Ariel Owners Motorcycle Club

Hi Frank
Thanks for that frank ,it just sounded a bit sus as the evening was coming to its end at club.
Cheers Bob

I have just gone over to LED on my square 4 (1951 Model) and the results are good.
My only concern is that I get headlamp flicker (a bit like a strobe effect) on tick over with the headlamp on. I wonder if this is where the ignition points are intermittently altering the output, or if not have I a bad earth or something?. on revving the bike the problem disappears

Any ideas anyone?

Mark

Mark
You will find the voltage to the headlight has just dropped a little and it is no longer enough to power the globe. A few revs and the dynamo kicks in and no more problems. It seems to be a problem with some of the 6v led globes as they only work from 6v or a bit more up. The globe on my VB used to flicker at idle. My battery condition has deteriorated a little and now the light cuts out completely at idle but comes back with a few revs.
David

Try running temporary positive and negative wires direct from the battery to the headlight and start the bike up and see what happens. If they still flicker a lot then the pull of the ignition is dropping the voltage in the battery too much. The battery could be at fault. If it doesn't flicker than its something in the wiring causing it. Bad earth like you said could be the cause.

Steve

Steve
thanks for the advice, I will give it a go. The battery is quite new and is 12 amp capacity, but the ignition does work hard for a 6v system.
cheers
Mark

david.anderson wrote:Mark
You will find the voltage to the headlight has just dropped a little and it is no longer enough to power the globe. A few revs and the dynamo kicks in and no more problems. It seems to be a problem with some of the 6v led globes as they only work from 6v or a bit more up. The globe on my VB used to flicker at idle. My battery condition has deteriorated a little and now the light cuts out completely at idle but comes back with a few revs.
David

I've just seen this post. Mine flickers too - I currently have the dynamo/regulator conversions led headlamp, and a Paul Goff tail lamp.

I have both LEd's on my 31 ion 53.No flickering even at idle.
The only issue I have had is forgetting to turn the lights off now..lol.
After 2 hrs I still had Pilot .brake & taillight. No main light!
When I run the bikes after leaving the light on the main light does flicker until maybe 2 miles later.
I just assumed it was due to low Voltage.
Low beam works great but High seems to reach for the trees yet. I do very little to NO night driving anyway. The benefit is I can now run with the lights on during the day so Drivers can see me better.

Ian
my one only flickers once the bike is running slow - definitely something to do with the ignition circuit. In fact if I turn the ignition on (without starting the bike) the brightness and steadiness of the beam falters a bit

worth the compromise though for having lights on at night without loosing power to the sparks
Mark

Update on my LED headlamp bulbs bought at the end of 2015.

Both have now failed. i.e. they started strobing and oen packed up 5 miles from home (thank the gods for the Aldi LED push bike lights I carry).
I am not sure if this is a quality issue or vibration .. I am not sure I will bother again.

That's a shame, but a couple of things come to mind.
LED technology has improved considerably since 2015. Also,
Is 7 years unreasonable? I suppose the answer to that depends on how much use they have had.