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Thread: ATC185S 200S DC Conversion for LED

  1. #61
    Join Date
    May 2022
    Location
    Splendora Texas
    --
    4
    Followed Zach's suggestion and added a battery in the circuit. Charges at 12.7 volts at idle with the led light on high. Very happy!

  2. #62
    Join Date
    May 2022
    Location
    Splendora Texas
    --
    4
    Quote Originally Posted by ATC King View Post
    That's likely the problem.

    According to the information on that product's page: "Wire: Red to Battery +, Green to Battery -, Yellow and Pink AC input, connect to magneto coil."

    Yellow will still go to yellow, but pink needs to go to the green stator wire. You can't just 'tie' into the harness either, the yellow and green wire from the stator are now both in play and must only feed the reg/rec. All other grounds after that can remain as stock. If you want any DC system to function properly, it also needs an energy storage device, like a battery or capacitor.
    Sorry for the confusion. Pink was hooked up to the green wire coming from the stator. You were dead on about the storage device! Adding a Battery to the output side of the rectifier made it work perfectly. Charges at 12.7 volts at idle with lights on. My xr50 does okay without a battery but think I'll get another one of the trail tech 12v battery packs for it too.

  3. #63
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Arkansas
    --
    2,196
    Quote Originally Posted by Kcabbie View Post
    I'll get another one of the trail tech 12v battery packs for it too.
    Please post later how that TT NiMH pack holds up on the trike.

    Here's a link to that product for anyone interested: https://www.trailtech.net/en-us/shop...ah/?pfm=Browse

    Nothing fancy going on there. There's not much info, but I think it's just NiMH batteries (AA) without a BMS. If already having the tools, someone could make one at home for much less. I guess if a cell or two goes out of balance, there's much less chance of a fire than with the lithium types with no BMS.
    The story of three wheels and a man...

  4. #64
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    Arkansas
    --
    2,196
    I've added a super capacitor module and got to what I'll consider a finished point on the conversion. That includes a switched USB port and voltage gauge.

    I'll post these pics and try to clarify some of it.

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    The super capacitor module is from here: http://mac-bat.com/

    It's not an endorsement. I've bought and am current running several of the 20f packs on vehicles with batteries as a booster and to smooth out the electrical system. They certainly add some ompf, but aren't meant to run like I am on the 185S, without a battery. I see how they hold up when used like that.

    The two pics with the headlight on are with the engine off. The module won't power it as long as a chemical type of battery, but it'll stay illuminated for a minute or two. I've yet to try and charge a phone with the engine off to see how much it'll do before dropping past 12v, but it'll certainly put some charge on a phone without the engine running.

    The wiring at the rear is with marine grade blade connectors, which I then put heat shrink over after plugging them in. That keeps them better sealed an all I have to do to unplug them is nick and pull the heat shrink off. A cheap version of weather tight connectors I guess. I was also working with three different gauge wires, but the connectors I used all have the same size blades and receptacles regardless of wire size, which made that easy.

    Since I'm not using the module as a starting booster, there's no need for the large gauge wire. They're meant to connect to a battery and that large wire is so it'll dump it's juice when hit with a large load. I'm just running a couple LED lights and USB charger.

    I installed a weather resistant fuse holder and put a 10amp fuse. I just zip tied it to the first convenient spot I seen on the frame. In hindsight, I could have chosen another location to clean up the wiring some. It's staying there until it runs afoul of anything.

    When moving up front and wiring, I only use the Japanese style connectors so I don't murder the harness. These are very inexpensive and there's really no valid excuse to not use them. A good set of crimping pliers is a must.

    I really wanted to put the USB switch next to the grips on the bars but there just wasn't anywhere it'd fit. A differently designed unit probably would but I've had some of these parts for a year or better and just wanted to get the project done. It's unobtrusive where at and better protected from damage. The light function on the switch is optional but I wired it up to illuminate when the switch is on so maybe I don't forget to turn that red thing off even though the voltage gauge only come on with it to, as I have it wired.

    Wiring the switch, USB (has it's own wiring), and voltage gauge like I did means I can flick it on to check the voltage without turning a light on, and charge or power a USB device without a light on.

    The lights are hardwired to the harness, just the same as OEM was (but the OEM obviously doesn't illuminate without the engine running). This way if I need light for a short while, I just use the original switch on the bars.

    Nothing fancy or confusing. By wiring this way I also don't run everything through a single switch which gives flexibility and a bit of a fail-safe. No key, no goofy toggle switches.

    I use handlebar top clamps from one of the electric start hardtail models, which have the tabs for mounting the handlebar pad/trim. These make easy mounting points for gauges or other accessories that need to be centrally located and out of harm's way. It'd certainly be a good place to mount a TrailTech Stryker...

    I used thick plastic board for the voltmeter gauge mount. Aluminum plate would probably vibrate the thing to death. These trikes have vibration, there's no denying that and a metal plate stuck out there with only two bolts holding it on is a recipe for disaster, kind of like the license plates that were mounted like that which I've lost on a motorcycle.

    The LED I'm using for a headlight is a modified projector with dual beams. One beam is lower and amber and the other white and higher. That works out great. Although it's a projector, the lens is oblong which trows a wider beam with a very sharp cutoff at the top. I chose it because of the lower power draw, but it'll still suck the module down in a couple minutes without the engine running and at idle the voltage will creep down. It has to be remembered that these systems have very limited capacity and even the stock headlight dims at idle. Adding electronics adds inefficiencies and lowers the total available output. There's no way to add a flame throwing LED on one of these and it not be affected at idle. Just have to compromise on power consumption and output.

    I don't have a headlight bucket anymore so the wiring just gets wrapped with electrical tape and zip tied to the headlight bracket. That's one thing I'd certainly like to clean up with a small box bolted to the bracket but it's a functional issue. The wiring can be cleaner at the rear and I can continue to search and try different headlights, but all those peas can stay under the mattress for now and won't bother me.


    No flicker, the ability to run/charge USB devices without destroying them. Project done. A word of caution with the 20f super capacitor module though. It'd dump about 50 amps almost instantly if shorted. These are not batteries and not toys. Watch the ends and probably take any rings off. There's no internal fuse. I've accidentally melted the original terminal on one.
    Last edited by ATC King; 01-07-2023 at 06:48 PM.
    The story of three wheels and a man...

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