White Electroluminescent (EL) Tape Strip from adafruit

[IainB]

Interesting product: White Electroluminescent (EL) Tape Strip
I would like to have something like this on my bicycle for improved visibility and safety, but it looks as though it could need too many batteries and 50cm length strips for me.

[iphigenie]

I don't know - when I was a kid we used to have a dynamo next to the wheel and that meant that my pedalling powered my front and back lights. A quick search seems to show that this can easily produce 12v (that's the cheap standard ones, I bet more is possible) but for a LED style strip it might need much stabler power supply (dynamo output probably can be stabilised in some way by putting some kind of rechargeable battery or capacitor in the way)

[40hz]

+1 w/Iphigenie

Don't know how much voltage or current you'd require, but the electrical engineering is pretty basic once you've got the mechanics worked out. And found the generator. A generator/battery (or capacitor) arrangement is definitely doable. One guy even generates AC using a stationary bicycle design. Article here. Check out the circuit builder and other links at the same site. Some very good info and ideas.

Motorola has a bicycle charger for cell phones. Article here.

[iphigenie]

I'd look for strips which are designed to work on a 12V or lower inverter (which also makes them suitable for bathrooms and easily outdoors)

Although I think some of these phenomenons are quite temperature dependent so you'd have to check the specs before you buy to be sure your gear works on a cold winter night

[Edvard]

I don't know - when I was a kid we used to have a dynamo next to the wheel and that meant that my pedalling powered my front and back lights. A quick search seems to show that this can easily produce 12v (that's the cheap standard ones, I bet more is possible) but for a LED style strip it might need much stabler power supply (dynamo output probably can be stabilised in some way by putting some kind of rechargeable battery or capacitor in the way)

-iphigenie (January 12, 2012, 06:07 AM)

Dynamo -> rectifier (to make somewhat smooth DC voltage) -> ~18v rechargeable battery pack (with some sort of protection from over-charging) -> 12v voltage regulator to keep it smooth until the battery drains.

... or something like that.

For a DIY approach, more info >Here< though the 6v stated could be easily tweaked for different voltages.