Topic: Electrical enginers,please chime in,Led,s h4 bulb to reduce current draw?

[TwoTired]

But it is normal that the voltage sometimes exceed 14.5V for a few minutes, right? 

Measured at the Vreg or the battery?

Lead acid battery chemistry being what it is, 14.5 volts is the nominal threshold where the electrolyte is totally saturated.  Forcing even more power into the device begins electrolysis, where oxygen and hydrogen gasses are liberated, "drying" out the electrolyte and reducing it's volume.

For battery long life, and reduced maintenance needed for the battery, the less time it charges above 14.5V, the better.  And, after reaching that restorative threshold, it is common to reduce voltage to the battery back to ~13.8V for maintenance under loaded conditions.  The stock Vreg does this by switching a 10 ohm resistor in and out of the field coil energization path as needed to create an average maintenance level.  Sampled digital meters may or may not report this in a way you can see.  Analog meters can only show you an average, as the meter's needle inertia naturally dampens rapid voltage changes.  Oscilloscopes show this behavior far more clearly.

Lead acid batteries are somewhat tolerant of abuse.  But, Gel batteries can lose electrolyte volume (the Gel) and that can't be replenished as flooded cells can.

Cheers,

[1976cb750f836]

I've got some ledh4s coming.will post results after install.

[PeWe]

But it is normal that the voltage sometimes exceed 14.5V for a few minutes, right? 

Measured at the Vreg or the battery?

Battery, or closer to the ignition coils, black-white 12v feed
The device that measure is the LED charging device I have mentioned before. It has 3 wires, negative to battery -, ign coils 12V feed and battery. This will measure charging while engine is running OR battery V level when parked.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/LED-Motorcycle-Battery-Alternator-Charge-monitor-level-indicator-warning-bike-G-/200826330214
According to its description the voltage exceed 15.2V

I'll adjust the regulator. I had problem with drained battery a few years ago when I used Dyna-S ign with 3 ohm coils. Changed to 5 ohm coils and serviced the regulator according to manual and increased the voltage.
Shortly after back to points and Hondaman ignition.

[TwoTired]

But it is normal that the voltage sometimes exceed 14.5V for a few minutes, right? 

Measured at the Vreg or the battery?

Battery, or closer to the ignition coils, black-white 12v feed
The device that measure is the LED charging device I have mentioned before. It has 3 wires, negative to battery -, ign coils 12V feed and battery. This will measure charging while engine is running OR battery V level when parked.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/LED-Motorcycle-Battery-Alternator-Charge-monitor-level-indicator-warning-bike-G-/200826330214
According to its description the voltage exceed 15.2V

I'll adjust the regulator. I had problem with drained battery a few years ago when I used Dyna-S ign with 3 ohm coils. Changed to 5 ohm coils and serviced the regulator according to manual and increased the voltage.
Shortly after back to points and Hondaman ignition.

You should adjust the regulator for output as measured/sensed at the Vreg at its terminals.  Not at the battery.

You should measure the voltage drop between the battery terminals and the Vreg connections.  If more than 0.5V vdrop, then you need to repair the connections or switch contacts in the path between the two devices.  Imo, 15.2 v is too high for the battery for the reasons explained beforehand.

I suspect you might have succumbed to relay alteration to bypass wiring connector and switch contact degradation.  While this can give instant gratification for voltage at the end device, it doesn't fix the root issues of proper voltage distribution.  Further, the black wire distribution is relieved of systemic current changes reflecting in vreg sense terminal variations, which in turn is likely the reason why your regulator is now overcharging the battery due to errant voltage adjustment.  (Hondaman ignition and 5 ohm coils draw much less current than you 3 ohm and dyna-s did, and this reflects in the voltage changes of the battery charge levels.)

I suppose you could add yet another relay to get the Vreg sense voltage closer to true battery voltage.   But, I would rather fix what's broken than go the 20,000 relays under the skin route.

Your call...
Cheers,

[1976cb750f836]

I measured at the Battery?
Don't know if it's coincidence  or not but battery bit the dust yesterday.
11.8 key off.
Hit start button 6.4v
I've ordered a agm battery.
Had to kick start yesterday?

[KeithB]

I've got some ledh4s coming.will post results after install.

If you are inclined, take a pic of the light pattern against a wall before and after to show us what the pattern looks like.
As Dunk indicated, a well designed, high quality reflector system makes a huge difference even with regular H4 halogen bulbs.

[1976cb750f836]

Will do before and after pics.
Can't believe how much better it is now after cleaning the wire plugs.
Thanks

[KeithB]

Will do before and after pics.
Can't believe how much better it is now after cleaning the wire plugs.
Thanks

It can even get a bit better with a larger gauge wire, though a relay, directly to the battery.

[PeWe]

I can reduce it by adjust the regulator. I remember I cranked it up to ensure charging.

[1976cb750f836]

Ok,they arrive ed,3 different sets of led h4 replacement bulbs.
2 from china ,1 from us seller of china goods (4-5day delivery vs 30  days out of china).
I would rate the stock h4 at a 5, on a scale of 1-10.
The s-8 set (from us seller) tried first ,came with an option of clear lens or a yellowish
Slip. Over lens.
Clear or white for clear nights,
And yellow for foggy or rainy dark nights.
I liked the yellow Better?
Rating 7.1 for the yellow.
             6.5 for the white.
Next was the ones in a generic torn. Box.
           Rating 7.2, slightly better than the first one.
Last the C6 box set.
36w 3800 lumin on box, others had no spec.
Rating 7.3
These are left in for now till a night ride then I might do more Testing with the yellow bulb.
All were a large improvement over stock h4s.
All were close in bright and beam pattern.
The one I chose had a slightly better low beam, (all have a poor low beam compared to high).
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2-PCS-COB-H4-C6-7600LM-72W-LED-Car-Headlight-Kit-Hi-Lo-Turbo-Light-Bulbs-6000K/332336399767?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

All were 15-20$ set,shipped.

[FuZZie]

Can you rotate the bulb 90 degrees? If you can it may give a better pattern. That looks side beside verses over under to me.

[1976cb750f836]

Bulb doesn't rotate.
I'll take more pics when can get outside for a night pic.
My pic might be missing leading, 15ft from a white shop Door?
It's single digits hear today so ant going out Yet!

[FuZZie]

My pic might be missing leading, 15ft from a white shop Door?

No, I think it's pretty clear the lights are reflecting on the sides of the lens.
Maybe rotate the whole lens 90 deg?

[FuZZie]

What you want is a tight beam focused on the road ahead so if you can get over/under you should project the light farther ahead.
Side by side is really going to light up the sides of the road more, yea more light will still go forward on brights but I don't think it's best that you can get from that led. Also, you have the cutoff line for oncoming traffic to deal with when on low beam do you still see 2 beams on the door? If you only see one you really need the second led on top.

[1976cb750f836]

I was wrong,they are clock able.  Was messing around with my 70 cj5jeep,it has h4 housings,  I was using some of the led bulbs that I didn't use in my bikes. Got it all together and noticed low to high went left to right Instead Of up and down. The bulbs do turn in the tab. After clocking them correctly I checked the one in my bike, it does turn it's a little stiff but it does turn. I'll reset it and try to do pics of low,high beam.
         Thanks, I never thought about them being adjustable?

[FuZZie]

Cool, I'd like to see if you get an improvement. If possible could you also show low beam so we can see the upper cut off line?

[1976cb750f836]

Low beam

[1976cb750f836]

High beam.
Pic is misleading to what I see?
On high, the higher center is a much  stronger white light.
The low led panel stays on, and additional length of panel comes on.
I'll do pics outside when I can
Last pic. Is high beam with shop lights on, this is closers to what I c.

[1976cb750f836]

This should be second pic.
High beam shop lights off.

[TwoTired]

Looks like you'll be blinding oncoming vehicles.  I wonder which lane they will wander into?

[PeWe]

My bike has a LED H4 (specified 30W) as I mentioned earlier. The light pattern is not the best, not blinding meeting cars that should flash if they got blinded.
I have noticed much better respect from cars while riding my bike when they seems to see me much better than before with std H4 (60W/55W)
Light pattern good enough for evening rides on dark roads.
Increased safety for me.

[FuZZie]

The red line is the low beam cut off, this is how you control the blinding effect TT is talking about. It may still be a bit high but you'll need more distance to see if you need to bring that down. PeWe has valid points too as per his experience were still seeing a poor beam pattern. 

[FuZZie]

The low led panel stays on, and additional length of panel comes on.

Is the high beam light that comes on facing up now?

[Dunk]

I don't understand the desire to buy Chinese junk that offers poor illumination and blinds people. There are excellent H4 reflectors available from Cibie as well as Bosch and even Hella is better than that junk. Several great options for bulbs too at various wattages. Have you even upgraded the wiring and installed relays yet?

[FuZZie]

Would he not already have one Dunk?
Could you tell us witch H4 reflector was used 1976cb750f836?