LEDS

[scott]

These pics are just my experiment on how to post pics. Not very computer savvy. If this works all with the exception of the headlight are LEDS. :-SS :-SS :-SS :YMAPPLAUSE:

[roscoepc]

I'd say you've got the hang of it!! :mrgreen: Nice bike!! 8)

[goldwingrider]

Scott you did a very nice job. I have a 1987 and a few years back I changed all my light to LED's except the Headlight and I find that the Alternator does not have to work as hard. Keep up the good work.

[Guest]

Scott you did a very nice job. I have a 1987 and a few years back I changed all my light to LED's except the Headlight and I find that the Alternator does not have to work as hard. Keep up the good work.

just the headlight and tail light does not affect the stator.

if i put fog light or 2 square light for the night is it to much?

[Guest]

I did a little looking and came up with a 55w halogen light drawing 4.5 amps. Double that for a pair and you are pulling 9 amps.

2 normal square lights..not halogen . 110w or 9 amps is too much i think

[BladeRunner]

Hi Scott, did you have to do anything to get the signals to flash correctly? :-SS I've been thinking about doing this with my '87 A; I think I read somewhere that the LED's don't pull enough juice to make the flashers work right??? :?: Was that a dream I had? Or is this right? ^^ :?: :?:
P.S. I have tried a couple of different leds that have an 1157 type base, none of them were very bright..your's look very bright..what type did you use?..Thanks.. :YMAPPLAUSE:

[jawajohn]

I have 20 running lights just on the rear of my new wing. So led's are looking like the way to go for me.

[Feetup]

I really like the LEDs for a number of reasons but I question their effect on the longevity of the standard alternator.
These alternators are of the permanent magnet type which means there is no way to control the amount of power output other than restricting the speed at which they turn. For any given speed they will put out all the current they can. The way Honda controls the output is by the use of a "shunt" type regulator which, in the simplest terms, merely wastes any excess power by converting it to heat so it is not a dead short and sending it back to ground. If, for example you are cruising at 3,000 RPM and the alternator is capable of say 500 watts at that speed (Merely a hypothetical number, I don't know what the actual value is at that speed) and all your lights and ignition system are only drawing 400 watts (again, hypothetical) the regulator will turn the remaining 100 watts to heat and shunt it back to ground. If you reduce your usage to only 200 watts the regulator has to deal with 300 watts of excess power, and hence a lot more heat. If you are drawing 550 watts the battery has to make up the last 50 for as long as it can.
It follows, therefore that using almost all the power you produce without going over maximum will not load the alternator any more than using almost none, and will make things easier for the regulator.
I don't believe that the amount of lights we put on our scooters is the reason for stator failures. I know that this might seem like heresy to some but there it is.
I converted to an external alternator before my stator failed because I like the idea of the regulator controlling output rather than wasting it, and I like the idea of having all the power I can use, and most of all I know my original stator will fail when I need it most. I use LEDs for their brightness, pure light color, almost instant illumination and long life, and consider the power savings as more real since I am running a system that doesnt make energy it doesn't use.

[MRGONE]

I have been running 10,000 Miles on an outside alternator, but just converted back i was using a 4"dia pulley, if i was in traffic and had to stop the bike for some reason the battetry would be flat and i would have to bump start,(i still have this system in place and can fall back on it if the stator fails by reconnecting the outside alternator,)
As i have mentioned in another post (some where on this site)
I think the reason for a lot of these failures are the spade connectors, it mentions in the Haynes manual about cutting out the connector with the three yellow wires coming from the stator to the loom,
NOW MINE WAS BURNING THE CONNECTORS TO THE REGULATOR CONNECTOR AND ALSO ANOTHER CONNECTOR GOING INTO THE LOOM further along,
The spade connectors that these yellow wires are connected to are not upto the job when dirty
as the female spade that is shaped like a letter B and the male spade that connects into it do not have enough contact surface area especially when drty,and so try and draw too much current through the system,so by cutting out the plug and soldering the wires OK sure a good move but that just shifts the problem further along up the line to the next connectors , i have cut the plug out from the regulator and soldered the wires, but just cleaned the one further allong as it looks a bit awkward to get to, but i might tackle it later on.
Also on the same lines i got rid of the main fuse and tried the blade fuse but although the fuse didnt blow the surrounding plastic started to melt , answer replaced it with a fuse box size approx 2"x 1/2"x 1/2"with decent brass connectors and housing a dog bone shaped 30Amp fuse,
Hope this helps anyone having simular problems,
Len.

[fysty-1]

Hi Scott, did you have to do anything to get the signals to flash correctly? :-SS I've been thinking about doing this with my '87 A; I think I read somewhere that the LED's don't pull enough juice to make the flashers work right??? :?: Was that a dream I had? Or is this right? ^^ :?: :?:
P.S. I have tried a couple of different leds that have an 1157 type base, none of them were very bright..your's look very bright..what type did you use?..Thanks.. :YMAPPLAUSE:

BR, if you change out all your lamps to LED except the Turn Signals, you won't have to worry about resistors or special flashers. Yor signals are not on long enough to worry about the voltage draw. Angela :YMHUG: :YMHUG:

[MSGT-R]

I also did the LED route, including the turn signals. The flasher has to be changed to a constant rate electronic one (about $25), and the dash indicator looks a little weird when they blink, but I could live with that. The biggest thing with the 1100s was the low output of the electrical system; just a pair of low power driving lights can put it at max..

My V65 Magna even has a pair of MR16 driving lights with LED bulb inserts that are quite bright.

LEDs come in the 1157 and 1156 variety, but some are better than others. LEDs are quite "directional" with their light, and the newer design bulbs have side lights to increase spread.

This picture is in the garage. All the lights are LED with side markers added (in place of reflectors). Even the reflection on the garage door is my LED tail light. The headlight is a Silverstar.



Experiment. Everything I did is reversable, but who would want to?
Here's a good resource: http://www.customdynamics.com/