LED spotlights ??

[The Bigfella]

I'm up the North Coast for work for a couple of days, but I'll try the dimmer switch with one of my spare lights when I get home. If it passes the backyard "doesn't hurt my eyes" test, I'm thinking I'll wire them to run dimmed of a keyed accessory wire ie always on when the key is on, and full bore off high beam.

[Airbear]

Having done my trade using stainless steel I can say that those headlamp brackets are the bee's knees Charley. Well done mate.

Thanks Ross. I love playing with stainless. Getting a buffing wheel for my bench grinder was a good investment.

It's interesting how we use our skills Ross , I'd make up a pattern and cast it in aluminium ..... just because I know how ! I can't weld stainless .

Welding is not a strong suit for me, Peter. I found when I was making fittings for the boat that the best approach was to cut enough pieces to make at least twice as many of any particular fitting. Then I could pick the best out of all my stuff-ups. I’ve never owned a welder – there’s one on my wish list.

Re the mounting bracket and bolt - I'm thinking that it may be necessary to adjust up and down according to load, and I'm sure I'll want to adjust them in and out occasionally - wide for the mountains, narrow for the flat country - so I'm putting some thought into designing a simple (but of course, elegant) bracket arrangement.

Responding to my own quote – I think I have it!



By tweaking that wing nut I can adjust up and down (there’s a curved slot in the bracket plate for that bolt), and inboard/outboard by tightening/loosening it (compressing that bit of rubber fuel line). The nice thing is that I can do it with gloved paws while riding.

[dougie]

By tweaking that wing nut I can adjust up and down (there’s a curved slot in the bracket plate for that bolt), and inboard/outboard by tightening/loosening it (compressing that bit of rubber fuel line). The nice thing is that I can do it with gloved paws while riding.

Nice!
Very,very nice!

[The Bigfella]

I bought myself yet another multimeter today.

I hooked up one of my spare LED spotlights to the dimming switch. With the dimmer at its lowest light output it was drawing 0.02 amps and the lights were very bright to look at - uncomfortable to look at actually - but from 20' away they were just very bright lights.... unlikely to draw unwanted attention, but a heap better than the stock low beam from an "I'm here you dangerous bastard" perspective.

At full tilt, still via the dimmer switch, rather than via the relay that I will use, the lights are far too bright to use as daylight running lights - but perfect as high beam supplements. At full power, the light was drawing 1.8 amps (which I take to be 22 watts). As mentioned earlier, they get hot after a few minutes at full power.

At low power, there was zero heating up. I left it on for ages too.

So... the plan is to use the accessory wire on my bike to run the pair of lights. When the key is on, they will be on, dimmed.... except, when I flick to high beam, at which stage they run via the relay at full power.

[Sibbo]

Very neat Charlie ! I hadn't seen that when i rang you ...I missed an opportunity to compliment you !

Ian ,thanks .They're sounding increasingly useful , especially with a dimmer .The dimmer was separate from the lights wasn't it ? Not included with them ?

[Airbear]

Thanks, Peter.

Ian, it sounds like you are close. You've always got the option of adding a switch to isolate the spots from the low beam circuit if the brightness becomes an issue when night riding. I look forward to road-trial impressions. I'm really loving mine - night riding is a pleasure.

[Airbear]

Nice!
Very,very nice!

Thanks Doug. The quirkiness appeals to me - having these funny little machines that do a useful job on each side of this cute (but slightly asymmetrical) chinese headlight makes me grin. Brunhilde seems happier, too.

[dougie]

Nice!
Very,very nice!

Thanks Doug. The quirkiness appeals to me .

People who can make nifty gadgets and gizmos out of almost nothing will once again rule the planet.

[The Bigfella]

Very neat Charlie ! I hadn't seen that when i rang you ...I missed an opportunity to compliment you !

Ian ,thanks .They're sounding increasingly useful , especially with a dimmer .The dimmer was separate from the lights wasn't it ? Not included with them ?

Peter,

Yep, the dimmer switch was separate. Its off fleabay in the US. $16 and some pennies for postage. I'm no techhead, but apparently this thing modulates the negative circuit - whatever, it works. I like the fact it drops the temp down.

Speaking of temps, I want to get hold of some metal-filled epoxy - to glue the cicuit board in the lights to the heat sink, given the LEDs appear to be being over-driven somewhat and they do build up some heat.

I'm going to use the second pair I have on my Scrapheap Adventure Ride bike. I think spare watts might be somewhat scarce, just looking at that tiny little alternator on the MZ.

[Sibbo]

This is turning out quite well , the LEDs on dim would be great day time visibility lights and leave most of the charge for the battery , a good thing when you do lots of short trips .