Here's a couple of pics of some tinkering I was doing with LED's - comments?


Running lights on left - Brake on right.

a lot of aftermarket taillights I've seen look cheesy. this looks sharp.

How'd you do it?

-Riz

That looks great!!    Please post how you did it.

It's kinda funny.  I used the piece of plastic left over from my fenderectomy.  I cut it to the size of the tail lamp and then drilled holes for the LED's using a template I printed.  Soldered all the LED's along with the resistors and stuck it in place.  I could make a plexi cover to fit into the taillight opening to finish it off.  I don't know if I should pursue this any further though.

The LED's show kinda funny on pics though - looks much better in real life.

Here's a couple of shots of the "holder"

Back


Front


LIke I said, still in the R & D phase - doesn't look too pretty.

One question.   how do you have the leds powered up.

Having LED's in parallel is a bad Idea.  Each string of LEDs should have their own resistor.    It could cost you alot of LED's if you dont.

I have an old computer power supply that I test with.  I left it on for half a day and it didn't affect the LED's.  Are you saying that each LED should have it's own resistor?  I have resistors between the power wires and LED's now.  The LED's in the pics are using the bike's power.

I don't see voltage regulator there...

more info..

http://faq.auto.light.tripod.com/signal-leds.htm

For me, I just stick a 4" truck LED taillight module to the tail.

I don't want to rain on your parade but...

Have you considered that your home brewed LEDs are not DOT (or whatever agency does the equivelent in Canada) approved and so your bike may not be "street-legal" with them?

Just in case you hadn't considered it...

Oh, I'm not driving around with them, I was just doing some tinkering in the garage.  More wishful thinking of what could have been used instead of that stock tail.

Not being DOT legal doesn't seem to matter much around here...especially if they are bright. Heck have you seen (or not seen) most people's turnsignals? I say if they are as bright, or brighter than stock signals you don't have a problem.

DOT say the Illumination must be certain colors and be visable at certain distances.   the TYPE of lumination isnt discribed .  Automotive builders have stuck with certain univeral designs, even now LEDS are on the market for OEM replacments,  BUS's schools and mass trans are using them.  traffic lights are being converted over to LED as they use less energy.   most DYNAMIC TRAFFIC signs are going LED as they are cheap and dont burnup as easy, nor do they have filiments that break due to bumping of transport.   YOUR design might not be thought of as ligit as you may not be Certified Automotive/electrical engineer. but that would be the only arguent.  aslong as the Colors, placment, and visiable distance are stuck too, you shouldnt have a problem.

Technical detail of wiring up LEDs properly.

Each led has a operating  which should be given by the manufacture.  The ones I used were about 20mA.

Assuming each LED drops 2v then you can put 5 of them in series with one resistor (assuming 14v supply so you dont blow them up when the voltage goes that high (unless you get a Regulator which you would then use the regulator voltage))  

So we want 20 mA  which we will use the resistor to control.  Which if the diodes drop 10v you have to drop 4v with the resistor    R=V/I   so with 4 volts and you want 20mA that means you need a 200ohm resistor in series with 5 LED's and then just keep duplicating that until you get your design.

just stick a truck DOT led module like me...



I have since adjust the vertical angle of module to make it better and cover up the stock light.