Using LED Tail/Stop light bulbs

[Jay B]

Conversion Kit

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

 

[WifeofDink]

Too many people rely on the idiot lights and don't bother to check that the lights are infact working, with pre-licence testing in Aust. it is impressed upon you to not rely on the idiot lights. Make a point of checking all your lights before you ride out of your garage after all don't these lights make a difference to how safe we are on the road.

 

[redliner1973]

Re: Leds

Re: 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.

If you have no warning light, such as my GS doesn't, then yes, yank the bulb, put in the LED and enjoy the lighter load and brighter light the LED puts out. I have them both for my main running tail, and 2 Aux tails, and when I hit the brakes, there is NO dimming of the dash and headlights like there used to be when I had regular bulbs. 8w/23w or .005 watts...that extra little saved wattage will help the rest of the already taxed GS charging system. and, like others here, if you do have the warning light, I would yank that too.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Resisters.

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.

I really appreciate all the different thoughts on my question. Hap, yours makes a lot of sense.

My next project is to pull the bulb from the warning light. It was never an issue of relying on it solely as I always check lights and tire pressure before a ride. I'm a bit weird in that I really don't like making permanent modifications to a bike that can't be undone in the future. I restored too many cars that were hacked up.

Though most people I've talked to don't believe that serious restorations will ever happen with Suzukis, I'll still err on the side of caution.

Thanks again to all.

Dan Bennett
85 GS1150ES

 

[Hap Call]

Re: Resisters.

Re: Resisters.

I'm a bit weird in that I really don't like making permanent modifications to a bike that can't be undone in the future. I restored too many cars that were hacked up.

Though most people I've talked to don't believe that serious restorations will ever happen with Suzukis, I'll still err on the side of caution.

Thanks again to all.

Dan Bennett
85 GS1150ES

Dan,

I agree 100% about the hack jobs. Just remember that no one thought that VW Beetles would become restoration projects, but now that is a big business. I am betting that sooner or later any vehicle can become a viable restoration project.

Hap