Wildguzzi.com
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: GuzziNZ on October 02, 2024, 04:24:18 AM
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The warning lights on the instruments of my 850T are very dim so I would like to change them out for brighter LED.
Someone said that it wouldn't work for the alternator light as it would stop the alternator from charging. Is this true and is there a work around?
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Instrument lights on my T3 were very dim. I "high sided" the bike and destroyed the instrument panel. I bought a replacement from MG Cycle. The fresh plastic lenses displayed the original bulbs quite well. Perhaps your lenses also are failing to transmit light properly?
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The warning lights on the instruments of my 850T are very dim so I would like to change them out for brighter LED.
Someone said that it wouldn't work for the alternator light as it would stop the alternator from charging. Is this true and is there a work around?
If you have the original Bosch charging system and want to use an LED in the "charge" warning light, then you'll need a "bootstrap harness" for the system to charge properly. Gregory Bender sells one.
(https://i.ibb.co/KNq0ttT/wiring-subharness-tonti-rect-bootstrap-1.jpg) (https://ibb.co/KNq0ttT)
This is the resistor in the harness.
(https://i.ibb.co/xY3jgXh/Bootstrap-resistor.jpg) (https://ibb.co/xY3jgXh)
One end connects to a switched terminal on the fuseblock, the other to the warning light terminal on the diode board.
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IIRC I purchased bayonet fit LEDs for all the warning lights on my 95 Cali EXCEPT for the charge light and the main beam.
Worked fine
HTH
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I have used the type 194 lamp from Superbrightleds.com in several Guzzi dashes, they are much brighter than most incandescents
Be sure to get the colours that match the bezels or you won't be able to see them.
The 194 is a 12 Volt AC lamp, it has a bridge rectifier inside so you don't need to worry about Polarity but a typical LED only draws ~ 10 milliamps
The charge light on your bike needs to draw a significant current to excite the rotor, the picture of Greg Bender's shows Black Red Green or 25 Ohm
The resistor will need to be a 5 Watt to dissipate the heat or you could connect the original lamp in parallel with the LED.
https://www.superbrightleds.com/catalog/product/view/id/202848/s/194-led-bulb-1-led-miniature-wedge-base/category/4051/
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Bender's resistor does not appear to be 5 watt.
(https://i.ibb.co/GCW2jpH/51m4-L-26-Am-L-AC-UF1000-1000-QL80-FMwebp.webp) (https://ibb.co/GCW2jpH)
This is 5 watt.
5 watt resistors are physically much larger than the one pictured heat shrunk into the wire.
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I replaced all of the dashboard lights on my Cal with LED's (including the "charge" lamp) several years ago. I didn't put in a resister for the charge lamp but have had no charging issues. Did I do something wrong?
Larry
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You can also just leave the charge light OEM and just upgrade the turn signals and maybe the neutral light. I think that is what I did and seems like a good balance.
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I replaced all of the dashboard lights on my Cal with LED's (including the "charge" lamp) several years ago. I didn't put in a resister for the charge lamp but have had no charging issues. Did I do something wrong?
Larry
Your Cal likely has a Ducati Electronica charging system, so the "bootstrap harness" doesn't apply (only needed for Bosch charging system equipped bikes as I wrote in my previous post).
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The charge light on your bike needs to draw a significant current to excite the rotor, the picture of Greg Bender's shows Black Red Green or 25 Ohm
The resistor will need to be a 5 Watt to dissipate the heat or you could connect the original lamp in parallel with the LED.
https://www.superbrightleds.com/catalog/product/view/id/202848/s/194-led-bulb-1-led-miniature-wedge-base/category/4051/
I've used the Greg Bender bootstrap harness on a half dozen bikes now and it works just fine with that resistor, no heat issues whatsoever. <shrug>
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When I upgraded mine I started off with a separate resistor for the charge light but connecting it was a pita and the connections were not very durable with the engine vibrations.Gutsibit s in the UK supplied me with the right fixture and a bulb with a built in resistance but I dont have e reference for that.I'm sure you could source one in the US though.
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I want a an adjustable brightness setting. Sometimes at night the brightness makes my catracks bother . Then of course during the day the warning lights are not bright enough. I’ve just thought about it but never did anything. I do like visors on the headlight and turn signals along with spotlights, they make it so much easier to see at night without light leaking out the top and sides