100% LED lighting FINALLY COMPLETE and WORKING!

A quick thanks to SQLguy and all others who have made posts and/or commented on multiple posts including mine.

A quick note for LED newbies: ALWAYS GET COLOR APPROPRIATE LEDS IF THEY ARE BEHIND A COLORED LENS. i.e. buy red bulbs to use behind red lens. NEVER just buy white!! (Google the reasons)

* * * * * * * * * *

My LED projects, problems and questions are spread around many posts so I'll make a summary.

Headlight: Trucklite 27250C 7" LED DOT Headlight - Bright and WHITE light - Very pricey but I paid 2/3 of retail on eBay

Front Indicator Bulbs: Ebay Seller - Search for 1157 13W High Power LED - As bright or brighter than incandescent bulbs during the day. NOTE: Used inside fairing reflector which is HUGE and has alot of mirror finished inner surface. Pricey but bright

Rear Indicators: K&S 25-9900D LED DOT amber signals - Nice and bright. Got a deal on eBay!

Saddlebag Lights: Wolo LTB20 Amber Light Bar - Mounted on top of my hard saddlebags - Bright and cheap but not waterproof and some LEDs failed after winter storage (covered outside).

Trunk Tail/Brake Lights: Blazer C563RTM 6" Oval Red LEDs - Flush Mount with 3 wires - SUPER bright - Intended for full with semi trailers!

Brake Light: Custom Dynamics GEN185CLUSTER 1.80" Diameter Cluster - 48 Bulbs - Ordered hardwired with an 1157 socket - Custom installed inside OEM brake light lens - Bright but I might get something different soon Note: I covered the clear part of the lens that leads to the license plate.

Plate Lights: White LED license plate bulbs purchased off of eBay for about $7 a pair - Lights are blue-ish - Not super bright but hopefully I'm legal

Trunk Side Marker Lights: PBM series Marker/Clearance Lights - RED - Near perfect fit to replace stock side reflectors. These lights also have reflectors built in. Used as always on running/marker lights. Flush mount + center wire hole & 2 wires. Bright and affordable

Atari Cluster Lights: All T10 Base lights replaced with color appropriate bulbs. Red bulbs used for Speedo and RPM guages. See picture below for superbrightleds.com part numbers Good color and brightness.

Fork/Fender Lights: Semi custom made front fork/fender mounted fog lights

I think that is everything I've installed (so far).

Comments:
* Auto cancel does not work and I don't mind/care especially living in farmland.
* Atari's warnings don't like LED headlight or brake light. At this time I'm not going to try re-engineering the control board like SQLguy did. (I have black tape over the center red warning light).
* I have done my best to get BRIGHT overkill and/or DOT LED lights so they are at least as bright as incandescent bulbs. The actual brake light lens is probably the only one that needs some improvement...


Now for the some pictures! (Click on thumbs for larger pics)











I think I showed everything in place. If not I'll fix it later. Time to leave for work!

EDIT: I'll post pics of fairing's front signal lens and rear indicators later or tomorrow.

 

Brief video of my LED lights in action outside of work. 3k revs with choke partially open.

1st half of video shows left blinkers working.

2nd half of video shows right blinkers and my semi-custom LED fog lights turned on.

I couldn't show trunk's BRAKE lights w/o a helper; but believe me they are BRIGHT!

Youtube Video - LED Lights

 

Is it me or does the idle sound high? I'm still a super noob so I really don't know any better. That bike is crazy with those lights Good job.

 

he had the choke on to keep the revs up so he wasn't running the lights on just battery

 

Oh ok

 

You could probably run the lights off the battery for about an hour and the bike will still start. Those LEDs don't take much power.

 

do you mind if i ask how much the final cost was to replace all this, (just a quick rough estimate) thinking about doing this this winter once its not riding season, for safety and cool factor of course.

 

I can work on a cost post after work.

Coolness limited by imagination, budget and local laws about running lights/colors.

Safely is often reduced by dimmer or non dot setups/assemblies. Ie turn/brake lights. Look at some converted crotch rockets.

Ps that headlight is only made 7 inch round for USA shipment,

 

Headlight: Trucklite 27250C 7" LED DOT Headlight ~$300 retail USA shipments only

Front Indicator Bulbs: From eBay $23 - You may or may not have luck getting bulbs bright and wide enough 360 pattern for stock signal housings

Rear Indicators: K&S 25-9900D LED DOT amber signals - ~$100-125 retail, if creative could also mount on front

Saddlebag Lights: Wolo LTB20 Amber Light Bar, under $20 each on Amazon

Trunk Tail/Brake Lights: Blazer C563RTM 6" Oval Red LEDs - under $20 each locally. If creative could use to replace stock tail/brake light.

Brake Light: Custom Dynamics GEN185CLUSTER 1.80" - ~$25 I think check link above.

Plate Lights: White LED license plate bulbs purchased off of eBay for about $7 a pair

Trunk Side Marker Lights PBM series Marker/Clearance Lights - RED, under $10 each

Atari Cluster Lights: superbrightleds.com - under $20 for all of them

Fork/Fender Lights: Semi custom made front fork/fender mounted fog lights $20 at Walmart plus $10 eBay bulbs

I think that is everything I've installed (so far).

Comments:
*see my headlight post to see my thoughts about price
*if creative could assemble 2 $20/pair led signals per side for similar brightness. Pm if want some sample ideas
*rear firing/illuminating only twilight lens w/o trying to light plate could use some 3 or 4 Watt 1157 red eBay bulbs for about $10/pair.
*I want $360 driving/fog lights but eBay has similar to what I built for about $40.
*that is THE first and currently ONLY dot 7" round headlight

 

DAMN!!! Nearly $500 (or over if you count the stuff that didn't work out).

I didn't realize I spent so much on LED'ing my bike. shhhh don't tell the wife! :wink:

It was done in small batches and I didn't pay full price for the headlight or rear signals. But still... WOW!!

If you subtract the headlight and rear signal the total goes down significantly. As I mentioned you can get creative and/or do w/o DOT signals. Additionally most won't need the trunk lights, trunk markers and saddle bag lights - That's nearly another $60 savings. A quick calculation for the basics without an atari gauge cluster is around $125. This is reasonable if you don't do it all at once.

I'm glad I like what I have and it all works FINALLY!

P.S. My signal flasher cost me about $15 on eBay as well. (I could not find the highly recommended Triton flasher locally).

 

Thanks for the info, so if i understand this correctly, im just wanting to do my turn signal, so just new lights, and a flasher is all i would need correct?

 

Yes.

If using original signal housings find the bulb with the most smd leds (not those little bulb looking leds) that will fit.

If using new led assemblies get one with as many leds as possible.

Both suggestions are for your safely so drivers can see your signals.

 

I'm crazy and may be in the dog house when the bill arrives but...

I ordered a set of twisted throttle's denali d2 led aux lights for 20% off regular price (via a forum group buy).

Wiring aside, the lights should mount right onto my existing custom fender bolt bracket bars.

http://www.twistedthrottle.com/trade/productview/6158/

 

What exactly is a "flasher"?

And how does one go about rewiring all this stuff?
Awesome build, but seems to be lacking a bit of How-To.

 

Your answer is actually "yes, BUT..."

Understand this: The stock system includes a special proprietary flasher relay and a "cancelling unit" relay. In order for these components to work, they need to be "driving" 4 X 27W bulbs. If you switch to LED signals or signals with small bulbs that draw less, you will need to replace the flasher relay (unless you add resistors to all of the LEDs.) IN DOING SO, you will give up the automatic cancelling feature, unless you do some electrical engineering to make the new unit work with the self-canceller.

 

Fitz is right about autocancel and bulb size.

If you don't care about the canceling its not a big deal. I don't mind because I ride mostly country roads and highways and like the flasher on early'ish.

If you want led flashers for cool factor and not worried about Watt/amp savings, you might want to try the load resistors + they MIGHT keep the canceler working.

Regardless, for you safety aim for as many leds as possible per signal. My DOT rears have like 44? each!

As far as install details, some of it can be found or linked inside my electrical post in my signature. If u have any specific install and/or part questions let me know or start a post thread.

When I'm healed (thyroid surgery) and put on my new denali lights I could take specific picture requests (if you can't find something in my PUBLIC photobucket albums).

I may add more eventually but I probably don't NEED more LEDs.

Good luck and have fun!

 

....My bikes is supposed to have auto-cancelling signals? Because I have to manually cancel them..

When is it supposed to cancel the signal/what triggers the cancel?

 

I believe it is a combination of certain distance traveled and time, not positive.

Question, don't know enough about electrical to answer this myself. If you use a resistor in each light to fake the system into thinking there is a 27w bulb in each... are you truly using that much power? Meaning, you lose the 'electrical savings' that you would have with an electronic flasher and LEDs only?

 

I've heard real good things about the 10W LED lights and would be real interested to see some "from the driver's seat" photos with/without the new lights at night.

 

Zap they are installed and initially aimed in an effort not to blind others.

No night rides yet, but later this week probably.

I also have some wip pics of the install and where I hid the control module. I'll post them soon.

In regards to using resistor (or whatever the proper term), basically you do lose the advantage of the led's power saving. This won't matter on cars for cool factor, but might on vintage bikes (especially if you start adding EXTRA electronic gadgets.)

 

I took my 1st night ride/photos with the Denali D2 LED driving lights installed. The forward pointing photos are not even worth sharing.

The D2 are pointed to low to make the pictures worth posting let alone spending my $$... Unfortunately I may blind other drivers day and night when I do re-aim them. SHRUG

FYI: They make my WHITE Led headlight look yellow! I'm guessing they are about 5500-6000k color and my headlight is rated around 5000k.

Regardless here are a few pictures. Click to enlarge.

 

That's too bad - maybe the illumination will improve with a re-aim. I'm sure that you will keep us updated . Or maybe the "fog" lens would be a better purpose fill illumination (with the low beam) than the "driving" lens.

 

Uh oh... Wife got the credit card bill today...

I swapped in the FOG lens for the D2 lights and reaimed slightly. Tonight is my first night ride since (in the rain :-( )

Next step would be mounting them higher but under my windjammer fairing. Not difficult but I'd have to cut/drill some alum bar stock and take off the fairing again. :-( At least I bought 2 deep sockets to help remove them easier / faster.

When I changed to fog lens I sorta decided screw other traffic while aiming. However I wont intentionally over blind them...

 

Bob,

I am envious of your project. I need to convert some of my bikes over to LED's but I'm not sure where to start and where to stop. My hat is off you and your project. I wish you lived closer so I could check your bike out first hand. Keep up the good work and keep those pictures coming.

MN

 

Thanks for the encouragement. Post or pm if want specific pics or wiring info.

I don't know when to stop either... I think my led project may nearly reached my bike's purchase price.

Start simple and cheap. Ie guage/atari lights. Then probably replace or add to rear running/brake lights. (6in oval semi trailer lights are usually BRIGHT especially at night.

Anything after that would be minimal savings on battery (ie blinkers).

Most would never consider $300 headlights and driving lights. But I would recommend the K&S Dot amber blinkers. Not very stock looking, but those 44 leds are bright.

Be creative and as frugal as need be. Add them slowly. Aim for increased visibility not just cool factor. (Granted I think my LED lady is bitching, but most HD owners never give her a second thought - gw and other classic owners sometimes do).

 

So wider lens pattern/re-aim didn't improve road illumination? Disappointing. :cry:

 

You missed the beginning of the post. I won't know until after work. ~45 MINUTES.

P.s. they may be mounted to low for the ground effect/illumination "I" want.

P.s.s. my driveway is to bright for testing vs. Unlit farm road.

Regardless they are VISIBLE to on coming traffic!! That I can tell while aiming.

 

Mini Update:

A - No Pics - Didn't have camera and raining pretty good...
B - I took the curvy country highway vs. the straight farm roads because I needed gas (running on fumes)
C - I may still need to re-aim and/or relocate but...

* The lights did light up the road (between tire and headlight focal point & curb) better with the fog light lens

** The lights (on High Beam mode) were VERY helpful on the dark, curvy country highway especially w/o reflective (or warn) road lines. The lights allowed me to see the right solid white line while it was raining with a wet helmet and wet fairing windshield. So potentially the lights saved my life and/or kept me on the road tonight. WIN WIN

If it dries out this week I'll get a better look at how the D2 lights are actually lighting up the road and maybe some road side re-aiming and maybe pictures.

P.S. I didn't really check the weather report today. I didn't expect to ride home in the rain... No rain gear on me tonight. Shoes are soaked. (I don't always wear & change riding boots to work. (Short ride).

 

For those keeping tabs and holding breath for updates about my D2 Driving/Fog lights, here you go!

A - Headlight needs to be re-aimed more left and up - Not had to chance to take off Windjammer headlight ring and remove headlight to allow for the amount of reaiming I need. (I need to loosen bolts and/or reinstall up/down adjuster rod :evil: )

B - The D2 aim/location is not final yet but it is an improvement over the "driving lens" and the way I had them aimed.
B1 - My goal is to light up the space between front of wheel and headlight's "focal point" as well as some side illumination (ie ditches, curbs and road lines)
B2 - Unless I aim them WAY DOWN, drivers will see the D2 lights day or night - low or high beam

Now for the show! Click for larger versions. Not perfect - taken on my phone (so the look darker than it really was).





P.S. With the poor headlight aim and camera phone, you can't really tell the difference High vs. Low Headlight (but you can while riding).

 

Just resurrecting MetalBob's post to add this AdvRider DIY link on how to convert a sealed beam headlight to a 1700 Lumen LED unit (he's also converting his 1962 Honda Superhawk to FI 8O : AdvRider link

Should also work for replacing a H4 bulb too...

 

Holy gizmos batman! If that doesnt get a cage driver's attention, nothing will. Great work. I'd like to nominate this for "Most functional XJ mod" if i may be so bold. 8)