Using LED Tail/Stop light bulbs

[Anonymous]

Turn Signals

I THINK THAT I MUST GO FOR A READING TUTOR--SORRY

[Anonymous]

Is this type of a mod possible on a bike where the tail and stop are a single bulb? I would love to make my back light brighter, but I figured I wouldn't be able to change the type of bulb because of the dual fillament. Would I also need resistors, I have no indicator light for a bad bulb?

thanks, Dominick........

[Anonymous]

no reason whyt you can't make the same mod Dominick. The LED Taillight should be a dual element bulb.. The only issue here is that on some GS's there is an indicator light on the cluster that monitors the resistance to let you know if you have a bad light.. So, go forth and search for Aftermarket LED bulbs that will fit your bike...

[Anonymous]

I hate to point out the obvious guys but the light was to warn if the light was to burn out, A LED style light will last a lot longer than the bike will. even if one of the led's were to burn out the rest would still light. So I would just remove the warning light b/c the likelyhood of the bulb going out is very minimal and if you check your light each time you get on your bike like you should (LOL) then you would notice it. I would think that your wiring would fail long before the LED's would! 8)

[Anonymous]

I hate to point out the obvious guys but the light was to warn if the light was to burn out, A LED style light will last a lot longer than the bike will. even if one of the led's were to burn out the rest would still light. So I would just remove the warning light b/c the likelyhood of the bulb going out is very minimal and if you check your light each time you get on your bike like you should (LOL) then you would notice it. I would think that your wiring would fail long before the LED's would! 8)

That's a good point. While most of the bulb failures I've ever had are due to the filament vibrating in two, I've also seen cheap bulbs that had soft contacts which deformed and stopped making contact with the terminals.

Plus, I think it's going to be a lot easier to play with resistors than to pull the fairing and instrument panel, disassemble, and put everything back together.

This week has been a bit busy but I'll post a message after I've had time to fiddle around with the thing.

Thanks to all for the comments.

[Jay B]

Conversion Kit

Just got this monthes issure of Roadbike and in it is an article on converting your turn signals to tail light/stoplight/turnsignals. The company is called "The Electrical Connection" 800-215-6168...www.electricalconnection.com...

[Jay B]

Puter problems

I tried to check out the site from work but my computer is not cooperating. Heck I could barely get into the GSR site. I'll check it out from home later

[Hap Call]

Just remember that when you put a resistor in series you get a voltage drop across that resistor...your LED may not shine as brite with a resistor in the circuit. Depending on the type of LED some are fairly intolerent of voltage drops. If you can wire the resistor up in parallel you would probably have better luck.

I personally would take the bulb out of the warning light.

Hap

[Hap Call]

As far as where to add or correct the load issue, go to the connector... under the seat. Follow the wire from the tail light and you will find the connector.. As far as the resistance. if the sensor is expecting a certain load, the only way to keep things simple is to impedance match the line....

Ohm the two bulbs out or better yet... what wattage is the original OEM bulb and what is the wattage lof the LED lamp.. we can figure resistance from there????

there is always away!!!!

That would be the best way to calculate resistance...when electrical filiments heat up their resistance changes from what it would be when cold.

Hap

[Jay B]

Resisters.

Why would you even need a resister since the LED's use less power. Won't that just cause more work for the charging system?

[Hap Call]

Re: Resisters.

Why would you even need a resister since the LED's use less power. Won't that just cause more work for the charging system?

What you are saying is partially true but he appears to want to maintain the functionality of the warning light BUT if he used a resistor to keep the light functioning as designed it probably would not work if the LED were to fail any way due to the low resistance of the LED probably would not make enough of a change (with current still going through the resistor) to make the light come on so it is pretty useless any way. That is why I say pull the warning bulb. The LED will outlast the bike any way. Now, as far as the wasted energy in the resistor, we have a current divider circuit here and current would take the path of least resistance (in this case through the LED) so while the LED was functioning the current would go through it and not the resistor.

Now LEDs do not function the same as regular bulbs. They emit photons because of the excitement of electrons in a transistor like assembly of dissimilar materials. There is no heating of a median required here so they are cooler and use less energy. Light bulbs work by heating a filament until it basically glows at a very hot temperature. You lose most energy through the waste heat.

Hap
Now I have gone off and confused myself!

[earlfor]

Re: Resisters.

Actually Hap, youre making perfect sense. Oh mi god, there really IS a first time for everything. :-) And now for a really
dumb question. eh eh If your object is to increase your
tail light visibility, why couldnt you just use multiple LED
tailight assemblies until the overall resistance was correct?
Two tailights instead of one, three?,

Earl


[quote="Hap Call"

What you are saying is partially true but he appears to want to maintain the functionality of the warning light BUT if he used a resistor to keep the light functioning as designed it probably would not work if

[Dink]

Or you could do as I did, take the globe out of the dash.Or is that to simple
Dink
Oh and of course check the globes are still working before each ride.

[TheNose]

How about changing the sensing circuitry instead of changing the curent flow through the led's. I would think that there is a comparator somewhere that tells the brake light failure lamp to come on. I would think you could put a resistor somewhere in that circuitry and it would work correctly. Just a thought, I'd have to see a schematic to be sure.

[Jay B]

Leds

So what most everyone here is saying is...Since I don't have that warning light I can just pop the LED's in and not have anything to worry about. Besides I check my lights before leaving the garage while she's warming up.