H6M Headlight Bulb

Far as I can tell the base fitment of the stock US headlight is a H6M....I would like to replace the stock bulb with a LED version just for day time running....only needs to light up. Not interested in changing bulb holder or to DC etc....anyone got any good idea's as to where I could find a LED bulb to fit ?....
Failing that I will need to modify the blown bulb and fit a LED bulb to the base....needs to work with AC only ....

Update I now think the fitment is px15s...will keep looking on Google

Mauser wrote:
Update I now think the fitment is px15s...will keep looking on Google

I can look tonight when I get home, but I'm recalling H4...

Don't forget mines a funny bulb.. single filament and the base is round with a little notch protruding upwards on the rim....

Ok done some more work on my bulb project....
Here is my old bulb base...


Since taking this picture I have removed all the old glass & adhesive etc



Here is my new LED bulb....





And once it's fitted it should look like this....it will be held in with silicon and soldered at the base....of course lol....



Works great with AC and only uses 3.5watts...

And that is what you get if you allow plumbers to touch electrics

Ol' Maus',

Nice one! Silicon or RTV is a bit soft / too pliable, you'd do better to glue it in with epoxy. This way it'll sit 'hard' into the metal bit.... which in turn has a bigger diameter hence will be much stronger. High frequency vibrations (like our bike has!) are a bastid, they'll simply win.

BuRP wrote:Ol' Maus',

Nice one! Silicon or RTV is a bit soft / too pliable, you'd do better to glue it in with epoxy. This way it'll sit 'hard' into the metal bit.... which in turn has a bigger diameter hence will be much stronger. High frequency vibrations (like our bike has!) are a bastid, they'll simply win.

Know what your saying Burpies...my thoughts were as the LED bulb is only a mm or 2 smaller that the inside of the bulb holder the silicon...which I have loads of will absorb some of the vibration....? plus easy to wipe off the excess as I always put to much on lol...
Don't think these would be any good for riding at night as the LED's don't point anywhere in particular they are mounted around the diameter, but as always will post some pictures once installed, thing I like about this mod is the stock bulbs don't seem to last very long and I am hoping the LED once fitted will last years and most importantly I have not gone away from stock headlight/bulb holder.....I do like my stock uncut loom and simple operation....

You of course know you'll get double the light-output of you put 4 diodes in, a Graetz bridge?
Cheap & simple enough, and your regulator may thank you too, dunno...

Added: mind you, the AC-reg will allow quite high voltages, 16V+ easily .... which the driver-circuitry of the LED bulb will not like. Put the graetz-bridge in plus either a zener-diode or a 1A (= enough) 7812 regulator - which, yes, needs DC supplied? It'll curb the supply to 12V (lower than the ~14V of a normal automotive system >> longer life!) and will keep all working.
Oh, all this is miniscule parts, weight (I think I know you by now  ) is negligeable, and simple as pie.
Your bike, your court...

Oh, yes, because the std globe does not last.... I'd use epoxy, not any flexible caulking - as that will bend the leads & will break the soldering

And now for something com-ple-te-ly different: do I see some dirt there?
I think I do!
That's it chaps, Mauser's not the clean smooth suave type he pretends to be, he actually rides off-road at times!!!
QED.....

Wont be any leads the LED legs are being soldering directly into the stock bulb base, silicon will only be there to make good the gap between the LED and the base...which isn't a lot.....I will take my chances with the voltage as this project is only running at £2.79 which is within my budget....yes there might be some dirt on the bike... believe it or not she got dirty last weekend...friends DRZ wouldn't start...flat battery and no kick start lol.....

Bulbs all done and chuffed with results....won't light the road but for daytime riding it's spot on...don't forget only 3.2 watts

not bad , not bad

Great Mauser!

Moneywise, four 1A-diodes plus a 7812 will not amount to 1 Pound I think, so I did keep your lowerthanentrylevel-budget in mind
Photowise, what's that long cover, a conveyorbelt perhaps?
Bikewise, tell your friend to get a Honda, and ease him into the world or reliable horsepower by recommending a CRF230 for now.... if he doesn't slap you he's a real friend

Yes long conveyor...for gravel I think.....just a little lane we popped down for a look....

"four 1A-diodes plus a 7812" not stock my friend, couldn't sleep at night knowing all those electrics were sitting there lol

Honesty is the best policy....my bulb failed yesterday......sob
It lasted about 70 miles in total or about 5 hours max running....the bulb smells electrically burnt out do you think over voltage killed it tested bike and she didn't show anything high whilst stationary bliping the throttle....10-12volts I would guess

Any LED 'lamp' has LED(s) and a driver part.
The driver is some electronics which limit the current (hence voltage) through the (various) LED(s).
It is common policy to warrant the LED for life or some ludicrously long period... the LED mind, not the driver.
The driver is what fails, I'd say close to invariably.
However, they do this a lot quicker when they have to fend off an overvoltage, enter the Pig's AC regulator.

I'm at work here, pls PM me your email addy and I'll pass on a basic diagram of what I had in mind plus some text.
You then, being an IT boffin & mod, can place the result here for all to see.
Oh, your defense 'standard only' is already up in smoke, so.... ahem

The 7812 (a dc voltage regulator for max 1 A) will curb anything over 12V hence supply the bulb/driver with this - which is less than the 14.2V found in automotive systems which charge a lead-acid battery (read: almost anything).
The result is likely (zero guarantees mind) that the driver-circuitry will last longer, maybe long even.
Oh, and I stand under absolute full correction of any electronic wizzard here, shout if you know better pls.

Mind though Mauser,

you're sure the leads have not broken off?
Right next to the solder, this is where they will break...... as a result of vibrations, which will be possible as you've used a pliable caulking i.e movement is still possible and will be there!
The leads are quite likely out of copper (tinned probably), and copper becomes hard then brittle then will break very quick when exposed to vibrations.
Take the movement away (by using hard setting epoxy) and the leads will remain soft and bendable (is that English? The spellchecker does not seem to object so I'll leave it in ) so they will last.

That's my 5p's, bugger inflation

Legs are fine my friend, that was my first line of attack....the LED unit stinks or burnt electronics lol....I thought the piggies regulator would keep the voltage below 12volts AC ?...
Ahhh just checked the book and looks like it is 13.5 to 14.5 volts @4500 but that's for the non US version which has the regulator/rectifier behind the clocks....wonder where I can find the spec of the US unit under the seat ?

Mauser,

why not DC the whole toot?
Swap the Reg with an aftermarket R/R (which is same size but with a small cap strapped next to it), swap the hooter for a DC-type and off you go, zero else.
Your LEDs will LOVE you
And.... you'll have twice the light without changing anything!

Mauser wrote:Legs are fine my friend, that was my first line of attack....

OK, I'll owe up too: I'm a legman as well, I look at them first

Mauser wrote:I thought the piggies regulator would keep the voltage below 12volts AC ?

Make that 16 or 18 and we've got a deal!

Mauser wrote:Ahhh just checked the book and looks like it is 13.5 to 14.5 volts @4500 but that's for the non US version which has the regulator/rectifier behind the clocks....wonder where I can find the spec of the US unit under the seat ?

Don't bother, refer above post - which is a tiny unit sitting on the airbox, looks same just for the small cap next to it.
The 14.5V(dc) is a problem though for the LEDbulb, or rather this is the max value which it will not like continuously. Put a 5W wirewound resistor inline with it so as to curb the current hence voltage? If you can't calculate the Ohmic value I will, shout pls. The bulb will last longer as said before.

Thanks for all the advice Burps...to be honest I was only looking at an LED bulb to fit where the stock bulb fits....not changing anything on the bike !!!
I am now going down to the route of a smaller filament bulb to replace the stock "expensise" bulb probably a 5 or 10 watt side light bulb only needs to produce light for daytime use....still gutted my LED unit failed....

Did some calculations: make a new led-assy, and put a 5W wirewound 2 Ohm resistor inline with it.
That should last.
Happy riding

Updated bulb assembly...
Knocked the "Special" flange of the stock "Expensive" bulb...


Your then left with


File 2 notches in for the bulb tabs....



Push new stock "Cheap" 5 or 10watt bulb through notches and turn 90 degree's...



Hey presto new cheap set-up...

Ya allright now but all good and fine etcetera, but...... where's the LED?



I'm amazed at your persistent tenacity to go cheap Maus', geez, I'm afraid I'll have to bring my own brown sugar if ever I'll knock on your door for tea!

Not all down to cost, "if" there was a LED bulb which would fit into my stock headlight WITHOUT altering anything I would buy 1.....but there isn't lol....hence my new method sorts all my problems out in 1 go....I can get 10 bulbs for less than £2 delivered....bargain