Change rear reflectors for lights/add other lights 310-8

[Handy Don 616]

It might not be an issue as you are doing LED all over and they don't draw much, but do re-read your manual and check the wiring diagram because the DC generator capacity on your engine may be only 1 or 1.5 amps and now you've added the lights as a draw with your re-wire in addition to the normal ignition and battery charging. On a lot of 10's and 12's the lights are normally connected to a separate AC Generator with no rectifier, hence your fast-responding LEDs would flicker while slow-responding incandescents wouldn't when connected that way.

[ebinmaine 26,252]

6 hours ago, Handy Don said:

It might not be an issue as you are doing LED all over and they don't draw much, but do re-read your manual and check the wiring diagram because the DC generator capacity on your engine may be only 1 or 1.5 amps and now you've added the lights as a draw with your re-wire in addition to the normal ignition and battery charging. On a lot of 10's and 12's the lights are normally connected to a separate AC Generator with no rectifier, hence your fast-responding LEDs would flicker while slow-responding incandescents wouldn't when connected that way.

Keeping in mind all our machines are older....

 

So there's 2 sets of charging in those engines?

 

[Handy Don 616]

On this wiring diagram for some 1986 12's and 14's you can the dark green "Alt A.C. Output" for lighting is separate from the white "Alt D.C. Output" that powers the instruments, coil, and battery charging through a rectifier. I learned this when working on my '86 310-8 and was curious about why the lights and battery were not wired the same. I can't find right now an image of the stator layout that showed two separate sets of windings for the two separate charging systems and their amperage ratings--blast.

From my limited exposure and research, the larger and later engines all had voltage regulators so all power was DC and, I believe, 15, 20, or 30 amps. The fastest way to check, is if (with standard wiring) the lights do not work unless the engine is running--then it is a separate A.C. generator.

 

 

 

[pfrederi 10,555]

The LED lights here will not work on the AC headlight circuit

[Handy Don 616]

1 minute ago, pfrederi said:

The LED lights here will not work on the AC headlight circuit

It's a diode, so it'll work for one side of the A.C. curve, right? Hence, flicker.

[Handy Don 616]

4 hours ago, Handy Don said:

Earlier: "On this wiring diagram for some 1986 12's and 14's you can the dark green "Alt A.C. Output" for lighting is separate from the white "Alt D.C. Output" that powers the instruments, coil, and battery charging through a rectifier. "

Adding this from the Kohler K241 Service Manual--here the WH diagram dark green is labeled yellow and WH diagram white is black. Other pages in same manual are for versions with fully regulated 10 amp charging circuits so it depends on the model.

Edited 2 hours ago by Handy Don