| Author | Message | ||
     Gearhead998 |
So I was on my home from a concert the other night when a sheriff pulls me over. Turns out my tail light is out. No big, just need to replace the bulb. But I got to thinkin, instead of replacing the bulb with another bulb, maybe I will try one of those LED replacement bulbs. So I did a search for them on here and found mixed opinions, I expected this. A couple of things struck me as interesting, I know that leds are pretty directional, but one post mentioned "led lights also will not utilize the reflector portion of the housing in the tail light lens so it will not be as bright, at least so i was told. the light will only appear as big as the led bulb instead of being as big as the entire light lens." This actually isn't true, there isn't any reflective material in the tail lights, the light is refracted by the design in the lens. So I am still considering the led replacement bulb. I will eventually build my own led light panel for it, as the integrated ones will not pass inspection up here in Maine. The turn signals need to be at least 9in apart. But when I had the lens off, I noticed a couple of spade slots in the housing, anyone know what they are for? Also, any more opinions on the led bulbs would be cool. Thanks  | ||
| 07xb12ss |
www.xblights.com - ive got one, works and looks awesome | ||
| Rah7777777 |
yea, +1 on XB Lights, haha!!! those 3 slots hold the metal tabs in. (ground, running and brake circuit tabs) Check out this thread I posted a bit back, not its nothing "official" but gives you an idea of the type of LED that is best.... http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/171 43/379540.html?1217092909 And those little bulb replacement LED's are JUNK! Hell, they are cheap so go buy one and try it out. and then you will think, "damn I wasted 10 bucks!" My favorite light is the 2-strip running with OUT signals and red lens. looks stock until you turn it on! Plus I like the external signals, so no need to take up that space in the taillight! Good luck! -Robert www.xblights.com | ||
| Gearhead998 |
Rah.... I really like your lights, especialy the 2 strip running without turn signals with red lens, but the price is a bit high for my wallet. Thanks tho | ||
| Firebolt32 |
I'm with you Gear but their worth the money. I have yet to buy one but see a guy at the dealership on a regular basis that has it. Even during the day the tail light is extremely bright. | ||
| Not_purple_s2 |
I tried it. The light put out by the LED replacement bulb was comparable to the stock, maybe a little bit dimmer, definitely not brighter. | ||
| Petebueller |
When a friend had the same issue I got someone to make inserts for Buells that I sell now on BuellerParts. They were designed by a PhD in automotive engineering who is a rider himself. He has produced LED lights for large automobile manufacturers, high performance cars and has been making LED inserts for motorcycles for 4 years. The boards are produced by a company that is aircraft industry rated to aircraft and military standards. All of the suppliers are rated for military logistics. They use very high brightness LEDs at a brightness below max so they last longer. He chooses top bin LEDs (the best, most even in colour). Using fewer more expensive LEDs ends up saving money, cuts power consumption and increases reliability. The measured temperature of the boards is below the design calculations. They have reverse voltage protection and voltage regulation. LEDs are arranged on 3 circuits so that as long as you have power to the unit, failure of a single component will only result in the loss of at most 1/3 of the LEDs. The boards are all professionally coated and weather sealed. The cards fit into the units at an optimum distance for focus through the lens (stock or clear) and bolt through the rear of the housing. There are LEDs on the rear of the board that provide licence plate illumination. You can turn the housing back to stock any time you want. This is a picture of a stock light sitting on the rear seat of my Firebolt compared with the LED insert fitted to my bike.  Edit: I need to clarify something of what I have stated above. The protection circults on the input are not redundant. There is one clamping circuit for the power coming in to the brake lights and one for the power coming in to the tail light. Beyond this there are three independent circuits for the LEDs (Message edited by Petebueller on August 02, 2008) |
