Simple way to add a spotlight??

[Hughieboy]

I'd like to add a spotlight to my scooter. Just one, whichever is deemed most suitable. It's an Li motor with a Varitronic ignition, AC with no battery.

Is there a simple way to do this, ie does the system generate enough power from somewhere? I've read loads of posts about full DC conversions and to be honest I find it all a bit confusing.... Im not bothered if it works without the engine running as it's just for a), I like the look and b), it would be handy to flick on now and again in the dark lanes round here....

Hope it's not a daft question, I couldn't find an answer amongst what I've been reading.... Or maybe there isn't a simple one!

Cheers!

[terryj]

would think you would need a battery as the spot would just drain the power from the headlight

[Hughieboy]

I guess that would be simplest.... But I wonder how long it would work for between charges, ie minutes or hours...? I have a trickle charge, would you think an over night plug into that would be enough to keep it usable?

[coaster]

I guess that would be simplest.... But I wonder how long it would work for between charges, ie minutes or hours...? I have a trickle charge, would you think an over night plug into that would be enough to keep it usable?

Terry's is correct' there isn't enough power from any of the conventional magnetos (including the Varitronic) to power a spot of any practical use. Your idea of powering one from a battery is fine though and to keep it simple I would use a 7 amph alarm type battery. That will give you an hour or 2 use between charging on a battery charger. You might be able to get away with a smaller battery, maybe around 4 Amph and you could charge it on the scooter via a simple Mod charger. That would provide a trickle charge that might even be enough to keep the battery charged without resorting to the mains charger. That would depend on how much riding you do without the spot though.

All that said though, if you live in the sticks and ride at night then I would strongly advocate a full DC conversion, it really isn't't complicated, my set allows me to run an HID headlamp and 2 LED spots and the result and light output has to be seen to be believed.

[Hughieboy]

I guess that would be simplest.... But I wonder how long it would work for between charges, ie minutes or hours...? I have a trickle charge, would you think an over night plug into that would be enough to keep it usable?

Terry's is correct' there isn't enough power from any of the conventional magnetos (including the Varitronic) to power a spot of any practical use. Your idea of powering one from a battery is fine though and to keep it simple I would use a 7 amph alarm type battery. That will give you an hour or 2 use between charging on a battery charger. You might be able to get away with a smaller battery, maybe around 4 Amph and you could charge it on the scooter via a simple Mod charger. That would provide a trickle charge that might even be enough to keep the battery charged without resorting to the mains charger. That would depend on how much riding you do without the spot though.

All that said though, if you live in the sticks and ride at night then I would strongly advocate a full DC conversion, it really isn't't complicated, my set allows me to run an HID headlamp and 2 LED spots and the result and light output has to be seen to be believed.

Thanks for the explanation, that makes sense.

To be honest, I would more than happily convert to full DC, it's just that after reading other threads I got bogged down in technicalities that I didn't understand and came out the other end not knowing where to start, especially as I have a Varitronic which seems to add complications from what I read....

I'm not that au fait with electrics and couldn't find a 'this is what you do' description on how to go about it. Also I have a long range tank so can't use the battery tray, I would need to fit one in the tool box (or legshield toolbox).

What spotlights are you using Coaster?

[coaster]

I have a couple of cheap spots I got off ebay and are bolted through the side of the horncast on my Jet (Series 80). I have hacked them about internally and have an LED lamp in one and a Cree LED chip in the other. Both throw out a lot of light and take about 1/4 of an amp each but Neither are as good as the 35 watt halogen lamps that the spots came with. The HID headlamp conversion I have is fitted into one of the Jockey's reflectors and is truly fantastic, judge for yourself:

HID dip beam


HID Main beam


The main beam photo shows the fill in from the 2 LED spots which are wited to only operate on main beam.

If you want to go full DC then I and several others will be happyt to support you through it. One of those tool boxes that bolts to the rear strut is a good place to put the battery

[Donnie]

Assuming you have a standard tank and no airbox then you can also get a 7ah battery onto the back of your toolbox like this.

[Donnie]

Basically, the side of a vespa px tray is dremelled off to allow change of battery or removal for top up as required, not that either have ever been needed in the last few years. Fitted to the back of the airbox with 4 nuts and bolts with a seat fibre washer between the tray and toolbox and hey presto.

As an answer on how long you will get a spot running off one?

I did the same as you and fitted a spotlight which had a 35w bulb in it and only used it for the odd darker lanes, however I did a few runs where I deliberately left it on to see how long i would get from a full charge and the result was that after a maximum of 45 minutes the light coming off the spotlight was useless. Basically more like a poor sidelight

Thats why I went full DC and never looked back!

[grandpa]

Hi Hughieboy,
You can get universal plastic chrome Harley spots from ebay with a 10 watt led bulb and 27 leds ( about £12 ebay delivered from china)using watts =volts X amps would give you 4 hours on a 5 amp/hr battery.(10 /12 =1.2 amps) I am not sure about the MOT as usually the spot can only run on main beam.The wassell mod with a battery would enable spots via a relay thus:

The leds run from festoon bulb and centre spots from main beam via a small relay
Grandpa

[Hughieboy]

Thanks Guys,

That's great helpful info...

The scooter is a S2 so assuming the Jockeys headlamp reflector is available for it that sounds like a great way to improve the headlamp. I'm currently running one of those HID bulbs but in the standard headlamp reflector/lens unit so it's brighter but the spread isn't great and the difference between dip and main seems negligible.

The fuel tank is a semi long range that takes up the space of the filter box so I can't fit a battery like Donnie has but again, if the under panel storage trays fit a S2 that would be the way forward if fitting full DC, maybe more convenient in the legshield tool box if I were to have to keep trickle charging it. I prefer the older style of spot like yours as well Donnie, it's more in keeping with the bike (trying without success to upload a photo....!)

So, in simple terms, what do I need to add to my scooter when fitted with a Varitronic ignition to install a DC system capable of running an extra light when the engine is running?

Thanks

[Captain Pugwash]

There are very small high amperage batteries available less than half the size of standard with a higher amperage.

There's a couple of ways that you could power the battery using your existing ac set up.

Variatronic or Ducati it's all just rotating magnets around coils of wire.

[terryj]

have seen a post on ere somewhere were the battery was fitted in a box on the rear mud guard

as for doing the wassel i am a complete idiot when it comes to electrickery and i found it a doddle
change 1 wire of the stator join up wassel and wassell to brown in loom and fit battery job done

[coaster]

Hi Hughieboy,
You can get universal plastic chrome Harley spots from ebay with a 10 watt led bulb and 27 leds ( about £12 ebay delivered from china)using watts =volts X amps would give you 4 hours on a 5 amp/hr battery.(10 /12 =1.2 amps) I am not sure about the MOT as usually the spot can only run on main beam.The wassell mod with a battery would enable spots via a relay thus:

The leds run from festoon bulb and centre spots from main beam via a small relay
Grandpa

What's the light output like Grandpa, useful or purely decoratively?

Colin

[coaster]

have seen a post on ere somewhere were the battery was fitted in a box on the rear mud guard

I did mention that in my post above, they hang next to the rear mudguard but bolt to the rear strut and the bolts for the rear rack. I got mine off eBay and there is a similar one on there at the moment item number 281782502066 or just search on Lambretta tool box and keep scrolling down. Currently at £15 with 5 days to go, expect it to go up to about double that. Other makes are available, there's a guy called Lloydee from Colchester way that makes a very robust one. Mine takes a 7amp battery and a litre bottle of oil

[coaster]

Thanks Guys,

That's great helpful info...

The scooter is a S2 so assuming the Jockeys headlamp reflector is available for it that sounds like a great way to improve the headlamp. I'm currently running one of those HID bulbs but in the standard headlamp reflector/lens unit so it's brighter but the spread isn't great and the difference between dip and main seems negligible.

That will be an LED lamp of Halogen not a real HID. You need DC and a battery for HID to work. They are not like a conventional lamp, there is no filament, the light is created by an arc and is powered by a 'ballast' unit that kicks out something like 30k volts. Dip is effected by a small solenoid built into the base which moved the lamp up and down. The photos above don't really do it justice, they were taken on a country lane in the wilds of Norfolk with open fields on either side and the HID light spreads way out sideways as well. Looking at the photos you can see a road sign lit up in the background on both of them.... That sign was around 1/4 of a mile away

[Hughieboy]

Thanks Guys,

That's great helpful info...

The scooter is a S2 so assuming the Jockeys headlamp reflector is available for it that sounds like a great way to improve the headlamp. I'm currently running one of those HID bulbs but in the standard headlamp reflector/lens unit so it's brighter but the spread isn't great and the difference between dip and main seems negligible.

That will be an LED lamp of Halogen not a real HID. You need DC and a battery for HID to work. They are not like a conventional lamp, there is no filament, the light is created by an arc and is powered by a 'ballast' unit that kicks out something like 30k volts. Dip is effected by a small solenoid built into the base which moved the lamp up and down. The photos above don't really do it justice, they were taken on a country lane in the wilds of Norfolk with open fields on either side and the HID light spreads way out sideways as well. Looking at the photos you can see a road sign lit up in the background on both of them.... That sign was around 1/4 of a mile away

Begging your pardon, I should've said Xenon! One of the blue Readspeed jobbies... That spread of light of yours looks superb!

Any ideas where to get the Wassel conversion? I googled it and all I came up with was a rectifier on the MB site that talks about changing the stator..... Only just spent out on the Varitronic and got it set up right and I don't want to start replacing bits of it particularly...

[coaster]

Yes, the Wassel 12v rectifier on the MB website is the one you want, good price too. It replaces the voltage regulator, it has 2 yellows on its input side and a red and black on the output. Captain Pugwash might be able to advise but I believe it is possible to alter the wiring on a Varitrinic to make it work with the Wassel" hopefully he will confirm. With Indian or BGM staters all that is needed is to disconnect the lighting coil earth wire and attach it to an additional wire which together with the existing brown is connected to the 2 yellows. Tge Wassel black goes to earth and the red connects into the loom brown. Then run new wire from loom brown to battery positive and earth the other side of the battery. As said above, simples.

[coaster]

Wiring in the HID is a bit more involved but quite straightforward

[CHRIS in MARGATE]

PX battery tray from India on ebay about £8 or £9. Fitted mine earlier this year on LH rear strut. Takes battery easily. Also secured it with Vespa PX battery strap. Both items arrived within a week.
Fit a 10 amp fuse !

[Nelly]

have seen a post on ere somewhere were the battery was fitted in a box on the rear mud guard

as for doing the wassel i am a complete idiot when it comes to electrickery and i found it a doddle
change 1 wire of the stator join up wassel and wassell to brown in loom and fit battery job done

It was my post showing where I squeezed the vespa battery tray over the rear mudguard a few months ago.
download/file.php?id=453&mode=view
This works well and gives loads of power.
You can also see the Wassel alongside the battery.
Hope this helps.