LED: things I learned today

[Ruggybuggy]

Kind of put a different take on this. Why would you want to put in LED's as signal indicators? Everyone I've seen so far are not as bright as the 1156 or 1157. They signals are only used for a short period of time so there really isn't a power savings. If you need more power try switching out the headlight bulb to an good quality LED which seem to work well. If in fact you have found an 1156/1157 LED replacement that as bright from all angles please share.

 

[Brillot2000]

Kind of put a different take on this. Why would you want to put in LED's as signal indicators? Everyone I've seen so far are not as bright as the 1156 or 1157. They signals are only used for a short period of time so there really isn't a power savings. If you need more power try switching out the headlight bulb to an good quality LED which seem to work well. If in fact you have found an 1156/1157 LED replacement that as bright from all angles please share.

I had converted NaNCy to full LED Lighting nearly a year ago and I do not regret it. Here's a link to several post that I posted regarding this subject, LED Bulbs for Turn Signals start reading at post #28 and read from there. I used and recommend those LED Replacement Bulbs outlined in those post.



The only challenge to this conversion is the flasher unit, as many have discussed in many other threads and post. There are many solutions to this issue. If any one needs to run it by anyone first, run it by me.

 

[anglachel]

Kind of put a different take on this. Why would you want to put in LED's as signal indicators? Everyone I've seen so far are not as bright as the 1156 or 1157. They signals are only used for a short period of time so there really isn't a power savings. If you need more power try switching out the headlight bulb to an good quality LED which seem to work well. If in fact you have found an 1156/1157 LED replacement that as bright from all angles please share.

Reasons off the top of my head:
1) led's turn on and off faster than incandescent bulbs... doesn't really do much for the turn signals unless you really need some one to know the moment you hit the signal, but for brakelights it's a few more milliseconds for some one to stop before they crash into you....
2) LED's don't have issues being turned on and off over and over and over again, incandescents don't care for the on and off flashing. So while LED's last longer for continuous use, they last even longer when you are comparing them to something being turned on and off over and over again.
3) color temperature on white lights can often be better for longer lasting lights on the LED bulbs, again not particularly useful for the turn signals.

Personally, I think a good candidate for replacement with an LED bulb would be any light that is difficult to replace (why not put in something that lasts essentially for ever for a few bucks more if it saves you the time from ever having to replace it again), and perhaps things where it's urgent that they light up as quickly as possible,

Anything else I wouldn't go out of my way to replace with LED, though if the price points were similar I might just so I don't have to replace the bulb again, even if it is easy to replace.

On the NC for me that means the brake light is the only candidate to replace before it burns out, headlight might be a candidate because a better color temperature on the white light is possible (though I haven't looked at what is available).
few others might be options depending entirely on how hard they are to replace, though if it's just so I DON'T have to replace them I'd wait until the burn out...

If I ever get heated riding gear or other high electrical loads I might consider replacing more... but that's a problem for future Anglachel (wouldn't want to be that guy!) to deal with after he's blown some cash on riding later into the fall...


p.s. off the bike where energy savings matters more I've swapped out most of my house for LED's with a few compact fluorescents and incandescents left where the controllers I have don't' play well with the LED loads... have plans (and some parts) to make the whole house LED compatible, but haven't gotten around to it... in the process a few lights went from ~1,000 lumens to 1,500 lumens in my yard and driveway.... I believe you can now see my backyard from space when it is lite up at night. (at the very least you can't see much of space from my backyard any more!) So I'm a big fan of LEDs.

 

[anglachel]

On the NC for me that means the brake light is the only candidate to replace before it burns out.

I should probably add that, for the reasons brillot mentioned above, the tail light is a terrible candidate to be replaced with an LED.
If you go with a white LED you'll lose most of the lumens to the red lens.
If you go with a red LED your license plate won't be illuminated with a white light, which become a legal issue...

 

[Beemerphile]

The LED bulbs keep getting better, but I could not find any bulb replacements that I was satisfied with. However, being a firm believer in the benefits of LED lighting, I abandoned the stock rear lighting fixtures completely and replaced them with side and rear public service rated LED arrays by Whelen. The license plate is illuminated by a separate white LED light. I am using the stock flasher with six ohm resisters for the rear turn signals. The turn signals run so little that chasing the power savings yields little benefit.

 

[Brillot2000]

I should probably add that, for the reasons brillot mentioned above, the tail light is a terrible candidate to be replaced with an LED.
If you go with a white LED you'll lose most of the lumens to the red lens.
If you go with a red LED your license plate won't be illuminated with a white light, which become a legal issue...

I installed a separate LED Module from SuperBrightLEDs in Cool White to illuminate the license plate. Then I wired the unit in parallel to the taillight bulb.

 

[StratTuner]

I was finally able to get the LED turn signal lights to work properly. The flashing unit came today, and with a little gumption... I went searching for the OEM unit on the left side of the frunk. I didn't have to remove all the plastic from the side... just the pieces I'm used to removing when replacing the air filter.

Thanks to the good folks here, it all worked as described.

I don't expect the LEDs to wear out before the engine does....

Now, if I can get the round headed bolt thing that holds the tail light in... I can change that as well!

 

[pigp3n]

Taillight looks good.

 

[Brillot2000]

Now, if I can get the round headed bolt thing that holds the tail light in... I can change that as well!

It's not that difficult to do. All you need is a 5 mm Hex Key (Allen) Wrench and a Phillips screwdriver. You will need to add an auxiliary light for the lighting of the license plate too.

Use a Red LED in the taillight and it will be fine.

 

[Brillot2000]

Taillight looks good.

THX!!! That's my handy work...

 

[StratTuner]

It's not that difficult to do. All you need is a 5 mm Hex Key (Allen) Wrench and a Phillips screwdriver. You will need to add an auxiliary light for the lighting of the license plate too.

Use a Red LED in the taillight and it will be fine.

the rounded screw/bolt with the phillips slots is STUCK, STUCK, STICK.
I'm considering drilling in to it so I can use "EZ OUT" drill bits to take the thing out.

 

[670cc]

the rounded screw/bolt with the phillips slots is STUCK, STUCK, STICK.
I'm considering drilling in to it so I can use "EZ OUT" drill bits to take the thing out.

It may be too late to save this rounded screw, but in the future, don't forget that the crosshead screws on the NC are not Phillips but rather they are JIS. Using a JIS screwdriver on JIS screws greatly improves your chances of getting a good bite on the screw head without damage.

JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) | Screwdrivers | Hand Tools | VESSEL TOOLS

 

[Beemerphile]

True, and the really stuck ones are best dealt with using a JIS bit in a 1/4 inch ratchet handle. Or, some drivers have a hole through the handle for a cross-arm or a hex base on the shaft for a combination wrench. It is a simple case of not having the correct tool.

 

[StratTuner]

OK... thanks to Beemerphile's recommendation on the flashing unit... all the bulbs on my NC are now LED....except the headlight.

Replacing the tail light bulb was THE most difficult mechanical thing I've ever had to do with my NC... I hope NEVER to do that again.

What is the best LED BULB to use for the headlight. (BEST = most closely duplicates the existing bulb)

 

[Beemerphile]

Replacing the tail light bulb was THE most difficult mechanical thing I've ever had to do with my NC... I hope NEVER to do that again.

Next time it will be a piece of cake.

What is the best LED BULB to use for the headlight. (BEST = most closely duplicates the existing bulb)

LM15 (Mike) was by my shop the other day with a Cyclops LED headlight bulb. The challenge is that with the cooling fan on the back of it, there is not much room to manipulate the spring clip that holds it in. Also, you lose the benefit of the rubber weather cover on the back. Mike was told that it didn't matter because the bulb backside was waterproof. The problem that does not address is that the area around the spring clip is not watertight and I would expect condensation inside the reflector to be an ongoing problem unless the rear is somehow sealed around the base of the bulb (while not obstructing the cooling).

So, short answer, though doable, this one presents some challenges.

 

[StratTuner]

Next time it will be a piece of cake.

It will be easier since some of the screws just aren't there anymore. My ez-out bits broke off inside them. I've improvised and put in other bolts that fit, but it's not the shining piece of Japanese engineering it was... I couldn't believe how complicated that fitting was!

 

[StratTuner]

LM15 (Mike) was by my shop the other day with a Cyclops LED headlight bulb. The challenge is that with the cooling fan on the back of it, there is not much room to manipulate the spring clip that holds it in. Also, you lose the benefit of the rubber weather cover on the back. Mike was told that it didn't matter because the bulb backside was waterproof. The problem that does not address is that the area around the spring clip is not watertight and I would expect condensation inside the reflector to be an ongoing problem unless the rear is somehow sealed around the base of the bulb (while not obstructing the cooling).

So, short answer, though doable, this one presents some challenges.

Challenges... like the tail light? uh... I 'll just carry a replacement bulb identical to the one that's there and hope I NEVER have to change it.
I suppose there's a price to pay for the NC's stylized shape.... some things... are really hard to get to!

 

[Brillot2000]

]What is the best LED BULB to use for the headlight. (BEST = most closely duplicates the existing bulb)

CONGRATS!!! You're almost here..

I have another solution for you regard which LED H4 Bulb to get.

I have two sources for this item, Autolumination.com $69.99 or Amazon.com, $49.58. You will have to get the H4 or 9003 Kits.

Here's what the light pattern looks like with either of these.



Also here's a like to my installation album, LED H4 Bulb Installation.

Be advised that you may have to adjust your headlight aim.

Let me know if you need further assistance or advise...

 

[StratTuner]

True, and the really stuck ones are best dealt with using a JIS bit in a 1/4 inch ratchet handle. Or, some drivers have a hole through the handle for a cross-arm or a hex base on the shaft for a combination wrench. It is a simple case of not having the correct tool.

now it's a hex head!

 

[StratTuner]

Thanks Brillot2000...

I think I'll wait until there's a drop in LED replacement for the headlight bulb. Right now, it looks like there's too much other weirdness going on.
You need a "kit" to do this?

I'm disgusted with the tail light experience. You're not really supposed to have several parts left over when you finish something like that, and I do.