Author Topic: LED's  (Read 5048 times)

Offline Hubie

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LED's
« on: 27.09. 2011 23:21 »
G'day Chaps,

Was wondering if anyone here is running a 6V +earth LED tail lamp and what difference it made to the rest of the lighting.  I know that LED's have much less current draw and are brighter.  I would go down the ALTON alternator path but I can't afford it.

Cheers,
Dave.
1959 BSA Golden Flash
1956 Royal Enfield Super Meteor
1955 Royal Enfield 350 Bullet
2007 Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom

The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse get's the cheese!

Offline a101960

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Re: LED's
« Reply #1 on: 28.09. 2011 11:07 »
Dave, I long ago changed the stop/tail lamp for an LED unit, and have changed the speedo, and rev counter lamps to LED's too. Recently I have changed the pilot/parking lamp in the same way. Only the headlamp remains as a conventional filament lamp (45/40 halogen) and that is extremely bright and well within the capabilities of the dynamo. I would personally recommend that you fit a DVR2 regulator for optimum voltage control. The Alton has very little advantage over a dynamo at low speed. I have converted to 12v because with a DVR2 it is easy to do. The main advantage of doing this is lower losses through the wiring harness. The E3L dynamo works very well with an electronic regulator and is more than capable of supplying enough current to provide decent lighting especially so if you have LED tail and stop lamps.

John

Offline iansoady

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Re: LED's
« Reply #2 on: 28.09. 2011 11:17 »
I would go down the ALTON alternator path but I can't afford it.

Cheers,
Dave.

When I bought my Velo it had an Alton fitted and I hated it - really noisy and the regulator allowed the battery to feed back and go flat unless it was switched off. I changed it for a dynamo / V-REG2 set up which was far better.

I understand a lot of people have had problems with Altons although I believe the warranty / after sales service is good.
Ian.
1962 Golden Flash (arrived)
1955 Velo Viper/Venom (departed)
2004 Triumph Tiger 955i (staying)

Offline trevinoz

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Re: LED's
« Reply #3 on: 29.09. 2011 01:02 »
Dave,
            What wattage headlight are you running?
For 6V system, 30/24 W is required. If you go higher, the generator will struggle.
If you do a lot of night riding, perhaps you should go 12 volt.
You can run higher wattage but the down side is that the generator doesn't cut in until higher in the rev range unless you rewind.

  Trev.

Offline Hubie

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Re: LED's
« Reply #4 on: 07.10. 2011 01:26 »
Hi Trev,

Been very busy with work and haven't had the chance to check my lighting.  Will take a peek tonight but I'm pretty sure its either 30 or 24.  I have a DVR2 reg so I can convert to 12 volt very easy (have the bulbs lying around too) and see how it goes.  anyone had good experiences with the DVR2 running a 12 volt system?  Sounds like it might be a good idea to get the SRM belt drive for my dynamo to speed it up a little.

Cheers,
Dave.
1959 BSA Golden Flash
1956 Royal Enfield Super Meteor
1955 Royal Enfield 350 Bullet
2007 Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom

The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse get's the cheese!

Offline Brian

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Re: LED's
« Reply #5 on: 07.10. 2011 07:35 »
Hubie I have one running 12v with a DVR2 and it works very well. I am using the standard generater with the chain drive. The difference in revs required to charge is minimal. Other than having brighter lights you wouldnt know there was any difference.

Offline Hubie

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Re: LED's
« Reply #6 on: 07.10. 2011 08:47 »
Thanks Brian,

That gives me a bit of confidence.  Trev, I have a 35/35w halogen style globe in there and have switched to an old fashioned bulb 24/30w.  I now have to see why I don't have power to the bulb holder though!

Cheers,
Hubie.
1959 BSA Golden Flash
1956 Royal Enfield Super Meteor
1955 Royal Enfield 350 Bullet
2007 Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom

The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse get's the cheese!

Offline BSA_54A10

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Re: LED's
« Reply #7 on: 07.10. 2011 09:59 »
Check the wiring very carefully particularly if a handle bar hi-low switch has been fitted.
One of my favourite "tricks" is to pop a volt meter across the headlamp plug.
Want to guess how many bikes show 4 Volts or less ?
A very small voltage drop at the globe will cause a very significant reduction in the out put from the globe.
Bike Beesa
Trevor

Offline Hubie

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Re: LED's
« Reply #8 on: 07.10. 2011 10:42 »
Will check it out, have had problems at the headlight switch before and sorted them.  Will start there and check the high/low switch too and work from there.

Cheers,
Dave.
1959 BSA Golden Flash
1956 Royal Enfield Super Meteor
1955 Royal Enfield 350 Bullet
2007 Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom

The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse get's the cheese!

Offline Hubie

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Re: LED's
« Reply #9 on: 07.10. 2011 13:36 »
Got the headlamp working fine again now.  The bulb is halogen 35/35w.  What is recommended and will finding a +earth tail lamp bulb help the headlamp?  Also, anyone know where I can get 12 or 6v + earth tail lamp bulbs or is switching to - earth as simple as switching battery terminals?

Cheers,
Hubie.
1959 BSA Golden Flash
1956 Royal Enfield Super Meteor
1955 Royal Enfield 350 Bullet
2007 Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom

The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse get's the cheese!

Offline muskrat

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Re: LED's
« Reply #10 on: 07.10. 2011 21:15 »
G'day Hubbie,
                  I don't think globes care which way they get their juice. Battery, dynamo and reg on the other hand !
Cheers
'51 A7 plunger, '57 A7SS racer now a A10CR, '78 XT500, '83 CB1100F, 88 HD FXST, 2000 CBR929RR ex Honda Australia Superbike .
Australia
Muskys Plunger A7

Offline Hubie

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Re: LED's
« Reply #11 on: 07.10. 2011 22:16 »
G'day Jim,

The LED globes will care, I've tried 12 volt tail lamp from my suzuki in my super meteor which is +earth and it doesn't work.  Current only goes one way.

Cheers,
Hubie.
1959 BSA Golden Flash
1956 Royal Enfield Super Meteor
1955 Royal Enfield 350 Bullet
2007 Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom

The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse get's the cheese!

Offline BSA_54A10

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Re: LED's
« Reply #12 on: 08.10. 2011 00:05 »
Yep it is as simple as swapping over the battery leads.
You may or may not have to flash the dynamo.
The regulator is ( or should be ) insulated from the bike which is why there is a "E" terminal.
Bike Beesa
Trevor

Offline chaterlea25

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Re: LED's
« Reply #13 on: 08.10. 2011 00:22 »
HI Dave,
You dont say which regulaor your bike has
Electronic ones are either pos or neg earth, reversing the battery will fry them *eek*
If its a mech reg, just reflash the field to suit the new polarity
HTH
John O R
1961 Super Rocket
1963 RGS (ongoing)

Offline Hubie

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Re: LED's
« Reply #14 on: 08.10. 2011 02:18 »
Forgot completly forgot about that!  VregII is +earth only!
1959 BSA Golden Flash
1956 Royal Enfield Super Meteor
1955 Royal Enfield 350 Bullet
2007 Harley Davidson Sportster 1200 Custom

The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse get's the cheese!