LED question

[skillzman1]

got a new idea...involves LEDs...but I'm rather illiterate when it comes to wiring electrical.
I see kits on ebay....any concerns with the electrical system I need to consider?
I was thinking of some sorta LED tail setup...some with the ability to work as driving light and brighter as brake light...but most are not DOT...should it just be a matter of soldering new wires together?

 

[HoughMade]

As running lights, turn signals or a brake light, they would be fine. You will need to figure out what size of resister to use with however many LEDs you use. I can't be more specific because it depends on the type of LEDs and the number of them. Also, if you use them for turn signals, they do not draw enough electricity to make most standard flashers work, so either a "load balancer" must be used or a flasher made for LEDs.

Here are a couple of useful sites:

http://www.superbrightleds.com/
http://www.kpsec.freeuk.com/components/led.htm

 

[skillzman1]

hmm....I think maybe I'll go conventional on the tail lamp stuff...but I have a custom design I want to use the LED's for on another project...so I suppose its a matter of wing it and see how it goes.
how practical are these...
http://cgi.ebay.com/5M-White-SMD-35...016?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eb3b75490

 

[bikerbob]

I saw a cool set up on some chopper parts site, it was strip LED's with options for just tail light, tail/stop combo, with or without turn signals, had color and length choices. Supposed to be plug and play. I may go that route if I end up with enough fender to put them on. I'll post the site if I can find it again.

 

[bikerbob]

Looks like they offer a load stabilizer at the bottom.

http://www.grcustoms.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=3_30&products_id=625

 

[bcware]

Load resistors are available from radioshack for a few bucks. All of those lights and components seem pretty expensive from the above site. I had good luck with autolumination in the past when converting my car to leds; they also had good customer service and handled returns and exchanges to my satisfaction.

You can learn about circuits and calculate the exact amount of resistance you need, but if you are not interested the resistors from radioshack (you'll want to largest ones they sell) are cheap enough so that you can just buy several, mock them up one at a time until the desired effect is achieved, and then solder them in-line once you're happy.

 

[ahale2772]

skillz, im making my bike all LED, easiest way I found is to buy small round leds from a trucker supply place, im using seperate leds for maker/ running lights (easier to just put more leds on than fool with resistors IMO)

im gona have two amber leds on always as running lights, then 4 for brake lights and two big ambers (one on each side) for directionals

 

[jayel]

skillz, im making my bike all LED, easiest way I found is to buy small round leds from a trucker supply place, im using seperate leds for maker/ running lights (easier to just put more leds on than fool with resistors IMO)

im gona have two amber leds on always as running lights, then 4 for brake lights and two big ambers (one on each side) for directionals

Exactly!! the purpose of the LEDs is to reduce the current draw, then you want to put in some big assed resisters to jack it back up?

 

[bcware]

Unfortunately the mechanisms in cars and bikes used to detect a blown bulb or activate the flasher are rather primitive. In two different cars I have converted to LEDs the cruise control is actually disabled when the car isn't drawing enough current from the brake lights. Having a rapid turn signal flasher is also a sign that a bulb is out. I tried an electronic led turn signal flasher once, but it didn't work. Despite losing the benefit of reduced energy consumption LEDs are still worth installing; they last far longer than an incandescent bulb, activate faster, are more durable, and look better in my opinion.

im using seperate leds for maker/ running lights (easier to just put more leds on than fool with resistors IMO)

Just keep in mind that LEDs typically used 1/10th the power of a normal bulb. You're going to need something like 10 times as many LEDS per bulb you replace give or take, probably give.

 

[HoughMade]

Exactly!! the purpose of the LEDs is to reduce the current draw, then you want to put in some big assed resisters to jack it back up?

Nope- the resistors and the special flasher, if you need it still result in a tremendous reduction in draw.

 

[hmusket]

There's a long thread with a lot of different ideas for the tail section on Dotheton.
http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=14127.0

 

[ahale2772]

BC, ive got a super low draw flasher, (first one on this page) http://customled.com/products/flasher_relay/flasher_relay.htm

it says its good from 0.05A to 10A

I hooked up 3lights to each side in the rear (4leds per light) and the flasher worked ok.

if I only do one light in the rear it still blinks like its on crack, so yes I need to go with some load equalizers...but im very close to making it work (got 2 hidden 1157 bulbs in there now to act as artificial load and it works)