Donate!
Welcome, Guest. Please Login or Register :: View Members
Pages: 1
Send Topic Print
Chinese LED running lights (Read 93 times)
49mack
YaBB Newbies
*
Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 42

Chinese LED running lights
01/13/15 at 12:42:19
 
I bought a pair of Chinese LED running lights on ebay that have very nice aluminum machine work but the bolts are too short to mount to the forks. No problem - just need longer bolts. My real question is, who has experience with this type of supplemental lighting? Can they be piggy backed on the headlight wires? Is a ballast required? Can I wire them directly to the battery with an on / off switch? I am primarily interested in increased daytime visibility. Too many deer here in the Texas Hill Country to ride at night! Thanks for any input. Oh, also, they are certainly not waterproof and will require some means of keeping water out to prevent corrosion at the LED contacts. That shouldn't be hard to solve. Just an FYI. At the moment I have them temporarily mocked up on my front turn signal stalks. They actually look pretty cool.
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
Dave
YaBB Moderator
ModSquad
*****
Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 18098
Camp Springs, Kentucky
Gender: male
Re:  Chinese LED running lights
Reply #1 - 01/13/15 at 13:26:20
 
Well, I don't know how to solve your waterproofing problem.

For wiring...you could remove the wire that powers the running lights in the front turn signals.  If you decided to use the headlight for the source of power....then they will only work in the Hi/Lo position...whichever wire you connect the LED's to.

How many watts are they?  You only have about 100 watts of total power in the charging system.  Adding a few watts of lights won't burden the wires or charging system much at all.....you can't get away with adding a pair of 25-50 watt bulbs on this bike.

Back to top
 
« Last Edit: 01/14/15 at 03:43:46 by Dave »  

Someday I will be old......But not today!

  IP Logged
MMRanch
Serious Thumper
*****
Offline

Evil flourishes if
Good Men do Nothing.

Posts: 5836
LYNCHBURG TN
Gender: male
Re:  Chinese LED running lights
Reply #2 - 01/13/15 at 16:00:19
 
Mack , show us a picture !  Tongue    Please  Smiley    

I'd like to have white running light instead of the yellow turn signal ones.   Then put after market turn signals somewhere else , but haven't done it yet because I'm not sure where to put them  Roll Eyes
Back to top
 
 

I see and feel the Holy Spirit in the world , as does anybody who has eyes to see.
WWW MMRanch MMRanch   IP Logged
Philmh
Junior Member
**
Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 61

Re:  Chinese LED running lights
Reply #3 - 01/14/15 at 14:55:40
 
I used to work a job that we used LED lights as side markers and they weren't waterproof.  We used hot glue at first and it held up pretty well. What held up the best was clear silicone caulk.  You could form it, cut it, and it was flexible. We encased the entire light and the connections separately and it held up on vehicles in rather extreme conditions.

IHTH
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
Dave
YaBB Moderator
ModSquad
*****
Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 18098
Camp Springs, Kentucky
Gender: male
Re:  Chinese LED running lights
Reply #4 - 01/15/15 at 03:47:49
 
Super Bright LED's offers several lights in the 10W - 18W rating, and several different beam angles that are well made. These are not the least expensive LED's on the planet...but their products are well made and durable.  The reviews offer some good insight on the beam angle to use....several guys have installed them on their motorcycles and report good things.  Remember -  these lights don't have a vertical cut off....and as a result that will be shining in the eyes of oncoming traffic.  At night you may need to turn them off for oncoming traffic, and that may be a reason to hook them up to your high beam circuit.  We just installed a 22W LED on your office building, and it lights up an entire parking lot that is 16 spaces and a 24 foot wide center aisle.  If you install a pair of 10W lights you might be OK from an electrical standpoint....installing a pair of 18W lights will most likely take up too much of the 100 Watt charging circuit power....and might overload the wiring and switches if you don't use a relay and just plug into the exiting wiring.
https://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/mini-auxiliary-lights/

I don't know how much visibility these would add - but they are horribly convenient as they have an adhesive mount and are already wired for 12 volt.  They are only 1.5 watt - but they are really bright.  I used these as replacement lights inside my turn signals, and they are very visible in bright sunshine.
https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/costume-lighting/plm-series-wired-on...
 
Back to top
 
« Last Edit: 01/15/15 at 04:49:40 by Dave »  

Someday I will be old......But not today!

  IP Logged
49mack
YaBB Newbies
*
Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 42

Re:  Chinese LED running lights
Reply #5 - 01/15/15 at 07:29:36
 
Thanks to all for your replies. The seller responded saying they will work with 12 to 80 volts DC power. Their engineers said they could be wired into the headlight power supply or direct to the battery.  As far as waterproofing, I have considered silicone seal and think that would be the only way to go. There is not enough thread on the main light housing to add a washer or O-ring. I'll experiment and report back. Again, thanks to all who offered suggetions. I will try and post a picture. . . they do look cool on the turn signal stalks - neat and tidy.  Just looking for more daytime visibility.
Back to top
 
 
  IP Logged
Dave
YaBB Moderator
ModSquad
*****
Offline

SuzukiSavage.com
Rocks!

Posts: 18098
Camp Springs, Kentucky
Gender: male
Re:  Chinese LED running lights
Reply #6 - 01/15/15 at 07:44:29
 
Can you supply a link to what you are looking at?
Back to top
 
 

Someday I will be old......But not today!

  IP Logged
Pages: 1
Send Topic Print


« Home

 
« Home
SuzukiSavage.com
09/27/24 at 16:27:31



General CategoryRubber Side Down! › Chinese LED running lights


SuzukiSavage.com » Powered by YaBB 2.2!
YaBB © 2000-2007. All Rights Reserved.