Bigjaype
I'll eat Sonny's sandwich...
If I were you, I’d connect those new lights directly to the battery and measure the amps that they are drawing. My guess is it will be a lot less than you were expecting. Please post your results...
barbagris
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This has always been the issue with the Chinese stuff.
The LEDs them selves all added up may well indeed be specc'd to 45Watts (at a guess there are nine 5W). But as we know they have to be driven and most automotive LEDs are not driven anywhere near 100%.
The reason is heat. OSRAM and Phillips make low efficiency LEDS for Automotive based on the fact they have to be reliable and consistent. They can be driven harder (I have seen 80% quoted) - but most cheap driver circuits are aimed at the CREE XM-L family which are better driven less intensely (or they can overheat and then the luminous output gates down. 50% is low (but safe) - I'd use RoT of 60-65%.
Important in LED units is the focusing. If the Optics are good then little of the light is wasted. Unlike the Triumph OEM Halogens where a good proportion is lighting the stars.
The loop was installed correctly I believe. I checked the arrow on the loop. I installed on the +ve terminal with the arrow pointing out from the battery to load.
I think the Wisamic headlights are advertised as incandescent equivalent. Those are significantly less brighter than the RIGIDs I have. The RIGIDS are drawing around 100W
DEcosse
If it's no Scottish it's CRAP!
I don't know if you're following what I was saying:
If you are checking the current at the positive battery cable, you can only measure the total load current there when the engine is not running. Once the engine starts, the generator provides most of the load current directly into the bike system and also some current flowing in the REVERSE direction on the positive cable to charge the battery. That is why you are only measuring 3.5A with the engine running - and I would expect that would be in the reverse direction.
I've marked up the schematic with the current flow when engine is running, below. (67 is the generator, 66 is the R/R)
IF the battery current flow IS still positive (opposite to what I've drawn in the diagram), then it is supplying current and therefor discharging.
That would be the case when the load demand is more than the generating system can provide.
If there is sufficient overhead in the generator to provide ALL the load current, it will reflect what as per the diagram.
Simple question - what is the voltage across the battery, with engine running at idle, with your aux lights off and then with aux lights on?
I don't know if you're following what I was saying:
If you are checking the current at the positive battery cable, you can only measure the total load current there when the engine is not running. Once the engine starts, the generator provides most of the load current directly into the bike system and also some current flowing in the REVERSE direction on the positive cable to charge the battery. That is why you are only measuring 3.5A with the engine running - and I would expect that would be in the reverse direction.
I've marked up the schematic with the current flow when engine is running, below. (67 is the generator, 66 is the R/R)
IF the battery current flow IS still positive (opposite to what I've drawn in the diagram), then it is supplying current and therefor discharging.
That would be the case when the load demand is more than the generating system can provide.
If there is sufficient overhead in the generator to provide ALL the load current, it will reflect what as per the diagram.
Simple question - what is the voltage across the battery, with engine running at idle, with your aux lights off and then with aux lights on?
You are right, initially I did not pay attention to the direction of the current. The IN/OUT current flow is indicated on the meter by a do at the end. Tried moving wires other than the once inside the loop.
Following is what I got
I don't know if you're following what I was saying:
If you are checking the current at the positive battery cable, you can only measure the total load current there when the engine is not running. Once the engine starts, the generator provides most of the load current directly into the bike system and also some current flowing in the REVERSE direction on the positive cable to charge the battery. That is why you are only measuring 3.5A with the engine running - and I would expect that would be in the reverse direction.
I've marked up the schematic with the current flow when engine is running, below. (67 is the generator, 66 is the R/R)
IF the battery current flow IS still positive (opposite to what I've drawn in the diagram), then it is supplying current and therefor discharging.
That would be the case when the load demand is more than the generating system can provide.
If there is sufficient overhead in the generator to provide ALL the load current, it will reflect what as per the diagram.
Simple question - what is the voltage across the battery, with engine running at idle, with your aux lights off and then with aux lights on?
I got what you are saying. I did not pay attention to the current flow initially. The flow direction change is indicated on the meter by a dot at the end.
I tried relocating wires near the loop and looked at the voltage,current and direction of current flow.
Following is what I got.
