Topic: mmmm, DOT legal LED headlight...

[ColinMc]

http://www.truck-lite.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&productId=64057&langId=-1

I want that...BAD...too bad it costs more than my CB750 did lol.

It's part number 27250C at NAPA 309.00 over the counter and 199.00 my cost...OUCH!

[Duke McDukiedook]

60 Watts at high beam, not much energy savings either...

[ColinMc]

What kind of amperage does a typical halogen bulb pull at high and low?

[manjisann]

To me the only reason to switch to led's is for a savings on energy. I don't know what a typical halogen uses, but if theres little to no savings, aside from the longevity, I don't see an advantage. Other than that, it's a cool item.

Brandon

[Duke McDukiedook]

Normal bulb pulls 60/50 Watts on the 750; dunno about the halogens.

[ColinMc]

Wattage doesn't concern me much as long as it's in the ballpark, amperage is where the advantage lies if there is one.

Anyone know on average what kind of amps a stock headlight setup pulls?

[Duke McDukiedook]

Around 5 and 4 amps.

[ColinMc]

So I guess this particular LED light isn't much of a savings...probably better off spending the money on a new harness for the bike and cleaning up the ground locations etc etc lol.

[mystic_1]

Wattage doesn't concern me [...] amperage is where the advantage lies if there is one.

Umm,

Volts = Watts / Amps
Amps = Watts / Volts
Watts = Amps*Volts

mystic_1

[ColinMc]

Sorry for my ignorance, but if a 12 volt system is operating a 60watt light...how come the amps used can be different for different types of bulbs? That's why the equations you posted confuse me...

I guess I just always pay attention to the amount of amperage an electrical item uses to determine if it'll be less taxing on the old charging system on these bikes...like turn signals, taillight, headlight...Can't a higher wattage output device (bulb, LED...) pull less amps or is it always going to pull more amps if it's brighter...or should wattage not be confused with actual brightness of the device?

[SD750F]

The daylight white LEDs really are neither. First they work using a very intense UltraViolet LED emitter that excites a phosphor. The phosphor selected is what color temperature the white LED will be. So you have losses in the UV LED to begin with, the losses with the spectral conversion to the white light. They will still produce heat (more losses) but they will not have mechanical elements such as filaments to break or wear.

So LEDs are perfect for brake and turn lights. Or other marker lights, but really not a good idea for a headlight at this time.

Scott

[Inigo Montoya]

I think if a person is going to do something like this, the HID setup is probably a better choice.

[Laminar]

Offers as much as 50x longer life (10,000 hrs vs 400 hrs) than comparable incandescent lamps, saving the time and expense of replacing lamps multiple times

Yeah, I hate having to replace that $20 bulb once every 20 years. This is the perfect solution.

[ColinMc]

Well I got excited because of the "cool" factor and the fact that I THOUGHT it would be much much less power drawn on the system...Well and more for the cool factor lol. People spend quite a bit on HID conversion kits for their bikes. 200 bucks for a LED headlight IF it were a lot brighter and a better quality of light could just be worth it. But like SD750F said, I don't think the technology is probably to the point where headlights like this are worth it yet.

So if I live to be 200 and my CB750 ever gets done before I hit that age this bulb would be pay for itself then right Laminar?

[TwoTired]

or should wattage not be confused with actual brightness of the device?

Yes, that's it.  An illumination device has a conversion efficiency.  Different types of devices convert the power used to produce light in a different manner.
So, don't confuse light output with energy consumption.

Amps is not the defining metric for power consumption.  Watts is that definition.  The equations posted are correct.

Light output is often measured in Lumens.  Further, how the light is measured further complicates a lamps useful rating.  A reflector can focus the light onto a smaller spot.

Then there is the spectrum of light to be measured.  Is all the energy converted to visible spectrum?  What spot size and at what distance?

If a bulb consumes 60 watts of power, it doesn't matter what the light output rating is (from a power availability perspective).

FYI, the stock CB750 headlight was a 50/40 Watt consumption device.  This rating was made on the assumption it was provided with 12.8V.  Because of it's resistive nature, higher voltages will cause an incandescent filament to draw more watts, and lower voltages will cause it the draw less watts.  Note that the light output also changes this style bulb's light output brightness with voltage changes, as well.

[ColinMc]

Thanks TwoTired! I was hoping you would chime in at some point...you are great at explaining stuff so I can understand. Electrical stuff always has been and always will be something that just doesn't "click" with me lol.

[kirkn]

Sorry for my ignorance, but if a 12 volt system is operating a 60watt light...how come the amps used can be different for different types of bulbs? That's why the equations you posted confuse me...

I guess I just always pay attention to the amount of amperage an electrical item uses to determine if it'll be less taxing on the old charging system on these bikes...like turn signals, taillight, headlight...Can't a higher wattage output device (bulb, LED...) pull less amps or is it always going to pull more amps if it's brighter...or should wattage not be confused with actual brightness of the device?

Well, given a 12-volt system and a 60-watt device, the amps will be constant, whatever the device is that using 60 watts.  Kind of like a pound of feathers vs. a pound of iron.  It's still a pound.  However, for that given 60 watts, different devices may or may not be brighter than others.  Refer to two-tired's description...

[333]

The other issue to consider is that auto and M/C headlight bulbs are different.  They are subtle, but noticeable if you know what to look for.  The reflector throws the light in a different pattern.  As you sit on the bike, the light shown to the left is aimed lower.  Car bulbs don't have to have this quality, as they can be aimed left and right, as well as up and down.

[Gordon]

Car bulbs don't have to have this quality, as they can be aimed left and right, as well as up and down.

All of my bikes have an adjustment screw on the right side of the headlight ring so they can be aimed left/right. 

[mystic_1]

My headlight shell can be pivoted left/right/up/down, but then again it's a dune buggy headlight. 

mystic_1

[333]

Yes, there is sometimes an adjustment.  But the angle changes when the bike leans.  The light is angled down on the left so when the bike goes into a right turn at speed and is leaning, it doesn't blind a driver coming from the opposite direction.  Of course, this would have to be reversed in countries where one drives(rides) on the left side of the road.

[74cb750]

Well, around here I like to blind the oncoming driver so he'll see me.
Just kidding 333.

[bucky katt]

IS there a headlight out there that drams less voltage/amperage than the standard incandescnt bulb?  i'd love to be able to run a smaller battery

[Gordon]

IS there a headlight out there that drams less voltage/amperage than the standard incandescnt bulb?  i'd love to be able to run a smaller battery

I think true HID headlights use less current, but they require a ballast to provide the initial surge needed to get the light going, which may offset any gain you may get from decreasing the size of the battery.  The electric starter is the biggest draw on the battery, so eliminating that would be the easiest way to allow you to go with a smaller battery. 

[bucky katt]

so, something like this?  sorry for the hi-jack!


http://www.xtralights.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1349

[333]

Yep.  That'll do the trick.

[ColinMc]

No worries, i'd love to do anything possible to bring the draw down on the factory electrical system!

[333]

In looking at it further, I found the "catch".  If one opts for the "high and low beam" option, the bulb has to have a solenoid to actually move the bulb in and out to change the angle of light against a reflector.  Most HIDs are like this.  So, in the case of our era of bikes, all the wiring junctions will have to be moved elsewhere, and a hole might have to be made in the rear of the bucket.  Not a deal breaker, but be aware of the work involved.

My daughter has a Nissan Rogue that has these headlights.  It actually has a servo instead of a solenoid.  You can fine tune it from the drivers seat up and down.