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Message started by Dave on 10/24/14 at 08:55:40

Title: Flashing LED Brake Light
Post by Dave on 10/24/14 at 08:55:40

I have not been an advocate of switching out the stock 1157 tail/brake light bulb for an LED - as the cheap LED's are not as bright, and are hard to see in the daylight. You are safer with the stock bulb than a cheap LED. When you replace your brake light or turn signal bulbs with LED ones - put the bike in the sunlight and get back 200 feet....and then see how visible it is. The folks that are going to run you over aren't likely to be 20 feet behind you when you put on the brakes or turn signals, they are most likely to be back a bit and gaining on you fast.

I have found an LED replacement for the stock 1157 bulb that I believe is better than the stock bulb, and I have ordered them for use in the ST1100 and my car. The bulb is sold by Superbright, and at $ 18.95 each they are not cheap - but they have a built in brake light flasher and it is not any more expensive than installing a brake light flasher....plus it is brighter, lasts longer and uses less energy.

https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/car-strobe-modules/1157-led-bulb-dual-intensity-1-x-3-watt-high-power-led-w-brake-flasher/923/2274/

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQh-0bRqx3c[/media]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQh-0bRqx3c

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjuCIUk9E4o[/media]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjuCIUk9E4o

This may be helpful in getting folks to look up from their cell phones!

Title: Re: Flashing LED Brake Light
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 10/24/14 at 10:10:51

The bulb is sold by Superbright, and at $ 18.95 each they are not cheap - but they have a built in brake light flasher and it is not any more expensive than installing a brake light flasher....plus it is brighter, lasts longer and uses less energy.

No,, NOT Cheap,, But, If it avoids even some major drama , its a good deal,I think we all know to flash the brake light a few times when we have tine during a stop when we are obviously in a traffic situation,, we know someone is a ways back,, no idea what theyre doing besides driving,, and we all know to stop , aimed to the side and far enough back to escape from between the one in front and the one coming up behind,, But having a Good Bright, Self flashing brake light is a good plan,,, IF it only flashes a few times, then goes solid,, Im not sure how I feel about one that keeps blinking,

Does it go to a solid light?

Title: Re: Flashing LED Brake Light
Post by Dave on 10/24/14 at 10:22:35

This light flashes 3 times - then goes solid for about a minute. After a minute it flashes 3 times again....and goes solid.

It is illegal to have a continual flashing red light - but one that pulses a few times when activated is legal.

Title: Re: Flashing LED Brake Light
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 10/24/14 at 12:00:58

Sounds like a good plan to me,,

Title: Re: Flashing LED Brake Light
Post by stewmills on 10/24/14 at 13:09:59

Thanks, Dave! I perused these a while back and was not sure if they were a gimmick but now that you bring them up I value your professional opinion and may grab one.

My only question is whether or not it requires anything to function properly or if it just snaps in and it's ready. Reason I ask is per this comment on the sellers website:

Your vehicle may require an LED compatible Flasher or Load Resistor. LED brake/tail lamps will not flash with most stock flasher units due to their extremely low current draw ...Please See More LED Car Bulb Notes

Thanks!

Title: Re: Flashing LED Brake Light
Post by Dave on 10/24/14 at 13:18:00

The Savage is primitive.....and you just need to plug in the light and then play!

If you read through some of the reviews - you will find that some of the modern cars are so sophisticated that they have warning lights for light bulbs that are burned out. If you replace a conventional bulb with an LED on those cars - they can believe the light is burned out and the dash will display the warning.

No problems on the Savage or other motorcycles without high tech electronic warnings.

Dave

Title: Re: Flashing LED Brake Light
Post by stewmills on 10/24/14 at 14:11:28

Sweet. Another example of why being all high-tech is not always the bestest. ;)

I placed my order :P

Thanks Dave!

Title: Re: Flashing LED Brake Light
Post by ezornes239 on 10/24/14 at 20:41:44

So will it still do that stupid spinny thing without the brake pulled in? I have no problem with a couple flashes while the brakes are on, but that continuous spinny thing it does has pissed me off since the day I got it. Just haven't found a taillight I like better yet...

Title: Re: Flashing LED Brake Light
Post by Dave on 10/25/14 at 03:15:09

312E3B263A312766676D540 wrote:

No spinning. It is a steady light until you apply the brake, then 3 bright flashes and then steady bright for a full minute....then 3 more flashes every minute until you let go of the brake.

Title: Re: Flashing LED Brake Light
Post by Dave on 10/27/14 at 11:29:15

I got my lights in the mail today. I put one of the 7443 plug in bulbs in the right side of my car and turned on the running lights.....and it appears dimmer than the stock bulb. The problem is the stock 7443 bulb is very short in lenght, and the LED light is much longer (deeper) than the stock one.....it moves the light back out of the parabolic reflector...so I have a point of light instead of the entire lens being filled with light.

I will try the 1157 bulbs in the Honda tonight and see what happens......and if they are not better....I am sending them back! My goal was to be more visible.....not less!

Title: Re: Flashing LED Brake Light
Post by stewmills on 10/27/14 at 13:15:43

I'm waiting on mine to come in for the stock S40 brake light. Not sure if you (Dave) still have the stock tail light for comparison? If not, I'll report back in a few days with a stock comparison as soon as mine gets here.

Agreed...if it's less bright and therefore less visible it'll be worthless to me and be on a trip back home.

Title: Re: Flashing LED Brake Light
Post by thumperclone on 10/27/14 at 13:22:13

ive bought several items from superbright over the years FYI:
tech specs are given along with physical measurements for their bulbs
so fitiment is easier

Title: Re: Flashing LED Brake Light
Post by MnSpring on 10/27/14 at 14:21:33

The LED Break light 'bulb', from 'Superbrightled', is Well Worth it.

They are not the 'cheep', knock offs, and if you want to go standard, or pulse, you can't go wrong. (You pay for them, but they are worth it)

However, I just 'have', to be, different.
So I built a little bracket, used these:
https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/led-wired-bolts/bolt-beam-12mm-led-light/1494/

A 'Red' each side, and a, 'Blue', in the center.
These are 'tipped' up a bit, so thinking a tall SUV, or Truck, will see them easier. And, they, 'ARE', bright.

Now, BLUE, as a rear light. In Minn, Blue, in the rear, of a M.C. IS Legal !!!! (perhaps other States, check your laws).
As long as it is 1" or Less. (These are 1/2"), and it is operated Only, when the break is applied.

Have had people riding behind me, (in the day), when I tap/flash, the break light, to warn of a bit of rough road. They tell me, 'They can really see them, and it really catches your eye'.

So check your state laws. And perhaps check about, 'green'. would that work? Point is, something, 'different', to, "Catch That Attention".

Thought of drilling a little hole in the factory, plastic, and adding the, 'Blue' light.

Title: Re: Flashing LED Brake Light
Post by Kris01 on 10/27/14 at 14:28:32

Definitely not legal in most states.

Title: Re: Flashing LED Brake Light
Post by Dave on 10/27/14 at 14:43:19

Well, I mounted the 1157 replacement bulbs in the Honda ST1100, and they work great. They are brighter, and they make the light look less orange and more red.

I then tried the 7443 bulbs in my wife's Honda Civic car, and they work fine in her car. The rear light housings are deeper and the lenses have the prisms in them......my Pontiac Vibe does not. The 7443 replacement LED's evidently don't work well in lights with shallow reflectors and lenses without prisms.

So.....we will have to see how much luck Kris01 has with the Savage. They work great in Honda's (car and bike).

Title: Re: Flashing LED Brake Light
Post by Dave on 10/27/14 at 17:47:58

I just got back from delivering one of the 1157 bulbs to a friend who put the LED in the back of his BMW Paris Dakar bike. The stock tail light is mounted in rubber and is hard on conventional filament bulbs....it bounces around and the filaments break. This LED bulb is so much brighter than the stock 1157 bulb in that light.....it has a lens with lots of diamond grids and a reflector built into the lens - it absolutely lit up with the LED. The pulsing brake light really worked great in that bike.

So far.....my Pontiac Vibe with the 7443 bulbs is the only loser.

Dave

Title: Re: Flashing LED Brake Light
Post by stewmills on 10/29/14 at 20:32:00

Ok. so I got my light in today and despite how crappy my video comparison is, it's worth the value IMO. The S40 stock housing recesses the bulb back enough where it properly reflects throughout the housing to the rear as well as the sides.

Anyhow, sorry for the crappy video...it was kinda dark in the garage and I have lost me editing skills since I don't play with the computer much anymore.

Left side is stock, right side is the new bulb...of course it's the one that blinks. ;)

View My Video here (http://tinypic.com/r/2jbpgkz/8)

(sorry for the link out. couldn't figure out how to embed the video here)

Title: Re: Flashing LED Brake Light
Post by Tocsik on 06/26/17 at 13:00:25

Anyone else have problems with this bulb flickering instead of flashing at RPM's above idle? Or when things are heated up?

Electrical changes I've made prior to switching to the flashing brake bulb are: aftermarket rear turn signals moved to the license plate bracket (incandescent), swapped out the stock horn for a FIAMM and am running the Native H4 LED headlight from ADVMonster. All of which have been in place a while and are working as expected. Could the LED headlight be causing interference in the circuit or changing the draw enough to cause problems with an LED tail/brake light?

Title: Re: Flashing LED Brake Light
Post by maniacmedia on 07/19/17 at 16:13:16

Anyone know of another source for that bulb? The Super Bright link says it's discontinued.

Title: Re: Flashing LED Brake Light
Post by stewmills on 07/20/17 at 06:46:41

Not that I didn't believe you, I just didn't believe SBLEDs wouldn't have it. WOW. I have these in both my bikes and love them...hope they don't go out on me any time soon.

fleabay has other brands listed, but I don' think any of these have been tested to ensure they fit and work properly with our reflector to provide ample light.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_sacat=0&_nkw=1157%20flashing%20LED&rt=nc&LH_PrefLoc=3&_trksid=p2045573.m1684

Title: Re: Flashing LED Brake Light
Post by eau de sauvage on 07/21/17 at 17:25:05

imho, modulated headlights should be the first thing you'd want flashing. Rear light flasher are, if you think about it, less safe. Why? Because you should always be aware of what's going on behind you and if you need to warn a tailgater or if you simply want to give traffic behind you that is travelling at speed a heads up because you suspect they have not seen the problem up ahead as you have, then it's best practice to flash the lights manually.

That way you can give various levels of urgency to the flash pattern. I do this all the time, I would not want any automation getting in the way, I might want to do a series of triple flashes or long and short flashed depending on the situation.

Title: Re: Flashing LED Brake Light
Post by Ruttly on 07/21/17 at 21:29:58

Harley has a very durable 1157 type bulb that I use in my bikes. I just went and looked there is no part number on the bag. The one I put in the Sportster has been in the bike for 12 years.
It's going to burn out tomorrow just cause I opened my mouth !!!!

Title: Re: Flashing LED Brake Light
Post by DavidP on 07/22/17 at 09:39:55

Yes me. 1997 Savage. I was delighted when I first got it but soon noticed your symptoms. I made a video for the supplier and they sent me another which did the same thing. They refunded my money no questions asked. Great people but sad brake light.

340F0313090B600 wrote: