SON hub frozen!

[LEE]

Just seen this thread.

My Son lives outside with temps below freezing and down  to -15°C  so far this winter with no problems.

What a terrible parent you are.

Let the poor lad in.

[damerell]

The Shimano DH-3N80 is better now.  Cut your losses.

Lighter than the SON, heavier than the SON20R, drag higher (sa Radtouren) - not unequivocally better, really.

... to say nothing of my deep suspicion about the lifetime of Shimano's hubs and their willingness to take them back if they do fail.

[rogerzilla]

I don't believe the drag is higher (lights off, anyway) based on a spin test against my SON wheel.

[damerell]

I don't believe the drag is higher (lights off, anyway) based on a spin test against my SON wheel.

Are the wheels identical in every respect down to tyre pressure? How did you ensure identical initial impetuses?

I think the Radtouren test was done with rather more attention to detail.

[rogerzilla]

The SON one has a much heavier tyre, and I'm spinning them hung up so tyre pressure is irrelevant.

[LEE]

The only test I have ever done with my Schmidt SON was:

1) spin wheel with lights totally unplugged:  Wheel spun almost like a non-dynamo hub

2) spin wheel with Solidlights connected but OFF:  Wheel spun for quite a while but noticeably slower (worth disconnecting solidlights during the day possibly)

3) spin wheel with Solidlights ON. Wheel stopped spinning very quicky.

Given that running a dynamo is equivalent to climbing 5m in 1km (when powering lights) my observations tell me that the drag is totally irrelevant when not powering lights (total guess = 1m per km).

The efficiency of the Shimano is almost identical now (I'd be interested to know what happens in above 3 examples) I think we may be arguing about a couple of centimetres extra 'climbing' every kilometre (a speed bump?)

[Greenbank]

Given that running a dynamo is equivalent to climbing 5m in 1km (when powering lights) my observations tell me that the drag is totally irrelevant when not powering lights (total guess = 1m per km).

It's 5ft per mile or about 1m per km with the lights on.

But, saying that, 1m per km isn't irrelevant at all.

It's an extra (old style) 0.25AAA on a 100km ride, 0.5AAA on a 200km ride, 0.75AAA on a 300km ride, ...

Do you want to ride the 3.75AAA Bryan Chapman or 5.25AAA Bryan Chapman?

[EDIT] Of course, AAA points have changed now, but you get the point.

[Von Broad]

Given that running a dynamo is equivalent to climbing 5m in 1km (when powering lights) my observations tell me that the drag is totally irrelevant when not powering lights (total guess = 1m per km).

It's 5ft per mile or about 1m per km with the lights on.

But, saying that, 1m per km isn't irrelevant at all.

It's an extra (old style) 0.25AAA on a 100km ride, 0.5AAA on a 200km ride, 0.75AAA on a 300km ride, ...

Do you want to ride the 3.75AAA Bryan Chapman or 5.25AAA Bryan Chapman?

Surely, if you're making this kind of calculation and referring it to a ride like the Brian Chapman, the important figure is the amount of drag with the lights off, as you'll be spending the majority of time riding daylight hours. Just thinking back when I did it: took me 40hrs with about 12hrs night time riding. Do Schmidt give any drag figures for the hub in 'lights off' mode?

[Greenbank]

It was more a point that 1m per km is not "irrelevant".

[MSeries]

Interesting way of looking at it Greenbank, I'll take the extra 1.5 AAAs since I did do the BCM with a SON and it wasn't that difficult really.

[Von Broad]

It was more a point that 1m per km is not "irrelevant".

Sure, I just found myself asking the question about the drag in normal lights-off mode.

Once I have this knowledge it will all the difference to me  

[cc93]

If you have Solidlights then unless you unplug the lamp they are never really off!

Solidlights uses a load resistor (IIRC it's the green cylinder on long legs for those who have taken theirs apart) which draws current even when the lamp is off, in order to limit the high no-load voltage from the SON which could damage the electricals.

I have no idea how much drag it adds though!

[damerell]

The SON one has a much heavier tyre, and I'm spinning them hung up so tyre pressure is irrelevant.

Tyre pressure is not irrelevant; it changes the moment of inertia of the wheel. But apparently your two test wheels have far more radically different moments of inertia, rendering this test - even if otherwise rigorous - completely meaningless without compensating for that factor.

[De Sisti]

Then it struck me; the hub was seized. 
Bugger 
 

I had a reply from: 

Britta Zimmermann
Export, Marketing
Schmidt Maschinenbau
Aixer Str. 44
72072 Tübingen
Germany

She said they accept SEPA bank transfers or Euro in cash. It'll cost me 50 Euro
in total.