Point83.com

MikeOD ordered "Ride and Charge" kit but I don't think he has had time to report on it yet.


You need a specific light though and AA batteries inside are basically charged. PW obviously won't recomend trying to use this system for any other purpose than that whcih it was designed for but it seems like you could charge multiple AA batteries and you can make or buy a AA to USB charger.

What you really need is a DC chopping circuit. They're much more thermally efficient and generally more reliable. If you can solder, I've seen kits for them. Let me take a look at my power operating systems textbook from my grad-level EE class to see if there's a good schematic.

EDIT: Nope, but there's a link to a site that builds a PSPICE simulation.

I haven't mounted the ride and charge yet. Like Andre says it supposedly only works with the B&M Ixon headlight. The 4AA's in the headlight get charged in about 5 hours of "brisk riding". I'll be testing it any day now. It's just a tiny little circuit board in a plastic box the size of a bike computer, wired between the hub and the headlight.

I'd prefer a standalone AA charger, but not being an electronics DIYer this seemed like the best (only?) option commercially available. The iGO charger (radio shack) uses 2 AA's and with adapters can be used to charge a lot of different devices using the same charger.