Headlight bulbs and holders

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REW
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Headlight bulbs and holders

Post by REW »

I am starting down the murky (well it is a load of Lucas) road of trying to improve my lighting. During a short but glorious ride out at dusk yesterday with a crescent moon over the valley etc etc I realised I couldn't see much and I probably wasn't being seen too well either. Never concerned be before but perhaps it now should!

First thing - headlight. This a Lucas 700 with the bulb holder also including the pilot bulb, held opposite but not through the pilot hole in the reflector. Later reflectors have a separate pilot holder - anyone tried to retrofit such an arrangement to an older reflector (parts easily available) or is the pilot aperture too close to the main bulb?

Second thing - LED vs QH, but lets not go there yet, first thing, er, first :)
Ron

1951 Matchless G3L thumping round the Durham Dales.
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Rob Harknett
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Re: Headlight bulbs and holders

Post by Rob Harknett »

Traffic and street lighting have made the small pilot light / bulb useless now Ron. For safety use dipped headlight instead. You should still be able to get a sealed beam glass/ reflector with the fitting built on it for the headlamp bulb with the collar, not pins. Also with a hole for a pilot bulb holder to push in.
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Duncan
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Re: Headlight bulbs and holders

Post by Duncan »

Hi Ron, as a first step try to carefully clean the inside of the glass through the bulb aperture, it can make quite a difference.
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REW
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Re: Headlight bulbs and holders

Post by REW »

I know Rob, just want to make the most of what I have (quiet at the back) so if I can fit an LED pilot through the hole I would like to try it.

Good idea Duncan, will certainly do that.
Ron

1951 Matchless G3L thumping round the Durham Dales.
g5wqian
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Re: Headlight bulbs and holders

Post by g5wqian »

hi ron ;
i have a lucas TVS headlamp on my 56 model 30 , gives a good beam pattern using an original type filament BPF bulb or led type .

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/114291366218 ... SwOgdYsYKb

i have also had a "double dipper" led bulb in it which works ok but it didnt show any discharge much on the ammeter so i went back to old style bulb so i can easily check its charging ok .

i have tried a cheap chinese BPF 6v led bulb which has a "main beam" dome lens at the top of bulb and although it produced a great light at night i had the misfortune of the bulb blowing whilst i was on a back road doing 45mph at night and it went pitch black on me , lucky to stop without hitting anything , so not sure if i want to use one of those again unless i can modify the pilot lamp so i have enough light in front of me if the headlamp bulb blows .
i am looking at fitting a cree type pilot led to see if i can make it a usefull backup [ie equal to a bicycle light ].

from now on i carry an old bpf bulb in my toolbox just in case !!!

cheers
ian
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clive
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Re: Headlight bulbs and holders

Post by clive »

g5wqian wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 8:00 am
from now on i carry an old bpf bulb in my toolbox just in case !!!
The
cheers
ian
Unless it is very well insulated from vibration I suspect the bulb may not work if you have to use it.
clive
if it ain't broke don't fix
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REW
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Re: Headlight bulbs and holders

Post by REW »

Update: I have fitted a set of 6v +ve earth bulbs from Paul Goff which gives excellent tail and stop lighting, speedo is a little more legible (if it matters on a G3) while the pilot LED bulb supplied now sits right in front of the hole in the reflector and is much more useful as a result. I had to file away some solder on some of the terminals on the ends of the bulbs to make them either the same length as each other or a more sensible fit between bayonet and spring.

The headlight is as yet untested in anger, well, in the dark outside my closed garage. The tungsten bulb had worked ok and dip/main worked correctly. Imagine my dismay when the replacement LED did not! Dip lit up the LEDs on both sides while main lit only one side - the lower. Turns out the pre-focus ring was 180 degrees out of sync with the bulb body. Easy fix and all operates well now with very little current used when on and bright lighting to be seen by, which was the aim. Now, when does it get dark?
Ron

1951 Matchless G3L thumping round the Durham Dales.
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