LED power saving

[SIR tricky]

If you touch the regulator/rectifier when the bike is running you will feel that it gets very hot hence the fins to help the air cool it down.

I can try to explain it, A. the alternator at 3000 RPM produces maximum energy whether you have any draw or not.
B if this energy is not used it is shunted to ground by the regulator.

What the poster is saying is that the less energy that is used (IE LED"S) the more UNUSED energy has to be shunted to ground thereby generating more heat at the regulator as it performs it's work

It might be explained this way if you have a bucket of water holding 8 pints of water and you are filling this bucket at the rate of 4 pints per minute and are draining out at 3.5 per minute 1/2 pint gets into the overflow pipe if you cut down the draining to 3 pints per minute then the overflow pipe has to contend with 1 pint per minute. Hopefully the drain pipe is big enough

Me... I got rid of the 8 pint bucket by installing the external alternator

[Guest]

My Reason for switching to the LED's.

1st, The brighter, more noticable light that the LED chips put out.
Not just any LED Mind you, they must be the super high output chips.

2nd. The rich vibrant color, makes the old weathered lenses look better than new.

3rd. The instant off and on function of the LEDs grab more attention.

4th. No heat is generated by the LEDs

5th, I never have extra power to shunt to ground, I use my saved power for my extras, Stereo, Amp, MP3, Sirius satellite radio, GPS, radar detector, and my many extra lights.

6th, I like new technoligy.

[SIR tricky]

Installing LED's is no guarantee that the stock alternator will not fail.

One can still install LED's when using the external alternator.

Bright LED's will not help when the alternator finally dies leaving you stranded on the side of the road. It's fine if you don't drive far from home. I have traversed the US several times fortunately both my stators died within a short distance from home. I was in Georgia in September, planning Colorado next year, I don't want to chance it with another stock alternator LED's or not.

[Guest]

I think somehow we have drifted off topic,?

We went from power savings from these wild and wonderful LEDs to stator failure?


Jim

[B.Bolding]

Ok, sorry everyone I was not trying to stir up anything , I just didn't understand how if you use less power where the heat comes from. Seems tricky explained the prosses pretty well. My biggest reason I went with the LED lights is I like the look, then I thought it would put less strain on the stator. So if there is no practical reason for them, then I just like them.

[seminolejoe]

thats the most important reason of all isn't it?

[Feetup]

I agree," looks is everything."