LED Auxiliary Lights

[a$$hole]

Originally Posted by Geek

I don't think LEDs can work that way.. they are usually on or off.

Or can these LED actually handle variable voltage for variable output? (though I'm hard pressed to think of a reason you'd want less light )

Almost all of the high output LED flashlights have multiple power settings to choose from. And these are essentially the same thing I think?

[Chuckracer]

Hey...anybody want to trade me your spot for one of my floods?

[Velocibiker]

Is the lens glass?

Anybody come up with a lens cover option similar to the lens covers for the HID aux lights from Trail Tech? If I get these, don't want to crack the lens the first time I get roosted.

[sanjoh]

Originally Posted by Velocibiker

Is the lens glass?

Yes

[aalegado]

I like these lamps! They're now on my farkle list.

I have to address this issue...

Originally Posted by honda_silver

Would it be possible or would it create any problems, to get full power on high beam and then have a dimmer control on low beam??

This Wrong Wrong Wrong.


If you follow this advice you will burn-out your LEDs.

For a given LED's forward voltage (the voltage the LED requires to operate) you must always correctly forward bias a LED. That means the current going through it must be constant. This means that the series, current-limiting resistor must be a fixed value.

By changing the resistor value, you are causing more or less current to flow through the LED—more current with a lower value resistor and vica-versa. This is because the voltage across the LED (that's the LED's forward voltage) is always the same and the resulting voltage across the current-limiting resistor is always the same (for a given LED and voltage source, that's Kirchoff's Voltage Law). If you lower the resistance, the current increases by Ohm's Law, I = V/R.

Less is OK since that can't damage the LED but if it's too low the LED will not light-up.

More is not OK because the LED will burn itself out.

The proper way to vary the brightness of a LED and by extension modulate it's power consumption is to flash it on and off at a rate that achieves the brightness/power consumption you are after. This is what a Pulse-Width-Modulator ("PWM") is doing: It's flashing the LED on and off at a particular rate as well as controlling how long the "on" time is relative to the "off" time.

A PWM flashing an LED at 1KHz (1000 times on/off per second) at a 50% duty-cycle (50% of the time "on" and 50% of the time "off") will produce a 50% brightness. It also results in 50% of the normal power consumption because half the time it is 100% on (full power) and the other half it is 0% on (zero power). That averages out to 50%. Vary the proportion of "on" to "off" and you get different, average brightness/power.

The power controllers for heated gear work the same way—"on/off" at a given frequency and a variable duty-cycle results in power consumption ("heat") somewhere between 0% and 100%.

Originally Posted by ellivnad

If you aren't afraid of a bit of soldering, here is a nice kit for under $10 : http://www.moreleds.com/drivers.htm (half way down the page)

PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) is the way to go for dimming, as you won't be wasting a lot energy to heat. You'll probably even find that you can "dim" them quite a ways before you visually can tell they are dimming, yet they will be drawing less power (read about apparent brightness on that link).

Update: I like the looks of this dimmer too, search for KICK-KR6 on ebay. Looks like this single unit would control two lights.

Look here:

http://my2wheels.com/forum/showpost....6&postcount=26

Here:

http://my2wheels.com/forum/showpost....0&postcount=30

and here:

http://my2wheels.com/forum/showpost....9&postcount=38

These are PWM LED drivers I made. They fit in a Altoids tin and can handle up to 3A of current.

They are completely programmable so you can have an particular flash/dimmer pattern. I made these as brake light modulators but they can also be used to create a high/low-brightness effect in a LED high-beam/low-beam application.

I'll post the circuit if anyone's interested and wants to BYO.

[martinnyc]

got em installed on the xr, and am 100% satisfied. These have got to be one of the brightest lights that I've ever seen. Did about 50 miles on some windy single lane roads, with some dirt roads thrown in there, and now when I turn them off, my (usually more than adequate) headlight feels as if it isn't even on. Great build quality, seem to be holding up to the rain/mud/bug strikes really well. I got the pair of floods, and I will vouch for the fact that it would be unwise/unkind to use them when other vehicles are present, but when you are the only one, there's no harm in giving the deer a tan. I'll try to get some night pictures up later.

[bigalsmith101]

Bitchin lights. Powered them up off a hot lead, and nearly blinded myself. The stock light on my Dr650 couldn't be seen on a wall 10 feet away. Just one 24 watt flood light was clearly visible in broad daylight.

So. Here's my question. Before I go and F*$& this all up, how EXACTLY do these waterproof wiring connectors go together? Pictorial description anyone?

--Alex

Edit: Ugh, please excuse me for being a DA (Dumbass). I took a look at the connectors, saw the picture from the link to Touratech's site, and figured it out in 5 mins. Thanks.

[sanjoh]

Thanks for the install reports.

Maybe I should put a warning label on em

[Unstable Rider]

I think you could charge extra if you threw in some of those stickers....

: )

Just because I value someone with a sick sense of humor, I will be placing a order for my "landing lights" very soon.

(pay day)

[Kieffer4]

I'm in for a set. Shooting you a PM....

[DerRadfahrer]

Originally Posted by Sick-Till-Tuesday

I think you could charge extra if you threw in some of those stickers....

: )

Just because I value someone with a sick sense of humor, I will be placing a order for my "landing lights" very soon.

(pay day)

No joke about the "landing lights." LEDs are being used for landing and taxi lights. Saw some on a light AC at Oshkosh this year. Here's an interesting comparison of LED/HID for aircraft use: http://www.malibuaerospace.com/sitepages/pid73.php

Yes, I've ordered a pair.

[GHO100]

PM sent

[sanjoh]

PMs replied

[One Less Harley]

Just looking at the mount...looks a little thin where it attaches tot he light, looks like it might vibrate or bend real easy. Such a big light for thin metal.

[sanjoh]

Originally Posted by One Less Harley

Just looking at the mount...looks a little thin where it attaches tot he light, looks like it might vibrate or bend real easy. Such a big light for thin metal.

Such a big light

Please review the pictures with dimensions. The brackets are stainless and encompass the entire light, plenty strong for the intended use.