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LED lighting question
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nickmo
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PostPosted: December 13, 2009, 3:55 pm    Post subject: LED lighting question

I want to integrate a flexible led strip into my cafe tail section for my tail/brake light, but I have no idea what to look for as far as the product is concerned.

Could this be more trouble than it's worth? My main concern is finding a set that is capable of illuminating at a lower level for the tail light and at a brighter level for braking.

If there's anything that I'm NOT good at it's electric, all help would be appreciated.

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despecial
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PostPosted: December 13, 2009, 4:28 pm    Post subject: Re: LED lighting question

...a couple of sites that supply led stuff

www.customdynamics.com


www.radiantz.com


...unless youre running a modulator you will need in line resistance

The formula to calculate the correct resistance to use is:

{power supply voltage} (V_s) - {LED voltage drop} (V_f) = {resistance in ohms} (R)
--------------------------------------------------------------
{LED current rating}(I_f)

where:

* Power supply voltage (Vs) is the voltage of the power supply e.g. a 9 volt battery.
* LED voltage drop (Vf) is the voltage drop across the LED (typically about 1.8 - 3.3 volts; this varies by the color of the LED) 1.8 volts for red and its gets higher as the spectrum increases to 3.3 volts for blue.
* LED current rating (If) is the manufacturer rating of the LED (usually given in milliamperes such as 20 mA)

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gordo
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PostPosted: December 13, 2009, 4:37 pm    Post subject: Re: LED lighting question

nick,LED lamp's are available for tail/ stop combination. Look up site's that carry lighting for auto application's, I'm sure you'll find something.
LED lamp's are lite emitting diode's, so polarity is very important. A diode is, in simple term's, a one way valve for electricity. It will flow in one direction, but not the other. The bike's are dc current, or direct current. The electricity in your house is a/c, or alternating current. That mean's it switch's polarity several time's a second.
The point is to make sure you have the lamp's wired up as the instruction's dictate.
One other thing. If you are using the stock harness with all the stock relay's & light checker, LED lamp's use allot less power than regular bulb's, so thing's like the tail lamp & headlite indicater's on the dash between the guage's will lite up, saying you have a problem when you really don't. I pulled the bulb's on mine.
I got LED stop & tail, & signal's.

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nickmo
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PostPosted: December 13, 2009, 5:00 pm    Post subject: Re: LED lighting question

Thanks for the input guys.

Gordo, so you know what I'm up to, I want to just use a flexible led strip like oznium makes and drill holes in the tail section for each individual light. I had a few concerns, the first being weather or not they'd hook up to my stock harness.

Will I need a modulator with my stock stuff or will I just have to put up with the dummy lights?

My other specific question is weather or not I will need extra bits to enable them to light at the two intensities for brake and tail settings.

Sorry for being completely clueless, I do appreciate the help.

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gordo
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PostPosted: December 13, 2009, 7:14 pm    Post subject: Re: LED lighting question

nickmo, if you get the whole setup as despecial's link's are , I don't think so because they are already in the kit. LED light's use a regulator & most are built into the lamp kit.At least mine did. The warning lite's still came on. On the signal's, I had to get an electronic flasher, like $6 at Advance Auto Part's.
The kit's online state whether or not if they are single(brake) or double(brake & tail). They are a lot of pricey, but last for ever, & the elecrtical saving's make them worth the money. You will have more juice to charge the battery, ect.
They do not have the stock electrical connector's on them, but it is easy enough to wire them in. The instruction's are in an easy to understand format. So wiring should be ok, even for a novice.
THE radianze site is pretty good. Check out both site's. I think if you look in the vault there are some more site's,also.

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nickmo
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PostPosted: December 13, 2009, 8:12 pm    Post subject: Re: LED lighting question

Thanks.
It looks like radiantz sells a dual element circuit, I'll check it out and put something together.

Thanks a lot guys.

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pumps
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PostPosted: December 13, 2009, 8:45 pm    Post subject: Re: LED lighting question

nickmo be sure to let us know how it comes out and video would be even better!
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despecial
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PostPosted: December 14, 2009, 2:49 am    Post subject: Re: LED lighting question

- theyre not diffficult to build if youre patient...your original charging system and battery will love you as pumps stated...the tail light and brake light are 2 separate circuits, no reflector required as led lights are highly directional and no coloured lens required as each bulb has a defined colour...usually the brake lights are higher intensity leds...you can get modulators that will directly wire all lights or just some
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nickmo
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PostPosted: December 14, 2009, 3:48 am    Post subject: Re: LED lighting question

I'm researching it now.

Video-PSSHHHHT! You'll be lucky to get pictures Pumps! LOL!

I kid, I kid!

I will take pics for sure. This group does too much not to return the favor!

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pumps
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PostPosted: December 14, 2009, 7:18 am    Post subject: Re: LED lighting question

Take your time researching it. There are lots of options available out there.
I had read a ton of stuff here about LED lighting and available kits.
www.webbikeworld.com/lights/

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nickmo
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PostPosted: December 15, 2009, 2:03 am    Post subject: Re: LED lighting question

Looks like I'm Getting closer. This little pigtail is what I'm looking for but it doesn't give any specs for the type of leds being used or specs on the sizes of resistors inside.

trickautocustoms.com/c.../vmcchk,1/

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nickmo
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PostPosted: December 15, 2009, 2:25 am    Post subject: Re: LED lighting question

This one gives a slightly better description. I'd just put one together myself if I knew how it was all run together.

www.chromeglow.com/cat...did=520657

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650skull
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PostPosted: December 15, 2009, 3:21 am    Post subject: Re: LED lighting question

Here are a couple of threads with rear LED's
www.650rider.com/index...pic&t=7480

www.650rider.com/index...3193#53193
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dpmphoto
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PostPosted: December 15, 2009, 1:39 pm    Post subject: Re: LED lighting question

custom dynamics $20 bucks for the module then you can run whatever you want,
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gordo
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PostPosted: December 15, 2009, 7:56 pm    Post subject: Re: LED lighting question

nickmo, what you've got posted for link's is wiring for the LED's, not the LED's themselves. Go to the first link inskull's post, because there are a ton of application's that can be modified for your taste's. As far as wiring the setup once completed, just pay attention to the polarity of the LED's.
I'm sure you can get this perfect, just what your looking for. You could try talking to the guy's at the auto part's store's for some more idea's.Usually the guy's at established store's have been there for a while., store's like NAPA, Carquest, ect.
Oh yea, a manual has wiring harness's in them for referance. Manual's also tell you how to read them & decipher out the different symbol's.

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dpmphoto
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PostPosted: December 15, 2009, 10:40 pm    Post subject: Re: LED lighting question

Nickmo forget the 650 skull post and check out this web site,its got everything you need.http://www.customdynamics.com they actually sell the strips and the load equalizer
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nickmo
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PostPosted: December 16, 2009, 1:24 am    Post subject: Re: LED lighting question

Hey gordo,
I have made some progress through research. I know that I have wiring links there, that's the biggest problem. From what I understand LED's can be run at differend intensities- i.e. brake and tail light intensities. What I need to figure out is what type of resistors I need and where I need to place them in the circuit to allow them to produce the two levels of light.

What I want to do is use super bright medium size red LED's (about 5mm) and mount them directly through the cafe pan in the rear. I don't want a pre-made unit, unless worse comes to worse and I have to buy a brake/tail assembly and dismantle it to put things where I want them.

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650skull
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PostPosted: December 16, 2009, 2:28 am    Post subject: Re: LED lighting question

Here is something else you might like to do

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