Black and white and some red all over

**The Lone Rider** · 7th August 2008, 19:53

Got the bike back together... and here's what I've been up to!

Just got a fuse problem - when the bike is idling they run fine. However I took a ride to the grocery store and they weren't going. Checked the fuse when I got home and the 0.5a fuse I had in it had blown. Move up to a 1a maybe?

**howdamnhard** · 7th August 2008, 22:00

Originally Posted by The Lone Rider

Got the bike back together... and here's what I've been up to!

Just got a fuse problem - when the bike is idling they run fine. However I took a ride to the grocery store and they weren't going. Checked the fuse when I got home and the 0.5a fuse I had in it had blown. Move up to a 1a maybe?

Check your regulator/rectifier,may be on the way out.

**The Lone Rider** · 7th August 2008, 22:05

Originally Posted by howdamnhard

Check your regulator/rectifier,may be on the way out.

No idea what that is but I'll look into it.

The lighting is all on its own system and has it's own fuse - it is not connected to the ignition or running lights etc. Only thing is that it gets it's power from the bike battery.

**howdamnhard** · 7th August 2008, 22:25

Originally Posted by The Lone Rider

No idea what that is but I'll look into it.

The lighting is all on its own system and has it's own fuse - it is not connected to the ignition or running lights etc. Only thing is that it gets it's power from the bike battery.

It's part of the battery charging circuit.It's a black thing with cooling fins and wires coming out of it.One of the leads from it runs through the fuse to the battery.Try get your hands on a shop manual,do a search on manuals on KB.Then you can check it out and also see if you have the correct fuse.

**howdamnhard** · 7th August 2008, 22:30

The battery may start running flat first'trouble starting etc.My fuse blew when the regulator died.Putting a bigger fuse in is not a good idea as if there is actually a short somewhere in the system something more expensive is going to have to burn out until it goes open circuit .
Goodluck

**xwhatsit** · 7th August 2008, 23:10

I'd say it's his own wiring, it's not the main fuse blowing, it's his little wiring add-on with it's own fuse. So reg/rec probably not a worry.

I suppose you have to check how much current your lights are pulling. If I were doing it -- and I'm dangerous when it comes to electricity -- I'd work out how much current it should be using by adding up all the lights, then see if it matches up reasonably closely. Then buy a fuse a little bit higher than that.

But really, my advice will probably catch you on fire and blow up your bike, so wait until somebody smart comes along :P

**The Lone Rider** · 8th August 2008, 06:41

Originally Posted by howdamnhard

The battery may start running flat first'trouble starting etc.My fuse blew when the regulator died.Putting a bigger fuse in is not a good idea as if there is actually a short somewhere in the system something more expensive is going to have to burn out until it goes open circuit .
Goodluck

Pretty sure it isn't my wiring, I've done plenty of soldering and PCB wiring up before and this was far from complex.

Red line going off the + of the battery to a 0.5 amp fuse, then to a switch, switch to four LED strips, then out to a yellow line connected to the - of the battery.

Just really seems odd - I have had them sitting on for a good 10 minutes or more while I was position the LEDs. Was sitting in the garage with the lights off and the LEDs on so I could check their spread. Had it probably on for a good 5-10 minutes with the bike engine turned on idling and no problems. When riding however.. when I hit roughly 30k and accelerated hard and switched up to second gear I saw them go out

**Horse** · 8th August 2008, 10:58

You really need to check the current rating of each LED assembly and then total that up. It's possible 0.5A isn't quite enough when the driver circuitry is included (depending on how that's done).

If 0.5A is close to the limit (and there's always a bit of "slop" in fuses) then at idle it might be just under because the output from the alternator and therefore the battery voltage will be sitting a bit lower. When you rev the engine hard the alternator will spit out a bit more juice and the voltage on the battery will rise just a tad, and that could be enough to increase the current draw on the lights to over the 0.5A of the fuse.

Bung a 1A fuse in and see if it makes a difference, but really you should check the current rating of each of those LED light units and total that up.

**The Lone Rider** · 8th August 2008, 11:10

I've talked to several people, and including those on here I've had about 5 or 6 different opinions.

However I asked a trade electrician at work today, he suggested simpliest thing to do was put a 1a fuse in. Other than that he said total up and put a resister or a small regulator.

Also had a suggestion to put the out lead from the LEDs onto the bike frame rather than the - on the battery

**Flip** · 8th August 2008, 14:01

Well a 0.5amp fuse will only pass 6 watts before it blows. In my experience its usually the expensive radar detector or ignition module that blows first and provides complete overload protection to the 35c fuse. What current is the LED drawing while standing still? It might be that they draw 0.4 amp which is too close for a 0.5 fuse.

**The Lone Rider** · 8th August 2008, 15:37

Originally Posted by Flip

Well a 0.5amp fuse will only pass 6 watts before it blows. In my experience its usually the expensive radar detector or ignition module that blows first and provides complete overload protection to the 35c fuse. What current is the LED drawing while standing still? It might be that they draw 0.4 amp which is too close for a 0.5 fuse.

Yeah, I've just bought a multi meter and will test later (when I sober up)...

I've been doing this wiring and all that with a bit of throwing back and forth of ideas with Imdying, so much props to him.

I don't plan on getting your name tattooed on me though :P

**Tank** · 8th August 2008, 15:41

Originally Posted by The Lone Rider

will test later (when I sober up)...

Posted at 3 in the afternoon on a workday!

Well done that man!

**The Lone Rider** · 8th August 2008, 15:51

Originally Posted by Tank

Posted at 3 in the afternoon on a workday!

Well done that man!

Hehehe, well I actually took annual leave for half the day and got off at 11am. Tomorrow is CKMC's 1st Annual Birthday Bash and I'm a busy bee and needed the time off work to get some things organized.

From 11am, I've managed to go grocery shopping for cake making materials, baked a cake (no icing on it yet), bought some more fuses for the bike, bought beer (which I'm half way through lol), dropped off the CKMC rally flag for some repairs, went to the party venue to confirm some details and pick up some sponsor prizes... and well it didn't take as long as I thought so I got into the beer.

Oh and did I mention I'm celebrating CKMC birthday, my birthday, Spaully (aspiring CKMC new member) and my nephews birthday (who's coming to the party) so its a party x4... I will be tanked until Sunday. So if any posts I make from here on start being odd.. well you know why!

**avgas** · 8th August 2008, 15:52

What are the LED's rated at - i think you will find they will be say 2V @ 100mA each.
If they are all in series you shouldn't have a problem, in parallel you will need lots current.
Do they each have their own resistance? or is it a net of resistors.
Where is your ground going?
I would be highly supprised that 1 or 2 of these things are drawing more than 6 watts, or pulling more than 0.5A.
I would hate to see you bbq LED's by trying to double the current through them

**Tank** · 8th August 2008, 15:53

Originally Posted by The Lone Rider

Hehehe, well I actually took annual leave for half the day and got off at 11am. Tomorrow is CKMC's 1st Annual Birthday Bash and I'm a busy bee and needed the time off work to get some things organized.

From 11am, I've managed to go grocery shopping for cake making materials, baked a cake (no icing on it yet), bought some more fuses for the bike, bought beer (which I'm half way through lol), dropped off the CKMC rally flag for some repairs, went to the party venue to confirm some details and pick up some sponsor prizes... and well it didn't take as long as I thought so I got into the beer.

Oh and did I mention I'm celebrating CKMC birthday, my birthday, Spaully (aspiring CKMC new member) and my nephews birthday (who's coming to the party) so its a party x4... I will be tanked until Sunday. So if any posts I make from here on start being odd.. well you know why!

Im sorry - did you just say you baked a cake