Where did you get the flasher and does it have the automotive 1/4 inch prongs or the flat micro three
Has anyone taken the ST full LED (minus HeadLight)
- Thread starter T_C
- Start date
Steve398
... another retired Black Rat.
I've now replaced every bulb, including the headlight H4's, on the bike with LED's and they all work well..... the only exceptions are my fitted PIAA X1100 driving lights, I'd love to swap them across for the LED version as well but it would cost me over $450 here in the UK.
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I just finished my ST1100 to LED today. Clear lens on the front, LED headlight, tail light, etc. Love it and lots of light, I am going to see what the draw is tomorrow when I hook up my volt/amp gauge.
I've replaced my tail/brake lights with some warm white LEDs (red was no good because the number plate is illuminated by the tail light bulbs), my front indicators with clear lenses & flashback LEDS (orange-off-orange-off when flashing, white when not) and marker lights with white LEDS (makes the headlights look yellow in comparison) a while back, been working well.
Recently I replaces the rear indicators with some amber LEDs from superbrightleds - would be handy if a flashback LED failed since the original bulbs wouldn't be any good with the clear lenses.
I have a 4800 Lumens H4 bulb on the way for my DR650, I might try it in the ST1300 to see how it looks. If I like it I might buy two more and change over the ST1300 headlight bulbs.
Recently I replaces the rear indicators with some amber LEDs from superbrightleds - would be handy if a flashback LED failed since the original bulbs wouldn't be any good with the clear lenses.
I have a 4800 Lumens H4 bulb on the way for my DR650, I might try it in the ST1300 to see how it looks. If I like it I might buy two more and change over the ST1300 headlight bulbs.
I'm having trouble understanding this bit. What do the rear indicators (turn signals?) have to do with flashback (switchback?) LEDs? Are you talking about swapping an amber LED from the rear turn signal to the front in the eent of a switchback failure? Or do you mean converting the rear turn signals to amber LED and getting a spare while you're at it?
Yes, that is what I'm talking about.
The original bulbs are fine as spares for the rear indicators but wouldn't do for the switchbacks (due to clear lenses), so if a switchback LED failed I could borrow one of the rear orange LEDs to use in the front and put a bulb in the rear temporarily.
I assume then that you put 7443 LEDs in the rear instead of 7440s? Otherwise you'd have a turn signal but no position light. Not a big deal in a temporary situation though.
Nah, I went with 7440s because I figured that would be enough to make the fronts legal while I ordered a replacement for a failed LED. I really just needed something orange and blinking rather than white and blinking (which is all the original bulbs can do).
I did think of buying 2 more flashback LEDs but decided the cost wasn't worth it, especially when the current flashback LEDs in the front could run for years without failure.
OP
OP
FYI
You could put 7443s in back and they would work fine. Thd low wattage wires are not present on the turn signal sockets.
The white side of my flashbacks failed in the front turn signals. I moved those to the back. Brightest rear turn signals I have seen yet.
You could put 7443s in back and they would work fine. Thd low wattage wires are not present on the turn signal sockets.
The white side of my flashbacks failed in the front turn signals. I moved those to the back. Brightest rear turn signals I have seen yet.
Steve398
... another retired Black Rat.
Actually McCruise do offer a set up that is intended to work with LED bulbs but the unit costs an additional $25. I have full LED set-up on the ST13 and have just fitted the McCruise LED version with no problems.
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I'm taking a page out of that book as well. I'm still looking for suitable tail light LEDs. I have some from Superbright LEDs now and they're brighter than stock but don't fully illuminate the tail light lens.
OP
OP
These are what I used for my rear trun signals. Light up the housing very nicely.
Ebay-link
I liked them up front until the white leds (driver most likely) burned out. In back they work good too.
Next time I buy some switch backs I am mounting them in a mirror housing and letting them burn-in for hours, maybe even set the holder in a slightly warmed oven to simulate a hot summer day in the sun. Do this soon as they arrive so I can promptly do the refund thing if they die.
Ebay-link
I liked them up front until the white leds (driver most likely) burned out. In back they work good too.
Next time I buy some switch backs I am mounting them in a mirror housing and letting them burn-in for hours, maybe even set the holder in a slightly warmed oven to simulate a hot summer day in the sun. Do this soon as they arrive so I can promptly do the refund thing if they die.
OP
OP
We will agree to disagree. The stock brake lights on a ST1300 are barely better then the stock horn IMO. A 3rd brake light of some type is what helps the tail end the most.
Most of the LED bulbs I tried were not very good. I did go through at least a dozen brake light bulbs alone. Only turn signals I ever found were the switchback ones. The vendors all fib so much you can't tell anything till you buy and try.
My rear indicators are these ones: https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...lb-27-smd-led-tower-wedge-retrofit/2611/5709/
They seem to work really well, brighter than stock bulbs and seem to work as well as they should. Being amber most of the light passes through the orange lens.
My brake lights are these ones: https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...6-smd-led-tower-wedge-retrofit-car/1822/4234/
Also brighter than stock and I think with a greater difference when using the brakes. I went with warm white because red LEDs wouldn't be legal for illuminating the license plate and with cool white there would be less of the light making its way through the red tail light lens.
I use this little light for the marker lights: https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...d-tower-miniature-wedge-retrofit-car/206/919/
With these and with the flashback LEDs I've got improved visibility to other motorists, hopefully keeping me safer.
My flashback LEDs are these ones: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SFSQ21K?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s01
They claim to be the brightest switchback bulb in the market, but I don't own any other flashback LEDs to compare them to, so I can't confirm or deny that one.
All of these LEDs seem to work better than the bulbs they replace, while using less power and with at least a theoretical large increase in lifespan.
I'd like to change the headlight bulbs to LEDs as well, but I'm a bit more cautious on those because the light needs to be focused well and not be a safety hazard to other vehicles while being effective at lighting the road.
I do have one of these: http://stores.advmonster.com/h4-r3-led-headlight/ sitting on my desk that I could try before putting it in my DR650. I don't think the little tabs are right for the unusual ST1300 fitting though.
This one: http://www.cyclopsadventuresports.com/3800-Lumen-H4-LED-Headlight-bulb-_p_83.html has an option for an extra $2.50 to get the ST1300 version, maybe worth considering.
At the moment the halogens look decidedly yellow next to the LEDs.
They seem to work really well, brighter than stock bulbs and seem to work as well as they should. Being amber most of the light passes through the orange lens.
My brake lights are these ones: https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...6-smd-led-tower-wedge-retrofit-car/1822/4234/
Also brighter than stock and I think with a greater difference when using the brakes. I went with warm white because red LEDs wouldn't be legal for illuminating the license plate and with cool white there would be less of the light making its way through the red tail light lens.
I use this little light for the marker lights: https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...d-tower-miniature-wedge-retrofit-car/206/919/
With these and with the flashback LEDs I've got improved visibility to other motorists, hopefully keeping me safer.
My flashback LEDs are these ones: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SFSQ21K?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s01
They claim to be the brightest switchback bulb in the market, but I don't own any other flashback LEDs to compare them to, so I can't confirm or deny that one.
All of these LEDs seem to work better than the bulbs they replace, while using less power and with at least a theoretical large increase in lifespan.
I'd like to change the headlight bulbs to LEDs as well, but I'm a bit more cautious on those because the light needs to be focused well and not be a safety hazard to other vehicles while being effective at lighting the road.
I do have one of these: http://stores.advmonster.com/h4-r3-led-headlight/ sitting on my desk that I could try before putting it in my DR650. I don't think the little tabs are right for the unusual ST1300 fitting though.
This one: http://www.cyclopsadventuresports.com/3800-Lumen-H4-LED-Headlight-bulb-_p_83.html has an option for an extra $2.50 to get the ST1300 version, maybe worth considering.
At the moment the halogens look decidedly yellow next to the LEDs.
OP
OP
I have heard of other people voice this concern... and I had it too. I thought about a small strip of white LED's at the bottom of the brakelight housing, put it inside the housing to keep it weathertite. But even easier, add in a light to illuminate the license plate from the bolt side of things.
Like these
I should try updating my tail lights (and only by association the brake light). The brake lights are fine and I have two aux brake lights anyway.
My tail/brake LEDs are red. I chose red because there hasn't been much reason to ride in darkness and I wanted the tail lights as bright as possible red LEDs being the most efficient color behind the red lens. I've seen the LED bolts and thought about them but more wires... An LED strip inside the housing would be very trick. There will have to be a dedicated buss for all the extra LED lights!
This is what I have for the brake/tail lights: https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...1-high-power-led-wedge-retrofit-car/925/2276/ Notice there are no LEDs on the circumference of the housing and only one on the end. Somewhere on ST-O I have a pic of the incandescent and LED in the housing. The LED is definitely brighter but it's a spot. The bulb isn't as bright but the lens is illuminated fully. But it's not seen as well at distance.
I'll try the red version of Kiwi's brake/tail light choice. It will light up the lens better but I don't know if the end LEDs will match the LED/lens combo of my current light.
My SwitchBacks are from Fyre Fly http://shop.fyreflys.com/Dual-Color-Switchback-60-LED-Turn-Signal-Resistors-DC60.htm They have 60 white and 60 amber LEDs. There are no tech specs listed. As T_C says vendors are not to be believed. I find the 500lumen claim of the Z8 SBs hard to believe. At $100 a pair I'm not going to find out.
What I really want is some YELLOW LEDs NOT amber for the front position lights. Someone here turned me onto some YELLOW LEDs in an external housing that I have to find a spot for. They're not very bright and I haven't try to jury-rig a mount for night testing. But they are yellow. So far nothing for the position lights.
My tail/brake LEDs are red. I chose red because there hasn't been much reason to ride in darkness and I wanted the tail lights as bright as possible red LEDs being the most efficient color behind the red lens. I've seen the LED bolts and thought about them but more wires... An LED strip inside the housing would be very trick. There will have to be a dedicated buss for all the extra LED lights!
This is what I have for the brake/tail lights: https://www.superbrightleds.com/mor...1-high-power-led-wedge-retrofit-car/925/2276/ Notice there are no LEDs on the circumference of the housing and only one on the end. Somewhere on ST-O I have a pic of the incandescent and LED in the housing. The LED is definitely brighter but it's a spot. The bulb isn't as bright but the lens is illuminated fully. But it's not seen as well at distance.
I'll try the red version of Kiwi's brake/tail light choice. It will light up the lens better but I don't know if the end LEDs will match the LED/lens combo of my current light.
My SwitchBacks are from Fyre Fly http://shop.fyreflys.com/Dual-Color-Switchback-60-LED-Turn-Signal-Resistors-DC60.htm They have 60 white and 60 amber LEDs. There are no tech specs listed. As T_C says vendors are not to be believed. I find the 500lumen claim of the Z8 SBs hard to believe. At $100 a pair I'm not going to find out.
What I really want is some YELLOW LEDs NOT amber for the front position lights. Someone here turned me onto some YELLOW LEDs in an external housing that I have to find a spot for. They're not very bright and I haven't try to jury-rig a mount for night testing. But they are yellow. So far nothing for the position lights.
Red might be more efficient (actually it might not) but there is no guarantee that the red version of the one I use will light up the lens better.
The Lumens from the warm white is 30/196 while drawing 40/185mA
The Lumens from the red is 13/60 while drawing 70/150mA
I'm not sure of how much light the red lens reduces but with a lot more Lumens to start with and not much difference in power draw I like the specs on the warm white better.
The cool white is 6000k while the warm white is 2900k, so there must be much more light at the longer end of the spectrum coming out of the warm white LED.
I did test mine with one LED & one bulb, the LED looks brighter than the stock bulb but not by a huge margin, then when you press the brakes the LED jumps up in brightness MUCH more than the stock bulb - I like that greater difference as I think it would stand out more to other motorists.
If anyone has any info on how many Lumens would reach the other side of the red lens from the red LED vs from a warm white LED then I'd love to know. Right now I don't know how 13 Lumens of red light compares to 30 Lumens of warm (2900k) white light once the red lens is there, ditto for 60 Lumens of red vs 196 Lumens of warm white.