LED tail/brake lights

[Top_Speed1]

If used as turn signals, do you need to run a resister in the circuit for the flasher relay?

When I did my FJR, I replaced the stock analog turn signal blinker module w a digital one (or LED type). You have to gain access to the location which is behind the main front cowling, close to the back side of the right headlight. On the PITA scale of 1-5, it's maybe midscale, def alow for a "real" couple of hours for this task.

 

[ahchiu]

You will need to switch out the flasher relay in the front cowling to get rid of the fast flash pattern.

 

[jblanken64]

If used as turn signals, do you need to run a resister in the circuit for the flasher relay?

The GenII will flash faster. I tried some LEDs in my 2008 a while back and ran into that problem. As well as the ABS light coming on if you don't have the proper resistance in the brake circuit. GenI and GenIII may be different.

 

[mcatrophy]

You will need to change the flasher relay or add resistor ballast.

Point of correction, the GenIII uses electronic flashing, but is sensitive to a blown bulb and will flash faster with LED rear lamps. There is no option of changing the flasher, so a ballast is necessary.

 

[Twigg]

So that all sounds more complex than it needs to be

Is there a reason you want LED bulbs in the flashers?

 

[pista]

Twigg, I may never go that route or need to go that route.

Just curious because on my Gen1 the front turn signals are also running lights, (as I would assume everyone elses is). I would agree that close to nothing is gained by swapping rear signals with LED's.

If I ever need heated clothing I'd like to help the low capacity electrical system any way possible. Having said that, I'm not even sure how much is gained by replacing those front lights with LED's. I figured every little bit helps.

 

[Twigg]

Twigg, I may never go that route or need to go that route. Just curious because on my Gen1 the front turn signals are also running lights, (as I would assume everyone elses is). I would agree that close to nothing is gained by swapping rear signals with LED's.

If I ever need heated clothing I'd like to help the low capacity electrical system any way possible. Having said that, I'm not even sure how much is gained by replacing those front lights with LED's. I figured every little bit helps.

I think they are 8W per side, and 16W can be useful. Replacing the H4 Headlight bulbs with LEDs will save about 80W

 

[Ijuggle]

I installed the LED tail/brake lights and now the ABS light is blinking. Must not draw enough juice to be noticed by the bike?

I plan on installing my old Hyperlite brake lights soon. They have 16 LED's per light. Do you think they would add enough current draw to get noticed by the bike and get it to stop flashing the ABS light?

Might experiment this weekend.

 

[Twigg]

I installed the LED tail/brake lights and now the ABS light is blinking. Must not draw enough juice to be noticed by the bike?

I plan on installing my old Hyperlite brake lights soon. They have 16 LED's per light. Do you think they would add enough current draw to get noticed by the bike and get it to stop flashing the ABS light?

Might experiment this weekend.

You are on the right track. The only query I have is that installing LED brake lights did NOT upset the ABS on my '05, so you might want to check that by putting the incandescents back in to see if it clears the problem.

If the ABS detects the voltage drop on the hot side of the brake circuit, then it is possible that the Hyper-Lites will not draw sufficient current either. If that is the case you are probably going to need a ballast resistor, which negates the power-saving afforded by the swap.

 

[supertankerm60a3]

As for the front blinkers, I posted a good one on that one too.

Something that came to mind just a couple of days ago is that every watt saved by switching to LED's goes into the voltage regulator as heat. Not much for tail or blinker but switching headlights to LED would be dumping another 110 watts of heat into the VR.

 

[mcatrophy]

I installed the LED tail/brake lights and now the ABS light is blinking. Must not draw enough juice to be noticed by the bike?

I plan on installing my old Hyperlite brake lights soon. They have 16 LED's per light. Do you think they would add enough current draw to get noticed by the bike and get it to stop flashing the ABS light?

Might experiment this weekend.

You are on the right track. The only query I have is that installing LED brake lights did NOT upset the ABS on my '05, so you might want to check that by putting the incandescents back in to see if it clears the problem.

If the ABS detects the voltage drop on the hot side of the brake circuit, then it is possible that the Hyper-Lites will not draw sufficient current either. If that is the case you are probably going to need a ballast resistor, which negates the power-saving afforded by the swap.

Might work with a relatively high value resistor, try something 100 ohms 2 watt. This should bleed the ABS testing current sufficiently without dissipating many watts.

Other than that, use a relay as described for dealing with cruise control systems that don't like LED brake lights.

 

[Ijuggle]

If adding Hyperlites don't fix it, "adding a resistor, 100 ohm, 2 watt" will be my next task.

I have not seen a resistor since 1968.... are we talking about the same little cylinders with colored rings on them? I used to solder them to a "board". Where would it or they go into the tailight wiring? Soldered inline and shrink-wrapped?

May-be stock bulbs are just fine after all... I just like the fact that the LED's save a little juice and last a long long time.

 

[mcatrophy]

A 100 ohm resistor would be dissipating a full 2 watts (14x14/100=1.96). Maybe try a 150 ohm (14x14/150=1.3), this would be easier for a 2 watt resistor to deal with.

What you really need to do is to try various values, find the highest that works ok, finally use a value of a half or two thirds of that.

Work out the dissipation, use a resistor whose wattage rating is significantly higher.

If the dissipation is less than (say) half a watt, shrink-wrapping over the resistor should be ok, any more and you would be better leaving it exposed in free air (not easy) or using a metal-clad resistor.

Mount that on some sheet aluminium or something, bolt that to the bike's frame.

Or stick with stock

.

 

[Niehart]

or by this:

https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/flashers-load-resistors/tail-light-load-resistor-kit/190/831/

 

[Fred W]

What is the point of installing LED lights that are almost as bright as the incandescents?

I looked at the picture above and had no problem telling which was the LED. (It was the one without the dented muffler

)

 

[Twigg]

What is the point of installing LED lights that are almost as bright as the incandescents?
I looked at the picture above and had no problem telling which was the LED. (It was the one without the dented muffler

)

In my case it was the power saving. I installed one of the superbrights alongside the OEM bulb and my eyes couldn't tell the difference. I needed an extra relay for the Cruise Control, but that was no big deal and the Hyper-lites take care of rear visibility.

Those bulbs and the LED headlights have saved almost 100W, and with the extra equipment I run sometimes, that's a healthy saving.

 

[Fred W]

The LED headlights are whole different can of worms. Yes they do save a good amount of wattage over the Halogen H4's, but with the beam pattern that they currently put out I wouldn't want to spend my good money to put them on a bike.

The LED tail lights, which are what this discussion (and my question) is about, will save you a grand total of 16.6 watts.

FWIW - I would often run two sets of heated gear (First Gear / Warm'n Safe 90W jacket liners and heated gloves) along with the normal bevy of low power consuming electronics on my '05, and never had a problem with alternator deficit. The only time I ran into problems was if I tried to run a set of 55W halogen aux lights with the heated gear. After upgrading to the 4 CREE LED aux lights (LEDRider LR4's) that was no longer an issue.

 

[supertankerm60a3]

I did it because I wanted to and it is my bike. I posted the picture so you all could see. Like I said, I have converted everything but the headlights to LED and put in some running lights that were voted 44 to 2 as likeable or cool.

 

[Ijuggle]

I put one 1157 stock bulb back in and the ABS light stopped flashing. Installing my old Hyperlites will come later and I'll pull the stock bulb to see what happens.