LED headlight

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Daddy Dom
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LED headlight

Post by Daddy Dom »

Paul Goff has advised one of these for my 1982 K, in case should I actually want to see at night. (At present I'm using a 35/35w bulb in a Hella H4 headlight.)

http://www.norbsa02.freeuk.com/goffyWhyNotLEDs.htm

Has anybody already fitted one and do they have any comments or shall I be the guinea pig?
Cheers,
DD
MRC 3082½
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Ming
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Re: LED headlight

Post by Ming »

I have found that 'ordinary' H4 LEDs are very good for visibility (mine to others) but poor on illumination, and also that the main-beam indicator glows dimly when on dip. However, they are OK for me as I'm usually tucked up in bed when it gets dark. :roll:
MickeyMoto
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Re: LED headlight

Post by MickeyMoto »

In my opinion, the advantage is with the lower wattage to help the small alternator. A 55watt bulb is marginal on the Ducati Elettronica bikes in my opinion. At the price, I'll keep my halogen bulbs for now! Like Ming, being seen is important as going out at Cocoa time has lost its appeal... even in the car...
simonnorthroad
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Re: LED headlight

Post by simonnorthroad »

From my experience and those of the IKBA forum, Paul Goff's Chinese made products dont last all that long....
AntietamClassicCycle
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Re: LED headlight

Post by AntietamClassicCycle »

I'm running this LED bulb in my original headlight/reflector:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XH ... 479E&psc=1
Because it has a P43T base and the Morini's reflector uses a P45T base bulb, it was necessary to use an adapter.
https://www.classiccarleds.co.uk/produc ... lb-adapter
It's been in there several months now and is working perfectly. Might just be my imagination, but it seems there has been a decrease in the number of drivers pulling out in front of me or turning across my path. It is very bright, so I'm likely more visible than before.

I've been using the same bulb with an Autopal brand reflector in my Guzzi Convert since June 2017 with excellent results.

There have been a few reports of bad bulbs - dead right out of the box - but all six I've bought either for myself or customers has been perfect. They're cheap enough that buying two, to keep one as a spare, is still very cost effective.
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Daddy Dom
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Re: LED headlight

Post by Daddy Dom »

Thanks, folks.

Simon, could you please flick me a link to a thread on IKBA? (whatever that might stand for!?) Charlie's recommendation is 99.99% going to be Chinese too but at 1/4 the price of Goff's and looks very different.

Charlie, thanks for that link, it seems those adapters range in price from the sublime to the ridiculous!

Cheers,
DD
MRC 3082½
harrymuffin
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Re: LED headlight

Post by harrymuffin »

The K2 and I think the K1 had uprated alternators at 140watts, the 500's are 160watts. I ran my K2 with 60watt head lamp bulbs but then fitted illegal 100watt headlamp main beam bulbs. I was commuting on this bike through the winter the last 20miles in the country and had no problems with the the battery or anything else electrical on the bike. The electrical load was only the main beam at 100w and the tail at 5w so there was always a surplus of electricity for the starter motor the next morning. My hybrid has a Cibie reflector unit fitted with a 60/55w and have no problems maintaining the same speed as in the daytime. The alternators after all are water cooled in winter when it rains so they won't overheat.
I have tried LED lamps in sidelights and stop lights on cars and found them unreliable and hit or miss. Check the output of you alternator and if it puts out more than 8amps then stick 60/55w in or 100/50's if output is over 10amps.
harrymuffin
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Re: LED headlight

Post by harrymuffin »

PS.
If you put a relay in the lighting circuit with a feed direct from the distribution board in the headlamp, you will improve on the voltage at the lamp and hence more lumens. The wiring as standard has to go three times back and forward before it gets to the headlamp with a voltage drop through the wiring, connectors and switches, my headlamp is fed this way with a full 13.6v at the bulb rather than the former 11.8v.
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Ming
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Re: LED headlight

Post by Ming »

harrymuffin wrote:PS.
If you put a relay in the lighting circuit with a feed direct from the distribution board in the headlamp, you will improve on the voltage at the lamp and hence more lumens. ...
You will also protect the lighting switch.
AntietamClassicCycle
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Re: LED headlight

Post by AntietamClassicCycle »

That's the thing about LED bulbs - no need for relays (same lighting output down to 8 volts) and no chance of melting the switch or fuseblock (less load than the original 45/40 watt incandescent bulb).

I've been running Sylvania 1157R LED bulbs in the Guzzi's taillight for over a year and they too have worked flawlessly. Super bright, come on instantly and use less power as well. The Convert uses two 1157 bulbs, so it's went from 42 watts when the brake lights are illuminated to 5, and from 10 watts to 1 on the taillights. At stop lights, vehicles behind me stay farther back - they're that bright.

Unfortunately, both of the LED bulbs I tried in the Morini taillight failed almost immediately - being rubber mounted, the Morini taillight bobs up and down quite a bit and the LED bulbs fractured internally.
harrymuffin
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Re: LED headlight

Post by harrymuffin »

I could not agree with you more regarding LEDs, I have 250v ones in every light fitting in the house. I also advised the engineers of the ships I superintended to fit neon and then LEDs as the filament lamps were being replaced constantly owing to the vibration of the ships engines and ships movement. As long as you buy recognised make ones manufactured in Eastern Europe rather than the mickey mouse crap from China then they should last, but as I am a motorcyclist and ride defensively I do not have day time running lights on any of my vehicles as I do not believe in blinding other road users and conscious of the environment with the extra fuel usage. I find 'bikers' who insist riding around with lamps giving out lumens far in excess of the nominal halogen as inconsiderate and selfish, as even in daylight they are blinding to drivers/motorcyclists travelling in the opposite direction. As I have mentioned already, I have tried LEDs in the side, stop and and winkers to reduce the current in 60 year old wiring but found them problematic. Out of the cluster of nine diodes if more than six worked I was doing well and with the ones for tail/brake (do they make them now that shine to the side as the lights are supposed to) I reverted to filament which over here are rated at 5/21w. And yes, they are more environmentally friendly with less fuel being burnt. Thank goodness I gave up on acetylene lighting in the last century.
3potjohn
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Re: LED headlight

Post by 3potjohn »

I fitted a H4 LED light with a fan in the rear on another bike a few months . I don't tend to ride much at night except in the Winter, not least because of the vast numbers of deer about. The light was much better but I removed it pre MOT and have not fitted it back yet. There was some discussion about whether fitting an LED light to a headlamp that was not designed for it was in fact legal-I don't know if that is an issue or not. On my Morini I have a Cibie headlight which seems seems to be adequate with a 55w H4. It's useful to clean the reflector and glass.
AntietamClassicCycle
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Re: LED headlight

Post by AntietamClassicCycle »

My headlights are aimed properly and do not blind other road users. The white light that the LED headlight bulb puts out is just more noticeable than the yellow-ish light of an H4. <shrug>
Mepstein
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Re: LED headlight

Post by Mepstein »

I have a couple Porsche 914's from the same time frame as the early Morini's - early 70's. Switching to LED's have made a huge difference. I can see the whole road at night, not just a little dim spot in front of me. Much safer to be able to see things before I'm on top of them and other cars see me sooner. The cut=off is correct so I'm not shining the lights in anyones eyes. Bulbs draw less amperage so it's actually better for the 45 year old wires. The bulbs are supposed to last 50,000 hours so I'm hoping I will never have to change them. I would never go back to the old original lights.

I asked Charles to do the LED's on my bike.
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Daddy Dom
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Re: LED headlight

Post by Daddy Dom »

Lots of input, thanks.
Harrymuffin, much as I like the idea of relays and checking my alternator's output, sadly my electrical knowledge is all used up after "turn on key, kickstart bike." (I do have other skill-sets, though.)

I may try a higher wattage non-LED H4 first as those are available everywhere. If that fails, then I will reconsider the LED replacement.

Mepstein - my favourite Porsche! I love a bit of the old 914 :)
Cheers, DD
MRC 3082½
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