For example, a Shogun Pro 125cc by Suzuki, and the headlight is powered by AC and not DC. It is very obvious that when you can only turn on your headlight when the engine is running. The configuration is Half Wave and headlight is AC driven. Many are confused between AC and DC. To know more about it, try reading Headlight system.
Stock system does not rely on battery, even if without a battery, you can have a headlight as long as the engine is running and an AC power is present on the stator with a voltage regulator that clips the voltage to a desired level not to burn the filament of the bulb, while as those DC system or directly connected to battery, once your battery runs out of power possibly due to bad charging system then say hello to blackout or no headlight scenario when traversing the road at night.
I'm confused??? In easy term. AC driven headlight does not need a battery, while as DC headlight needs a healthy battery and charging system at the same time.
But I need to enhance my driving lights at night since my stock headlight is too dim to light up the road I am traversing? First of all, I already given a way on how to improve the stock headlight using AC powered sources. Since there is enough juice that can be utilize in order to maximize the voltage being fed to the bulb. Try this Headlight booster. Been using it since I discovered on how to improve it. And serves me well.
But then the era of LED HEADLIGHT comes into the open. I was one of those enthusiast who uses LED in my many application however when it comes to replacing my very reliable STOCK BULB headlight never came to my SENSES. WHY???
When a LED HEADLIGHT is to replace the stock filament bulb on your motorcycle. AC driven sources surely will not work since the voltage of an AC driven headlight is fluctuating and the voltage varies with the engine RPM. In short. the filament bulb will be intensified as the engine RPM is rising and just being clipped by the HALF WAVE regulator to a desired optimum voltage of 12 to 13 volts to ensure the bulb will not burned out. IF SO HAPPEN the bulb get busted by sudden surge of AC, then there is a failing regulator. It is not because you have a dead BATTERY. .or what soever electrical problem may arise.
LED HEADLIGHT needs a constant power sources. a DC or Direct Current system of power source. SO here comes your battery.
When the stock headlight bulb is replaced by LED headlight. Power needs rerouting, thus rewiring is needed. Will not discuss it here though.
And that because the headlight has been redirected to your battery, it means additional LOADING on your DC power source, that also powers your Speedometer if it is Digital, signal lights, brake lights and Ignition. and as time goes by, the discharge rate of the battery becomes suspicious for not everyone knew, LED may be a small current utilizer with those small devices, but when it comes to HGH POWER LED. or HPL, they are.
It was already a misconception by many hobbyist that uses HPL. they thought about using it but not knowing the disadvantage of it. Did I say DISADVANTAGES!!!. well hell yeah. and at the end of this article. I'll tell all of them.
HPL comes and varies according to wattage. In an Ohms law of Electricals. As the wattage is rising so as the current, even if the voltage stay constant, current is the most important electrical characteristic the LED needs to perform normally.
Let us say for example a 20W Led Headlight. For motorcycle use. The voltage is 12 volts. Watts and voltage was given but not the current.
So, How much current that LED needs to run efficiently? Can't compute? try this conversion
1.67 Amps.....is your answer. That will be used on the battery. That will be the current UTILIZED to power that 20W LED by the battery. INSANE right?
And as the higher the specification of the LED HEADLIGHT used, so as the current. Don't be misjudge by someone telling you...IT CONSUME LESS than STOCK...as I've said..STOCK FILAMENT BULB is not relying to your battery, but on the stator AC power source. Thus, converting your stock to LED will give you problems as you are using them everyday. OHMS law was there for a reason and it never wrong.
Then here comes the FULL WAVE CONVERSION
The only reason why everyone is trying this was to compensate for the additional loading on the battery and for those who are using LED HEADLIGHT. Other's tend to increase battery capacity from the normal 4AH type of Maintenance free battery to a higher specification.
It will work for quite a longer period of time, but as time goes on, battery gone depleted again. WHY? As the battery capacity increased and used. How about the current being INJECTED to it. Will the full wave conversion be enough to compensate really the 1.67 amps being drawn to the battery by the LED HEADLIGHT on my example.?
Answer: User ability to determine the balance of the system. In short. Duration of usage of those additional accessories installed. The total current being drawn.... (Which was the primarily underestimated thing by USERS only and not knowledgeable person on electronics and electrical.)
Thus, before going into conclusion of changing your Stock headlight to LED headlight just to make you see the road clearly ahead during Night time riding. Ask yourself first and understand the system. Not just because LED HEADLIGHT was being thought as "MATIPID" (Consume less)..There'll be no replacement on AC driven lighting.
And to sum this up here are the advantages and disadvantages of both. Sample video here:
Stock vs Led headlight when turned on or both on.
STOCK HEADLIGHT
Advantages
- will run without depleted battery and or no battery at all
- can be changed easily since plug and play
- utilizes the inside reflector of your headlight assembly thus scattering the light in a wider area
- wider range of voltage input that the intensity will vary
- no battery consumption at all
- cheaper
- longer life if voltage stay within limits not to burn the filament
- factory default easy to fix
- does no have longer glare that incoming motorist be compromised
Disadvantages
- If the reflector is bad, so as the light beam so clean the reflector by soft cloth if it is not shiny
- intensity varies with the engine rpm since it is ac driven
- low color temperature no higher than 4000k so the beam is warmer color
LED HEADLIGHT
Advantages
- cooler color temp, can reach up to 8000k depends on the type.
- has it own lenses that can be utilize might it be wide or spot beam
- good light intensity on fully dark roads.
DISADVANTAGES
- needs to run with healthy battery, cannot be run by AC or fluctuating voltages
- specific angle of light, stock reflector cannot be utilize efficiently
- needs constant current driving circuits
- 50,000 hours of life or less
- since battery powered, will deplete battery even more than usual
- expensive and needs rewiring and power rerouting
- cannot be used as AHO as law states, lessen the lifespan if turned on always due to working hours
- Beam can temporarily blind incoming motorists if not placed properly
- low efficiency on wet roads since reflection bounces on it due to color temp
Those are my opinion. If not used properly. LED HEADLIGHT is a pain for other motorist especially incoming traffic. And as a LED enthusiast. I only used them when needed. But been using the stock filament bulb since 2004 and have no problems with it. But with many ignorant not humane users of this LED HEADLIGHT, i installed one on my 16 years old Shogun Pro just to have them taste what they have and maybe think about placing them properly so not to compromise my own safety during night time, and most of the time it works and the turn it off or dimmed theirs when they gave, and for those innocent users out there..
BE RESPONSIBLE using the LED HEADLIGHT..proper placement is needed especially the beam. Irregardless of what you have.
Higher, Harsher Color temperature like 8000k or 6000k is Definately a Disadvantage, not the other way round. Harsher Light creates Glare and Blinding effect to oncomers. Also, Stock Halogen is in the range of 3500k.
ReplyDeleteThat is correct, 6k all the way up of light color temp got more blinding effect to incoming motorist but an advantage if used on very dark places without incoming traffic. Also a disadvantage during night time and when roads are wet.
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