P7 ATV Lights

My ATV runs off of a 12v system and I recently installed 2 more offroad lights for a total of 3 lights. The main light is a 70w halogen, and the other two are much weaker halogens. Problem is, when I am running my quad and I flip my lights on they are drawing too much power and kill my engine. If I have a motorcycle battery I get by for a little while.

I was thinking about converting my two off-road lights to P7's and the main light (70w) to be a Q5, any thoughts?
The 12v system seems to be the biggest concern. If I run all three Led's in parralel would that be too little or too much for the LED's?
How about a driver? any recommendations?

Spywell said:

My ATV runs off of a 12v system and I recently installed 2 more offroad lights for a total of 3 lights. The main light is a 70w halogen, and the other two are much weaker halogens. Problem is, when I am running my quad and I flip my lights on they are drawing too much power and kill my engine. If I have a motorcycle battery I get by for a little while.

I was thinking about converting my two off-road lights to P7's and the main light (70w) to be a Q5, any thoughts?
The 12v system seems to be the biggest concern. If I run all three Led's in parralel would that be too little or too much for the LED's?
How about a driver? any recommendations?

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You'll definitely want a driver, since LEDs are limited by the maximum current, and the current goes up exponentially with voltage variations. Hooking those LEDs up in parallel is also not a very good idea, since they're not likely to have matching voltage at their maximum currents, so some will be over- or under-driven. Hooking them up in series is generally better, but the XR-E can't take the 2.8A the P7s can, so you really need at least two separate circuits for that plan.

Just to be clear: right now, your main light is brightest. You're talking about replacing it with a Q5 bin XR-E, which makes around 240 lumens at maximum rated current of 1A, and replacing each of the other (currently weaker) lights with a P7, which make around 800 lumens each at maximum rated current of 2.8A? So the main light would now be the dimmest.

The total light would then be about 1200 lumens (accounting for reflector and glass losses), so something on the order of a single 55W automotive headlamp, and almost certainly a serious downgrade from your 70W main beam; is that what you were planning for? My tendency would be to at least use a third P7 for the main beam, and hook the 3 P7s in series. The total voltage would be something like 11V, allowing plenty of overhead for a constant-current driver.

You might also consider an HID conversion kit to replace the 70W bulb -- they don't give road-legal beams in reflectors designed for halogen, but since this is for off-road use, that doesn't matter. A 35W HID should give similar or better output on half the power.

Benson said:

You'll definitely want a driver, since LEDs are limited by the maximum current, and the current goes up exponentially with voltage variations. Hooking those LEDs up in parallel is also not a very good idea, since they're not likely to have matching voltage at their maximum currents, so some will be over- or under-driven. Hooking them up in series is generally better, but the XR-E can't take the 2.8A the P7s can, so you really need at least two separate circuits for that plan.

Just to be clear: right now, your main light is brightest. You're talking about replacing it with a Q5 bin XR-E, which makes around 240 lumens at maximum rated current of 1A, and replacing each of the other (currently weaker) lights with a P7, which make around 800 lumens each at maximum rated current of 2.8A? So the main light would now be the dimmest.

The total light would then be about 1200 lumens (accounting for reflector and glass losses), so something on the order of a single 55W automotive headlamp, and almost certainly a serious downgrade from your 70W main beam; is that what you were planning for? My tendency would be to at least use a third P7 for the main beam, and hook the 3 P7s in series. The total voltage would be something like 11V, allowing plenty of overhead for a constant-current driver.

You might also consider an HID conversion kit to replace the 70W bulb -- they don't give road-legal beams in reflectors designed for halogen, but since this is for off-road use, that doesn't matter. A 35W HID should give similar or better output on half the power.

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I have a P7 D-bin and a C-bin, I also have a P4, The reason why I chose the P7's was for the large flood the 4 dies provide and I was looking into a Q5 for the great beam it can provide.

If switching the two lesser lights to P7's and the main light to HID(35w) is the best then I would rather do that.
I have no knowledge of HID lights, so consequently they never came to mind. Do you have any bulbs in mind? and what price is the HID conversion talking?

Spywell said:

I have a P7 D-bin and a C-bin, I also have a P4, The reason why I chose the P7's was for the large flood the 4 dies provide and I was looking into a Q5 for the great beam it can provide.

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The Q5 XR-E is great for throw in a flashlight, where the size of the reflector is limited, but in a vehicle headlight, the reflector is much larger, so you can still get a good beam out of the P7's larger area, and you can get 3x the light.

If switching the two lesser lights to P7's and the main light to HID(35w) is the best then I would rather do that.

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Can't say what's best, but I'm pretty sure a HID conversion is the brightest option for the price on the main light, and I think the XR-E would be way too dim.

I have no knowledge of HID lights, so consequently they never came to mind. Do you have any bulbs in mind? and what price is the HID conversion talking?

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I think the kits typically run between $40 and $100 on ebay, but I'm not at all sure. (Also, the typical kits I've seen are meant for a car, with two ballasts and two bulbs. So either you get spare parts, or maybe you can find a motorcycle or ATV kit cheaper...)

As to the bulb, ideally you'd find out what type of bulb your headlight takes and find a matching HID kit, so it would fit in the same socket with no special mounting considerations. Obviously, if you're looking at LED conversions, you're not afraid of a little fabrication or modding, but if you can find a drop-in, that's easiest. If you can't find a correct match, then you'd need to look at the location of your bulb's filament, and the locations of the arc in the various sizes of HID bulbs available, to pick one that you can mount with the arc in the right place.

The only recommendation I can really make is about color temperature -- 4300K is generally the brightest, with output loss as you go lower (yellow) or higher (blue) temperatures. If you really don't like the 4300K color, you might go as far up as 5000K, but it starts dropping off steeply past that. (Not sure how it breaks going down, but 3000K is the only lower-temp "white" option I've seen.)

I'd say look in the automotive section, at the Hayabusa headlamp. Post some questions to the author. I already have, but that seems to be the best way to go.

Do you think he might have a problem with the HID and lots of vibration and jarring since this is an ATV?

As far as HID's go, I converted my Polaris Sportsman to HID last year and have loved them ever since. I can't say that they're any more or less resistant to trail damage than incans but I have really abused them in the past at the Hatfield-McCoy system in W. Virginia and they (and I!) made it off the trail alive and well. All you need to do is determine what bulb style your current housing requires and then fleabay a set with the same type bulb number. The ballast will need to be securely mounted somewhere like the frame. They are essentially plug and play - disconnect the existing harness off the bulb and plug it into the ballast. Remove exisitng bulb and insert HID bulb, then plug ballast output to HID bulb. No need to even change connectors if you ordered the right bulb style. I've read where current consumption is about 1/2 that of incans. The biggest problem you will have is, once being spoiled by WHITE BRIGHT LIGHT, helmet lights and the like will HAVE to be LEDs to match the color. You just might want even a small battery in the system to ease the load on your stator, which I would do now with those halogens on it,.....

Nitroz said:

Do you think he might have a problem with the HID and lots of vibration and jarring since this is an ATV?

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HIDs have no filaments to break. They're more shockproof than the 70 watt halogen.

When I had a Yamaha Raptor 660 I replaced the factory lights with Trail Tech MR16 HID's. They draw less power and are very very bright.

You can build your own or buy some 12v LED bike lights to work with.

But, I'd definitely start by getting rid of that power hog headlamp. Definitely upgrade to a HID there.

What type of bulb/housing is the main light? the off road lights?

Whether you choose parallel or series, you are forced to use a driver to convert that ~12v to the ~3.3v that each LED needs with the appropriate current to keep it from cooking.

A 35w HID headlamp & a couple 8-12w(SST50/MC-E/P7) in the 'off road' lights should work fine. And, all three together should use less juice than your ol' 70w headlight does now.

And, if you have any other bulbs(turn signals/brake/tail...), you can save some power by using LEDs there also.

deadrx7conv said:

You can build your own or buy some 12v LED bike lights to work with.

But, I'd definitely start by getting rid of that power hog headlamp. Definitely upgrade to a HID there.

What type of bulb/housing is the main light? the off road lights?

Whether you choose parallel or series, you are forced to use a driver to convert that ~12v to the ~3.3v that each LED needs with the appropriate current to keep it from cooking.

A 35w HID headlamp & a couple 8-12w(SST50/MC-E/P7) in the 'off road' lights should work fine. And, all three together should use less juice than your ol' 70w headlight does now.

And, if you have any other bulbs(turn signals/brake/tail...), you can save some power by using LEDs there also.

Click to expand...

It's been a year since I posted this but came back to check on it since I am finally ready to fabricate heatsinks for my two secondary hosts. The P7 I had, I made a heatsink on the lathe and hooked it up direct drive in a maglite look alike housing. I also made an 5d extension tube and anodized it all to match (havn't ran it with 5d's but have the option for a driver). I turned a lot of heads with my P7 Maglite this 4th of July

Anyways back to the topic at hand. When I posted this the SST series had not come out yet, I dont have any links to purchase the LED only but I would be very interested in using them instead of the P7's if price per performance is adequate. I will definately get the HID kit, the light is just a standard motorcycle/atv light so I am absolutely sure they carry HID's kits for them.

Also, aside from the topic my friend and I are trying to come up with a flexible lighting system to put onto an atv WHIP for the dunes so we can ride at night. What we are looking for is a way to light the whip that is bright, runs off 12v and weighs less than the bulky, expensive led ropes they stick on them right now. Ideas or suggestions are appreciated.