Attaching lighting set to main battery on a Big Bear

[Teejay]

Got a second hand Woosh Big Bear through these columns a couple of years ago. Rode it round for a bit and great fun it was too. After a few repairs were needed anyway, decided to take it off the road in order to turn it into a more practical machine for me.

All of that (north road bars, frame lock, schwable super marathon tyres etc) is all done but I've come to a shuddering halt with the new lighting system. After a lash-on torch got nicked, I decided it's far better to have an integrated ligting system powered from the bike's main battery. So got a Busch & Muller headlamp and wires, which is advertised as running on up to 42V. And it has a 6v output for dynamo-style rear lights - so got one of them as well. Cost me very little, as I had some Amazon vouchers I'd been given, going spare.

However, I have neither the knowledge, equipment nor temprament to do this myself. My mate, very good on conventional cycle mechanics, demurred. Woosh wouldn't do it. So, is there anyone out there who could help me with this, or at least give suggestions as to what I could do, please? I'm in suburban NW London.

 

[Nealh]

I wired up permanent lights on my commute/errand bike originally with Big Bear BPM kit and latterly with 8fun CST & KT electrics, lights work up to 84v with integral step down voltage.
With the Bigbear luishi controller I fed the lights wiring (front & rear) 22/24awg silicone wire direct to the controller, joined F & R wiring in parallel and then simply spliced them into the V+ (red) & V- (black) wiring between controller and battery.
I fitted an inline fuse (auto spade type 3/5a ) and an On/off switch on the V+(red) on the light wire before the controller.

On the KT electrics it is easier the controller has a 3 way connector for lights, horn & switch so a fuse isn't needed.

 

[Woosh]

all the Big Bear batteries have electronic on/off switch on the drive side of the battery case. If the lighting circuit is accidentally shorted, it may damage the electronic switch which is located on the BMS board.
The new regulations on batteries make repairs more and more difficult. In the past, replacing the BMS wasn't a big deal, it now is made much more difficult.
Please think about buying lights with their own Lithium battery.

 

[Andy-Mat]

Got a second hand Woosh Big Bear through these columns a couple of years ago. Rode it round for a bit and great fun it was too. After a few repairs were needed anyway, decided to take it off the road in order to turn it into a more practical machine for me.

All of that (north road bars, frame lock, schwable super marathon tyres etc) is all done but I've come to a shuddering halt with the new lighting system. After a lash-on torch got nicked, I decided it's far better to have an integrated ligting system powered from the bike's main battery. So got a Busch & Muller headlamp and wires, which is advertised as running on up to 42V. And it has a 6v output for dynamo-style rear lights - so got one of them as well. Cost me very little, as I had some Amazon vouchers I'd been given, going spare.

However, I have neither the knowledge, equipment nor temprament to do this myself. My mate, very good on conventional cycle mechanics, demurred. Woosh wouldn't do it. So, is there anyone out there who could help me with this, or at least give suggestions as to what I could do, please? I'm in suburban NW London.

After experiencing front lights out at night on my previous bike, because the battery was empty, (the rear still worked!) I only use attached battery powered lighting front and back......
The cheap LED ones are really brilliant in the full sense of the word!!
Two are even better and make the "way" like daylight!
I would never waste my time/money trying to use the bike battery, but I know that many think differently, that's their right of course!
Regards
Andy

 

[anotherkiwi]

Got a second hand Woosh Big Bear through these columns a couple of years ago. Rode it round for a bit and great fun it was too. After a few repairs were needed anyway, decided to take it off the road in order to turn it into a more practical machine for me.

All of that (north road bars, frame lock, schwable super marathon tyres etc) is all done but I've come to a shuddering halt with the new lighting system. After a lash-on torch got nicked, I decided it's far better to have an integrated ligting system powered from the bike's main battery. So got a Busch & Muller headlamp and wires, which is advertised as running on up to 42V. And it has a 6v output for dynamo-style rear lights - so got one of them as well. Cost me very little, as I had some Amazon vouchers I'd been given, going spare.

However, I have neither the knowledge, equipment nor temprament to do this myself. My mate, very good on conventional cycle mechanics, demurred. Woosh wouldn't do it. So, is there anyone out there who could help me with this, or at least give suggestions as to what I could do, please? I'm in suburban NW London.

I spliced my light feed into the controller power wires. Turn the battery on the lights come on. I used an XT30 plug so the lights can be disconnected if needed. Your lights will still work even if you reach the LVC.

Your b+m should work at up to 50 v, mine does.

 

[Nealh]

Lights if wired in as AK say's will still work if the battery reaches lvc there may not be enough volts to poer the bike but plenty to run lights

all the Big Bear batteries have electronic on/off switch on the drive side of the battery case. If the lighting circuit is accidentally shorted, it may damage the electronic switch which is located on the BMS board.
The new regulations on batteries make repairs more and more difficult. In the past, replacing the BMS wasn't a big deal, it now is made much more difficult.
Please think about buying lights with their own Lithium battery.

BMS easy enough to swap out if you are able to do it yourself, or if not someone like Jimmy can help out.
The main issue with batteries is transporting them by courier from A to B & then back to A.

 

[Woosh]

Lights if wired in as AK say's will still work if the battery reaches lvc there may not be enough volts to poer the bike but plenty to run lights


BMS easy enough to swap out if you are able to do it yourself, or if not someone like Jimmy can help out.
The main issue with batteries is transporting them by courier from A to B & then back to A.

the Chinese start to gunk up all around the BMS.

 

[Teejay]

Thank you to all for your contributions in answering my original post. Whilst I appreciate attaching self contained battery lights is an easy answer, I've never had a happy history with these things, going back to the days of 'Never Ready'! I regard them as a lash-it-on-afterthought. Cars and Motorcycles have integrated lighting systems, why shouldn't bicycles - at least those used as transport like mine are? As I pointed out in my original post, what started this was a battery light getting nicked. Dynamo lighting systems and their close cousins powered by an e-bike's battery don't suffer this disadvantage.

Thank you especially to Neath. I'd guessed something like a 5 amp fuse would be needed to protect against shorts (and would at least partially answer Woosh's reservations) and it's useful to know it should be on the +ve feed. Forgive my ignorance here, where would you get a 36v 5amp fuse? Most car systems are 12v, would a 12v 5amp fuse from a motor factors do? Or would it be a 12v 15amp one? Or doesn't voltage matter? I somehow think it does...

Anyway, what I'm really after is practical assistance in fitting the system. The thought of me attempting to cut insulation and solder wires into other wires fills me with horror Very high chance that really would mess things up! Any ideas there?

 

[russ18uk]

https://uk.farnell.com/w/c/circuit-protection/thermistors/pptc-resettable-fuses?searchref=searchlookahead are ideal for protecting lights - too low current and fast trip rating. Needs an enclosure of some kind or in-line shrinkwrap/potting.

Unless you're getting HRC fuses, I wouldn't bother with any vehicle ones. Maybe too slow to protect the BMS.

 

[Andy-Mat]

Thank you to all for your contributions in answering my original post. Whilst I appreciate attaching self contained battery lights is an easy answer, I've never had a happy history with these things, going back to the days of 'Never Ready'! I regard them as a lash-it-on-afterthought. Cars and Motorcycles have integrated lighting systems, why shouldn't bicycles - at least those used as transport like mine are? As I pointed out in my original post, what started this was a battery light getting nicked. Dynamo lighting systems and their close cousins powered by an e-bike's battery don't suffer this disadvantage.

Thank you especially to Neath. I'd guessed something like a 5 amp fuse would be needed to protect against shorts (and would at least partially answer Woosh's reservations) and it's useful to know it should be on the +ve feed. Forgive my ignorance here, where would you get a 36v 5amp fuse? Most car systems are 12v, would a 12v 5amp fuse from a motor factors do? Or would it be a 12v 15amp one? Or doesn't voltage matter? I somehow think it does...

Anyway, what I'm really after is practical assistance in fitting the system. The thought of me attempting to cut insulation and solder wires into other wires fills me with horror Very high chance that really would mess things up! Any ideas there?

A fuse for 120 volts or more will be fine, the current is more of a deciding factor.
A sensitive alarm removes most of the problems with attached lighting, my rear light with alarm is SO sensitive. But you must be near enough to hear it, but it is really loud, 110 Decibel....
I won't make changes to my bikes electrics as there are a great many pitfalls, which is why your friend was not so keen!! The batteries are sensitive and can produce "roaring" fires!!! Or exploding. I never experiment with the bike electrics, and buy only high quality new batteries!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NnIjJaQ_gY
Be VERY careful.

Andy

 

[Nealh]

Ebikes fuses are standard 12v auto spade fuses either std or the mini fuse.