Idea to lower battery load when starting up in Winter

[Bbennett]

It gets cold here in the winter and I often wear an electric vest. This qucikly draws down my battery power even when I turn it on / off as I go along. Driving in town I do not think I consistently ride at an RPM that will re-charge the Odyessy battery. The result is that starting the bike the next day is very iffy. I could put a trickle charger on it but I had an idea today. What if I just installed a hidden on/off switch for the headlamp that reduced load on the battery when starting? Or is the headlamp already not turned on when starting...? Too cold to trudge out there and try it right now.

[Bbennett]

Thanks, sounds like the bike already does what I was thinking of......

 

Sometimes that is a hard choice..get cold or risk not starting when engine is cold the next day

 

I appreciate the advice Gary

 

Bob

[cycles4fun]

I run battery tenders on all of my bikes and their always ready regardless how long they have been sitting. It's a very small investment and well worth it. The harness attaches to the battery and you can route the connector out to a convenient location. The "Junior" model for around 30.00 is just fine. good luck!

Mike

[docc]

I spent last night thinking about having the alternator beefed up. Sure it's a 350 watt alternator. At 10,000 rpm. Most vests draw 35 or 40 watts and are probably fine if your rpm is above 3000. Above 4000 is better. My Gerbings jacket and gloves together draw 99 watts. Even with the Odyssey and numerous wiring mods, I don't think the system is happy with that kind of draw.

 

I've been using a timer to open and close the circuit to control temperature and draw. Gary, would that be considered a 'pulse width controller?' I was wondering if that constant off and on cycling is hard on the regulator.

[docc]

So, the more the regulator can run the charge to ground the cooler it stays and longer it lasts?

 

Taking that a step further, an auxiliary groud strap for the regilator case must be a real improvement.

[Guest Gary Cheek]

The comment about cooler ambient air was to say that cooling is improved which saves the regulator from one of it's main enemies, heat. The regulator does need and relies upon a solid, low resistance ground path and additional. low resistance paths to ground, especially at the battery will improve the regulator function.

[Lex]

I guess technically it is a pulse width controller since it does modulate the duty cycle at a variable but repetitive rate . The on time is the time that loads the regulator which heats the regulator and "ages the regulator" Nice thing about winter is the regulator and alternator are running in cooler air, a good thing.

 

The pulse width controller I am thinking of turns the heat on and off at a much higher rate. They use a multivibrator to turn an electronic swith off and on. By changing the ratio of off to on time they can decrease the average current draw.The effect on the rider is simply hotter and cooler. More linear in function. Not like spending some cold time then some hot time. I think Gerbing and/or Widder offer versions of that controller.

 

Try:

 

Gerbing

 

Widder

 

Warm And Safe

 

fot controllers.

 

 

Lex

[JoeV11]

A friend of mine was telling about his BMW sport touring bike - with a weak battery the motor would start, but die as soon as he released the starter button. The headlight does go off when starting but comes right on when the motor starts, killing voltage to the fuel injection and/or ignition. In order to shut off the headlight he has to go through this crazy sequence: push the left blinker switch two times, turn on the key and then push the right blinker while tirning off the key. Next time you start it the headlight stays off until you turn on the high beams or something like that.

I wonder if our Guzzi's have that kind of system? Joe

[dlaing]

I wonder if our Guzzi's have that kind of system? Joe

Not a chance.

But maybe the Norge

In another thread we were discussing reducing the voltage load, and Gary Cheek suggested it would be possible organize some relays in such a way that you could run the High and Low beam filaments in series to reduce the current while maintaining a legal headlight.

It hurts my brain to even think of conceiving a wiring plan for that, but it should be possible

[JoeV11]

 

But maybe the Norge

 

 

Are they really naming the flagship bike after an old defunct refrigerator company?

 

Same joke as the old computers - " Name it Wang, it means strong in America! "

 

LOL

Joe

[dlaing]

I can post a drawing if there is enough interest.

I may be the only one interested.

I had trouble understanding the diode concept, so this is what I came up with.

When the switch for the third relay (bottom of image) is off, the headlight bulb is grounded by the common and it functions normally.

When the switch for the third relay is on, and the low beam is activated, the headlight common is not grounded so it grounds through the high beam filament.

When the switch for the third relay is on and the high beam is activated, the low beam goes off, deactivating the third relay and you get a normal high beam.

When the switch for the third relay is on and the high beam flasher is activated, the current is neutralized by by a positive current on both sides of the filaments and no ground. This has the added benefit of temporarlilly killing the high beam, which is a useful signal to let traffic proceed.

I think that should work.

Before I roast my wires, any second thoughts?

Click on link for Higher Resolution PNG image

http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/4043/da...adlight28ie.png

[luhbo]

Not a chance.

But maybe the Norge

In another thread we were discussing reducing the voltage load, and Gary Cheek suggested it would be possible organize some relays in such a way that you could run the High and Low beam filaments in series to reduce the current while maintaining a legal headlight.

It hurts my brain to even think of conceiving a wiring plan for that, but it should be possible

 

 

Hey, isn't that an attempt to get more, at least the same output with less input? Making the night brighter with less current and the same voltage?

 

As long as I don't understand the concept behind this, for me this smells a bit like searching volunteers to testplay the first R/C soccer ball. Here they try this every now and then and guess what, they always find two complete teams.

 

Or do you call it road legal when you have two filaments glowing with only have the power each?

 

Remember that you get more light out of one 100W bulb than out of a 60W couple.

 

Hubert

[luhbo]

Basically he is trying to satisfy the daytime running lght requirement while drawing less current than either the high or low beam uses. Many cars use exactly the same method of running the filaments in series. Rather than the GM method of running left and right in series we are running the two filaments of one bulb in series.

 

That's what I thought, yes. Does it help against getting overlooked when your light shines "warm" yellow instead of shiny white? I'd save my time and wouldn't do that.

 

Hubert

[dlaing]

That's what I thought, yes. Does it help against getting overlooked when your light shines "warm" yellow instead of shiny white? I'd save my time and wouldn't do that.

 

Hubert

The high and low beam in series together might draw about 30W and reduce the heat at the filaments, which will extend bulb life.

25Watts saved is a good thing if one is planning to add accessories.

Warm yellow is a good thing if it is bright enough.

I really don't know if it will be bright enough

I am hoping that the intensity for oncoming traffic will be somewhere between a low beam and a high beam, but expect it to be pretty close to the low beam.

If it falls short of the low beam intensity, I may get a 10W halogen bulb to replace the 5W incandescant parking light, (and then only save about 20W in day mode and use 5W more at night)

or I may just get a more intense bulb like a Philips Vision Plus 50(offroad use only in USA, with no blue tint) or a

PHILIPS/ NARVA Range Power (of dubious legal status but no blue tint) or a

Sylvania Silverstar (DOT approved, but tinted blue, which may be good for safety, but not my taste) or an

Osram Silverstar (no blue tint, but not DOT approved and difficult to find in USA).

[dlaing]

The intensity will be less than low beam. It will be about the same as the daytime running lights on many GM cars. If it were more intense than the low beam it would draw more current than the low beam. Very likely brighter however than a 10 watt bulb in the pilot socket would be.

 

Drat! I hope you are wrong. Although I suppose the GM daytime running brightness is not bad.

The 5W bulb runs whenever the ignition is on. Upping it to halogen will make it brighter, and upping it to 10W halogen, brighter still.

 

 

Sorry for getting off subject. I don't think the thread was about the need for a running light(debateable ) so much as lowering battery load. Having a switch lets the individual decide for himself. Something he is likely to do better than anyone else can for him.

We are still on subject.

It is an excellent "idea to lower battery load when starting up in winter".

If we started discussing how the Chicago Bears are going to beat the Colts , then we would be off subject