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LED headlight retrofit
Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 4:00 pm
by turtle13
so there has been much discussion on HID and halogen conversions to the stock light, but has anybody ever tried converting over to the newer h4/h3 led lamps? it would be alot less strain on the electrical system and allow some room wattage wise for gps power and the such... would it be enough light to see at night with? would you have to put some caps inline to smooth the power to get a more uniform out put?
Re: LED headlight retrofit
Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 5:20 pm
by odinxxix
i have wondered this myself, i will keep an eye on this thread as im interested in swapping the lites in my spree and elite. great topic, mouse where is your input?
Re: LED headlight retrofit
Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 5:30 pm
by turtle13
ive got my spare headlight prepped and ready to go, just hoping some one can convince me to do it...
Re: LED headlight retrofit
Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 5:44 pm
by Fishman43
Lucky Turtle, you should try it out and inform the rest of us how well it worked!

Re: LED headlight retrofit
Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 5:52 pm
by martynkim
You can do it! document with pics please

Re: LED headlight retrofit
Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 6:09 pm
by z50r-ghost
Not to bust anyone's bubble, but I have heard from a few motorcycle guys that have tried it say that the l.e.d. bulbs simply are not bright enough.

Again, just what I have *heard* ...I say go for it and hope they work well!
Please let us know how they work... if they do work well, I will try one in my wife's SR. I am going the HID route, as soon as I can get some extra money to buy a set.
later, jon

Re: LED headlight retrofit
Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 6:27 pm
by turtle13
z50r-blank wrote:I have heard from a few motorcycle guys that have tried it say that the l.e.d. bulbs simply are not bright enough.

Again, just what I have *heard* ...I say go for it and hope they work well!
this is what i am starting to find out after doing some more research on moped army. to make them effective you either need one * of a bright led and one * of a heat sink. or you need a projector type lamp housing to focus the light forward... I kinda burst my own bubble on this one. as cool as it may be, it just doesnt look like it is worth the bother.
I am now thinking that a halogen bulb is the way to go. but now comes the question of what would be the best bulb? i want it to be a bulb that i can socket in the lamp so if i replace it i dont have to scrape any jb weld...
Re: LED headlight retrofit
Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 7:15 pm
by 808stalion
i just put in a h4 bulb for motorcycles and snowmobiles in my spree this morning its made by ge 12 h4-60/55/msbp im sure its going to be way better than the stock light it has high beam and low beam and its only 11 bucks at wal mart
Re: LED headlight retrofit
Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 7:46 pm
by odinxxix
there is a thread in the tech docs that explains this and shows great pics, think im going with the light bulb from a fog lamp.
Re: LED headlight retrofit
Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 7:51 pm
by mousewheels
Going into halogens, the wattage selection available is a consideration. We've had some threads on headlights, and available power which is shared between lighting, charge and accessories. Keeping close to the original wattage is likely going to manage the power compromises best.
BTW - Trafficjamz showed some halogen conversions in H11 and H3 inside his HID thread.
http://www.hondaspree.net/phpBB3/viewto ... =5&t=12760
Edit: - odinxxix got in there with the tech docs suggestion. I think we're talking the same thread.
---
For LED pioneers - couple comments
1) The LED show in this thread does not place its output in the same focusing plane as the OEM incandescent lamp. Anyone seen lamps that do set their light in the high/low beam plane matching the incandescent?
2) There's some reservations to driving the LED's from the stator output. There is a voltage reversal every cycle and there's possibly some quite high voltages present. I measured a Gyro at over 30v peak -
http://www.hondaspree.net/phpBB3/viewto ... t=~#p97158 We can rectify the AC to DC and add parts to kill spikes, but the below plan is easier.
With the above in mind, I'd connect LED's to the battery for testing, experiment with focus and beam pattern. Then if committing to the scooter, I'd probably wire them into the switched +12v.
Re: LED headlight retrofit
Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 9:09 pm
by mr pibbs
z50r-blank wrote:Not to bust anyone's bubble, but I have heard from a few motorcycle guys that have tried it say that the l.e.d. bulbs simply are not bright enough.

Again, just what I have *heard* ...I say go for it and hope they work well!
Right now - coming back from a night ride - I feel like anything would be brighter than a stock bulb.
I say, where there's a will - and a wallet - there's a way.
Re: LED headlight retrofit
Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2010 9:24 pm
by turtle13
mr pibbs wrote:
I say, where there's a will - and a wallet - there's a way.
there in lies the problem, my fiance just got laid off from work last week, so most all mods have to be on the cheap... and LEDs that would work properly, and everything else that would go along with them to make it work correctly would cost more than a 10$ bulb from auto zone...