynamos) work in a similar way to a hub dynamo. Bottle dynamos run on your bike’s tyre or rim. ![]()
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