headlights?

GoldenMotor.com

b3anz129

New Member
Aug 15, 2011
30
0
0
Boston
I keep hearing about the headlights (and other accessories) that can be powered using the extra wire from the motor. Where can I get one of these?
 

Fulltimer

New Member
Aug 13, 2010
1,321
3
0
77
Saint Augustine, FL
You really should only run LED lights off the white wire. What juice you take from the white wire comes away from your spark plug. Do a search for LED lights on the net and you will find tons. I use LED daytime running lights that were meant for cars. But I use them as a headlight. They run off a small 12v dirt bike battery.

Terry
 

nightcruiser

New Member
Mar 25, 2011
1,180
2
0
USA
I keep hearing about the headlights (and other accessories) that can be powered using the extra wire from the motor. Where can I get one of these?
LED flashlights that run on 3 batteries (4.5VDC) usually work pretty good off the white wire...
I run 3 18LED flashlights with 6 AAA NiMH batteries from my white wire with no problems using a basic bridge rectifier with a filter cap and blocking diode. The lights are nice and bright, I dont have any problem starting the bike, they have no effect on how she runs as far as I can tell. The batteries are always nice and charged when I stop the bike as well....
I did some basic testing and estimate that you can get about 1.5W from the white wire, give or take... So keep that in mind when you're buying/connecting stuff....
 

Wm Holden

New Member
Jun 1, 2011
358
2
0
Ventura California
I recently modded a chrome cruiser tail light into a headlight with a 3.6 volt dog collar battery set from radio shack $13....added a charging jack, and modded an old cell phone charger to fit the jack....3 leds from an inexpensive flashlight.....and well...works killer. looks good....oh on off switch is at the rear tip..push on push off
 
Last edited by a moderator:

riff44raff

New Member
Nov 4, 2010
50
0
0
staton ca
hi everyone when it comes to eletrical stuff I am lost so please help . I want to make my bike legal and in calif that means headlight with hi and low ,taillight with a working break light well I found this on e bay eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices ok can I just use this gen max and a switch and what kind of lights will I have to use ?? 12 volt ? its like $ 50 but the guys store ( check it out ) says to buy the charger and battery pack ? this is where I get confused ! if the gen max is putting out the power then why do I need to have a charger and batteries pack ? why is it better to run lights off a battery pack ? and if I use just the gen max will that take power from my spark ? I know a lot of ?? so thank you all in advance
 

Wm Holden

New Member
Jun 1, 2011
358
2
0
Ventura California
dude..I don't know how much you ride at night..me just a smidge...so I can't justify running wire all over my rolling art when rechargables and leds are so cheap.
I can walk you through it.... and save you a butt load of coin.

I'm in cali..and at the same point you are...out fitting my ride to be legal...my brake light should arrive today.
 

vincent713

New Member
Jun 2, 2010
287
0
0
Dallas
Did someone besides Norman ever found the right bulb to use for the white wire setup only? I really don't want to mount a battery on my bike, I want to be able to utilize only the white wire if possible.
 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
175
63
Littleton, Colorado
You will never have enough illumination trying to rely on the 2 to 3 watt maximum output of the white wire. A 3 watt light, incandescent, or LED will not light up the road in front of you. If you're just looking to satisfy a legal requirement to have a head and tail light, attach a flashlight to your handlebars. The white wire concept is a joke as far as powering a viable headlight that will provide sufficient illumination for safe night riding.

A few members have experimented with using the white wire to recharge a battery. You might research this idea but it still relys on carrying an onboard power source like a small SLA battery.

Tom
 
Last edited:

vincent713

New Member
Jun 2, 2010
287
0
0
Dallas
You will never have enough illumination trying to rely on the 2 to 3 watt maximum output of the white wire. A 3 watt light, incandescent, or LED will not light up the road in front of you. If you're just looking to satisfy a legal requirement to have a head and tail light, attach a flashlight to your handlebars. The white wire concept is a joke as far as powering a viable headlight that will provide sufficient illumination for safe night riding.

A few members have experimented with using the white wire to recharge a battery. You might research this idea but it still relys on carrying an onboard power source like a small SLA battery.

Tom
Tom,

I'm not really looking for something that will illuminate like a motorcycle but something like a 3 LED flashlight. Will the white wire provide this much illumination?
 

2door

Moderator
Staff member
Sep 15, 2008
16,302
175
63
Littleton, Colorado
Tom,

I'm not really looking for something that will illuminate like a motorcycle but something like a 3 LED flashlight. Will the white wire provide this much illumination?
Vince,
The only way to tell is with some experimentation. Try it. You've nothing to loose. Wire the light you want to use into the white wire and grounded to the engine case and start your engine. Turn the light on. If the engine dies, then the current draw from the light is too much. If the engine stays running, you're good to go.

My feeling is that I don't see any advantage to installing a light that doesn't provide enough illumination for you to see potential road hazards as you ride. If, as I said, you're only trying to satisfy a legal requirement, then pick up a cheap little clamp-on style of battery powered bicycle head light, and tail light if that is also required, but if you want to see what's out ahead of you at night, a 2 or 3 watt light isn't going to do the job.
Tom
 

nightcruiser

New Member
Mar 25, 2011
1,180
2
0
USA
I am pretty sure I posted this here already, but I have been running 3 LED flashlights on my bike for a while now from the white wire without any problems. The flashlights each have 18LEDs (54 LEDs total), the three of them together light up the road pretty good, definitely well enough for a safe ride. (the flashlights were made to run off 3 AAA batteries ~4.5VDC)

I have put a very basic DC power supply on the white wire consisting of a full wave bridge rectifier and a single filter capacitor. The filtered output from the white wire runs right around 4.5-5VDC so it powers the lights real good and it doesn't effect the way the motor runs or starts, I can start the bike with the lights on. As long as you run a 4.5-6VDC LED tail light I don't see any problem powering it as well.

I also have 6 AAA NiMH batteries connected now (inside the flashlights) and they are being charged by the white wire pretty good. They started out drained and when I am done riding they are always charged, the lights stay on after I kill the motor. Speaking of killing the motor, the kill switch will short out and drain your batteries, so you need to install blocking diodes if you run a battery...
 

vincent713

New Member
Jun 2, 2010
287
0
0
Dallas
This sounds very complicated, I really don't need alot of light, I'm a sidewalk rider so I just need to see what's in front of me in case there is a big bump.
 

TheOtherChris

Member
Apr 1, 2012
47
0
6
SE Idaho
I am pretty sure I posted this here already, but I have been running 3 LED flashlights on my bike for a while now from the white wire without any problems. The flashlights each have 18LEDs (54 LEDs total), the three of them together light up the road pretty good, definitely well enough for a safe ride. (the flashlights were made to run off 3 AAA batteries ~4.5VDC)

I have put a very basic DC power supply on the white wire consisting of a full wave bridge rectifier and a single filter capacitor. The filtered output from the white wire runs right around 4.5-5VDC so it powers the lights real good and it doesn't effect the way the motor runs or starts, I can start the bike with the lights on. As long as you run a 4.5-6VDC LED tail light I don't see any problem powering it as well.

I also have 6 AAA NiMH batteries connected now (inside the flashlights) and they are being charged by the white wire pretty good. They started out drained and when I am done riding they are always charged, the lights stay on after I kill the motor. Speaking of killing the motor, the kill switch will short out and drain your batteries, so you need to install blocking diodes if you run a battery...
My eyes are too old to solder electronics anymore.....but my son's aren't.

I just had him take a look at this and he said "No problem dad".
I see lights in the future of my HT bike.
Thanks for the tip.

Thanks
 
Last edited:

beach cruiser

Member
Mar 13, 2012
126
1
18
Puget Sound Convergence Zone
I use those 6 to 8 led lights that you wear on your head. I remove the straps stick some velcro on the back of the case and attach them to the reflector on the handbar stem. You can pivot them up or down. I also install the ones that have a blinking red light on the back of my bikes. If you break down at night you simply detach them from the velcro & use them as work lights.
 

ivan H

Member
Oct 8, 2011
622
1
16
australia
I run a 4.7V, 0.4A krypton bulb of the white wire unrectified, plus an old Sanyo 6V 3W bottle genorator running another same bulb. A 190 lumen light using 3AAA & a flashing 110 lumen light, both on handlebars & cn c well. Its not like motorbike light, at all but I can start the motor with the white wire light on no problem. At speed the genorator fed light is a bit brighter & I do blow bulbs in sometimes. Cheers
 

ivan H

Member
Oct 8, 2011
622
1
16
australia
To use LED lights by powering off the white wire no rectification should really be nescessary if no batteries r used as LED's r diodes & will run off the AC voltage. U might get a bit of strobing but they should b ok. Cheers
 

nightcruiser

New Member
Mar 25, 2011
1,180
2
0
USA
To use LED lights by powering off the white wire no rectification should really be nescessary if no batteries r used as LED's r diodes & will run off the AC voltage. U might get a bit of strobing but they should b ok. Cheers
Without rectification you are not utilizing the negative pulse of energy, without the filter cap the voltage may spike a bit high and cause you some troubles. So, not required, but a good idea. Since a couple diodes and a cap are so cheap, small and easy to wire up I see no real reason not to...
 

ivan H

Member
Oct 8, 2011
622
1
16
australia
Hi Nightcruiser, u r right. I probly worded that wrong. Anyone with a little electrical knowledge wont need 2 b told how 2 rectify the voltage. I just meant 4 those who dont, it will still run LED's, albeit not as well. Cheers