wiring aspecific but simple lighting setup...help please

[blckwlfny1]

i have poured over posts as to how to wire my particular headlight setup and i have reached one unavoidable conclusion: I HAVE NO CLUE about electrical circuits other than positive is "hot", negative is not and there's a switch 2 lights and a battery somewhere in between

i would really appreciate a little help if possible
here's what i have:
1) a lantern (big Beam) sealed beam light...selected for its EXACT similarity to the headlight on the TS 100 bike im trying to reproduce...6v, 3watt
2) the grubee skyhawk 2-cycle motor
3) tail light not selected...subject to system requirements
4) a desire to keep this as simple as possible and meddle with the engine minimally

i was considering a "wonderful creations" 6v generator and a direct hookup to the lights. can it be that simple?
Does the physical load that the generator puts on the motor affect the performance?
any and all suggestions would be appreciated
thanks

 

[vegaspaddy]

hi blckwlfny1,

trust me b its not that hard, i learned most of my electrics like you from reading threw picking up a little hear a little there and then by going into the garage and experimenting,

You need to go down to the auto parts store buy some electrical wiring a cheap toggle switch, get you hands on a 6 volt power source (( battery) to help you learn) and just start connecting wires to the different parts,

battery positive - Switch - to lamp

negative wiring from lamp - grounded, or back to negative on battery

This simple circuit will wire your front headlight threw the switch, a means to turn your light of and on,

Its pretty easy and once you get the hang of it the wiring is pretty easy, just remember its handy to write down which connections work and which don't, with this voltage and amp rating so low you wont electrocute yourself !!!!!, doing dry runs of the bike ensure that when you install it, it will work first and every time !!!!

 

[Wisski]

Put a battery in the design as vegas suggests. A 6v generator on a wheel (or integrated into the engine) won't generate power when you're stopped, and it might not even generate enough power for the lights at low RPM...and you don't want to be dark sitting at a stop sign/light at the back end of town where theres no street lights! integrating a charging circuit is probably above your expertise level, so I'd just keep it simple until you're ready for more.

Get a battery AND a plug in charger for it, it'll simplify the design a ton. Just keep the charger with the bike (if you use it to get to work). Charge the battery after every ride...batteries (even deep cycle) don't LIKE being fully discharged. Get in that habit of "Done Riding - Charge Battery" and you'll have lights for a good long time.

 

[unior]

I always figured a simple wally world battery powered led strobe is sufficient and simple for rear lighting purposes.

 

[Wisski]

It's sufficient to fulfill the letter of the motor laws around here (which simply requires reflectors + rear light + headlight for mopeds), but I wouldn't say you'd be driving safely on the road at night.

Rigging up a battery powered system is the first step to getting truly road-safe - REAL headlight, turn signals, horn, brake lights, and what not.

 

[TerraPilot]

If there is some regulation for lighting to be met that's fine but unless im wrong most States in the USA treat our MBs as regular human powered bikes. If you're about building a bike powerful enough to be licensed for the road then my comments here are irrelevant to you. I get a real rush of a free feeling knowing I can design without worrying about some little government bean counter. So if you are of the "no license required" crowd like me well then lets get cracking here. For us under 50 cc crowd all this talk of using alternators and trying to design any kind of lighting system that would require a 12 volt battery is simply not in my future. The 12 volt crowd can go somewhere else as far as I'm concerned cause it just ain't practical for the under 50 cc crowd. But if you want to carry a 12 volt battery, have at it.

All the new LED lights is what's really hot in my opinion. Mainly because they sip battery power so efficiently. I've said all this just to let you know that I'm going to use a simple micro switch hooked to a 3 AAA cell 36 LED supper bright work light sold at Northern tools for 16 or so dollars the last I looked. Until someone designs a decent super bright LED powered turn signal-break-and tail light system I'm going content my self with the afore described homemade break light and tail light from Northern tools. I plan to trigger the micro-switch with the rear brake caliper to fire the light as a break light. I particularly like this for a tail light in that it is way more visible from wider angles than any of the led tail light I've seen.

ONce again this is a compromise until a really good system with turn signals becomes commercially available. Although no state regulation requires the really bright tail and break light configuration I proposing here, but, I'm all for packing as big and bright of a light as is reasonably possible for safety and the bigger the break flash the better.

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200383235_200383235

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200381847_200381847

These 2 should produce superior viewable flood type lighting than most any of the LEDs I seen sold as bike tail lights.
Bright flashing break lights are more affective than most LED taillights commercially available so that's my story and I sticking to it.

Now if someone could suggest the best way to make these bright light red I would greatly appreciate your suggestions. In other words does anyone have an idea for some kind of Red filter to make these bright lights red?

Regards

 

[loquin]

In some states, our bikes have to have similar lighting equipment as motorcycles in order to be legal (PA comes to mind.)

However, even though a bright light may not be legally required in a given state, from a safety viewpoint, you want to be seen (bright tail light and preferably brake light,) and you need a headlight that is bright enough to allow you to see the road ahead at a distance that allows you to safely stop from your maximum speed.