Originally Posted by
newc14
So after doing more research and reading some of the posts on this subject (including those from the very knowledgeable ATC King), I have some questions.
Thank you, I appreciate that, but ps2fixer had good input too. I think he's busy with an actual business, I just do this for a hobby. I bought a wiring harness from him and it was top notch and less expensive than if I built it myself. It's also by no means something that other people haven't done, they just aren't posting on here.
I appreciate your well structured and researched post. That helps a lot.
On a modification like this, it's a pick two type of deal. Cheap, Easy, Dependable, pick two and the other is the compromise you're left with.
The stock lighting works as intended and is dependable with a very simple system. The issues now is most of the reflectors are dull, not like new, so even a new bulb won't shine a bright as when they left the showroom floor. It's possible to separate the lens from the reflector and refurbish that, but it's a lot of work and the cost may be entry level LED lighting.
If you truly ride at night and depend on a quality light, I suggest doing the work to build a quality system. For occasional night use, there are battery powered, rechargeable, LED lights that surpass stock, but on high power, riding time will be limited to a couple hours. Many racers mount those to their helmets (on the chin bar) and they can be handlebar mounted. The helmet mounts are for directional control; light where the rider looks. Mountain bike racers use those because bicycles don't have a charging system and bar mounted lights get shaky.
For a cost reference, I have about $400 in my commuter/touring bicycle light system. I use a Shimano dynamo front hub (built into the wheel) and German headlight/taillight. I depended on good light just as someone with car because that's what I rode to work, for years, and have thousands of miles on the system. A hub dynamo doesn't work well on a mountain bike because of the lower speeds, especially while ascending steep hills. Wheel diameter and speed plays a major role on how effective a hub dynamo is.
To that, I roll my eyes at people trying to cheap out on lights their safety depends on. ATV racers experience much higher speeds and their light systems are going to cost more than that. For a recreational rider, expect to spend as much as my bicycle system and more for quality lighting. It can be less, but plan for at least a few hundred $$ if doing all the work yourself. If that's not in the budget, stay stock. It's not just about how bright a hotspot is, it's about the beam quality. Bright, long, AND wide.
Back in the day, when I started riding dirt bikes, preadolescence, I had a dirt bike with no lights and would strap a cheap flashlight to the bars and preferred a full moon to ride under. Sometimes I'd ride under a full moon with no lights. I don't heal as fast anymore and won't do that unless pressed, like when already out and something fails. That was in areas with little to no traffic, so my eyes adjusted enough it wasn't that bad, but I also wasn't riding fast.
Experience and older age has me focusing more on quality lighting. Don't get me wrong, my eyesight isn't bad, I just appreciate the lower strain of having not to concentrate so much with poor lighting. it makes night riding more enjoyable and less strenuous.
Onto your dilemma.
The easiest and best way to add quality LED lighting to your trike is to float the ground. It's really simple, remove the lighting coil, clip the grounded wire, solder a wire to it and run it through the rubber grommet with the others. The main issue is the old, hard, rubber stator grommet. Use and Exacto handle and small drill bit if needed and silicone it to prevent an oil leak, or replace the grommet with a new one. After that, you're free to add a reg/rec, capacitor/battery and the LED of your choosing. You'll have a dependable system and can even add a USB charge port for a phone.
If you go that route, I'll try and help to walk you through it.
The video you linked, the guy didn't even add a voltage regulator and is a half-wave setup. Basically, it's a typical lawn mower setup, inefficient and not something I'd hook a high quality LED to. He went cheap and easy, not dependable. At least a lawn mower has a battery, so it's somewhat buffered. I certainly wouldn't put a $200+ LED on it. I run a WalMart LED pod on one of our mowers, but it's seldom used. That'll probably last for years, but it's just around the house if it fails.
I've had plenty of cheap LED pods fail in short order and experience with cheap and acceptable quality LEDs on log trucks, which is an extreme use. The cheap ones fail within a year. Maybe not completely, but several of the individual LEDs go out. Backing into a set at dark is difficult enough, with a turd of an LED, it just about requires a spotter on the CB. I've got a hand-held CB I used to talk with the loader operators when I'm out of the truck just for situations like that.
If you want to get cheap and dirty, you can use the frame for AC to DC conversion, but nothing can be grounded to the frame. All grounds will have to go to the battery/capacitor. The stator is left alone and the normal hot wire goes to the reg/rec then the previously ground. The frame is part of the live circuit. I can walk you through that too. Even some of the sellers of DC kits give that option but it's not optimal.
There are multiple ways to achieve your goal but floating the ground is the easiest and most dependable way.
I'll try to help you with whatever you choose.
The story of three wheels and a man...