speedo illumination bulb

[twocool]

So I have to ride home on Sunday...80 miles in solid rain the whole way...lef the rain suit home...no problem....but fairly miserable ride..

Two day later I wash off the bike...everything dried off...

And the speedo does not light up!

I take the speedo apart, and check everything....blown bulb...

Probably nothing to do with the rain...just coincidence I guess....

Anyway..off to the auto parts store...the only bulb they carry is 4.6 watts......original bulb is  1.7 watts.....so I install anyway just to get going....


It lights up real nice!!!  Much brighter than the original.....looks great!  (  I always thought the speedo and tach were kind of dimly lit...especially in twighlight, when it is not dark enough for good contrast....)

So...long way to the question....

Is the 4.6 watt bulb going to get too hot??  Melt the mount???  melt the plastic around the bulb?   Is it going to blow a fuse???

I'd like to change the tach over to same wattage for brighter look....but now it would be two higher wattage bulbs on the same circuit....blown fuse with that???

Anybody else do this???  Some guys on other forums have done similar  without problem on other types of bikes...


Cookie

[numus]

Change it out with LEDs to get brighter without the heat and loss of extra voltage... There are a couple recent threads that outline which leds to get...

[Bullfrog]

agree

You may either use LED bulbs (e.g. blue) or LED stripes. The latter are much brighter (e.g. blue or white).

[numus]

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=57144.msg648047#msg648047
Those are just plug and play WLED-5x LED t10 base bulbs....

[twocool]

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=57144.msg648047#msg648047
Those are just plug and play WLED-5x LED t10 base bulbs....

Thanks for the info!  Great idea going with LED....I going with the  incandescent 3.6 watt for now because I have nothing else...but will probably order some LED...different colors and try...

Is this the one I need?   (from superbright) Will it fit without modification  (tach and speedo only)?

WLED-x5: 5 LED T10 Wide Angle Wedge Base Bulb
12 VDC 5-LED Wedge Base bulb (194/168 type)
Super Wide Viewing Angle bulb uses 4 radially mounted LEDs aiming out the sides and one High Flux LED on top
With built-in voltage regulator
Non-Polarized bulb
Price for each.
Select Options Part#:
Color:   

Cookie

[numus]

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=57144.msg648047#msg648047
Those are just plug and play WLED-5x LED t10 base bulbs....

Thanks for the info!  Great idea going with LED....I going with the  incandescent 3.6 watt for now because I have nothing else...but will probably order some LED...different colors and try...

Is this the one I need?   (from superbright) Will it fit without modification  (tach and speedo only)?

WLED-x5: 5 LED T10 Wide Angle Wedge Base Bulb
12 VDC 5-LED Wedge Base bulb (194/168 type)
Super Wide Viewing Angle bulb uses 4 radially mounted LEDs aiming out the sides and one High Flux LED on top
With built-in voltage regulator
Non-Polarized bulb
Price for each.
Select Options Part#:
Color:   

Cookie

Depends on what year your gauge cluster is... If you have an electronic tach, then the WLED-5x will fit your speedo/tach and the indicators will be 74x (#74 base). The only problem will be the turn signal which is outlined in the post that i linked....
Otherwise it is just plug and play.. no modifications necessary.

[twocool]

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=57144.msg648047#msg648047
Those are just plug and play WLED-5x LED t10 base bulbs....

Thanks for the info!  Great idea going with LED....I going with the  incandescent 3.6 watt for now because I have nothing else...but will probably order some LED...different colors and try...

Is this the one I need?   (from superbright) Will it fit without modification  (tach and speedo only)?

WLED-x5: 5 LED T10 Wide Angle Wedge Base Bulb
12 VDC 5-LED Wedge Base bulb (194/168 type)
Super Wide Viewing Angle bulb uses 4 radially mounted LEDs aiming out the sides and one High Flux LED on top
With built-in voltage regulator
Non-Polarized bulb
Price for each.
Select Options Part#:
Color:   

Cookie

Depends on what year your gauge cluster is... If you have an electronic tach, then the WLED-5x will fit your speedo/tach and the indicators will be 74x (#74 base). The only problem will be the turn signal which is outlined in the post that i linked....
Otherwise it is just plug and play.. no modifications necessary.

My GS is 2009......I just want to dot he speedo and the tach....not the other indicators..

Just wondering if the 5 led bulb will fit into the speedo case....thru the little hole....the hole is just big enough for the standard bulb, plus the rubber mounting base....the 5 led bulb looks kind of big...

Cookie

[numus]

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=57144.msg648047#msg648047
Those are just plug and play WLED-5x LED t10 base bulbs....

Thanks for the info!  Great idea going with LED....I going with the  incandescent 3.6 watt for now because I have nothing else...but will probably order some LED...different colors and try...

Is this the one I need?   (from superbright) Will it fit without modification  (tach and speedo only)?

WLED-x5: 5 LED T10 Wide Angle Wedge Base Bulb
12 VDC 5-LED Wedge Base bulb (194/168 type)
Super Wide Viewing Angle bulb uses 4 radially mounted LEDs aiming out the sides and one High Flux LED on top
With built-in voltage regulator
Non-Polarized bulb
Price for each.
Select Options Part#:
Color:   

Cookie

Depends on what year your gauge cluster is... If you have an electronic tach, then the WLED-5x will fit your speedo/tach and the indicators will be 74x (#74 base). The only problem will be the turn signal which is outlined in the post that i linked....
Otherwise it is just plug and play.. no modifications necessary.

My GS is 2009......I just want to dot he speedo and the tach....not the other indicators..

Just wondering if the 5 led bulb will fit into the speedo case....thru the little hole....the hole is just big enough for the standard bulb, plus the rubber mounting base....the 5 led bulb looks kind of big...

Cookie

It fits.. You have to slightly angle it when you start putting it in, but it isn't that tight... I would recommend switching out atleast the 3 indicators (not the turn signal) with the 74x LEDs... they are incredibly brighter and lower voltage.. much easier to see in sun.

[lucky4034]

agree

You may either use LED bulbs (e.g. blue) or LED stripes. The latter are much brighter (e.g. blue or white).

Wow...those led stripes look awesome!  Is there any write up handy with instructions?  I guess my main question where to buy and how do you connect them?

thanks

Mike

[Exodia GS]

this is what i used on mine (bulb 194 or T10), really bright even on the day time



Exodia is a Year 2002 Model

it's a little longer though so what i did was take out the main Electronica assembly and leave the RED plastic cap
and cut it smaller, then put back the electronic assembly then installed it

worked really great. like i said, really bright at night and bright also on the day time

i'll take pictures of it at night so you could see it

[xunedeinx]

I did it with the blue leds, looks awesome. The only mod ive done so far that I havent questioned maybe doing something differently

[Bullfrog]

Wow...those led stripes look awesome!  Is there any write up handy with instructions?  I guess my main question where to buy and how do you connect them?

thanks

Mike

unfortunately there is only an instruction in german, though I may translate the major issues if needed.

If you don't mind an oversea-purchase, you may order here.

[twocool]

Thanks for the info!  Great idea going with LED....I going with the  incandescent 3.6 watt for now because I have nothing else...but will probably order some LED...different colors and try...

Is this the one I need?   (from superbright) Will it fit without modification  (tach and speedo only)?

WLED-x5: 5 LED T10 Wide Angle Wedge Base Bulb
12 VDC 5-LED Wedge Base bulb (194/168 type)
Super Wide Viewing Angle bulb uses 4 radially mounted LEDs aiming out the sides and one High Flux LED on top
With built-in voltage regulator
Non-Polarized bulb
Price for each.
Select Options Part#:
Color:   

Cookie
[/quote]
Depends on what year your gauge cluster is... If you have an electronic tach, then the WLED-5x will fit your speedo/tach and the indicators will be 74x (#74 base). The only problem will be the turn signal which is outlined in the post that i linked....
Otherwise it is just plug and play.. no modifications necessary.
[/quote]

My GS is 2009......I just want to dot he speedo and the tach....not the other indicators..

Just wondering if the 5 led bulb will fit into the speedo case....thru the little hole....the hole is just big enough for the standard bulb, plus the rubber mounting base....the 5 led bulb looks kind of big...

Cookie
[/quote]
It fits.. You have to slightly angle it when you start putting it in, but it isn't that tight... I would recommend switching out atleast the 3 indicators (not the turn signal) with the 74x LEDs... they are incredibly brighter and lower voltage.. much easier to see in sun.
[/quote]


Just got my shipment from SuperBright ...installed the Blue 5 led...easy job...10 minutes...fits well...Looks cool!  The blue looks nice with my blue bike! 

Also got white and red.....will try different colors to see what I like best.....

I do notice that the speedo looks brighter than the tach...because the speedo has a lot more lettering and lines on it to reflect light...

Also to me the blue does not look as "sharp" as the original incandescent white....(when viewed with old eyes)....
I think that red is actually a better color for "sharpness" and certainly better for "night vision"....

Ever hear of "blue blocker" sunglasses?  Blocking out the blue wavelengths allows the human eyes to see "sharper"  ...just my theory anyway..


Anyway thanks to the forum for the tips on the instrument lights!

Cookie

[mister]

Hey Cookie, got some snaps to share with us of how they look in the various color configurations?

Michael

[twocool]

Hey Cookie, got some snaps to share with us of how they look in the various color configurations?

Michael

Roger that...working on it!


Cookie

[twocool]

OK...here's a photo of the red led vs the blue led..........but it doesn't look like the photo in real life!  In real life the blue is quite dim and hard to see....the red looks bright and sharp....but not "blown out" like in the photo..   The camera is increasing the exposure too much.....

So, I like the red....

Cookie

[numus]

I use the UV bulbs.. They are much dimmer (2/3 to 1/2 the brightness of the red) but they look awesome with the UV accent lights i installed... I loved the red but it is illegal to use red accent lights in Florida so this is what i am stuck with for now (might go green in the future tho).

[twocool]

I use the UV bulbs.. They are much dimmer (2/3 to 1/2 the brightness of the red) but they look awesome with the UV accent lights i installed... I loved the red but it is illegal to use red accent lights in Florida so this is what i am stuck with for now (might go green in the future tho).

UV as in ultravilot?  I guess the lines and numbers are UV sensitive to glow under UV light?

Really, in the photo the red "Looks" way brighter than it really is..........

Here in NJ they have stopped motorcycle mantitory yearly inspections....But even when they were required they were done in broad daylight so nobody would see the color of the instrument lights.

You can still get "road checked" by the cops....But my cop friends say they would not be looking for "little" things like that...Unless you act like a jerk...then they will go over the bike with a fine tooth comb just to write up more stuff on you...

Cookie

[twocool]

Another shot of the red LED......."stopped down" the camera 2 stops...still not looking sharp....I think I am not holding steady enough........

Sorry for all the posts which are basically the same.........

I am waiting for the last of the hurricane to pass NJ....I am bored out of my gourd....can't ride!

Cookie

[numus]

I use the UV bulbs.. They are much dimmer (2/3 to 1/2 the brightness of the red) but they look awesome with the UV accent lights i installed... I loved the red but it is illegal to use red accent lights in Florida so this is what i am stuck with for now (might go green in the future tho).

UV as in ultravilot?  I guess the lines and numbers are UV sensitive to glow under UV light?

Really, in the photo the red "Looks" way brighter than it really is..........

Here in NJ they have stopped motorcycle mantitory yearly inspections....But even when they were required they were done in broad daylight so nobody would see the color of the instrument lights.

You can still get "road checked" by the cops....But my cop friends say they would not be looking for "little" things like that...Unless you act like a jerk...then they will go over the bike with a fine tooth comb just to write up more stuff on you...

Cookie

They are basically mini-blacklight bulbs... same purplish color that doesn't have a UV filter over the UV reflective materials glow. Really it just turned the gauges purple.