Installing lighting system

[gokartman999]

Hello all,
I have a Ken-Bar Rail Buggy Go Kart, it has a Tecumseh 6 or 6.5Hp Powersport engine and it has headlights from the magneto but i would like to add tail lights and blinkers and maybe better headlights, Any Ideas how to get the power supply like a slow drain battery ? How would i charge it ? Also how hard is it to hookup a tiny tach ? i heard it was just one wire ??


Thanks in advance

 

[FatCat]

I dnt know about the other stuff but a tiny tach is super easy. 1 wire you wrap around the plug wire.

 

[fowler]

get a multi meter on the power supply to the headlights

likely u already have a charge circuit if u have head lights

if the existing lights are getting 12 volts DC then all u have to do is conect the wires that power the lights to any 12v battery

when u say u are running lights off the magneto is it running straight from the magneto to the lights or is it running though a rectifier (smal box)

u need a rectifier to get the right voltage

for the other circuits run them straight from the battery
run the headlights though a switch
run the tail light though the headlight circuit so it turns on at the smae time

u can get a rear brake switch from a motorcylce to activate a brake light
look for one that is activated by pulling on a rod
a suzuki gszr one can be brought from ebay for a few bucks

use a 3 position switch for the indicator
run the power though an electronic flasher to the switch then out to each side

it will save u alot of wiring if u ground everything to the chassis
run a ground wire from the battery to the engine and one to the chassis
then ground each component to the where ever it mounts

but be warned each light must be grounded to the actual chassis
so u cant ground to a bolt on bracket


for the tach
the digital ones are easy to come by and cheap
but the anerlog ones are hardern to find and usually come from a race shop so $$$$
but most require a power wire and a wire from the plug (as fatcat said)

 

[Doc Sprocket]

A second opinion-

Just because it came from the factory with little headlights that are powered by the engine does NOT mean it has a charge circuit. It may just mean that the engine has an A.C. lighting coil.

If that is the case, you could run that A.C. circuit through a rectifier to a battery, and run all your favourite lighting accessories off that battery. Do note that these A.C. lighting circuits don't tend to produce a heck of a lot of power, so there's a pretty good chance that you'll drain the battery faster than the lighting coil can charge it.

The simple solution is to get a 12v AGM or gel cell at 12v, around 5-10Ah, and just wire the lights straight off it. Charge it periodically with a suitable charger. In fact, larger computer UPS units tend to have decent gel cells in them- you could open one up and extend the wires, use the battery on your kart, and re-connect to the UPS to charge it.

 

[gokartman999]

The headlights go.straight from the magento to the headlights and.no.box What.is.a.computer.ups ? You mean a psu ? also how would I.get the tail lights to be the brake lights also, because if I.hit the brakes with.the tail lights.on I want.it to get brighter ?

 

[Doc Sprocket]

The headlights go.straight from the magento to the headlights and.no.box

That's what I said, no?

What.is.a.computer.ups ? You mean a psu ?

Google.

also how would I.get the tail lights to be the brake lights also, because if I.hit the brakes with.the tail lights.on I want.it to get brighter ?

By exchanging the entire unit for a dual-filament bulb unit, and running an automotive or motorcycle brake light switch.

What's.with.all.the.dang.periods....?

 

[anderkart]

What's.with.all.the.dang.periods....?

Hey, thats what I keep asking my wife every 30 days or so...

 

[gokartman999]

Sorry about the periods, its my phone, it sucks

 

[gokartman999]

Can you guys make me some kind of diagram so I can.understand better ?

 

[mckutzy]

A UPS is uninterruptible power supply. When the power goes out you have a short time to exit and save/backup your work before it shuts off. It has some batteries and a charging unit with AC/DC/AC outputs for the computer.

 

[gokartman999]

So I need,
a battery and charger
tail lights and blinkers
front blinkers
3 way switch for the blinkers
And a switch for lights
and brake lights switch

Anything else?

 

[GregMartin]

You might want to run the headlights through a relay depending on the current drain.
Also with the tacho there is normally enough signal on the low tension side of the coil (wire you kill switch is connected to) to connect directly to the tacho. If not you have to rap the tachometer signal wire around the spark plug lead like Fowler said to get some induction happening.

 

[GregMartin]

Hey, thats what I keep asking my wife every 30 days or so...

That's why we say "full stop" in Australia because everybody hates periods!:biggrinjester:

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Don't forget fuses!

You might want to run the headlights through a relay depending on the current drain.

Shouldn't be necessary, unless he's using some stupidly powerful lamps.

Also with the tacho there is normally enough signal on the low tension side of the coil (wire you kill switch is connected to) to connect directly to the tacho. If not you have to rap the tachometer signal wire around the spark plug lead like Fowler said to get some induction happening.

Let's not confuse the poor dood. The Tiny Tach requires the induction wire to be wrapped around the high-tension lead a couple of times. That's it.

 

[GregMartin]

So I need,
a battery and charger
tail lights and blinkers
front blinkers
3 way switch for the blinkers
And a switch for lights
and brake lights switch

Anything else?

Flasher unit