LED bulb problem - CB77

revlover · Post by **revlover** » Tue Dec 08, 2015 4:46 pm

If your bulb only requires 8W, than any silicon diode rated for 1A or more should be fine.
1N4001, 1N4002, 1N4003, etc. Try RadioShack part#'s 276-1653, or 276-1101. It should be a cheap easy fix.

Seadog · Post by **Seadog** » Tue Dec 08, 2015 5:26 pm

Thank you, revlover, that's a big help. I'll see what they have at Radio Shack tomorrow and give it a try. Whether it works or not, and I'll post the results here.

revlover wrote:If your bulb only requires 8W, than any silicon diode rated for 1A or more should be fine.
1N4001, 1N4002, 1N4003, etc. Try RadioShack part#'s 276-1653, or 276-1101. It should be a cheap easy fix.

Seadog · Post by **Seadog** » Wed Dec 09, 2015 2:13 pm

Well, I stopped by Radio Shack this morning for a diode and assembled a short jumper of sorts as soon as I got home. At first, I'd thought it had worked, but quickly saw that I still had an incandescent headlight bulb installed. When I installed the LED headlight bulb, I saw that the fix had failed. The diode is installed in the wire to the indicator bulb. Any other ideas?

revlover · Post by **revlover** » Wed Dec 09, 2015 2:36 pm

Way cool! Let me know how satisfied you are with the Cree LED H4 bulb. I might try one too. Also, Does your bike have a voltage regulator? Overcharging the battery is now a possibility since you have freed up a lot of wattage using all LED's. I think the LED's should tolerate slightly higher volts OK, but the battery might boil out its electrolyte sooner if your volts go too high on long highway rides.

revlover · Post by **revlover** » Wed Dec 09, 2015 2:39 pm

Hmmm? you must have edited your post while I was typing. Please elaborate.

revlover · Post by **revlover** » Wed Dec 09, 2015 2:48 pm

The cathode of the diode (banded end) must go directly to the headlight high beam terminal and the indicator + must be on the anode side.

Seadog · Post by **Seadog** » Wed Dec 09, 2015 4:38 pm

revlover wrote:Way cool! Let me know how satisfied you are with the Cree LED H4 bulb. I might try one too. Also, Does your bike have a voltage regulator? Overcharging the battery is now a possibility since you have freed up a lot of wattage using all LED's. I think the LED's should tolerate slightly higher volts OK, but the battery might boil out its electrolyte sooner if your volts go too high on long highway rides.

revlover wrote:Hmmm? you must have edited your post while I was typing. Please elaborate.

Sorry, revlover, yes, I edited my "success" post hoping that I did it fast enough for no one to notice. Wrong!

I can happily report now that I have been successful. I'd be too embarrassed to actually admit what I did wrong, so suffice it to say that I figured it out and corrected my dumb mistake. All works now as it should.

In answer to your question, no, I don't have a voltage regulator. I haven't used the bike for long highway rides and don't plan to, but I think it's a good idea to install one anyway. I did put one on my Dream project bike, but I'd like to find one for the SH that fits the original rectifier bracket without modification. Also, I bought the pricey one from Charlie's Place for the Dream and would like to find something a bit less expensive next time.

Finally, I'd like to thank you and the others who responded to my thread. I couldn't have figured this out without you.

Now I have to make up another diode for the Dream, which will be all LED as well.

P.S. I'll let you know how the Cree bulb works out after I've used it a bit. I can tell you now that it does not seem to put out as much light as an incandescent bulb.

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LED bulb problem - CB77

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