Second Generation Ascots > Tech Section
LED Instrument Lights?
Hughlysses:
Just wondering if anybody's tried these yet. I have not had good luck with bulb life with the stock bulbs (size #194) and I think I have 3 or 4 of them out right now. Since it's a PITA to disassemble the gage cluster to get to the bulbs, I'm thinking it'd be worth the expense to change to LEDs due to their long life.
I did a little research yesterday and a Goldwing forum suggested these as excellent LED replacements: http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/miniature-wedge-base/194-led-bulb-5-led-wide-angle-wedge-base/199/
They're a bit pricey (white ones are $3.94 each, some colors are less expensive) but each "bulb" consists of 5 LEDs; one pointing upward and four illuminating to the sides, so it should work well as either an indicator bulb or to illuminate the gages.
As a way to save cost these single bulb LEDs might suffice for the indicator bulbs; they're only $1.39 each. OTOH, the most "neutral" color they're available in is light blue, which might cause some issues trying to illuminate a yellow or red indicator: http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/miniature-wedge-base/194-led-bulb-1-led-wedge-base/197/
Thoughts?
Hugh
J6G1Z:
That's funny that you brought up LED lighting today. Yesterday I started a post on LED lighting & the same company that you have listed. For some reason my computer hung up when I was trying to post & I lost it all. >:(
I can't help you with your question directly, other than to say that the one time I bought something from Super Bright LEDs, the service & part were excellent. My limited experience with LED lighting on a motorcycle is the installation of this license plate frame with LED brake/tail/turn signals built in. http://www.cyclegear.com/CycleGear/Accessories/Add-ons/Other-Add-ons/brand/SPEEDMETAL/LED-License-Plate-Frame/p/44045_59408 After I wired it up, I found that my turn signals would not flash. I ordered this flasher: http://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/car-install-supplies/lf1-s-pin-universal-motorcycle-electronic-flasher/193/841/ and now all is well. I have mini incandescent turn signals up front & LED in the back & the flasher operates just fine. Super Bright LEDs has about 50 motorcycle related items: http://www.superbrightleds.com/search/led-products/motorcycle
Another good source for LED lighting is Batteries Plus: http://www.batteriesplus.com
Good luck & please let us know what you find out. I have a Honda MB5 that needs all of its gauge lights replaced.
J.
Bucko:
A couple of things you should think about:
Probably not a big issue, but reducing the power used by your instrument lighting will mean draining more power through your R/R which could shorten it's life. Hard to tell if the impact will be significant - not sure how many bulbs there are or what the wattage is - usually about 3 or 5W. So say, 6 bubs at 5W = 30W, Doesn't seem like a lot but one option would be to bump up your headlight wattage a bit.
Make sure the replacement LED's are bright enough. I swapped all the bulbs in my 900F cluster for LED's (the F bikes have an excited field alternator so there's a power benefit to running LED's - as opposed to total loss systems where power is generated whether you use it or not). The indicator LED lamps work fine and are bright enough for all round use but the instrument lighting LED are not really bright enough. OK for highway use at night but in town with all the incident lighting, not very useful (I had to put the odometer light back to a bulb as I couldn't see it with a LED).
LED's have polarity and a LED may or may not work in any given lamp socket. You can avoid this potential problem (I say 'potential' as it may not actually be a problem for Ascots) by ensuring your use bipolar LED's which will work with voltage of either polarity. If you're confident you know the voltage polarity at every socket then this isn't really an issue. Never the less, if you have mixed polarity sockets, using the bipolar LED's let's you get away with only one type of LED so dealing with spares is a little more convenient.
J6G1Z:
--- Quote from: Bucko on October 07, 2013, 02:37:53 pm --- A couple of things you should think about:
Probably not a big issue, but reducing the power used by your instrument lighting will mean draining more power through your R/R which could shorten it's life...
--- End quote ---
Thanks for that input. When you wrote R/R, what are you referring to?
J.
Dougie:
Regulator/Rectifier?
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