Cheap, durable LED tail/brake light

robs ss

robs ss

VIP MEMBER
Joined
Aug 16, 2016
Messages
3,247
Country flag
I am trying to help a riding friend who has a problem with tail lights blowing.
Incandescent plus too much vibration.

I know we can go the Paul Goff route but with shipping it makes a very expensive, but good, solution - so...

I have a few LED array boards from eBay - at $3 cheap as chips - and very bright at 12V - https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/232389647269?euid=7ae8cb773101460799566ed081beae96&bu=43568365633&sojTags=bu=bu&mkevt=1&mkcid=7&mkpid=0&emsid=e11050.m43.l1123&ufes_redirect=true&ul_noapp=true
I have tested it at 9V and it appears to be about half brightness.
Next step finding an appropriate resistor to give that effect for the tail light on the bike.

Has anyone done this and know what kind of resistor size I should be looking at?
My multimeter shows open circuit if I try to measure the resistance of the LED board - so, stabbing in the dark.

I am not an electrician of any kind - just muddling my way.

Any constructive advice appreciated!
Cheers
 
I know nothing about LEDs, but it says it draws about 0.16 A at about12 V. That should mean (about!) 75 ohm total resistance in that system.

Try various resistors around 25 ohm (maybe a range from 15 to 40 ohm) and see if you can get the dimming effect you want.
 
I prefer led array boards as they tend to give a fuller light spread.

But Why not just go with standard format brake/tail lamp LED bulb that fit the light receptacle on the bike? These will have the combines brake and tail brightness levels needed and can be found with the white light for licence plate requirememts.
Can be had from many places, online like ebay or SuperBrightLEDs or even local auto shops.
 
Rob I use to blow rear light bulbs all the time till I put some insulation tape around where the bulb glass and metal on the bulb, since doing this I haven't blown a tail light bulb since seems to stop the bulb from suffering from the vibrations.
Give it a go and it might surprise you.

Ashley
 
Tornado said:
I prefer led array boards as they tend to give a fuller light spread.

But Why not just go with standard format brake/tail lamp LED bulb that fit the light receptacle on the bike? These will have the combines brake and tail brightness levels needed and can be found with the white light for licence plate requirememts.
Can be had from many places, online like ebay or SuperBrightLEDs or even local auto shops.
Click to expand...
It's just that I had a few of these kicking around so thought I'd give it a go 👍
 
@robs ss

Rob, I went with Tornado's suggestion. I still had to insert a resistor in the tail light circuit to dim down from the brake light, but otherwise, easy peasy.

I am not with my Atlas now, but can get the lamp number and resistor value for you tomorrow.

Slick
 
texasSlick said:
@robs ss

Rob, I went with Tornado's suggestion. I still had to insert a resistor in the tail light circuit to dim down from the brake light, but otherwise, easy peasy.

I am not with my Atlas now, but can get the lamp number and resistor value for you tomorrow.

Slick
Click to expand...
Thanks Rob 👍 👍
 
@robs ss

Rob, the LED lamp that I am using is marked with a stick on paper label having the note '1157.'
Obviously that number refers to an incandescent', and only means "equivalent ".
It is a tower configuration similar to https://www.superbrightleds.com/cat...tion-27-smd-led-tower-bay15d-bulb/category/2/ NOTE this link is for a picture reference only .... it is not necessarily the actual lamp i am using. The website states that the lamp HAS A POLARITY SENSITIVITY,

I checked my records but could not verify where I bought the lamp.

A 27 OHM resistor dims it nicely for a tail light.

HTH

slick
 
texasSlick said:
@robs ss

Rob, the LED lamp that I am using is marked with a stick on paper label having the note '1157.'
Obviously that number refers to an incandescent', and only means "equivalent ".
It is a tower configuration similar to https://www.superbrightleds.com/cat...tion-27-smd-led-tower-bay15d-bulb/category/2/ NOTE this link is for a picture reference only .... it is not necessarily the actual lamp i am using. The website states that the lamp HAS A POLARITY SENSITIVITY,

I checked my records but could not verify where I bought the lamp.

A 27 OHM resistor dims it nicely for a tail light.

HTH

slick
Click to expand...
Thanks very much for that - I will start there 👍
 
Well - I lashed out on a 0 - 1000 ohm potentiometer ($3.99 - local electrical shop)
Set it up in their shop and turned down the brightness until it looked "about right" (that's an electrical technical term)
Measured the resulting resistance - 504 ohms.
Lashed out (again!) on a 500 ohm, 5 watt resistor (actually a pack of 8) for 85c.
Retested with the resistor and all's good

Now to test and install on his bike.

The good thing about this is, by installing with Wago connectors, if he want a slightly brighter taillight all he has to do is clip in a slightly smaller resistor (400 ohm?)
Cheers
 
robs ss said:
Well - I lashed out on a 0 - 1000 ohm potentiometer ($3.99 - local electrical shop)
Set it up in their shop and turned down the brightness until it looked "about right" (that's an electrical technical term)
Measured the resulting resistance - 504 ohms.
Lashed out (again!) on a 500 ohm, 5 watt resistor (actually a pack of 8) for 85c.
Retested with the resistor and all's good

Now to test and install on his bike.

The good thing about this is, by installing with Wago connectors, if he want a slightly brighter taillight all he has to do is clip in a slightly smaller resistor (400 ohm?)
Cheers
Click to expand...
That knocks my figures into a cocked hat!
 
Here's the final result (for a Mk3 BTW)
* used 270 ohm, 1 watt resistor - best tail-light brightness
* mounted on 3mm aluminium with 3mm rubber foam behind LED board
* tapped M3 screws to mount LED board and M5 for mounting barrel nuts plus lens.
* lots of 243 (blue) loctite
* total cost of parts, including Wagos, less than $12AUD
* configuration makes it a direct swap-out for the OEM unit
Works very well and my mate's pleased
Cheers
E311B6C4-4E0C-43DF-922C-9A7EBF7130F4.JPG3334B585-8FED-44A5-950A-35DB1AF3356F.JPG0AA0A966-2D6F-43FE-9C39-80FC27036D3A.JPG

Edit: for those of you that know Wago's I have drilled the rear of those two plus halved the size of the RH one with a bench sander. They are very versatile!
The advantage being that you can unclip the resistor to change the brightness of the tail-light.
 
Last edited:
If there's no license plate illumination, the cops could write you a ticket. You could add a single white LED pointing downward.
 
robs ss said:
Here's the final result (for a Mk3 BTW)
* used 270 ohm, 1 watt resistor - best tail-light brightness
* mounted on 3mm aluminium with 3mm rubber foam behind LED board
* tapped M3 screws to mount LED board and M5 for mounting barrel nuts plus lens.
* lots of 243 (blue) loctite
* total cost of parts, including Wagos, less than $12AUD
* configuration makes it a direct swap-out for the OEM unit
Works very well and my mate's pleased
Cheers
View attachment 111642View attachment 111643View attachment 111644

Edit: for those of you that know Wago's I have drilled the rear of those two plus halved the size of the RH one with a bench sander. They are very versatile!
The advantage being that you can unclip the resistor to change the brightness of the tail-light.
Click to expand...
the Wagos can be used for 240 V mains connections in the UK for house circuits, subject to maximum current ratings, which are printed on them!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top