How do I dim the MSP headlight?

[Zombie Batman]

I ride on a dedicated bike trail at night.  About every mile I encounter a runner and the light on my MSP completely blinds them and stops them in their tracks.    I'm looking for some type of mod I can do to dim the headlight.  I've tried filtering the headlight through sun glass lens and planter box liner.  But the light is still really bright.  Anyone have a solution that works well?

[gon2fast]

I put  Gorilla Tape over the lenses and applied a blue tint with a permanent marker (several coats). Helps with disturbing pedestrians, but  kills functionality of the light in the dark, though it looked cool during the day. Due to safety concerns and not wanting to ride around with a flash light I have gone back to the stock configuration.

[Raptor]

On 10/2/2020 at 7:23 AM, Zombie Batman said:

I ride on a dedicated bike trail at night.  About every mile I encounter a runner and the light on my MSP completely blinds them and stops them in their tracks.    I'm looking for some type of mod I can do to dim the headlight.  I've tried filtering the headlight through sun glass lens and planter box liner.  But the light is still really bright.  Anyone have a solution that works well?

 

[Ádám Szitás]

I've tried putting diffuser in front of the light, partially or fully, it still blinds and just makes the light worse overall, I decided to go full dark instead, but it was annoying so I sold the wheel..

[mrelwood]

6 hours ago, Raptor said:

 

I think the problem with the reflector of this type is that it shoots in all directions from all spots a little. So blocking the top side (like in the photo, and what I’ve done to a similar light as well) has to cover half of the surface to be effective. At which point the overall brightness has been dimmed too much.

 What worked a bit better was to have a 2 inch long protrusion on the outside. Like a baseball cap for the light. Cover the bottom of the protrusion with aluminum tape (or something more reflective), and the blinding upwards pointing rays of light are just redirected down instead of being absorbed completely.

Making such a baseball cap for the headlight is of course a bit challenging. Making it from soft foam would help survival from tumbles, but then to make the underside reflective is harder.

 One could try to find a cheap LED flashlights that have a some sort of a lense in it, and try to implement them on the headlight.

[Planemo]

I am fairly sure that a filter would work better on the bottom half of the lens than the top, because its the light reflected upwards grom the bottom of the reflector that you want to reduce. It does seem that every modified MSP I have seen has the filter on the top though so what do I know..

Heres a pic of how the shrouding works in an H4 bulb:

Edit: Pic removed - having a cull of my uploads to retrieve space.

 

Edited March 4, 2022 by Planemo

[EUC Custom Power-Pads]

3 hours ago, Planemo said:

I am fairly sure that a filter would work better on the bottom half of the lens than the top, because its the light reflected upwards grom the bottom of the reflector that you want to reduce. It does seem that every modified MSP I have seen has the filter on the top though so what do I know..

Heres a pic of how the shrouding works in an H4 bulb:

That's what I wanted to write first, but it still doesn't make sense, because you can see the LED directly from the front. In a car, for example, the illuminant is not directly visible or shielded from the front and is only emitted via the reflector.
It doesn't help if you try to shield the LED also to the front, so it's like in a car, because the LED is unfortunately too deep in the back and not in the center of the reflector. The result would be that you can't see anything and the headlight is useless.

If you are satisfied with less light, I would stick an adhesive tape from below to above the center of the headlight, which is reflective from behind. (e.g. aluminium adhesive tape) This reflects the light of the LED from behind against the adhesive tape and shines back into the reflector. Since only the upper area is free, most of the light is then thrown downwards.

Edited October 23, 2020 by buell47

[DjPanJan]

I try brutalist way.

I got force police stop and ticket for "overblind" officers in duty.(no lights covered) They say me come next day to police station(local police) and show how you FIX this problem.

then i do this:  

Electrical tape 3M and cover 70% lights.(local police say ok we see you do something universe in ballance again)

1, try with aluminium folil not efective too many beam overblind i remove aluminium out(in picture +- 60% covered).

2, try cover 80% with only 3M black tape. ( i think all ok in my mind some days later  again  force stop "federal trafic" police (big one) for overblind i argumented is covered you see ? Answer we can confiscate you MSP for investigation purposes for 3 moths if  MSP is alowed for Czech Republic roads. My answer ok ok ok no please and i go home with front light off.

3, try i have covered 90% lights only small (4milimeters) left only not usable in night maybe for slow ride 10Km/h(+-6 miles).

4, solution front MSP light i use only in flash mode(90+% covered) and use  Fenix FD41 (zoomable) flashlight. In right hand in night.

Thank you Gotway/Begode engeners 

Another MSP rider in capital city no have problems with police is typical big city anonimity.

(I live in small town 10 K ppl only and "sherifs" have more free time focus on useless things like me)

 

[EUC Custom Power-Pads]

@DjPanJan

If I see correctly, you have also taped the upper side. Try it like I wrote and stick 60% of the bottom side and cover the center.

 

[DjPanJan]

@buell47 Yes i try (you solution) problem is braking i ride on medium mode and if i brake light beam go up and overblind traffic anyway.

Is possible cover botom and top lights make "strip of light" same preoblem when i brake beam go up and overblind hard. 

Is possible adjust light with tape to OK state this work only when MSP is static or ride or acelerate when braking beam go UP no Good way.

3M tape solution is best for me if i ride traill or non traffic i take tape OFF.

i just dont understand why gotway not implement functions like only one LED shine maybee   dimm LED just by using lower voltage mode.

Roots of this "police" problem is now in 2020 our stupid politicans change trafic law and EUC now can be used on road only like pedestrian on left side and speed maximal walking speed.

This mean if i ride like Bike/E-bike/ skateboard etc on right side is against law now. If problems acumulate i must quit this hobby because if somebody hit me with car and i ride on right side is my fault insurance give me nothing because i not respect stupid novelisation trafic law. This is worth toppic. And why this  change in 2020? Because too many riders EUC ride like idiots on bikepath ETC overtaking bikers and some bikers is politicans this mean Czech Republic is not EUC friendly anymore.On (shared pedestrian/bike line) you can go only walking speed now OMG!

And this is why police focus me (EUC) they know this new law is sh*t and nonsense they have strong wapon agains EUC riders.

If police take my driver points out becasue EUC i must quit hobby. Because i need driver licence for my job.

(we have 12 points and take license out) Riding on "wrong side" is 4 points(2 wrong side 2 points overspeed) i can potencialy lose my driver license for year in one EUC ride in one day this is not worth anymore. 

This is why i absoutely no want provocate any way. 

 

 

[carlitos]

I have felt the same level of annoyance as @DjPanJan and I ended up buying a 🔦 similar to what he has. Not as bright as the lights on the new MSX but good enough for visibility.

If I am out in the woods and it's *very* dark then I turn the lights of the MSX on, being ready to turn them off in case of incoming traffic but it's definitely not an ideal situation.

 

[Tasku]

Greetings.

I like many was thinking how to solve the overly bright headlights of MSP. My initial thinking was to use lid and overly engineer the light to shine downwards on the top part. This create somewhat sharp or pointy object infront of my device, so I ended abandon the idea.

I instead solved the situation with MUCH more easier solution with more benefits. Here is how to do this so easy DIY hack everyone can do it!

1.) Buy tape that is seethrough, (dont wanna brand advert) for example a tape for packing.

1.B) Buy a paint pen, white colour could be good. (bookstore)

2. Tape the lights over (front and back) and cover the seams (this will help to prevent water going in, very good for your ride safety!)

3.) Draw in your inner artist and paint over the seethrough tape. A small layer will do nicely.

The final result is... dimmer headlights, that everyone can still notice, YET they do not complain. 

Should you do maintenance to your device you create a new masterpiece. Hopefully this helps. 

 

(additional tip!: I use a strong flashlight that I can attach to my wrist should the nightfall surprise me. With a scubadiver wristwrap (velcro) I can make sure the light is always where I need it. Just search your favorite vendors for scubadive wrist for flashlight, there should be plenty. These fit somewhat standard waterproof flashlights, enjoy!)

Edited February 14, 2022 by Tasku

[Paul A]

Fashion a small piece of thin cardboard and attach with Blu-Tack (adhesive putty), to form a cover like on a baseball cap?