Electrical question

[jbabb]

I have a 6v light. I would like to hook it up to the white wire on my Chinese kit. It lights the bulb for a split second but naturally acts like a kill switch. I know there is a way to wire it ( probably with resistors) so that the light will stay on without grounding the engine. I was told once that with a couple of components from radio shack it was possible to charge a battery. If this is possible maybe I can just illuminate a bulb or two?

Can anyone tell me if there is a wire I can hook up to that will complete the circuit without grounding the coil?

Thanks everyone, I have used a lot of advice from the forum.....what a great help you all have been.

My shift is changing at work and I will be needing lights for a little bit each day.

Thanks again,

[Sydneysider]

an easy way I'm thinking is maybe put a variable resistor in series and adjust it while riding perhaps. just my 2 cents worth

[xlite]

Originally Posted by jbabb

I have a 6v light. I would like to hook it up to the white wire on my Chinese kit. It lights the bulb for a split second but naturally acts like a kill switch. I know there is a way to wire it ( probably with resistors) so that the light will stay on without grounding the engine.

IMO hooking anything up to the wire is going to detract from an already weak ignition. A resistor is a bad idea in terms of wasted energy. A diode is better because the CDI only uses half the cycle.

I experimented with all the above and LED strings which should also minimize drain from the ignition half of the cycle. But never saw a case where the bike ran as good as nothing connected. Usually the light had to be switched off to start the motor and in some situations had to reduce plug gap to keep it going. Cheap LED bike light with rechargeable AAs was best solution for me.

[tyrslider]

2nd what xlite said.

But if you still want to try, I recommend the volt reg ($2 from Radio Shack) and battery. You'll probably still need to maintenance charge the battery but this way draw is on the battery and not the magneto coil.

[TheE]

If it were up to me, I'd just run the lighting circuit independant of the motor. A decent-sized lead-acid or NiMH battery would run a small incandescent bulb for hours before needing recharging. Not as cool, but gets the job done.

[jbabb]

I starting to like this idea best!

[Cabinfever1977]

walmart has rechargable drill batterys and chargers for cheap,sometimes they even throw in a drill. battery = $20, charger = $20,or 2 batterys + charger + drill $60.

i bought a cordless hedge trimmer on sale at walmart for around $45,and i cut the handle off the trimmer where the battery locks in and put that on my bike with wires going to a fuse and switch.
and it came with a 1 hour quick charger,so battery pops off my cradle on bike and i pop it in the charging cradle. the battery lasts for hours powering a couple of small car lights. i had the battery over a year and its still working like new and holds a full charge.

[FlyJSH]

What about dissecting one of those wind up flashlights? Perhaps there could be a way to drive the generator from the tires like the old bike generators. But with the batteries/capacitors from the flashlight, the lights would stay on even when the tires are stopped.

Follow up:
I found this like on a DIY wind up flashlight.

WindupFlashlight < Projects < tearsoffire.org