Help with choosing led driving lights for my 85 r80rt

[johnyoung]

I have been looking for a good set of auxiliary led driving lights for my 85 r80rt. I have installed an LED h4 light in the headlight and after 3 different brands I found one that works well on low beam. All of the ones I've tried have never had a good hi beam. I have removed the defuser inside the headlight. Price range that I see is apex $25-$800. So much data and info in areas I'm not versed on. Pencil beam seems to sound like it's what I need. Something to light up the center of the dark country roads.
I'm not looking to spend more than $100-$150. I have a piaa harness with an older set of Piaa halogen bulbs 1100x? If I remember correctly. They use more power and don't seem that bright when tested in my garage. Thanks in advance from 1st time poster here.

 

[Paul_F]

I also have the PIAA 1100s on my R. A few years ago when the PIAA bulbs were no longer available, I replaced the bulbs with a couple of Philips 7.5w LED bulbs (50w bar code 46677 53493 6) found at Home Depot. I also used the same bulbs as replacements for the existing auxilary lights on my K100. As well, I found some knockoff PIAAs and used the same bulbs on the K with orange filters. At night, I turn off the orange filtered bulbs as the one set is bright enough. To date, no LEO has objected to my additional lights despite having ridden through numerous speed traps and once stopped for a nighttime ride programme.

Not only does nighttime riding get lit up, but the bikes are much more visible during the day with very little draw on your electrical system. These LEDs are more effective than the original PIAA bulbs. Having said this, my main use for additional lights is simply to be more visible during the day.

I forget the price for a pair but I would guess under $40.

If I still have pics of the packaging, I’ll post them later today.

 

[Paul_F]

Philips LED

This is the Philips LED I use in my PIAA lights.

 

[johnyoung]

Thank you Paul, I have seen a video of someone that had done a similar led swap on the piaas. Did the long throw of light down the road improve with the led? I want to improve the down road visibility as I drive some dark roads and I'm 67. Thanks again for your help,
John Young

 

[stevenrankin]

Interesting

So how did you make AC lights work in a DC system? What is the set up you use? St.

 

[Paul_F]

So how did you make AC lights work in a DC system? What is the set up you use? St.

Steve, I did nothing except remove the dead PIAA lights and inserted the Philips. I had read about someone doing this and yes, four years later, the six bulbs on the two bikes are still functioning.

The LED headlight in each was made for motorcycles; possibly from Cyclops, if my memory serves me correctly.

As to the throw, the right is angled towards the shoulder and left down and slightly left of centre. As much as I enjoy night riding I do so only when necessary, which is almost never. I have met and missed/avoided creatures on the road in the daytime and have no desire to do so in the dark, no matter how bright my lights might be. As I stated above, the main purpose of my lights are to be seen by others in the daytime.

Cheers!

Paul

 

[stevenrankin]

Ok

I use a Cyclops light in my RS and RT. They have the nearest correct night time beam pattern I have seen of any LED bulb so far.

I am just surprised an AC LED would work in a DC circuit, then I am not an electrician or electrical engineer. LOL, a bulb is a bulb but LEDs are a mystery to me other than the very basics of how they work. St.

 

[Paul_F]

I am just surprised an AC LED would work in a DC circuit, then I am not an electrician or electrical engineer. LOL, a bulb is a bulb but LEDs are a mystery to me other than the very basics of how they work. St.

Like you Steve I am no electrician. My neighbour is a retired electrician and and over the many years he has helped me with numerous electrical jobs around our house. However he will not touch anything electrical to do with the bikes, not his area of expertise he says.

So yes I was also surprised when these bulbs worked on the bike. Since the PIAA bulbs were no longer available, I figured i had nothing to lose if they didn't work.

An explanation as to why they do work is certainly beyond my expertise.

 

[Omega Man]

There is a fair amount of electronic circuitry on the input side of where the “light” is actually emitted from. That said, I think the Home Depot “bulbs” working involved a bit of lucky choosing.
All the LED technology is evolving at an incredibly fast rate such as a 4’ fluorescent replacement lamp that is installed directly, using the enclosed ballast, and those where the enclosed ballast must be removed.

This may help- https://sparkybase.com/are-led-lights-ac-or-dc-a-brief-overview/

OM

 

[pglaves]

I am not an electrician but suspect that an LED normally used in an AC circuit will work in a DC circuit if installed "correctly" because it is a diode. Diodes pass current in one direction only. So in an AC circuit the LED passes current on only half of the AC sine wave.

Installed in a DC circuit it will either pass, or refuse to pass current depending on how it is connected. Reverse the connection and that will change.

Or in this specific case is the nominal 110 volt AC already rectified to DC by the fixtures which take this nominal 12 volt bulb???

Now the real electrical engineers can opine as to why I am right or wrong.

 

[pauls1150]

An "AC" light type of LED will function on DC no matter how it's plugged in - it will just be lit half the time, when the half-cycle of "alternating" current (& voltage) is in the polarity that the diode will pass. The human eye has enough persistence that we typically don't notice it dimming/going out on the "wrong" cycle of the AC.
(I say dimming because at 60 cycles per second [also called Hertz], the LED probably does not fully extinguish.)

Second statement is absolutely correct.

In this specific case, the first picture, at its bottom, shows that the LED is "intended" to be used with 12VAC, not 120 VAC. If the house fixture doesn't reduce (by transformer + filter) the voltage, it'll blow right quick.
As to whether or not there is any additional circuitry in the base of the bulb, LEDs are DC devices, so it is either responding only to one half of the AC cycle, or there is at least a capacitor to charge up during half the cycle and discharge during the other half, reducing the flicker.

 

[RadioFlyer]

An "AC" light type of LED will function on DC no matter how it's plugged in - it will just be lit half the time, when the half-cycle of "alternating" current (& voltage) is in the polarity that the diode will pass. The human eye has enough persistence that we typically don't notice it dimming/going out on the "wrong" cycle of the AC.
(I say dimming because at 60 cycles per second [also called Hertz], the LED probably does not fully extinguish.)

Second statement is absolutely correct.

In this specific case, the first picture, at its bottom, shows that the LED is "intended" to be used with 12VAC, not 120 VAC. If the house fixture doesn't reduce (by transformer + filter) the voltage, it'll blow right quick.
As to whether or not there is any additional circuitry in the base of the bulb, LEDs are DC devices, so it is either responding only to one half of the AC cycle, or there is at least a capacitor to charge up during half the cycle and discharge during the other half, reducing the flicker.

You are assuming that the bulb does not contain a full wave bridge rectifier as it well might. In this case it would illuminate on both half-cycles and also work on DC no matter which way it was plugged in.

 

[stevenrankin]

Diodes

I do know how diodes work in a DC current. I don't know the "magic" involved in making a diode work in AC? Anyway, this works if by magic or science, it is interesting. St.

 

[Omega Man]

I do know how diodes work in a DC current. I don't know the "magic" involved in making a diode work in AC? Anyway, this works if by magic or science, it is interesting. St.

Some fairly easy diagrams here- https://byjus.com/physics/how-diodes-work-as-a-rectifier/

OM

 

[pauls1150]

R.F. - True, I didn't consider the possibility of a full-wave rectifier, and with how ICs are these days, it would be just as easy (as compared to a half-wave) to manufacture a little circuit board in the base.

 

[RadioFlyer]

R.F. - True, I didn't consider the possibility of a full-wave rectifier, and with how ICs are these days, it would be just as easy (as compared to a half-wave) to manufacture a little circuit board in the base.

Even further than that, some LED bulbs have a buck converter as an efficient way to arrive at the lower voltage.

 

[HSVPhil]

So, as Click n’Clack said; “It’s the stingy man who spends the most!”

What’s wrong with buying substantial lighting from MOA vendors? We’ve bought from these folks previously:

https://skenelights.com

OR

https://www.clearwaterlights.com/pages/bmw-motorcycle-lights-by-bike

OR

https://denalielectronics.com

Ya tend to get what U pay for (most of the time)! Find what’s right for your situation!

Sláinte! HSV-Phil & HSV-Karen

 

[johnyoung]

I will agree you generally get what you pay for and I searched the vendors suggested. Only one company Clearwater? I believe showed one option for an r90rs airhead at aprx $500+. My bike is an 85 r80rt. Its hard to imagine nothing other than one option would be available. I'm sure others have found satisfactory light output that I'm looking for from other brands as well. Thank you all for the help here for my first post.

 

[52184]

Another option for quality LED auxiliary lighting: https://www.rubymoto.com/
Company is owned by a really nice young guy who is an enthusiast.

Best,
DeVern

 

[johnyoung]

Deverne,
Thank you, I'm reaching out to him tomorrow. Solid looking light options.