Stator powered LEDs

[RicoRuffneck]

I am a total noob to this and I am hoping I can get a little help here. Here is what I am trying to do. I have an older quad motorcycle it has no battery so it gets electrical power from a stator. I like to do a lot of night riding but the problem is the headlight isn't bright enough. So what I would like to do is make an LED headlight that will put out more lumens than the standard 35w bulb. I thought about adding a battery but there really isnt much room. Here are the specs for the stator.If you put a voltage meter on the stator lighting circuit, it will usually make about 50 volts AC at high RPM without a load on the system. If you check the voltage out of the voltage regulator without a load on the system, it will usually be about 13 to 15 AC volts. Any ideas of how this can be accomplisheb. I really appreciate the help. Thanks

 

[duke37]

It would be helpful if you could show us the wiring diagram so we can see what the alternator supplies, if it is rectified and what the regulator supplies.

The bulbs may be supplied with AC which is no good for an LED unless rectified.

 

[RicoRuffneck]

Thanks duke37 for the reply. I have attached the wiring schematic.

 

[RicoRuffneck]

It would be helpful if you could show us the wiring diagram so we can see what the alternator supplies, if it is rectified and what the regulator supplies.

The bulbs may be supplied with AC which is no good for an LED unless rectified.

Thanks for the quick response Duke37

 

[Laplace]

Looks like one coil of the magneto powers the lights with AC. There is a shunt regulator, likely back-to-back power Zener diodes, to limit the voltage going to the lights. So a 35W bulb @14V is drawing 2.5A. Disconnect one of the HI or LO beam wires going to the bulb, put it through a full-wave rectifier, and get 12VDC 2.5A to power LEDs, or use Schottky diodes for the rectifier and get 13VDC at 2.5A.

So do you have an LED fixture in mind (focused beam?) that will work from 13VDC? If the LED doesn't work out, then just reconnect the wire to the bulb.

 

[RicoRuffneck]

Thanks for the info. Really helpful, doesn't appear to be as complicated as i thought it might be. Is there a reason for the color coding or is that to identify the lighting wiring? I do not have an led light in mind if possible I'd like to make one. Any thoughts on that?

 

[Laplace]

The color coding is just for colorful identification of the wires involved.

Success depends upon finding an appropriate LED fixture, or making your own for whatever LEDs are available. You might start searching for LEDs here: https://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/led-headlight-bulbs-conversion-kits/

 

[RicoRuffneck]

The color coding is just for colorful identification of the wires involved.

Success depends upon finding an appropriate LED fixture, or making your own for whatever LEDs are available. You might start searching for LEDs here: https://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/led-headlight-bulbs-conversion-kits/

Thanks for the sites they have been very helpful. I have another question hopefully you can help me. The magneto on the quad produces power according to the rpms. The higher The rpms the more power output. Now the problem i forsee is that if i hook up an led it will only turn on when the magneto is providing the 12v. Thats fine when im riding at high speeds but when i slow down the led will shutdown. Is there a way to keep a constant 12v running to the led?

 

[duke37]

I think the only way would be to add a rectifier, regulator to supply 14V and battery as in a car.