Best replacement front lights yet!

[Dominic Winsor]

After seeing the compact quad LED Lights on the KingSong scooter that Adam reviewed in his Wrong Way videos I wondered if something like that might be available on AliExpress…

I’ve tried lots of different lights with my Sherman, all sourced from AE, but most often I return to the OEM front light as making custom brackets and squeezing in over sized lights isn’t best in the long run. There are others that fit, but have a weird beam pattern for off road riding. 

This mini quad light fits perfectly - it lines up with the original bracket and just screws straight in. No faff. Easier than the original light. The beam is fantastic: good long throw (easily half a mile ahead) and very good spill to the sides and above so you can see low branches and so-on. Very pleased. 

The negative: it doesn’t look the best weather sealed light ever. It could use a gasket or some silicone between the front plate and the main body. 

As before I soldered a mini right-angled jack connector in place to use the light with my Sherman. 

[Dominic Winsor]

I disassembled them and then put them back together.  There is a silicone gasket. Now the screws are tight, they do appear to be weather sealed.  

[MrRobot]

Does it throw light in anyone's face who's walking past? 

Maybe something like this would help that? 

Edited August 29, 2021 by MrRobot

[Dominic Winsor]

In my experience most lights do throw light in a somewhat antisocial way. So I usually just tilt it down when I’m going through the roads. When I get to the trails I tilt it back up to where I want it.

A grid or snoot would be a clever solution but only to the first part. I actually want a broad beam to see the low branches and other obstacles when I am off-road. 

Where did you get that image?

Edited August 31, 2021 by Dominic Winsor

[Planemo]

Thats a nice looking quad light, and sure is bright enough for most people. My only slight concern is it drawing too much current from the board. Any thoughts on that?

[Dominic Winsor]

2 hours ago, Planemo said:

Thats a nice looking quad light, and sure is bright enough for most people. My only slight concern is it drawing too much current from the board. Any thoughts on that?

I've run it for a few hours now and all seems well.

[Will R]

On 8/31/2021 at 4:26 PM, Dominic Winsor said:

I've run it for a few hours now and all seems well.

Could you give us an update on how your light is running now? If it's still good I'm gonna buy it instead of the stock one!

[Dominic Winsor]

9 hours ago, Will R said:

Could you give us an update on how your light is running now? If it's still good I'm gonna buy it instead of the stock one!

Still working perfectly. No issues to report from me. YMMV

[Will R]

On 9/22/2021 at 12:25 PM, Dominic Winsor said:

Still working perfectly. No issues to report from me. YMMV

I asked Linnea Lin herself on her take on this and the reply that I got was that the stock headlight is 12v 1.5A and not to use anything higher. Is the light you've got a higher amperage than 1.5 out of curiosity?

Edit: I did some digging on AliExpress and came across a photograph of this light hooked up to a power supply at both 12v and 14v. At 12V however it pulls 2A, which is apparently 33% over what's recommended by veteran. It's especially annoying as I've literally just purchased one 😅 I'm just gonna try it and hope I'm as lucky as you Dom 🤞

 

Edited September 23, 2021 by Will R
Updatesss

[Dominic Winsor]

10 hours ago, Will R said:

I asked Linnea Lin herself on her take on this and the reply that I got was that the stock headlight is 12v 1.5A and not to use anything higher. Is the light you've got a higher amperage than 1.5 out of curiosity?

Edit: I did some digging on AliExpress and came across a photograph of this light hooked up to a power supply at both 12v and 14v. At 12V however it pulls 2A, which is apparently 33% over what's recommended by veteran. It's especially annoying as I've literally just purchased one 😅 I'm just gonna try it and hope I'm as lucky as you Dom 🤞

 

Now I do love a bit of research but sometimes I dive in with both feet first. In my case, I did the latter. I guess you could reduce the current flow slightly with a resistor inline? Part of the reason for my cavalier attitude was "those AliExpress lights are never as powerful as the sellers advertise so it should be ok".  I've run this continuously for about 20 hours now and no adverse issues.

Top of my head - 12v/2A = 6Ω resistance. So adding 2Ω resistance would bring that down to 1.5A: i.e. 12v/8Ω = 1.5A - probably more to it than that as I'm not an expert by any stretch!

You should know though that my light toggle switch is fused in the open position due to an early mistake when I accidentally shorted it. So for a while I was just unplugging the jack connector when I didn't want the light on. Now I have wired in an inline click switch that sits behind the light. If the switch was the weak point of the circuit, mine is fused closed.

Edited September 24, 2021 by Dominic Winsor

[Dominic Winsor]

Spoke to my father about this — he reminded me that depends on the LED driver, but some of them run a constant-current setup.

[Tawpie]

There are a ton of variables the circuit designer trades off when establishing a max current draw, I would do my best to try to respect it. The limit isn't set arbitrarily, and there is already plenty of pressure on the designer to deliver the most power possible from the cheapest components so going over that limit can result in undesired side effects. A series resistor will generally work, the penalty will be less power delivered to the LEDs.

[Dominic Winsor]

Just a check-in. These lights are still performing nicely. No unusual behaviour to report.

[AK euc]

 

I thought I was the first to make these lights but noticed this post after lol.... Anyway great minds eh✌️😁.... Love these lights IV ridden at 40mph with no issues.

 

I have tried and tested so many headlights from scooters and either they overheat or take to much current or simply not Better than the original....

 

These work perfectly. 

[Planemo]

Good to hear it's still working OK for you @Dominic Winsor. I'm still a bit twitchy about sucking 2A through the stock driver though tbh, added to the fact that I don't think onlookers will be too enthused. I know it can be tilted down which isn't a problem for the occasional ped but I rarely ride where there are none around and I'm not sure if I could be arsed faffing with it all the time. I don't like blinding people any more than pissing them off in general whilst we are still illegal.

Plus the fact that I do very little night riding anyway, and for what I do I find the stock lamp OK anyway. Maybe one day I will try this 4 lamp monster, and I'm sure it could find a good use for more of our off-road riders, so for that it's a good find so thanks for sharing 

 

[Dominic Winsor]

On 12/3/2021 at 12:15 PM, Planemo said:

Good to hear it's still working OK for you…

Indeed it is, but yes the brightness is antisocial — it works in the forest just fine, but I tilt it all the way down on the road, and switch it off when I am forced to go close to people such as on a narrow path (times when I get off and walk around them).

[Freeforester]

Are the wires colour-coded/red & black, by any chance? Thinking about putting one together also.

 

Thanks for any info!

[Dominic Winsor]

16 hours ago, Freeforester said:

Are the wires colour-coded/red & black, by any chance? Thinking about putting one together also.

The wires on all of the various lights I have tried have been red for + and black for – as you would expect. The pinout of the headphone jack — it is a TRS connector - I can't remember which pole goes with which value but the sleeve is ground.

[Planemo]

The tip is 5v+, middle ring is data and last ring is negative. at least for the rear. Maybe the front light uses the middle ring as a data signal for the flashing red leds?

 

[Dominic Winsor]

Ok I did post what the wiring is when I shorted them accidentally. Fortunately my setup still works fine without the light switch.

 

[Freeforester]

Quote

 

AK EUC has come up with a superbright smaller and less juice drawing front light, looks very interesting. No affiliation, just interested enough to order and try one myself, the 2amp version mentioned above is superbright also, but Leaperkim recommend a lower amperage draw, hence the interest in this one:

Have ordered some to try out.

 

 

Edited January 15, 2022 by Freeforester

[Number1stunner]

On 8/28/2021 at 10:45 PM, Dominic Winsor said:

After seeing the compact quad LED Lights on the KingSong scooter that Adam reviewed in his Wrong Way videos I wondered if something like that might be available on AliExpress…

I’ve tried lots of different lights with my Sherman, all sourced from AE, but most often I return to the OEM front light as making custom brackets and squeezing in over sized lights isn’t best in the long run. There are others that fit, but have a weird beam pattern for off road riding. 

This mini quad light fits perfectly - it lines up with the original bracket and just screws straight in. No faff. Easier than the original light. The beam is fantastic: good long throw (easily half a mile ahead) and very good spill to the sides and above so you can see low branches and so-on. Very pleased. 

The negative: it doesn’t look the best weather sealed light ever. It could use a gasket or some silicone between the front plate and the main body. 

As before I soldered a mini right-angled jack connector in place to use the light with my Sherman. 

Brilliant.... I too have been on the search for a better and more efficient headlight.... 

 

Have a look at this

 

 

Theres a variety on offer but you need to get the 1amp draw version super bright super efficient  ultra compact and doesn't get hot on load😎👍🏆

[Dominic Winsor]

7 hours ago, Number1stunner said:

Brilliant.... I too have been on the search for a better and more efficient headlight.... 

Have a look at this

Nice work. I saw the video on YT earlier. Do you have a link to the 1A light on AE or wherever its from?

Cheers.

[RagingGrandpa]

Did some digging... these seem to hit AE best by searching "4 work light" (as in 4-inch)

1A: 
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256804212304296.html " Car LED Bar Worklight 4000LM Offroad Work Light 12V 24V Auto Light "

1.56A: 
https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803888947118.html " Double Size Flashing Led Light Bar 4 Inch Led Car Motorcycle Light 4x4 Strobe Led Work Light Offroad ATV Tractor Boat Trucks "

1.6A: 
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256804807143280.html " 4'' LED Work Light Bar 4 Inch Driving Light with Angel Eye for Offroad ATV SUV UTE Boat UTV 4x4 Off Road Tractor Headlight " 
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256801743239709.html  " 8D 4" Led Motocycle Headlight White Angel Eye Led Work Light Fog Lamp "

 

[RagingGrandpa]

On 5/7/2023 at 5:40 PM, RagingGrandpa said:

1A: 
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256804212304296.html " Car LED Bar Worklight 4000LM Offroad Work Light 12V 24V Auto Light "

Received a few of these; I like them.
The light includes a blinking mode, which you can enable or disable by rapidly turning the light off then on from the Sherman control panel. A bonus. 
The mounting tab is ~1cm narrower than the Sherman bracket, so you'll need a stack of washers to space it out, no big deal.

These have no second "running light" circuit, so the second headlight connector circuit on Sherman becomes free for connecting other low-draw marker lights if desired. I used these, which seem cheaply made, but work nicely. 

 

Edited May 30, 2023 by RagingGrandpa