Ninebot Z10 - front lamp angle correction mod

[Lukasz]

Ninebot Z10 is a great wheel!  There are only few really important mods for this wheel - to add the pedal openers (please mail me to get the set - this is my own idea, own design and own production (3d printout from good plastic), and to correct the front lamp position that the beam reach the road, not the incoming traffic eyes only.  Brand new taken out from the box Z10 has two power leds beam way off the ground - I estimate that beam of light is more than 10 degrees to much up, to such extension that the beam DOES NOT EVEN REACH THE ROAD AT ALL. (tested with pedals set to 0 degrees of front/back tilt)  I think that this is design issue which will probably be solved by NB in next release / start of deliveries for Europe or other countries.    

This mod requires advanced manual skills, basic tools, and few hours of time. Please do not try to attempt it if You do not have technical skills with cutting, using file, knife, drill, hex key. 

Mod does not require breaking the NB warranty seals, but I have no way of checking if NB will have some negative opinion about those who made this mod. 

Mod is provided "AS IS" no warranty - please do not blame me for destroying anything, if you cut yourselves or damage wheel/other things.  

Again - you are on your own!  

 

• Check if Your pedals are at 0 degrees, calibrate if they are moved up/down
• Remove pedals
• Unscrew side panels (13 screws each side)
• Unscrew top panels with false leather (2 screws each side) remove carefully from bottom up, be careful - top side is mounted on the plastic hooks - be careful not to break them
• Unscrew top internal plastic panels - 4 screws each side
• Unscrew rubber front lamp protector - 4 screws
• Unscrew lamp - 2 screws on the front of the wheel
• Lamp wiring is rather short - be careful when filing body of the lamp - lamp top sides have to be filled a lot, also bottom of the lamp must be filed to allow better angle
• top of the chassis niche where lamp is inserted - file protruding round plastic screw tip in the middle a little, and find some kind of spacer / wedge to fit there using double sided tape - this insert shall be around 4-5 mm thick, and placed only on the very top part of the lamp niche  
• turn the wheel on and check the beam on the wall - check the angle, if still to high - file more carefully / add thicker wedge or plastic of some kind - see picture with angle which I have posted
• mount the lamp back - two longer screws may be needed, also lamp holes may need some careful filing 
• cut deeper openings in the front rubber part where screws heads go - be careful - this part can be easily destroyed by cutting to much if You are to fast / not careful enough
• vacuum all dust
• screw back rubber part - allow top of the lamp to go through the rubber 
• screw back all panels carefully, do not use any power tools for that - nice hex key is included by Ninebot with Z10
• mount pedals - remember to screw hex screws to block the pedal axis from falling
• done - stay safe and do not flash - blind incoming traffic - also now You will find the lamp very powerful - it is placed on the top of the wheel - it works really well showing uneven road.

 

 

[Lukasz]

A few more pictures.

[FreeRide]

good work.  a Video would make it clearer, but impressed you took to it very quickly.  I'd still try the diffuser film first before doing the physical mod.  Of course getting one here is not so easy, but many people are waiting.

[Lukasz]

5 minutes ago, FreeRide said:

Video would make it clearer,

Video would be long, it takes time to do the mod. Sorry no time to edit video.

 

6 minutes ago, FreeRide said:

you took to it very quickly.

Riding the wheel when it is dark without this mod shall not be allowed. Whole work can be done in one evening.

8 minutes ago, FreeRide said:

I'd still try the diffuser film first before doing the physical mod.

Sure, but most likely you will loose all effective light - as I have mentioned - beam does not even reach the road !  (but You will be able to see tree tops for sure)

10 minutes ago, FreeRide said:

getting on here is not so easy, but many people are waiting.

This mod is relatively easy to do if You have some technical skills and basic tools.

[FreeRide]

29 minutes ago, Lukasz said:

....

Sure, but most likely you will loose all effective light - as I have mentioned - beam does not even reach the road !  (but You will be able to see tree tops for sure)

....

Yes, it's a really good mod, and I'm sure many will be doing it.  If I did it, I would still use the diffusion film, the light loss is minimal with the right stuff although you have to account for it being over a wider area, so the source has to be up to it.  I have a few hundred lights so I have some experience in this.  

I don't like the tunnel vision look so I'm all for diffusion with high-cri and nice color temps.  So likely I would use an external light and leave the internal one for emergencies if I get a Z10.  I don't like wasting my valuable EUC battery on lighting if I can get it from an independent source, but I admit it is less convenient, and not what most people would want to do.

[Lukasz]

Beam from Z10 has very good shape - but of course there are specific preferences - especially from those who have extensive experience in custom lamps for road, diving, exploration, etc. If Your preference is for more diffused beam - that is very much OK

[Lukasz]

See comparison of the front lamps on Ninebot Z10 (corrected) vs Kingsong KS18L vs Kingsong KS16S

 

[Ch.Eng.62]

Probably car's headlight adapter can help. Something like this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Eurolites-Headlamp-Converters-Beam-Benders-Headlight-Adaptors/251312355840?epid=10018356485&hash=item3a83623a00:g:RhkAAOSwxH1UEDCX 

I didn't test it because the delivery price to Bulgaria is twice the price of the item. If somebody from UK can test it and confirm that it can do the job will be highly appreciated. 

[Lukasz]

On 8/28/2018 at 10:21 AM, Ch.Eng.62 said:

Probably car's headlight adapter can help

I do not think so.  No space to stick it, and it will not correct the angle. Just do the mod.

[Ch.Eng.62]

I will try. I am waiting for delivery 

[cg]

I implemented the mod, thanks @Lukasz, it helped a lot, but still not perfect I think, the screws in the lamphouse seems to fight to undo the angle adjustment, anyway I will let it be for now, already opened it two times, and now my sidepanels are squeaking

[Lukasz]

1 hour ago, cg said:

screws in the lamphouse seems to fight to undo the angle adjustment,

To prevent it - file the holes in the lamp slightly to the new angle.  

From the third job I had to do with this mod - key task is to file quite a lot both sides of the lamp from top-back,  so the whole lamp is not moved down when inserted at new angle. Also - please put some kind of wedge/spacer on the top-back of the plastic lamp cavity so it block the lamp from turning up again.

[cg]

5 hours ago, Lukasz said:

please put some kind of wedge/spacer on the top-back of the plastic lam

Brilliant! I think this might be what I am missing, I already filed so it places itself kinda in a nice angle, until I start screwing. But I think this detail will keep it in place

[Sergey]

@Lukasz What do you think about to change LED in the headlight? For example for CREE XML2 or other more bright LED?

 

[Daniel Burkemper]

I want to share a method which requires less modification in case anyone is interested.

Rather than changing the orientation of the lights, I experimented more with the light itself. They put a frame and lens to direct the light, but I ended up just removing the lens after my tests. Here are pictures showing different light configurations.

I took the 4 screws out to open the headlight.

Without the lens or frame, the light is very bright, but blasts out in all directions, also the headlight does not look as nice with DRLs. This could be a very good option if you are night riding on trails or through fields and need to see in all directions.

I tried just tiling the lens downward, but the result wasn't worth it. I would have had to glue the lens into place.

 

Pros:

More light shines on the ground in front of you

Light is brighter over a larger area

No permanent modifications to wheel (Lens is difficult to take out. Don't use anything sharp) 

Cons:

More light can shine higher. (This could be more annoying to drivers, however the higher light isn't as bright)

Light is not as directed forwards and can spread more horizontally

 

I hope someone else finds this mod useful, and I will be testing it once the hurricane here passes.

[Lukasz]

@Daniel Burkemper Interesting experiment!  In my opinion this may work for some riders, but mainly those riding off-road - with no / very little incoming traffic which will be blinded by lamp shining in all directions - also upwards.  I still suggest to modify the angle and keep the specific triangular shape of the beam just put the beam ON THE ROAD in front of You.  My main environment for riding is the city center, so I have to keep my lights pointing on the road, hmm.. I have a lot of light - wheel is only small part of it, most is on my helmets...  summer - around 3000 lumens in total (2xCree 10W wide short throw wide beam + 1xCree 10W switchable long range beam)   for winter  -  4000 lumens - 4x 10W Cree LEDS in 2+2 setup  - but all of them with lenses - pointing precisely on the road / where  I look. 

 

[Lukasz]

15 hours ago, Sergey said:

What do you think about to change LED in the headlight? For example for CREE XML2 or other more bright LED?

Due to the safety reasons I do not recommend to modify any original circuits in the wheel as You may end up with burned mainboard ==> crash due to such mod.  If this is separate circuit not connected in any way to the wheel electronics - this may work OK (I have made such solution for my KS16S - for rear red LEDS - see  YT/lukluk  channel - review of KS16S after 5k km), but You need to find the space for additional batteries, driver, charging port etc. This may be complicated project.  Inside Z10 body I have found space for 2 extra 18650 cells - but this is just enough to make the mod for additional strong rear red leds...  for the front lamp it is not enough.

[Lukasz]

Night ride around Krakow main market square below.  Krakow is unicycle friendly city

 

[Carlo Van Hove]

Piece of beveled perspex does it also via defraction photos will follow

 

[Ziiten]

On 8/3/2018 at 3:16 AM, FreeRide said:

Yes, it's a really good mod, and I'm sure many will be doing it.  If I did it, I would still use the diffusion film, the light loss is minimal with the right stuff although you have to account for it being over a wider area, so the source has to be up to it.  I have a few hundred lights so I have some experience in this.  

I don't like the tunnel vision look so I'm all for diffusion with high-cri and nice color temps.  So likely I would use an external light and leave the internal one for emergencies if I get a Z10.  I don't like wasting my valuable EUC battery on lighting if I can get it from an independent source, but I admit it is less convenient, and not what most people would want to do.

I would be interested in such a diffusion film. Can you recommend a place to get some, internationally.

[FreeRide]

2 hours ago, Ziiten said:

I would be interested in such a diffusion film. Can you recommend a place to get some, internationally.

The most popular brand right now is the d-c-fix brand by Hornschuch. It should be available from a wide variety of sources, especially in Europe.  There is also someone who use to sell small quantities to the flashlight community and might still be doing that.  A web search should turn up something.  Some people refer to the brand as DC Fix.  I'll see if I can locate the style of the last batch I had.

[Ziiten]

7 hours ago, FreeRide said:

The most popular brand right now is the d-c-fix brand by Hornschuch. It should be available from a wide variety of sources, especially in Europe.  There is also someone who use to sell small quantities to the flashlight community and might still be doing that.  A web search should turn up something.  Some people refer to the brand as DC Fix.  I'll see if I can locate the style of the last batch I had.

Thanks. Did a search and indeed there are tons of different dcfix films available even here. I also found a US company specialising on diffuser films. Thinking of requesting a sample, maybe one of those elliptical diffusers.

[EUCMania]

On 9/8/2018 at 5:16 PM, Carlo Van Hove said:

Piece of beveled perspex does it also via defraction photos will follow

 

Where did you get this beveled perspex. Did you cut it yourself?

[Carlo Van Hove]

piece of 8mm grinded it into the right shape and polished it took 5min