wiring lights straight to battery

[fl250driver]

i have an fl250 and want to add 2 more lights. i don't want to deal with wiring them up like the stock one which depends on engine revs for brightness. My question is can i buy a car battery and wire two cheapy off road lights (like 20 bucks from pepboys) directly up to it. i would charge the battery when needed and disconnect the wires to them when not in use. would this work out fine? or would the battery die after like 20 minutes?

[yoshi]

Originally Posted by fl250driver

i have an fl250 and want to add 2 more lights. i don't want to deal with wiring them up like the stock one which depends on engine revs for brightness. My question is can i buy a car battery and wire two cheapy off road lights (like 20 bucks from pepboys) directly up to it. i would charge the battery when needed and disconnect the wires to them when not in use. would this work out fine? or would the battery die after like 20 minutes?

battery won't last long, might wanna check into an HID light.......

[plkracer]

If you do put them on, I'd advise a fuse as close to the battery as possible.

[Islander]

And probably a deep cycle battery. I still don't think they would last long, but a regular battery would be wrecked sooner. Is there no way to hook up an alternator?

[enemy]

I would have your stator rewound for higher output and converted to a floating ground. This is then used with a reg/rec to charge a battery. Run your lights directly from the battery. (I always run relays...safer and easier on the switch ) Take Yoshi's advice and bolt on some HIDs ! ALOT more light while using alot less power than halogens(trail tech make some nice self contained ones) This is a common battery conversion on Banshees. I had Ricks Electric do my conversion. Or you could do it yourself, not to hard to convert a stator to a floating ground. But you would be better off doing a rewind. Read into this..Banshee Lighting Upgrade - Page 1
I run 4 HIDs on my banshee with this conversion. Lights never dim! Kinda funny when I kill the motor and people start asking "how the hell can yer' light still be runnin'??"
Rick's Motorsport Electrics - Home

Ricky Stator: Manufacture of ATV & dirt bike stators, electrical componets, lighting systems, and suspension products.
Both these guys can hook ya up!!

I can get you some part # from the battery mount and batter I use (from a KTM bike) Nice setup for little money with lots of mounting options. That lighting link may have the numbers too.I used the same thing..

Good Luck!
Jon

[nutz4sand]

Another thing that has been talked about before when wanted lights need more power than the stock machine can do is to snag a cheap alternator off a scrap yard car and put a pulley on the rear spool or axle. Run a belt to the alternator. You only charge when your moving but thats the only time you usually need the extra lights. The drag will likley be noticeable unless you got a really strong little motor and even then.

Some sled engines I have had had places on the backside of the drive clutch to bolt rings for starters. You might be able to put a pulley there if your clutch had mounts there but it would be a lot of drag right off the crank.

One of the latest issues Sandsports magazine is also showing new LED lights for sandrails that should use little energy. Yet are very bright. How far they shine may be an issue. Vision X Offroad Lighting - 1.800.994.4460 I just seen them in the book and have not seen them in person. Might throw a plenty good beam of light for the speeds you will hit in an 250 odessey. LED lights are listed there as the fourt one down.

XMITTER BARS (Patent Pending) - LED SERIES - VISION X OFFROAD

There is a link right to one of the light bars. You make the call. Personnaly I would want to see them in person outshine a HID. They may be brighter to look at (If thats possible! HID are scorchers!!) but throwing the light is another matter. The current draw would meet the needs of the Oddey though and it would bolt on pretty easy.

As stated above HID are nice and use little energy once on. But they aint cheap!

[badbob66]

Originally Posted by fl250driver

i have an fl250 and want to add 2 more lights. i don't want to deal with wiring them up like the stock one which depends on engine revs for brightness. My question is can i buy a car battery and wire two cheapy off road lights (like 20 bucks from pepboys) directly up to it. i would charge the battery when needed and disconnect the wires to them when not in use. would this work out fine? or would the battery die after like 20 minutes?

Car battery=HEAVY Cheapy lights= NOT much LIGHT

Bob

[fl250driver]

i bought two fifty five watt lights for 8 bucks which included the wiring and switch from harbor freight.
going to try to eliminate the stock head light and wire the magneto instead of to the headlight to charge the battery. only problem is im going to have to run a 6volt battery, (magnetos output) and not sure if a 6volt can handle the lights.

[nutz4sand]

If the lights are 12 volt they will not be bright enough to see anyhting on six volts.

[tone]

hi

what if you have say a 18volt dewalt (say dw919 the one with the long flexable head ) type light or one of the cheap powerful rechargable flash lights and you mount the light and batt plugin .then have charged batteries ready to go in ,my dw lasts hours on one charge and is pretty bright

cheers