Dynamo hubs

Anyone has experience with shimano alivio dynamo hub, T4000? Looking for a cheap rim brake dynamo setup, wondering if 1.5W is sufficient to power front and rear light. Probably would have B&M Lumotec Myc in the front and small Toplight in the back.

Anyone have any experience with SP Dynamo hubs squeaking at low speed? Almost the same noise a brake can make when it's set up wrong, only happens at low speed and at higher speeds it's fine (although maybe the wheel feels a bit draggy compared to another dynamo hub I have). Almost like something is rubbing inside the hub

I'm wondering if it's worth trying to pull apart myself or if I should just get it serviced properly

should just get it serviced properly

Mail it back to the distributor and they will swap for a factory reconditioned one for a small charge. They're not supposed to be user-serviceable so I wouldn't bother.

Last year I built a wheel with an SP PV-8 for my partner and that's been great. Now looking to do the same for myself. The SP's are still £73 at Spa who also do the KASAI FS-FKVV for twenty quid more which is supposedly user serviceable and "High grade (ABEC 5) bearings". Is the Kasai a better bet? More reliable? spinny? Thanks!

No idea about the Kasai, but the PD-8 is £54 on spa (Silver, 32 or 36H). Just get that instead?

That's a very decent price. But I want black and non-disc really, I'll be looking at it for a few years so happy to pay a bit more. + i have a 28h rim already.

Most likely a bit of dirt or stone trapped between dust cap and hub body. Not sure if they have an o ring or similar, sometimes just cleaning it at a thin blue roll and some lube spray is enough to sort it out. Same as the dust cap on a basic loose ball hub that you'd find on an entry level Ridgeback bit of hub grease will shut it up for a few years.

Does anyone use a SON 28 12mm CL with a QR adapter? And if so, do you need to swap out to 'external' CL lock rings, the ones that use a BB tool? Would rather not have to, plus I am worried about clearance between the lock ring and the caliper.

Wanted to hear peoples' real-world experience as I have read conflicting things on online shops and it's a big chunk of change to be spending.

from my experience with that adapter, it has no bearing on the lock ring you use. you can just pop it in after fitting the rotor

My concern was more with being able to use a cassette tool-style CL lock ring with a 12mm thru axle, although I guess this issue applies to any hub, not really a SON issue. An unnecessary worry.

Just put an external lock ring on from the get go and you'll know you're fine. You can get them for a few quid so seems reasonable to order one in case.

I’m using the other LR type, but the cassette tool goes on ok

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Got a dynamo and lights set up and a Sinewave device but having mixed results with charging mobile phone. Is a power pack with pass through likely to address this? If so, interested in hearing recommendations or of it's simply a case of choosing device that's suitable (capacity, size, price, recharge speed)?

Dyno nerds, can anyone help? My rear light stopped running suddenly yesterday; headlight (both SON) was still working on the ride home; the front now runs as long as the rear isn't plugged in, if rear is plugged in then neither run now. Have checked with another dyno wheel and same story, so not the hub, I've taken apart and checked and redone every connecting point in the circuit and all seem to be as in order as they've ever been (had this sestup for 3+ years with no problems), and moreover when rear is plugged in the hub produces a distinct whirring that ceases as soon as it's unplugged. Am stumped. Any thoughts on what might be happening here? Thx

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Most obvious possibility is that two wires in the rear harness are shorted to each other somewhere.

I had something similar and it was because the rear light cables were connected the wrong way round (I'd assumed they were interchangeable, like the wires from the hub).
Discovered this after dismantling the front light trying to figure out the problem.

I run a similar setup. Looks like the heatshrink on the black wire has slipped down - it should cover the outside of the spade connector so it doesn't short against the body of the light.

Thanks for the suggestion – thought maybe you'd cracked it but unfortunately wrapping the spade connector in heatshrink up to the top hasn't solved it.

Does seem like there's a short somewhere in the taillight cable, but I can't seem to find it!! Have redone every connection point in the circuit and still no luck.

Could the spade or ring connectors be failing somehow? Will admit the crimps on both are a bit mashed at this point from various do-overs, but should it be enough that the bare wire is held securely onto them both by wrapping/heatshrink and are not touching each other?

Something similar happened to me and it was the wire feeding the rear that was shorting. You tried plugging the rear light to the front with a different wire altogether as an experiment?

Thanks – yeah I figure it's this too, however the wire is hardwired on SON lights so can't easily try another one!

Son hub is starting to have play again. ~2yrs on from last service and ~35k km. Is that about expected?
Last time I bought a new wheel with no dyno with the idea I'd swap out when not needing lights and I've not used it at all. Contemplating switching that to dyno for a slower rotation plan.

Anyone here using a Kasai dynamo hub? Please share feedback if so.

@adamdenw asked a year ago, no-one replied. Maybe they went ahead and tried it?

Looks promising that the bearings are allegedly user-replaceable.