nydamon

It's best to avoid any knockoff Chinese eBay electronics and use an OEM part. Also anyone know the difference between the SH570-12 and SH570A-12?

Trail tech makes a five wire full wave reg/rec. The fifth wire provides power from the battery only when the engine is running so it would be an ideal headlight connection. I considered using it but am with NEO: The half wave solution works, is simple and not one wire was cut. In addition, I did it for under $100 USD for everything including an LED tail light. The trail tech is about $55.

I didn't think there was enough power to run turn signals without a battery. I know incandescents won't work.

Signals work perfectly. I'm using an electronic flasher that is not load dependent so it will run LEDs or even work with only one incandescent bulb per side. The stock 6v relay worked but made a funny noise and blinked too slow.

All of my bulbs except the tail light are incandescent. I have the stock signal housings. I also have two extra sets of stock rear signals. One set is new and one is used. PM me if you like.

Just came back from a short ride in the woods with a bit of unlit paved roads. The 60/55W H4 is pretty dim under 2000 rpm but beyond that it's a real winner. I love the low beam which is a nice bright wide rectangular patch straight ahead of you. I actually like the high beam pattern on the 35/35W HS1 better since there is not so much unlit space between the illuminated pavement just in front of you and the road far ahead of you; there is sort of a horizontal unlit space straight ahead of you with the 60/55W...if that makes sense. I figure it's manufacturer dependent. The 35/35 was a Candlepower but it said GE on the bulb. The 60/55 was marked Candlepower. I'm very happy with this mod and appreciate the time and effort everyone, especially NEO, has put into sharing it. And I concur...not one cut wire...and thanks to ebay it cost under $90: $60 of which was the H4 housing, bulb, battery and a superbrightled.com motorcycle LED tail light.

Neo this is working well on my 79 XT500 so far. Thanks for the write-up. I checked the wiring diagrams, the DT175 and US XT500 (at least until 79) have the same AC/DC lighting/charging coil layout: one coil with a center tap.. Since we are using the white and yellow wires, the regulator has to be half wave. A full wave wouldn't work with the coil grounded to the stator. I just finished riding some unlit areas with a Candlepower 35/35W H4. It was OK (not sure if it was better than the 6v) but I'll try a 60/55W tomorrow night. PS Teledan, I know a guy on the west coast that can fix that tank of yours. http://www.joeabbatescycletherapy.com/ It will not be cheap but it will be beautiful. He did the tank on my garage queen.

teledan, What bulbs did you use for the turn signals and where did you get them? I tried these and wasn't impressed even at night so I sent them back http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/tail-brake-turn/1156-led-bulb-single-intensity-24-led/813/

Hello, Greetings from an XT500 enthusiast from the US who is looking to go 12V! I have two questions regarding this mod. One is if the original lighting/charging coil on the DT is wound such that it has a white wire on one end, is grounded on the other end and the yellow wire is just a center tap between the white and ground? Second, the SH570-12 is a 1/2 wave regulator/rectifier... correct? Thanks!