Sparkbrite as a diagnostic tool

JimNH · Oct 10, 2020

While riding the voltage monitor went from green to amber. I thought I'd lost the alternator so shut the headlight off and turned towards home. After a a few minutes it went green again, so headlight back on. The pattern repeated itself and the monitor never went to flashing or battery voltage so I concluded I may have just lost 1 phase of the 3 phase alternator. I'd just been in the primary for new seals so went right back as the likely place to look. All was well there so further investigation found the leads to the regulator had chafed through the plastic sleeve and indeed one wire was cut/shorting so it was an easy fix.

When I installed the 3 phase I was advised to just use 2 of the leads to the stock assimilator and that even though 120 degrees out of phase instead of 180. it should still work. Since the stock light only sees AC and doesn't tell you anything really useful I decided on the Sparkbrite.

Real Gaskets reusable MKIII primary gasket: Well, yes, it's reusable and expensive but it doesn't get reused willingly. It stretches a bit during use and since it has to be installed absolutely dry - soap and water cleaned and parting surfaces solvent clean, it's a bit of a PITA. The bolt holes should be undersized a bit so they'd grip the bolts to allow easier positioning; I think I'll forward that suggestion to them. It does seal nicely but so does a paper gasket with a little sealant. It was expensive and I'm determined to get my money's worth even though I have several new paper gaskets on the shelf. I've reused it twice.

maylar · Oct 10, 2020

I had a Sparkbrite eclpse for a while and I hated it. Worked perfectly in the garage, but the green LED is NOT visible in daylight. Switched to a CWL by ICM.com, that uses the stock red warning lamp. It's a clever device that monitors both voltage and the alternator ripple. With the engine running and the voltage is above the threshold AND the alternator is supplying AC the light goes out.

Onder · Oct 10, 2020

I have one and you nailed it: invisible in normal daylight.

Tornado · Oct 10, 2020

Strange, my SparkBright is visible at all colours in full sun. I do have a bit of difficulty discerning red from amber, but the guidance is that amber will show as solid while all reds are a flash sequence depending on voltage level.
I am now running the led in the stock lamp rubber surround fitting, more for a more stock look, but it does make for better led visibility.

Do you run a dark helmet visor or sunglasses? Did you buy the eclipse sparkbright version, which auto dims for night riding?

Tornado · Oct 10, 2020

JimNH said:
While riding the voltage monitor went from green to amber. I thought I'd lost the alternator so shut the headlight off and turned towards home. After a a few minutes it went green again, so headlight back on. The pattern repeated itself and the monitor never went to flashing or battery voltage so I concluded I may have just lost 1 phase of the 3 phase alternator. I'd just been in the primary for new seals so went right back as the likely place to look. All was well there so further investigation found the leads to the regulator had chafed through the plastic sleeve and indeed one wire was cut/shorting so it was an easy fix.

When I installed the 3 phase I was advised to just use 2 of the leads to the stock assimilator and that even though 120 degrees out of phase instead of 180. it should still work. Since the stock light only sees AC and doesn't tell you anything really useful I decided on the Sparkbrite.

Real Gaskets reusable MKIII primary gasket: Well, yes, it's reusable and expensive but it doesn't get reused willingly. It stretches a bit during use and since it has to be installed absolutely dry - soap and water cleaned and parting surfaces solvent clean, it's a bit of a PITA. The bolt holes should be undersized a bit so they'd grip the bolts to allow easier positioning; I think I'll forward that suggestion to them. It does seal nicely but so does a paper gasket with a little sealant. It was expensive and I'm determined to get my money's worth even though I have several new paper gaskets on the shelf. I've reused it twice.

Where do you connect the sparkbright to your bike? Mine worked better when I had it on the smaller hirider lamp shell that came with my bike. Later switched to an original roadster shell with original wiring in place. That now gives a chronically low reading voltage reading. I connect at some convenient bullet points within shell. Must have a high resistant connection somewhere that is lowering volts reaching led.

worntorn · Oct 10, 2020

I have three of them installed, all in headlights.
There's no problem seeing them night or day, plenty bright. They do automatically dim for night riding, which is a nice feature.
I wonder if these dim Sparkbrights are permanently stuck in night mode?

Glen

peculierboy · Oct 10, 2020

Same for me, the Sparkbright was acting up, looked up the codes and it indicated my battery was failing. Sure enough, it was, I lost a cell. As I run all LED's, I have a really small (read inexpensive) battery, so it was easy to replace.

I can see it fine during the day as well.

JimNH · Oct 10, 2020

In bright sun the green is difficult sometimes but it doesn't matter. It's the amber and red that matter and they show up well even in full sun. The stock "ignition" light is out in normal operation so consider the Sparkbrite the same. Agreed the amber never flashes so it's simple: If it's flashing, it's red!

JimNH · Oct 10, 2020

Tornado said:
Where do you connect the sparkbright to your bike? Mine worked better when I had it on the smaller hirider lamp shell that came with my bike. Later switched to an original roadster shell with original wiring in place. That now gives a chronically low reading voltage reading. I connect at some convenient bullet points within shell. Must have a high resistant connection somewhere that is lowering volts reaching led.

It's been installed for years so I don't recall exactly but I believe I tapped it into the main fuse so it reads voltage at the battery.

cliffa · Oct 11, 2020

worntorn said:
I have three of them installed, all in headlights.
There's no problem seeing them night or day, plenty bright. They do automatically dim for night riding, which is a nice feature.
I wonder if these dim Sparkbrights are permanently stuck in night mode?

Glen

I have one on my Morini, and I was suspicious of it as it seems to be very sensitive, however after chasing my tail trying to find out why it wasn’t charging properly, it turned out to be a faulty (new) battery.
I don’t have any issue seeing it in bright daylight. The best place to connect it is directly across the battery and you will then have a flashing red LED on your bike which may deter opportunist thieves. If you don’t want it on permenantly, connect it to one of the white wires as close to the main switch as possible. Sparkbright also make a non dimming version, the Monsoon, perhaps those are the ones which are harder to see in daylight?

maylar · Oct 11, 2020

worntorn said:
I wonder if these dim Sparkbrights are permanently stuck in night mode?

I had mine installed in the rubber shield, I wonder if that shrouded it

Tornado · Oct 11, 2020

maylar said:
I had mine installed in the rubber shield, I wonder if that shrouded it

Thats what I was thinking. Maybe the boot is covering or shading the Sun sensor, so it thinks its night and never goes full bright.

worntorn · Oct 11, 2020

Just recalled some years ago when on tour 1500 miles from home, the SparkBright VM started flashing. I noticed this immediately and pulled over to investigate. The Li battery was quite warm but the bike still ran, so we got off the highway and found a motel. We found that the Li battery had cooked and damaged the charging system.
I disconnected everything, bought a lawn tractor battery and small charger, then temporarily wired the battery into the coil ignition and lights. We ran dead loss for 1500 miles, charging the battery at night.
Every now and then I would see police so I would very briefly turn the headlight on when in a State that requires this.
The Voltage Monitor couldn't save the charging system, but it did let me know something was amiss so that we knew to find a motel asap.
It also prevented us from running until the bike caught fire, something that can happen with Li batteries, especially one that is already hot enough to partially melt.
It was also tremendously useful on the way home as I always knew what was happening with the deadloss battery . Sometimes, if the VM told me so, we would charge the battery while having lunch.

Glen

Sparkbrite as a diagnostic tool

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