LED headlights?

[Kiwi_Roy]

I got the Antline LED emitters for my taillight and turn signal lights. Hecho en China, but cheap enough we'll see how long they last. The taillight LED's are easily twice as bright as the incandescent bulbs. Happy there!
However, the turn signal LED's are having an issue. When I replace just one bulb on a side with a LED, the turn signals blink normally. When I replace both bulbs on a side with the LED's, the turn signal lamp on the dash comes on, and the emitters just glow dimly, not blinking. What's up with that? Is it because the LED's don't draw enough amps to trip the flasher? Can I add a resister to the circuit or maybe install a different flasher? Head scratcher for sure... For now I am running the LED's on the front with the incandescent bulbs on the back.
Larry

There's usually a way around having to add huge resistors , it would help to know what bike you are trying to put them on.
The flasher relay for incandescent lamps work on lamp current which LEDs don't have, you need an electronic flasher.
Adding resistors is a crude way to waste the current you were trying to save.
If you have just a single idiot light on the dash for the direction indicators you will need to add a couple of small diodes to prevent crosstalk from left to right.


The CARC and V7s don't have a flasher relay, they may have a "bulb out" alarm that needs to be fooled when running LED flashers a tiny (in size) 1K 1.4 Watt resistor will do that'
.

[Tom H]

Kiwi knows when it comes to electrickery.

If you have a cube or round style flasher relay, they make ones for LED. You might try one, they are under $10.

I have a '07 HD that I converted the rear turn signals to brake, tail, running with the stock HD kit for doing this. Worked great until LED bulbs. With all 4 bulbs, they stopped flashing and the security key light came on. I was ready to install a new flasher until I found out they don't use a flasher relay, it's built into the security system. So...LED for the rear and regular for the front and the bike is happy.

I read about various fixes for the LED issue. Many of them were resistors and there were warnings about heat with them. There was even an aftermarket box like the HD one to convert the rear turn signals that was designed for LED, but at about $110 I decided just the rears would work.

Good luck,
Tom

[Stevex]

Fitted one of these to my LM2 a couple of months back, works with the rear light leds to give the alternator an easier time.
Also stands out more than the halogen, which is partly what I was after.
I had to fit the adaptor ring, and there is enough room in the LM2 fairing for the heat sink.

https://www.classiccarleds.co.uk/products/latest-led-headlight-h4-motorcycle?_pos=6&_sid=dc115cd02&_ss=r&variant=8239030141023

[wirespokes]

Not quite the same, that one's black!  Looks the same otherwise, but I'd rather have silver.

Maybe black is the upgraded color because it dissipates heat better.

[Stevex]

Question: would the LED heat sink behind the bulb that sits inside a normal headlight back shell possibly cook the various wiring near by?

Well, the heat sink is there for a reason and on fit I ty-rapped any loose wires near it away.
Having said that, I took the bike out for a good run the other day with the headlight on and after the ride I felt the heat sink and it was barely warm.

[greer]

Thanks for the replies, scrapped Headlight Experts altogether and we'll look at these "tried and true" options.  Charlie and wirespokes, is it a big deal to modify the retaining clip, or just a minor tweak? 

Sarah

[Stevex]

Thanks for that.
Is the heat sink inside your headlight back cover?
You took the headlamp unit apart to feel it?
My question was reference an enclosed setup, with the heat sink inside the headlamp unit

Taken this photo as my fairing is off for other work.
You can see the heat sink; to its immediate right is the led control box which I've ty-rapped to the headlight support.
Classic cars do an extension lead so this box can be fitted to a more suitable location if required.

[wirespokes]

They don't put out much heat - I believe the fins and fans are needed to remove the heat from the chips so they don't overheat. Since they're low wattage, they don't heat up anywhere near as much as a halogen.

As for modifying the retaining clip - no, it wasn't a big deal. Hard to say what will be needed for a different one like yours Greer. I don't know why there has to be so many variations in retainer design, but the difference is about an eighth of an inch less depth where the retainer presses against the 'bulb' flange.

[Stevex]

One thing to be careful off is the law in your area. I see a couple of fellow NZers here, LED headlamp bulbs are illegal here unless the whole headlamp unit is replaced with one designed for LEDs.
You cannot just put an LED bulb in a incandescent lamp. The issue is headlamp lens and reflectors are designed to work with the light emitting part in a certain area, LEDs often move that point, meaning the light pattern is wrong.

From the VIRM:

reasons for rejecting:

Modifications
18. A headlamp is retrofitted with a type of light source other than that specified by the vehicle manufacturer or the headlamp manufacturer (eg a headlamp designed for a halogen bulb is fitted with any other type of light source such as an HID or LED bulb, or any other light source such as LED strips or non-OEM angel eyes)

From
https://vehicleinspection.nzta.govt.nz/virms/in-service-wof-and-cof/general/lighting/headlamps#note8

They're not up to date with the latest led developments then.
Admittedly there are a lot of useless, as far a light scatter goes, mainly chinese, leds out there.
However, at least in the UK, there are led headlight units which focus light in exactly the same way as a halogen bulb.
Here:

https://www.classiccarleds.co.uk/products/latest-led-headlight-h4-motorcycle?_pos=6&_sid=dc115cd02&_ss=r&variant=8239030141023

[greer]

Thank you, wirespokes.  I'm not sure anyone else has tried to fit an LED bulb in a V9 headlight shell, so we may be in for some trial and error.

Sarah

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Thank you, wirespokes.  I'm not sure anyone else has tried to fit an LED bulb in a V9 headlight shell, so we may be in for some trial and error.

Sarah

From the parts illustration, the bulb looks like a normal H4, so it shouldn't be difficult. In the 2013 V7 Stone I had, the LED bulb I used:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WNN6P9W fit in perfectly once I removed a small circular trim piece (held in by three screws).

[greer]

Thank you, Charlie! 

Sarah 

[Bert Remington]

Sarah -- I bought those, albeit at a higher price from DDM who is local.  However DDM was honest enough to not claim "no electromagnetic interference."  After installation I was getting P1607 and other codes.  I had to purchase and install the CANbus filter external to the headlight housing.

[greer]

Thanks for the warning, Bert.  I believe John in PA was helping a young friend with LED lights on a Bobber some time back, I will send him a pm and ask how that turned out.  When it comes to electrics, it needs to be the simplest plug & play or it sails right over our heads.  Thanks again.

Sarah

[Kiwi_Roy]

Moved to V7 First Year Mods
 

[jamesfjamesf]

One thing to check before you get to ordering though: base shape. All of the LED bulbs have a P43T base (round-ish with three prongs) and some Italian headlights (V50, V65, Morini, etc.) use a P45T base bulb which is larger, still round, but without tabs. I'm not sure which the Lario had. All is not lost though - a simple adapter allows one to use the P43T in a P45T headlight.

I found this gem in the wayback machine after scratching my head staring at the new LED bulb that won't fit the V50. I assume the plastic adapters can handle the heat of LEDs?

jim

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

I found this gem in the wayback machine after scratching my head staring at the new LED bulb that won't fit the V50. I assume the plastic adapters can handle the heat of LEDs?

jim

Hasn't been an issue on anything I've used them on.
https://www.classiccarleds.co.uk/collections/headlight-led-bulbs/products/p45t-r2-h5-to-p43t-h4-bulb-adapter