Doctor dazzles with light show

When inspiration strikes Peter Terren, the light bulb is bigger than most.

For the past five years, the Bunbury doctor has used his spare time to create a dazzling array of high voltage devices.

Now, the self-confessed showman has his sights firmly set on a Guinness World Record. Dr Terren has applied to Guinness for the world’s brightest bike light record and is confident his 100,000 lumens will earn him the title.

‘‘The bike lights I’ve got are brighter than anything I’ve seen on the internet by several times,’’ Dr Terren said.

But you will not see him riding the bike around the streets.

‘‘It’s strictly a show bike, just like you don’t drive a monster truck around the streets, you don’t ride this around,’’ Dr Terren said.

Visible from space and as bright as a star, according to Dr Terren, 30kg of heavy-duty batteries power a total of 18 LEDs boasting 100 watts each.

Although his projects take much of his spare time and more money than budgeted, it’s a labour of love for the 54-year-old.

‘‘I got an electronics kit for my birthday and made my first radio when I was in primary school,’’ he said.

Since then, news clips of the backyard scientist’s visually captivating creations, including a Tesla coil, have been broadcast to 16 countries and featured on the Discovery Channel.

Dr Terren said it was just a case of starting off small and seeing what someone else had done and then finding he could do it better.