DRC LED "EDGE" TAIL & PLATE LIGHT, ADVICE PLEA

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gertie6car
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DRC LED "EDGE" TAIL & PLATE LIGHT, ADVICE PLEA

Post by gertie6car »

Hi Guys,

can anyone give me some advice on whether or not I can wire the DRC Edge unit straight in to the KDX 200 E2 power supply?

I am having real fun here trying to sort out a licence plate light - standard kdx tail/brake light passes the vehicle inspection but not for use on highway.

I know power is limited so thought LED's the way to go but not sure if it is compatible or what else I would need to do to get it to work off the power system on the bike. Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers Gert
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Post by Indawoods »

Keep in mind that you are on a AC system.... That stops allot of options.
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Post by gertie6car »

Thanks Indawoods, anyone got any ideas how to rig a licence plate light from the existing set up? Is it possible? without one in the uk the cops can stop you and give you a ticket.
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Post by fuzzy »

Install a battery, and use the AC to charge it would be the way I'd do it. Never gave it much thought.
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Post by IdahoCharley »

Although the power at the stator is AC - through the magic of a rectifier it is converted to DC power.

I believe LED lights would work - HID lights would require a different set-up.
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Post by Indawoods »

Those bulbs don't care if it's AC or DC... other sensitive electronics do though...

HID won't work... at least during my extensive trials...
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Post by dubtruker »

I put a Baja Designs Regulator rectifier on mine and floated the ground. That way it charges and maintains a small 3500 mah battery stuffed in the airbox. I run a DRC edge glued with Automotive Goop to the bottom of a Maier MX fender with the plate Zip tied to the subframe. I have a UFO Ghibli DOT light because it looks exactly like the OEM one but it takes a H4 and got a great beam for street, the low beam is now HID with a small halogen for high beam and an LED in the running light spot. That way if a cop wants to see all my beams I have it all to show him. During the day I run on the LED in the headlight and during this it charges the battery for a whole night of riding around the city/trails where we do about 70-100kms. My signals are all LED as well to reduce drain. I am sure when I finally get around to installing Inda's 100watt lighting coil I will never need to turn off my HID.
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Post by IdahoCharley »

Regarding ..."Those bulbs don't care if it's AC or DC... other sensitive electronics do though..."

I would argue different on the first half of that statement. The purpose of the regulator/rectifier is to well - regulate the voltage to ~12V: and rectify the AC stator generated voltage to DC voltage, so the lights will work.
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Post by Indawoods »

There is no rectifier on a KDX.
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Post by IdahoCharley »

Ok Inda - took a look in the maintenance manual and did not see rectifier: MAYBE I AM NOT AS SMART AS I THOUGHT!! :sad: :sad:

You sure that is not a combination regulator/rectifier which Kawaski just references as a regulator?

So your saying if I measure the voltage at the light I will be reading a AC voltage regulated to ~ 12-14Volts?

I am not saying that your wrong - after all you apparently made many people happy with your higher output stator upgrade and have studied and worked with the KDX system which I have not:. But being one of those engineering types and I am so use to seeing a rectified output I can not think of how it could work otherwise. (diodes or rectifier - how else could this possibly work??? Question to myself) :partyman: :roll: :cry:
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Post by Indawoods »

Yes... that's what I am saying. I have had fits working on a HID system because of the lack of a rectifier. I added one and you have to float the ground. The rectifier is dragging it down too much to make a HID system work properly. At least in my experiments...

So, there is no rectifier stock.
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Post by Julien D »

Heck, my 89 didn't even come equipped with a regulator. I just recently discovered that...
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Post by gertie6car »

Ok just got back from a trip and have read all the responses! thanks guys! much appreciated!

Can I just confirm the standard KDX regulated set up is 12/14 v ac? Electrics were never my strong point!!

Cheers
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Post by Indawoods »

Yes....
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Post by gertie6car »

great! DRC EDGE works off 12v ac or dc so I am good to go! cheers for the quick response!
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Post by gertie6car »

Nothing is ever simple!

So I have got an edge 2 light with plate mounting etc, took off the standard set up and wired in the new and can only get the tail lamp and licence plate light to illuminate!

I have checked the wiring several times, there are only three wires so it is real difficult to get it wrong!

If I reconnect the standard light it works fine with both tail and stop light working and I have to say much brighter than the LED set up which is much lower output and flickers with revs.

When I reconnect to the DRC unit I only get tail and plate, not even a flicker when the brake is depressed! Interestingly if you take the tail light feed and connect it to the brake light it works fine.

Connecting a 12v battery to the DRC unit is interesting! First thing is all circuits work, plate/tail/brake. All are very bright, don't flicker (DC supply I guess) and are much brighter (at least as bright as the standard bulb set up - if not slightly brighter) compared to using the standard KDX power supply.

I have read LED's are brighter than conventional bulbs and offer lower current draw. Anyone got any ideas why the LED stop lamp does not illuminate but the standard item does?

I would revert to the standard set up but I need a licence plate light if I am to keep the cops sweet! I am both disappointed and stumped! I have not found a tech support number for DRC -yet so if any of you guys can help please do!!!!

The only way I can see to make this work is to add a battery to supply the DRC unit and leave the standard output to power ignition and front light. I really dont want to have to do this if I can avoid it!

Cheers

Gert
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Post by Indawoods »

That makes no sense... if the switch is passing current when engaged... it should illuminate. It has no choice.
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Post by gertie6car »

I agree but it is as I say there are only three wires to swap, if I change the feed from the tail light to the stop it illuminates but the brake circuit is dead - until I put the standard set up back on when tail and stop work immediately! I am stumped!!
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Post by SS109 »

Curious, try this, please.

Take the two wires you are getting to work for the tail/LP light and reverse them. In other words, take the negative and switch it to positive and positive to negative and see if that fixes things.
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Post by Jonooffler »

Hi Mate the rear brake light on the KDX works through a resistor so that the one filiment bulb can do tail and brake you might find that that will play up when you fit a LED in the system.
I think that the out put from the coil is around 40watts if the main light bulb is 25Watts you a have a bit left over to run a number plate light, but you will need to take the feed from a live from the side light.If your in the UK you need to fit one of these as well.
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