LED conversion advice

[CRASH]

I have a dual headlight set up I'd like to upgrade for my wife's Murray. I'd like to change the standard lights out to LED. I've never done this before, so I'm looking for tutorial help. A couple questions I have to start out:

What parts will I need?
Can I use my usual methods for cleaning the rust off the original case?
What batteries will it require?

Here's the internals.

 

[indianadave]

You can get replacement bulbs for many flashlight bulbs in led. That might be the simplest solution.

Sent from my LG-K373 using Tapatalk

 

[Fv2]

You can get E10 style LED's inexpensively, but using small flashlights is also cheap. And all the wiring and stuff is there.

The only thing I'm not sure of is if the Murray tank switch can still be used.

You should be able to clean the rust up with a wire wheel on a Dremel, but not sure how reflective it would be.

 

[Fv2]

http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/another-led-light-conversion-howto.101201/

http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/led-conversion.93366/

 

[RustySprockets]

IndianaDave is right--they do make LED "bulbs" that are a direct swap for old flashlights. I'm not so sure you can get them with the screw-in base, but the smooth ones found in most flashlights share the same electrical properties. All wiring and batteries remain as they were, and the new light will be brighter and last longer...but it wouldn't be as bright as something you custom-made.

Addendum: Here's an eBay seller that has the proper item for two bucks a pair.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/E10-Lamp-LE...47-Screw-for-Torch-bike-bicycle-/152451991507

 

[Phil Fink]

The bulbs' mechanical interface is E10 (miniature screw), as was stated. Your light fixture has (2) "D" cells for 3 volts - basically a pen light. If decoration is your intent, then two LED replacement bulbs rated at or above 3 volts would be okay. I have seen those offered in two levels of brightness/wattage, 1W & 5W.
I recommend the brightest, 5W, less of a pen light.
Also available are "AA" to "D" - 1.5 volt to 4.5 volt converter units, basically a plastic housing with series wiring built-in. If six (6) "AA" are used, then, get two LED replacement bulbs rated at or above 9 volts.
"At or above" means that some LED replacement bulbs have a range of voltages that they will operate at. Also, I would select the brightest lumens (not always wattage) for the E10's.

An acid soak and cold galvanizing zinc primer might help on the corrosion problem.

 

[Fv2]

I actually have a bunch of the E10 style LED's. If your lights are in working order and you just want to try out the LED's let me know, I'll put a couple in the mail for you.

 

[CRASH]

http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/another-led-light-conversion-howto.101201/

http://www.ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/led-conversion.93366/

I saw both of those, but those lights are much bigger than mine.

 

[CRASH]

The bulbs' mechanical interface is E10 (miniature screw), as was stated. Your light fixture has (2) "D" cells for 3 volts - basically a pen light. If decoration is your intent, then two LED replacement bulbs rated at or above 3 volts would be okay. I have seen those offered in two levels of brightness/wattage, 1W & 5W.
I recommend the brightest, 5W, less of a pen light.
Also available are "AA" to "D" - 1.5 volt to 4.5 volt converter units, basically a plastic housing with series wiring built-in. If six (6) "AA" are used, then, get two LED replacement bulbs rated at or above 9 volts.
"At or above" means that some LED replacement bulbs have a range of voltages that they will operate at. Also, I would select the brightest lumens (not always wattage) for the E10's.

An acid soak and cold galvanizing zinc primer might help on the corrosion problem.

Am I to understand that if I just get the E10 bulbs, that using two 'D' batteries will not work? If not, and I have to work on a conversion, what would be the recommendation?

 

[CRASH]

I actually have a bunch of the E10 style LED's. If your lights are in working order and you just want to try out the LED's let me know, I'll put a couple in the mail for you.

Thanks, I may take you up on it, but let me see where this lands as far as battery power required and 'Lumins' available.

 

[CRASH]

I have the base soaking in some evaporust. I looked this up, and hopefully my Lowes around the corner carries it.

 

[RustySprockets]

Am I to understand that if I just get the E10 bulbs, that using two 'D' batteries will not work? If not, and I have to work on a conversion, what would be the recommendation?

If you use the 3v variety, then two flashlight batteries should be sufficient, no? I mean AAA, AA, C, and D all deliver 1.5 volts per cell, so two in series gets you the 3 volts needed. The larger the battery, the longer it will last. Am I wrong on this?

Of course, those 3v LEDs won't be the brightest ones available. As an alternative, I suppose you could bundle four AA batteries together to achieve 6 volts, and use LEDs rated at that level--or, six AAs and a 9 volt LED, and so on. The package would still fit in the space of twin D-cells...they just wouldn't last as long.

 

[Phil Fink]

I have used an E10 (miniature screw base) rated for 3 volts with my Cat-Eye HL-200 headlights, which has two (2) 1.5 volt "D" cells (batteries). So you could use two (2) of same with your light fixture (Murray?), and that should work and be the simplest. Below is for a 0.02 amps bulb, the dimmest, weakest (least bright) that might be sold. [However, I did like the price].

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Epistar-LED...-for-2-Cell-Replacement-for-222-/232215774403

 

[Phil Fink]

So, they make these for flashlights, which come in various configurations, most common are the 2-cell types, but also available (old school) were 3, 4, 5 cell flashlights (that kind of look like more of a club or small baseball bat).

One seller, DRACO-Product, also recommended something brighter, after inquiring about my intended use/application, bicycle headlight (safety related).

With room for two (2) "D" cells, one can use the (3)-AA to D series converters, and get 9 volts out of an ordinary 3 volt fixture (or flashlight); one (1) each adapter would be required per D-cell.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-SERIES-Ba...ls-to-1-D-size-outputs-4-5V-USA-/331890024488

The adapter would allow use of some brighter bulbs, 120-220 lumens (perhaps as maximum, at 30V). With 9 volts, the output might be de-rated (less lumens, less bright).

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bright-LED-...ent-E10-T3-1-4-E10-Non-Polarity-/331721110211

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cree-LED-5-...cement-5-30-VDC-22A-for-4-Cells-/232320544941

 

[CRASH]

Hmmm.... I might just keep this simple. On the one hand, if she ever actually needed and used the headlight to light her way, I'd want her to have the brightest possible. On the other hand, I think the chances of that are slim. She really only rides her bike during the day with the kids.

But... she may love this bike, and ride it more often. hmmmmm

I should just bring it down to you Phil, and let you handle it. How much do you charge? lol

 

[Phil Fink]

I found another two, E10 rated at 3V, 5W/220+ lumens, or 3V, 1W/70 lumens, either or both would work with the 2 regular D-cells.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Cree-LED-5-...nt-3-0V-60A-for-2-Cell-2-7-3-1V-/232297354464

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Epistar-LED...nt-3-0V-23A-for-2-Cell-2-7-3-1V-/232297351729

What is a lumen anyway. For the prices listed, one can get a repro-style chrome headlamp with 6-7 LEDs already built-in.

There is one more, 1W/140 lumens @ 1.2V-9V range, (1 to 6 batteries); I guess they would not fry if too many volts were applied.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-0W-LED-Up...ll-Flashlight-0-31A-1-2-9-Volts-/232341400730

 

[Phil Fink]

For batteries, I go to the 99 Cents Only Stores (Dollar Store), and get the bulk packages; (they cost only 99.99 cents +tax).

 

[Phil Fink]

Take a closer look at your Murray light fixture, and where the electrical connections are made, or insulated. The two batteries might actually be in parallel (1.5V) instead of in-series (3V).

My Murray chrome bug-light (w/ buzzer-horn) has three (3) batteries, and when I last tested it with new batteries, it would get hot (short circuit somewhere).

 

[CRASH]

An acid soak and cold galvanizing zinc primer might help on the corrosion problem.

What's the difference between "Cold Galvanizing" and "Bright Galvanizing"? They only had "Bright" at my Lowes.

 

[RustySprockets]

What's the difference between "Cold Galvanizing" and "Bright Galvanizing"? They only had "Bright" at my Lowes.

This difference is purely in the color of the product--shiny silver vs dull grey. Cold galvanizing is really nothing more than zinc-rich paint. True galvanizing requires that your steel object be plunged into a vat of molten elemental zinc, aka hot-dip. It's almost like plating.