Additional LED lights

[Jared]

Would there be any harm in splicing into the turn signal wires or brake light wires and adding more lights? I'm completely clueless when it comes to electronics... :-/

[fltekdiver]

Hey buddy, this is the for sale section :)

To answer your question, LEd's draw very little current, so little I can leave my last bike which had 400 Led's on it, on for hours at a time, and the bike would start right up

Red, and blue leds are not legal in most states

Also, most use a toggle switch to turn them on & off, as if you tap into the brake/turn circuit, the bike would have to be turn " On " or the key turn over

Find a constant wire under the seat, that's hot without the bike on, and grab off that for power, but you will still need a switch to turn them on/off , otherwise they would be on all the time:)

PS, most put a small 3 amp in-line fuse

Another trick is when installing LED's, you don't want to see them by eye, meaning they are for "accent" and try to bounch the light off chrome, floor, etc

Here's a pic of one of my bikes, I did all the LED's on it, Ive had several that looked like this :)

[ballast]

Thats why I am putting in an aux fuse box. I will only have to tap once for all the running lights I am adding.

[ve3hzz]

Originally Posted by Utah Motorcyclist

Would there be any harm in splicing into the turn signal wires or brake light wires and adding more lights? I'm completely clueless when it comes to electronics... :-/

Jared, I think you were referring to adding additional turn/brake/parking lights to your existing lighting on the rear and using LED's and if they would cause any problems (like using a load equalizer to stop fast flashing) the answer is NO, there would be no ILL effects if you spliced into the existing BULB lights to run additional LED lights. They would not draw much extra amperage and would worth in conjunction with your existing lighting fine. If you were going to put accent lights on, then best to install as a separate circuit with toggle switch like has been mentioned.

Hope that answers your question.

Scott

[ballast]

You know Mr Utah Motorcyclist,

It might help if we knew what ??? kind of motorcycle you were putting these on. You sold FLASH and I must have missed the announcement of your new ride. ::) It's not that I'm trying to get a jump on the FB crowd. I was just curious....

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by Utah Motorcyclist

Would there be any harm in splicing into the turn signal wires or brake light wires and adding more lights? I'm completely clueless when it comes to electronics... :-/

If you are adding additional tail/stop/turn lights using LEDS - no problem. If you wanted to replace the existing incandescent lamps with LEDS, then that does cause problems with the turn signals because LEDs don't draw enough current to make the turn signal flasher function properly.

[fltekdiver]

Originally Posted by cactusjack

If you are adding additional tail/stop/turn lights using LEDS - no problem. If you wanted to replace the existing incandescent lamps with LEDS, then that does cause problems with the turn signals because LEDs don't draw enough current to make the turn signal flasher function properly.

This is somewhat true, but not 100% :)

You can add just the turn signals, sorry I misread the top post, I thought you wanted to add LEDS

You'll have to add a Diode to slow the rate down, as they will blink fast, or get a load equalizer kit, as seen here :)

http://www.customdynamics.com/loadequalizer.htm

They also sell " Trick flashers " for around $15.00 bucks that will make the LED flashers work with incandescent lights

[ve3hzz]

Originally Posted by fltekdiver

This is somewhat true, but not 100% :)

You can add just the turn signals, sorry I misread the top post, I thought you wanted to add LEDS

You'll have to add a Diode to slow the rate down, as they will blink fast, or get a load equalizer kit, as seen here :)

http://www.customdynamics.com/loadequalizer.htm

They also sell " Trick flashers " for around $15.00 bucks that will make the LED flashers work with incandescent lights

First, if you have incandescent bulbs for turn/brake etc, then YES you can ADD LED's to them with no ILL effects and the LED's will not FLASH FAST!!
Also DIODE is a one way VALVE and will only SHUNT voltage in one direction. A load equalizer is a resistor pack that will make the LED draw enough so that the flasher unit pulsates at it's normal rate. However if you are not taking the current LOAD (the incandescent lights on the bike now) out of the equation and only adding the small extra of the LED's then only splicing in those wires/lights into the existing harness is all that will be required. They will not flash FAST etc as has been stated here.

If you REMOVE the current load and replace the incandescent lights with LED's YES either add a load equalizer or use an electronic flasher that does not rely on the bulb resistance to (via the - side) cause the relay to flip on and off, and also has a timer/distance sensor built in for self cancelling signals.

Been there, done that.

Scott

[fltekdiver]

Originally Posted by Scott (ve3hzz)

First, if you have incandescent bulbs for turn/brake etc, then YES you can ADD LED's to them with no ILL effects and the LED's will not FLASH FAST!!
Also DIODE is a one way VALVE and will only SHUNT voltage in one direction. A load equalizer is a resistor pack that will make the LED draw enough so that the flasher unit pulsates at it's normal rate. However if you are not taking the current LOAD (the incandescent lights on the bike now) out of the equation and only adding the small extra of the LED's then only splicing in those wires/lights into the existing harness is all that will be required. They will not flash FAST etc as has been stated here.

If you REMOVE the current load and replace the incandescent lights with LED's YES either add a load equalizer or use an electronic flasher that does not rely on the bulb resistance to (via the - side) cause the relay to flip on and off, and also has a timer/distance sensor built in for self cancelling signals.

Been there, done that.

Scott

If you REMOVE the current load and replace the incandescent lights with LED's YES either add a load equalizer or use an electronic flasher that does not rely on the bulb resistance to (via the - side) cause the relay to flip on and off, and also has a timer/distance sensor built in for self cancelling signals.

You cannot have incandsent bulbs mixed on the same circut as LED's

[ve3hzz]

You cannot have incandsent bulbs mixed on the same circut as LED's

WHAT?? Who told you that?? Or where did you get that info from?

You most certainly CAN. I have it on my bike. I have it in my car, I have it on my trailer too.

Sorry, but someone has fed you a line of BS for sure.

[brote]

You can have both, just don't mess up the Anode (+) --|>-- (-) Cathode ends

[ve3hzz]

Originally Posted by brote

You can have both, just don't mess up the Anode (+) --|>-- (-) Cathode ends

Most LED's that are sold for car/bike applications are not simple singular LED but LED lights designed for use with a 12V system.

If a single LED (they only use up to 5V) and yes you would need to ensure they are inserted into a board and wired correctly. But we are not talking of a single LED like would be on a board, we are talking about an LED cluster that is being produced for installation as running/brake or turn signal lighting and if can be connected in conjunction with incandescent light bulbs to work on a vehicle and that answer is YES absolutely, just for clarification.

Scott

[Top Cat]

Don't know about turn signals but can say for sure you can add brake light/running light leds to to the existing brake/running lights. That is what my Tombstone lights on the saddlebags are.

[ve3hzz]

Originally Posted by Top Cat (TC)

Don't know about turn signals but can say for sure you can add brake light/running light leds to to the existing brake/running lights. That is what my Tombstone lights on the saddlebags are.

Thank you.

[Jared]

Thanks everyone.

CJ, you could move this to another section if you want. Don't know how it got posted in the for sale section....