VLCD5 display - night ride, with lights, without backlit display ?

[Bad Machine]

I took my newly TSDZ2-converted Raleigh out for an hour last night, with nice new front and rear lights wired into the VLCD5 display unit. It works perfectly......but the backlit display was on for the whole time. With it being pitch black here in the countryside, the constant light thrown up by the backlight stops my eyes from getting used to the dark, and becomes distracting. Short of covering the display with an opaque "flap" or "blackout", is there any way to set the backlight to "off", but keep the power to the front and rear lights ?

 

[anotherkiwi]

KT lets you turn it down but it is still bright. Like you I am lying down and the screen will be between my feet in direct line of sight. If I find it too bright I will stick some tinted film on the screen - red or blue, not decided yet.

Second expensive option is the new LCD-8 which has a black background.

Third option wire your lights directly to the battery and run them 24/24 which is the route I will take on my trike.

 

[peter.c]

This is day mode night mode is reversed black background but still quite bright

 

[Bad Machine]

I think the tinted screen add-on may be the simplest option. Just put in place for night rides.

My screen is the VLCD5 (below), rather than the XH-18 Display that I think you have, Peter.c) and whilst it is as clear as daylight (in daylight), it doesn't invert to white on black (which would be an improvement). Unless anyone knows different ? The large area that is backlit white space means I get plenty of light thrown up at night.

I'd agree the XH-18 display "invert" feature would be good, but I'd not be keen to swap from the VLCD5 size, and landscape orientation - the XH-18 would not fit well on my recumbent - the handlebar ends run vertically either side from underneath the seat, rather than horizontally in front of you, as on most upright bikes. I'm planning to mount the display at the front of the trike, on the derailleur post - the equivalent of putting it where your ankles are (with straight legs) - so the large size does have some benefit.

 

[peter.c]

I also have the vlcd 5 on my other bike and find it ugly and lacking features, the winter project is to upgrade to the bafang 850c display and follow the open source route https://www.eco-ebike.com/collections/tsdz2-accessories-parts/products/850c-display-for-tsdz2-with-open-source-firmware

 

[vfr400]

Another good source for cheap reasonable electric bikes is Idealworld. You need to keep watching their website because different models come and go, then you wait for them to feature it on the TV as a 24 hour special offer, where they knock the price down or give you accessories in a package deal.

24V is not so bad in the folding bikes with small wheels because the smaller wheels give the motor more torque to get you up hills. Bear in mind that their range figures are for flat roads. I'd guess that you'd get about 60% of that, so maybe 15 miles from an 8Ah (200Wh) battery. 36v is always better, but a bit more expensive.

Electric Bikes | Ideal World

Electric Bikes

www.idealworld.tv

 

[Bad Machine]

Another good source for cheap reasonable electric bikes is Idealworld. You need to keep watching their website because different models come and go, then you wait for them to feature it on the TV as a 24 hour special offer, where they knock the price down or give you accessories in a package deal.

24V is not so bad in the folding bikes with small wheels because the smaller wheels give the motor more torque to get you up hills. Bear in mind that their range figures are for flat roads. I'd guess that you'd get about 60% of that, so maybe 15 miles from an 8Ah (200Wh) battery. 36v is always better, but a bit more expensive.

Electric Bikes | Ideal World

Electric Bikes

www.idealworld.tv

I think this has slipped into the wrong thread ??????

 

[RossG]

vfr has got all excited again

 

[anotherkiwi]

Tramadol?

 

[Bad Machine]

Maybe.
Maybe just a little more water with it ?

 

[pn_day]

I would vote for the option to just wire the lights separately - through a fuse, then a switch. That way you can run the display without the backlight, and run the lights as you require. It also means that you aren't limited by the output from the controller.

 

[Bad Machine]

I'm trying to avoid any additional wiring, and keep the simplicity of the VLCD5 controlling the lights. There are two solutions I'm testing, one with a sheet of polarising film (two pieces cut, to overlap each other, but slightly rotated - how much rotation depending on how much light I want to obscure), the second is a piece of glass tinting film (20% light transfer - the type that some car drivers have to use to protect the public from the sight of their ugly kids in the back of the car).
I'll report back when I've tried both.

 

[Bad Machine]

After a few days wait the orders from Ebay have arrived - 2 pieces of polarizer film (I found the least expensive film supplier, listed as APPLE Ipad Air 2 Polarizer Film) and 1 x sample of window tint film (CAR WINDOW TINT AUTO TINTING FILM LIMO BLACK DARK MEDIUM LIGHT ULTRA LIGHT, 20% Dark Tint A5 sample).

This evening I've tried out both ideas : both options reduce the brightness of the display significantly, but on applying the polarizer film to the screen, you can immediately see an uneven "moire" effect, with some areas of the display being obscured by a checkered pattern (and other areas wholly unaffacted). By comparison, the window tinting film produces an even reduction of brightness across the whole screen. One sheet works well, but two sheets would seem to be best.




(photographed with same camera settings)

I'm happy with this, so I'll plan to make a two-sheet film cover for the VLCD5 for night rides, cut to the size of the display outer bezel, maybe secured to the display simply by using elastic bands.

 

[anotherkiwi]

My optician asked why I didn't want my prescription sunglasses polarized. Now you know too!

 

[Bad Machine]

Here's the removable "nightshade".



Seamgrip urethane glue, plastic fabric off-cut (from the base of a modified rack bag that covers the e-bike battery), two strips of double-sided velcro, and two layers of car window tinting film (20% variant). Sharp knife, steel edge and cutting board. Put together over several nights (working on one side at a time, 12 + hours for glue to cure. And 24 hours needed to avoid adhesion where you don't want it. DAHIKT).



Here's the effect.



As I'm not interested in my total distance ridden, or the other icons on the lower part of the display, I've reduced the window of information that shows through the tint to just the top half - power level, speed and battery level. The remote control allows all functions to be used, even though the buttons on the VLCD5 are covered. And when in place, the whole thing gives some protection against mud and rain.