|
Post by carasdad on May 3, 2013 16:31:52 GMT -5
Never tested or checked and don't want to rip my instrument cluster apart to test with my multimeter. Do the instrument panel lights use AC or DC current? Reason I asked is that mine are too dim at night and I even bought the highest watt 194 bulbs I could get! I see they make LED 194 bulbs...but as ya know LED's run off DC only and the polarity must be right. Therefore if our dash lights are AC..these wont work for me. Hoping they do as the one I played with a buddies house that he uses in his car...was about 5 times brighter and white very white light..verses our 194 bulbs that an almost orange or amber glow at best.
|
|
|
Post by alleyoop on May 3, 2013 17:03:10 GMT -5
All your lights are DC, the leds will work in the instrument panel. Alleyoop
|
|
|
Post by carasdad on May 3, 2013 17:39:43 GMT -5
alleyoop...tx...was pretty sure they may be unlike the headlights working off AC...and the current for those must pass through my rectifier for conversion to DC. But you know me and well....that whole memory thing.
|
|
|
Post by ridecheap on May 3, 2013 18:03:20 GMT -5
The flywheel to the stator is AC which goes to the regulator the regulator transfers it into DC current to your bike.
|
|
|
Post by carasdad on May 3, 2013 18:24:08 GMT -5
[replyingto=ridecheap]ridecheap[/replyingto]Correct..but it seems the headlights run off of AC.. so so shouldn't the instrument panel lights?
|
|
|
Post by ridecheap on May 3, 2013 18:30:41 GMT -5
Alley said your lights run off DC above.
|
|
|
Post by tvnacman on May 3, 2013 20:10:59 GMT -5
leds will illuminate with ac .
John
|
|
|
Post by carasdad on May 3, 2013 20:47:09 GMT -5
leds will illuminate with ac . John Seems odd though as they have a dedicated + and - pole. So does the LED just use half of the alternating current it is fed? As if they are 1/2 wave?
|
|
Sophomore Rider
Currently Offline
Posts: 239
Likes: 1
Joined: Mar 13, 2013 9:13:17 GMT -5
|
Post by jeffery5568 on May 3, 2013 21:14:03 GMT -5
My dash lights come on only when the engine is running so I would say there AC and I have LED bulbs and they work great
|
|
Freshman Rider
Currently Offline
Posts: 56
Likes: 2
Joined: May 14, 2013 22:50:01 GMT -5
|
Post by chihuahuas on May 3, 2013 21:28:16 GMT -5
LED's light up when power passes in one direction. In AC you have both. The doide will use half of it. But little cheap scooters use a half wave regulation system. Which means half of the ac wave is shunted to ground all the time. So on a scooters lighting system called AC it is not . It is pulsing DC. So if you connect a LED and it doesn't light, reverse the leads. Try to measure it with a meter set to AC rms and it won't show the correct value.
|
|
|
Post by prodigit on May 4, 2013 0:24:15 GMT -5
buy 4 diodes, and you can convert ac to dc. not at all that hard. (Graetz bridge).
|
|
|
Post by carasdad on May 4, 2013 7:58:34 GMT -5
buy 4 diodes, and you can convert ac to dc. not at all that hard. (Graetz bridge). prodigit..tx...I thought about that...a trip to radio shack for parts to make a bridge rectifier if needed. But!! Went to radio shack a few months ago to buy a #7805 5V voltage regulator to make a cell phone charger for my scoot.Gone are the times their employees knew electronics.. cause he did not know what it was or how to find it. So I asked to use his PC and found the part number for him... www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062599 He said well maybe I can order that part number. I said screw it..went to Autozone and bought a cig lighter socket and USB plug to stick in it. So now I have a 12v power source and USB cell phone charger. Not sure what I would ever use the 12v socket..doubt the amperage would run a 12v impact wrench. But thought I would check here first as the Jonway Hornet has lots of screws and fasteners to get the front cowl off..then about 12 screws(hard to get at) to remove the speedo. It's like major surgery man. chihuahuas..ah ok so it is 1/2 wave...kewl.I figured if it was and if the bulbs did not work..they would have to be turned. So apparently the 2 T's are 1/2 wave like the GY6 50?... Thanks to all..and hope all don't have the same prob we have...5 scoots..4 GY6 50 (80BBK) and 1 2T Minarelli BKK Hornet. Every one of them the instrument panel bulbs are so dim ya can't see the gauges at night...and the one 'Barney Fife' local Officer is a stickler for scoots only going 30mph. Mine hits 56-57mph..so when I slow down coming into town it's hard to judge speed. Kinda like when we pull off the interstate and drive in a town..we keep looking at the speedo..cause 30 seems like we are going 15 or so.. ;D
|
|
|
Post by tvnacman on May 4, 2013 9:23:42 GMT -5
sometimes you can reach the dash bulbs with long needle nose plyers when the front headlight cover is removed .
John
|
|
|
Post by carasdad on May 4, 2013 10:16:56 GMT -5
sometimes you can reach the dash bulbs with long needle nose plyers when the front headlight cover is removed . John Here is the speedo. Front has 4 phillips screws for the 'fake' carbon fiber bezel. Under that there are 6 screws that hold the lens in place..and what a PIA...as they are not phillips...they are * head shape so I had to buy a special screwdriver cause they are tight and a flat blade Jewelers screwdriver just rounded them out. the digital clock/calendar is kewl...and only loses 15 minutes each day....so 3 times a year the time is right on. Come on China..ya gotta have better technology than that... the reason the U.S. went to Quartz for Time Pieces was because no matter what the voltage...the Quartz oscillates at the same frequency. So maybe they don't use Quartz...or if they do..possibly the rest of the circuitry involved is junk..like 10% or worse Resistors...wrong uF Capacitors or whatever diode they can buy at 100 for a dollar. Anyway..it does not work well...but it sure looks cool.. The 3 arrows show where the 194 bulbs are...even at high speed they are dim and poorly placed..or there should be 5 vs 3 maybe. I used GE bulbs 12v 5w 'Super Bright'..more like super dim. My buddies 1w LED 194 bulbs are so bright..you can't look at them directly...and for 99 cents each on Ebay.......anything has to be better. Attachments:
|
|
|
Post by carasdad on May 5, 2013 7:45:41 GMT -5
Thanks all...ordered the T10 base(194) dash lamps.Now at night maybe I can actually see when I am low on gas....vice....*cough cough...sputter*...get off and push..
|
|