My dynamo hub has arrived but need some advise please.

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I have just bought a SP PD-8 disc dynamo hub and a biologic recharge dynamo kit.

The biologic dynamo kit has two bare wires that you obviously connect to your two connectors on the hub.

However I don't have this connector. Are the wire to dynamo connectors universal or do you have to buy a specific one for your type of hub.
Any advise would be grateful thanks.

A dynamo newbie...........
 

CopperBrompton

Bicycle: a means of transport between cake-stops
Location
London
They are usually just crimp fittings, I think
 

alicat

Squire
Location
Staffs
Great - I fitted it to my Brompton so I would never have to worry about having lights. I don't use it to recharge anything, though.

Look closely at the connector on the hub - I bet it has the other half joined to it; however you will need a second one if you are planning to use lights as well as the charger.
 
OP
OP
S

Sore Thumb

Guru
Great - I fitted it to my Brompton so I would never have to worry about having lights. I don't use it to recharge anything, though.

Look closely at the connector on the hub - I bet it has the other half joined to it; however you will need a second one if you are planning to use lights as well as the charger.

Sorry I'm a bit dim, a second what?

I thought that if I always have my biologic connector, connected to my hub. I then run my iphone holder/charger off this. If I want to charge my light then I would need to get some sort of splitter cable that connects from the biologic connector to the iphone and light. ?
 

andrew_s

Legendary Member
Location
Gloucester
The connector block linked to at SJSC by alicat should clamp the bared wire ends such that the block can easily be plugged into and unplugged from the hub. You should normally get one supplied with an SP hub, which may be plugged in with no wire.

Dynamo lights are normally powered directly from the hub
If you want to run a light at the same time as powering a reecharge, the cables from the reecharge and light should be twisted together before fitting them into the plug. However note that running both will give a dimmer light and slower charge rates compared with running them separately.
If you want to charge separately from using the lights, you will need one plug block for the reecharge and one for the light, and ride with just one plugged in to the hub.
Alternatively, you can run a cable between the plug block and a DIY switch box on the handlebars, and use the switch box to select reecharge, light, both or neither. It would be up to you to make the switch box.

You should always check whether rechargeable devices (eg phone, GPS, light, battery pack) can be used or supply power at the same time as being charged. This isn't always the case.

I would expect that the Reecharge is OK, but for what might be termed "minority interest" hub to USB or charger devices, you should be cautious about using them when the power isn't being used (eg batteries are fully charged, devices/lights turned off). A hub will generate 3 - 6 watts, or up to 70 volts if open circuit. Either of these could burn out a badly designed USB/charger. This will especially apply to anything that gets supplied with a bottle dynamo, such as the Nokia DC-14.
 
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