Modulating LED Brake Lights / Test Report

The feedback on these LED Brake Lights is ALL Good.
Bikers following me have pulled-up along side to compliment them.
Cage Drivers have commented that they do get attention over just the Rear Tail Light Brightening.

The set-up is 3 LED Strips bolted to the Plastic Tail Section above my Tail Light.
I wired them in from the inside.
Just the LED's flash. The Brake Light functions as usual.

The LED are "Generic" of eBay at $1.99 each.
The Modulator is a "Back-Off Brake Light Modulator" from Signal Dynamics.
The Modulator was $37.00 on Holiday Sale.

Here's how they look:

 

Lookin' good.

So at stops does the traffic behind you part like you are Moses and they are the Red Sea? That's what happens behind me.

 

Nice job Rick! that looks/works awesome, Where did you stuff the modulator?

 

The Modulator is really small. It comes with double-sided tape. I put it on the shelf back behind the seat in the little area in front of the shackle for the Tool Kit Elastic. Not squared-up. Kind of angled in there; but flush with the top of the plastic Body Part.

The wiring and reattaching the Outer Cover was the gimmick. I had to use a small ratcheting Phillips Screwdriver.

The three LED's are mounted on the back cover and the wires made into one common Hot and Ground on the inside to save space.

I'm happy with it!

 

Where are the LEDs exactly?

 

heres one along the same lines link
homemade but it was such a p i t a i should have just bought one

 

The trio of LED's is mounted on the Plastic Tail Section above the Rear Fender between the two risers of the Rear Grab Bar.

I mounted three small strips of LED's there.

There was formerly a Badge in the Space but I did body work to fill and conceal the mounting points for the Badging.

Bot there are LED Brake Lights on there which are more valuable to me than the "Midnight Maxim" Badge once there.

 

We're talking about LEDs...
I have everything in stock if you're interested of making your own custom lights...
Electronic Pulsing Brake Light unit (about 1-3/8" dia x 5/8"high)
Works with LEDS or Incandescent... 16 amps maximum.No load resistor required
7-9 Flashes/4 seconds then stays steady ON until brake is released..
Release your brake and apply again will cause the cycle to repeat but the flash period will be shorter (4flashes) depending on how long the brakes were off..
A complete reset takes about 20-30 seconds for the 7-9 flashes again..
Flat Price $36.00 with USA Mainland shipping..
Email stevefasano2@yahoo.com

I'll look for the prices of LEDs with Resistors / Boards and post it later...

[video=448,361][/video]

 

I have fitted the flashing brake leds (hyperlites.com at $55.95) to two of my bikes - they are extremely bright and very easy to install. They cannot be missed by other drivers.

 

mine was about 5$ for parts and 3 hours soldering then a hour trouble shooting then 6$ for a relay and ?$ for the LED
then i could start putting it on
i think i got ripped

 

Rick,

Got a link for those specific LEDs?
I want to get rid of my tail light and replace with miltiple led modules.
Just dont know how many lumens would be optimum....

 

No Link.

I just browsed eBay until I say what I needed and ordered three.

They were something like these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1-6-LED- ... enameZWDVW

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/6-Submer ... 056448880&

 

Princess Auto has a large selection of LED items for trailers

http://princessauto.com/PAcountry.cfm?CTRY=CAN&INF=home

have a look at the sail flyer online

Bright stops lights
http://princessauto.com/_osn.cfm?CTRY=C ... entPage=10


Side markers
http://princessauto.com/_osn.cfm?CTRY=C ... entPage=16

---p

 

LED light output brightness levels are measured in "mcd", or millicandelas...

LED light output brightness levels are measured in "mcd", or millicandelas. My LEDs are specified to have a given
brightness at a specified nominal current (ma, or milliamps) value that will not "overdrive" the LED and shorten its life.
All of my LEDs are specify with a nominal (recommended) current value of 20ma (twenty thousandths of an Amp).

A few words about LED life...

Under normal operating conditions (not overly heated during soldering and limited to 20ma of current), LEDs can be
expected to last on average, about 80,000 hours before brightness begins to substantially reduce.

Some manufacturers will spec their LEDs at 100,000 hours, but if you look at the fine print, or talk to their engineers, that's when their LED goes completely dark (no output). Besides, 80,000 hours equals a little more than 27 years if you were to operate the device for 8 hours every single day! By that time, we'll probably want to redo our project anyway.

One thing that has a direct impact on an LED's life expectancy is the current it draws. If I operate an LED at reduced current(lower), it will extend it's life even further. At greatly reduced levels, it can last almost indefinitely! (see LED Clusters or Arrays for Run,Brake,Signals with the same LED)

Conversely, if I allow it to see current ABOVE the nominal rating (20ma), it's life will be much shorter. Unfortunately, the relationship between LED life and current is not linear like the relationship between current and brightness. Operating an LED at 50% over the rated current level, or 30ma, can reduce it's life by 80%. It'll be really bright, but not for long...
If you plan to operate our LEDs at current levels above 30ma, they may behave like flashbulbs.

LED Clusters or Arrays for Run,Brake,Signals with the same LED...

Usually when I set the cluster like 32 LEDs, I put 4 LEDs in a series...Then the series of 4 in parallel...(330ohm -

1/8w)(14.8 supply)...
Now the cluster is set at BRAKE or SIGNAL or BOTH...(note that there also an diode in that line).
Next add a 75ohm and another diode..That is RUN...
Now you have the LED Cluster running (RUN) at reduced current ,but still bright because the LEDs I use are 70,000 mcd.10mm size.

Now if you make your cluster,you can add the white LEDs (run) on the same board and bend them down or up the aim to the license plate. (3 or 4 white led)

That might give you an idea on how to make a cluster easy.

Pictures Here; http://s290.photobucket.com/albums/ll277/Vstar4sale/

When you set up the board with the LEDs and the + and - on the legs are ready,use a dab of crazy glue to hold the LED on the board.Then on the back start bending the legs and solder..
On one unit was so small with two diodes and two resistors,I coated the back with epoxy glue so everything hold
together.After that,you can throw in on the ground and still works.
LEDs are very strong.


When you are buying a LED unit,always ask the manufacturer what is the size of MCD..
If it's not listed,they are like 800mcd..I seen Super Brite LEDs are very Dim.


You can use this site to figure out the Current Limiting Resistor Calculator for Leds
http://ledcalc.com

The LEDs vs lncandescent bulbs flash rate...

LEDs are superior to incandescent bulbs because they respond far faster (thereby giving neighboring drivers more time
and distance to react to the flash of a brake light or directional signal), also more energy-efficient and better resist vibration...
When using the Pulsing Brake Units with lncandescent bulbs,The rate of flash with lncandescent bulbs are like dim
because the incandescent bulb never fired up.
When using LEDs,Instant on-off-on-off..

I have a short video of the same bike that in the first post when the stock main rear light was incandescent,and the third brake light is LED.
The stock incandescent light never flash bright.The bulb only got bright at the final (stay on).
So the Pulsing Brake Units are more safely with LEDs.

If you have project plan,email for price
stevefasano2@yahoo.com
In Stock and shipped in USA Only.
Boards 6-1/4 x 4-1/2
Pulsing Brake Units
All LEDs Below are DC Forward Current: 20mA
Lead Soldering Temp: 260oC for 5 seconds
ALL Below are Intensely Bright,, Lens Type: Water clear ...

BLUE 10mm 65,000 mcd Viewing Angle: 12degree ,, DC Forward Voltage: Typical: 3.2 V Max: 3.6 V

RED 10mm 70,000 mcd Viewing Angle: 12degree ,, DC Forward Voltage: Typical: 1.9 V Max: 2.3 V

AMBER 10mm 70,000 mcd Viewing Angle: 12degree ,, DC Forward Voltage:Typical: 1.9 V Max: 2.3 V

WHITE 10mm 140,000 mcd Viewing Angle: 12degree ,, DC Forward Voltage:Typical: 3.2 V Max: 3.6 V

RED 5mm 25,000 mcd Viewing Angle: 20degree ,, DC Forward Voltage:Typical: 1.9 V Max: 2.3 V

WHITE 5mm 55,000 mcd Viewing Angle: 20degree ,, DC Forward Voltage:Typical: 3.2 V Max: 3.6 V

LEDs each .85 cents
Grid Style PC Board with 2200 Holes $4.49 each

The best LED fixture I found for the looks,price and brightness for use as a third brake ,I use the 12 LED for under the rear trunks.,and the 7 LED under the rear racks or sissy bars.
On the V-Star short video,Thats a 7 led unit.
Those I do not have in stock..They come and go so fast on my installations ,the 6 units I have now will be gone by Thusday.

So you see and/or can order from below.
http://www.empirechromeshop.com/p-2230- ... using.aspx

http://www.empirechromeshop.com/p-2234- ... using.aspx

 

Is this a discussion forum or an infomercial????