New technology in vintage sleds

[Mr. Deere]

If you had a battery you would have no problems. It would be like adding one in your car. Just run it Fused off the battery. I have a question about the lighting. If you were to replace say the Tail light with a LED that consumes half as much could you run a brighter headlight?? What about one of those fancy 35W HID lights like fancy cars have?

[JDT]

Bob Bob Bob...

The common H-3 lamp used on the 80's era sleds is a 55/60 w unit.

Why would you want only a 35 w bulb?

Back in the old days that was the common complaint about night riding.
You come up to a corner and let off the throttle and the headlight dims and you cant see S%%t.

But yes, if you running borderline capacity you can go LED on the rear bulb and pic up a few watts.

The 5003 lamps and the H-3 bulbs should provide plenty of light even at speed.
But, if say all the chrome is peeled off of your reflector, the lens is coated with overspray or you have other issues with your wiring this can all effect lighting output.

Test the system with a volt meter. If you are not getting 14 Volts at say 4000 RPm's then there is a problem somewhere.

[Mr. Deere]

Its a 35w ballast that steps up to like 30,000volts. They are 10 times brighter then conventional bulb. http://www.articledashboard.com/Article ... ed/1338763 I do have a couple 35w ballasts kicking around. I could try in the x8. I'm kinda worried cause it needs at least 12v and 35w.

[Cabindweller]

There are aftermarket universal rectifiers available that have a 200 watt capacity.
They have a regulator and rectifier in one unit and use a four wire hook up.
These cost about $30 or so and again are universal. Garden tractors, snowmobiles, swap buggies, whatever.

The regulators that we are all fimilar with are cheaper at $18 and have only one or two wire hookups.

Either way you go you need to have a good electrical ground at the mounting point and a heat sink if you are going to run it near the maxium load.

The 120 watt coil on the LF is a pretty good. Some newer sleds have 200 watt systems.

If you want to install to add anythng to the sled just make sure that the system is in good shape and that you do not overload it.

A fuse, filter cap and maybe even a choke plus resistor type spark plugs would be a good ideas.

Hey Todd add a 6V6 a 12AX7 and a tone pot and you about have the Guts of a Fender Champ guitar amp. Just ribbing you a little.

Jerry

[JD_Sledder68]

I will be powering my GPS receiver and coffee maker using an Al Gore certified "Green", photovoltaic array on my Trailfire.

[JDT]

Nothing wrong with a photocell setup but not doin diddly at night.

Bob your HID requires 13.8 VDC. If your X8 is set up to provide DC it will work.
I don't know how you are going to mount the lamp in the housing but I bet you have a roll of duck tape around.

Jerry I built a stereo amp from scratch back in the late 70's. I used dual beam power pentodes for the finals, 6BQ5, and it packed some serious whollop.
THD as a little high at 0.5% but it still worked fine.
I chose 12BX7's in a push/pull setup for the pre's.

You got love the sound from a tube amp. I still can't get over what stereophiles are willing to shell out for a Mac or a EICO.

[Mr. Deere]

Todd dont all headlights run on 12v dc? I might try it. Have a few extras kicking around.