Timbone
Well-Known Member
On my new build, I want a simple lighting system: click a toggle tied to a 12V SLA battery, headlight and taillight illuminate. Easy and simple.
To that end, I played off the $5 HD headlight idea on this site. Came out pretty well. Made a nice bracket and fashioned an on/off switch. Soldier good quality wire and connectors together solid.
Here's where I went wrong: the SLA battery is 12V 3aH. I figure it will produce 36W for an hour. Maybe. No biggie. I can leave room for error and still have good lights.
For the rear light, I bought a red "clearance light". It has a CR193 bulb in it. Googled it and it is said to be 5W, drawing less than 1 amp. SO, let's be bold and soldier in a 20W headlight bulb! Tests before showed an even weak 12V battery would light it. I even tested with one of those 6W lantern batteries - nice bright light!
But the system will not illuminate the 2 bulbs - I removed the 5W tail light, closed the circuit with a small washer and the 20W head lamp glowed bright!
Ok. I'll get a 12V 10w bulb. That's still a lot of light. Same thing, more or less. The battery will not light both lamps. The only difference is that, with the 10W bulb, the filament starts to glow red, but it won't produce light.
Both bulbs are 12V. In both cases, the 5W tail light always lights. I would think this battery (fully charged) should power both for at least 2 hours.
What am I missing?
Tim
To that end, I played off the $5 HD headlight idea on this site. Came out pretty well. Made a nice bracket and fashioned an on/off switch. Soldier good quality wire and connectors together solid.
Here's where I went wrong: the SLA battery is 12V 3aH. I figure it will produce 36W for an hour. Maybe. No biggie. I can leave room for error and still have good lights.
For the rear light, I bought a red "clearance light". It has a CR193 bulb in it. Googled it and it is said to be 5W, drawing less than 1 amp. SO, let's be bold and soldier in a 20W headlight bulb! Tests before showed an even weak 12V battery would light it. I even tested with one of those 6W lantern batteries - nice bright light!
But the system will not illuminate the 2 bulbs - I removed the 5W tail light, closed the circuit with a small washer and the 20W head lamp glowed bright!
Ok. I'll get a 12V 10w bulb. That's still a lot of light. Same thing, more or less. The battery will not light both lamps. The only difference is that, with the 10W bulb, the filament starts to glow red, but it won't produce light.
Both bulbs are 12V. In both cases, the 5W tail light always lights. I would think this battery (fully charged) should power both for at least 2 hours.
What am I missing?
Tim