opinions on idea for custom LED lighting

[boredinmemind]

hey there,

so ive read a bit about using LED's on our bikes (mine being an 81 gs650g)

well what i was thinking was just finding out how much the stock bulb runs on, and then making an LED array that fits in the stock housing that runs at the same voltage and amperage, is this doable? or would the way it's wired (havent looked into that part assume it's just a pulsating 12v signal flashing a regular bulb) prohibit this way without using resistors and the like?

if not i was thinking of using an arduino (programmable microprocessor) and having the normal signal that blinks the bulb be my input signal and having the arduino control a relay for essentially however powerfull an led array i want running directly off battery. also if i go this way im going to be putting the horn on the processor as well, been thinking about a set of hella supertones or something equally deafening (stock horn was broken when bike was purchased)

opinions? ideas? any and all help is welcome!

 

[Steve]

Really don't want to deprive you of a challenge, but why re-invent the wheel? :-k

If you want to go cheap, there are LED 'bulbs' available that will replace the H4 incandescent bulb, but there are mixed reviews of them here on the forum. Some have liked them others have not liked the pattern that was projected onto the road. There have been changes to the product since most of our reviews, I don't know if anyone here has tested the "improved" version.

If you don't mind spending a little money (OK, it's a LOT of money), get a Truck-Lite light and replace your complete lens/reflector assembly. Several of us have them in our bikes. I have a rectangular version in my 850. My son's 1000 and my wife's 850L both have earlier versions, but will be getting upgraded soon. Yes, the light output is so much better, I think it's worth doing TWICE. :encouragement:

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[boredinmemind]

true enough, and for the headlight i would just buy something honestly, and 160 for a drop in replacement doesnt seem like TOOO much for visibility. (both for me and for inattentive drivers)

but i am really curious about the turn signals, as i hear theres some kind of load equalizer or resistor thats needed? (which i thought if it's just a wire with a pulsing 12v signal then any led array with the same Amperage draw should drop in)
ive also thought about just replacing the whole stalk assembly with a smaller sized but brighter LED assembly. (though i usually like modified stock, like i really want to pull the stock assembly in like an inch so you'd look at it and say somethings different but hard to pick it out)

and appearently the tail/brake light can be switched without problem? (plan on ordering several bright strips to place in housing instead of stock guts.)

and if i do go with the arduino i really like the idea that i could make them blink how i want with warnings, or giving myself a true "4 way/yield lights"

 

[cowboyup3371]

The resistor is needed if you have a single turn signal indicator on your dash; if you don't than just plug a set of LED bulbs in and go. You would do best for yourself though if you upgrade your R/R to the SH775 Series Regulator as it will deal with the decreased load better.

I picked up my bulbs from SuperBrightLEDS.com

 

[Steve]

The turn signals can be changed to LED, but you will either need load compensation resistors or a new flasher that will work with the lighter (pardon the pun) load of the LEDs.

The tail/brake light is no problem, but choose your light carefully. Many LED 'bulbs' are intensely bright, but only in one direction. The brake light depends on the bulb shining sideways into the reflector to light up the whole area. Otherwise, you get one intense spot in the middle of the lens, which is not as noticeable.

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[Gorminrider]

Headlights, I don't know. Still waiting for them to be "common"

other bulbs,
Ebay was MY friend maybe yours too, if you can stand the delivery times etc..... I've not had any burn out yet and they are perfectly bright...

but i am really curious about the turn signals, as i hear theres some kind of load equalizer or resistor thats needed?

the resistor is a ballast to run in parallel with the led bulb. It is just there to pass current to the turn signal flasher. Wasteful. It ensures the simple heated strip used as flasher gets hot enough to move backnforth. I would not do this. It defeats the purpose-might as well keep incandescents- and is not elegant.

That said,
As above mentioned, tail/brake is a simple swap
Turn signals need a different flasher relay...I have a diagram somewhere but if you look on ebay for turn signal relays you will find some that have a diagram in the description. Might be called "electronic flasher relays". They will have 3 connections at least, instead of 2 that the ol' heater strip ones have....
If you have a SINGLE Dash indicator, you ALSO need this..wire colours will be different but thats not hard to figure. Without it, both signals will flash together? well. you will need it I think. Some put yet another single diode in the line ...

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[tom203]

Whatever you do ,also consider making your bike visible to distracted drivers. I use two additional led light bars for rear brake lights: for forward action, I use led running lights as in pic. They ain't really bright (camera flash exaggerates them), but they catch second looks!

 

[Gorminrider]

^^^ Those are really nice! I have similar myself and they do seem to make a difference. I see people creeping out of side streets just STOP when they see em. Makes you bigger and unlike the single weeny incandescent, gives drivers a clue how close you are.

just ONE thing though, less important than getting a driver cutting you off!! but I'm going to do it: Turn running lights OFF when turn signal on. It's actually in the laws here as to "separation" and if they are too close to signal, running lights need be shut off when turn signal is on. Honda bikes actually do this in their original setup using the dual bulbs in signals

 

[Steve]

...just ONE thing though, less important than getting a driver cutting you off!! but I'm going to do it: Turn running lights OFF when turn signal on.

Already have that with my LED conversion. The lights are Dynamic Ringz from Custom Dynamics, the price might make you shudder a bit.

I have a video on my computer at home that I will upload to Photobucket so I can post it here. Will do that this evening.

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[Guest]

Already have that with my LED conversion. The lights are Dynamic Ringz from Custom Dynamics, the price might make you shudder a bit.

I have a video on my computer at home that I will upload to Photobucket so I can post it here. Will do that this evening.

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For maximum price shock, take a look at JW Speaker adaptive / cornering headlights.

 

[boredinmemind]

Hey there, sorry for the gap.

so my bike (81 gs650g) has 2 indicator dash lights one each for the left and right, but the flasher relay does only have 2 posts. so im not sure where that leaves me.

also in the concern of less draw, and if im reading right thats why you might need the resistor or whatever, i plan on not drawing less, i want to use the less draw to add in more or brighter LED's as i plan on making the array myself to fit in the stock housing. i figure i can use my multimeter to detect the true current draw and go from there.

also thankyou to all of you for your opinions and info!

 

[mnferwerda]

You'll still need to get a new flasher relay designed for LEDs. The original relay relies on the load to determine the timing of the flashers. It WILL work with LED turn signals but they will flash very (very) quickly. I think you'd be hard put to add enough LEDs to match the current draw of the existing bulbs. They are quite inefficient (given off as heat).

2 indicators dash lights means you don't have to worry about adding diodes.

 

[Steve]

Already have that with my LED conversion. The lights are Dynamic Ringz from Custom Dynamics, the price might make you shudder a bit.

I have a video on my computer at home that I will upload to Photobucket so I can post it here. Will do that this evening.

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Sorry about the delay, but PhotoBucket was not processing my video(s) very well, so I uploaded them to YouTube.

This one shows the switchback function with the white running lights and yellow turn signals.

This one shows the viewing angle. Sorry, but I don't have a comparison with the stock lights, but this should be good enough.

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[Gorminrider]

wow that's pretty cool! ^^^ yes...that is the effect I am working on this very day..I aquired a handle bar switch from a Silverwing and am co-relating wiring.....

But my COLOURS won't change like yours...and I feel I am constrained by Collector bike rules to keep the "era" appearance, so, I've made era signals...(yellow lense, old Stanley stalks) with some ebay led technology inside.

I'm still deciding between just having Both run lights off when signalling or just the opposite on when signalling (as the Silverwing and yours have it)....... I incline to "both off" not t having your different colour set-up. but when I see it working, I may change my mind if there's enough separation.

Another good thing is that I'll be getting rid of this 650G's "4-way" switch that runs signals(L/R) and headlamp (Hi/Lo)...I find it annoying.

 

[Steve]

My Wing has lights on either side of the headlight that have a low-intensity running/marker light function. When you activate the turn signal, that light goes OFF and the brighter-intensity turn signal flashes. Probably similar to what your Silverwing does, seeing as they are both Hondas.

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[boredinmemind]

ok so im looking at my wiring schematic in the back of my clymer manual.

it looks like the 2 pole turn signal relay has power fed to it from fuse block, from there it goes to power the turn signal switch which has the 1 in and 2 outs to each side for lights. so if thats the case i should be able to just replace with LED's?

or am i being stupid? also anybody tried any of the COB LED H4 headlight bulb replacements? been looking at

https://www.amazon.com/SiriusLED-Ex...=1492919461&sr=8-12&keywords=led+headlight+h4

been reading alot of reviews and they are hit or miss, it seems the 3 LED ones have the best reviews and beam coverage.

 

[Steve]

it looks like the 2 pole turn signal relay has power fed to it from fuse block, from there it goes to power the turn signal switch which has the 1 in and 2 outs to each side for lights. so if thats the case i should be able to just replace with LED's?

Go back and read posts 4, 5, 6 and 12. Yes, you can "just replace with LEDs", but your lights are going to flash REALLY QUICKLY, if at all. You will either need to add load resistors or change to a flasher that will work with the lesser load of the LEDs. I don't know if they make any of those flashers with just 2 poles, so you may have to wire in an adapter for the 3-pole flasher.

... also anybody tried any of the COB LED H4 headlight bulb replacements? been looking at

https://www.amazon.com/SiriusLED-Ex...=1492919461&sr=8-12&keywords=led+headlight+h4

been reading alot of reviews and they are hit or miss, it seems the 3 LED ones have the best reviews and beam coverage.

No doubt they are extremely bright, but I would like to see what the pattern is that they put on the road. :-k

I hinted at that in post #2, but the fact is that the LED sources are not in the focal spot of the relector, where the incandescent filament lives. Since it is not in the same place, it will project light somewhere other than where it was intended. Light going "other than where intended" can easily go into the eyes of oncoming drivers, blinding them. Let's just hope that you are not in the middle of a curve when you blind them and they don't notice the curve.

As I mentioned in post #2, there have been improvements in the last couple of years, but there have also been a LOT of quickly-copied cheap rip-offs. There is no way of telling which one that is, so feel free to order one and let us know how it works.

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[boredinmemind]

i apologize, i went back and re read post #12 as that is the one that i haphazardly read and thought i had some chimera of suzuki that was a meld of 2 years or something because i was being stupid.

ANYWAYS, point being i got what your saying now, and i thank all of you for your help and patience!
what i notice about those LED bulb replacements is you have to watch which ones you buy as some are made for cars, in that they have the set of 2 with differing reflectors so unsuitable for a single bulb setup.
i plan on trying out this set and i will report back with night pics when i do get them.
https://www.amazon.com/Optix-80W-80...21548&sr=1-24&keywords=led+headlights+h4&th=1

searched amazon and found this also.
https://www.amazon.com/Black-freque...F8&qid=1492920509&sr=1-46&keywords=motorcycle

looks like they just used a variable resistor so you can even adjust the speed.


next project should be straight forward and ill be posting about that soon.

 

[Gorminrider]

looks like they just used a variable resistor so you can even adjust the speed

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I have never, ever wanted to adjust the speed of turn signals. That "you can even adjust the speed" suggests to me that you may HAVE to adjust the speed.

 

[Steve]

As long as there is some common sense applied when the speed is adjusted, I think that's a great idea.

Not holding my breath for the "common sense" part, but it's still a good idea.

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