I had an hour to waste...

Jeandr · Sep 20, 2011

What the heck is this :?:

Looks like LEDs doesn't it now what is it for :?:

So they light up...

and they go here

And this is what it looks like at night

The LEDs use 5mA, not very much power. It holds in place with three miniature magnets, no screws needed. This is my prototype, what will I change :?: First, I will use bigger more powerfull magnets and Then change the LEDs to orange ones since the bike I am doing these for has an orange paint job, they could also be blue, that would look cool no :?:

Jean

Adventurer96 · Sep 20, 2011

Tres chic. There is a trend in the Triumph circles to change out the lights on the tree (high beam, temp, oil pressure, turn signal, neutral indicator) as well as illumination lights in the gauges to LEDs. I hadn't thought about it with this bike yet, but I like the idea.

swooshdave · Sep 20, 2011

Yeah, I was going to build some of those. I need to. A winter project.

Adventurer96 · Sep 20, 2011

Here are a couple of threads from another site I frequent. They're modern Triumph specific, but there's some good info on LEDs in general.

http://www.triumphrat.net/hinckley-...ples-light-bulb-to-led-replacement-chart.html

http://www.triumphrat.net/hinckley-classic-triples/186453-leds.html

Hegel · Sep 21, 2011

Those ultra-bright sure are fierce ! Very cool idea that

What's the board material? FR4?

Steve

steveyacht · Sep 21, 2011

Jean, That is an awsome idea and execution. When I was 18 I could see the gauges at night...... Now, I need more light. Have been looking for something brighter....

grandpaul · Sep 21, 2011

I just hate that after about an hour in the dark, my eyes will no longer transition to focus on the meters quickly enough to read them clearly, so i just disregard my meters at night. (my glasses are driving/distance perscription)

Full throttle and why look down?

drones76 · Sep 21, 2011

Not sure if this will work on the Norton gauges. It is an interesting way to light gauges. And I too cannot see the gauges on my bikes at night. The numbers keep getting smaller and smaller.

Although some light would help. And I am sure this will take more than an hour.

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=67321.0

Hegel · Sep 21, 2011

Paul,

Not tempted by one of these then?

http://www.gizmag.com/go/2430/

:wink:

AntrimMan · Sep 21, 2011

Getting the illumination equally around the dial is a big challenge using the one existing entrance.
Hows about externally lighting with an LED device similar to what the Kindle uses.
Make it forward facing and slightly up off the glass. Could be small and unobtrusive. Hmmm.

gtsun · Sep 21, 2011

Jean you are a " Jean-eouse" please keep refining your idea. I have been increasing the wattage of the bulbs in my gages but it's not enough. Also the main reason I have kept my ancient S&W oil pressure Gage is because it has a place for a light. I'm sure a little LED would be much better, maybe then I could actually read them instead of just seeing that they are there. Magnets... Jeniuse!!!

calbigbird · Sep 21, 2011

I thought LED's were pole specific. Will these work with the positive earth of most Nortons?

Cheesy · Sep 21, 2011

calbigbird said:
I thought LED's were pole specific. Will these work with the positive earth of most Nortons?

Just wire them the other way around, they dont know (care) if it is a positive or negative earth, just which wire is at a higher potential than the other

davamb · Sep 21, 2011

Fit a mini bridge rectifier so it won't matter what the polarity is. Cost you a couple of diode drops, but who cares.

Jeandr · Sep 21, 2011

My little circuit board has two isolated wires, it can be connected either way, no need for a bridge rectifier.

Jean

Chris T · Sep 21, 2011

won't the LEDs from Norbsa http://www.norbsa02.freeuk.com/goffyleds.htm work for this? Or is Jean's arrangement to get a brighter light light using several bulbs?

Jeandr · Sep 22, 2011

Chris T said:
won't the LEDs from Norbsa http://www.norbsa02.freeuk.com/goffyleds.htm work for this? Or is Jean's arrangement to get a brighter light light using several bulbs?

I'm sure they would work fine, but I have said it before, I'm cheap and I like to do thing myself not to mention I have time to do things rather than money :mrgreen:

Jean

Jeandr · Sep 22, 2011

Here is my second one:

With a bigger more powerfull magnet and three "circuits" so that I could increase the current even if I am using more LEDs. Now I use 8 LEDs in three strings (3-3-2) and they collectively draw 55mA to get more light output. That is still way lower than an instrument bulb.

And this is what it looks like

The rings of LEDs would no doubt make the light more even around the face of the instrument, but not modifying the speedo and tach was one of my goals, even down to using a magnet to hold it in place rather than drilling a small hole and tapping it for a small screw.

The owner doesn't know I am doing this and he likes custom touches, I am sure he will be pleased, I know I am at building things that no one else has.

Jean

drones76 · Sep 22, 2011

I understand the need to make no change to original equipment, especially since it is not your bike. It is definitely an upgrade to the original and also cutting down on power draw always helps. I also like the fact that you can customize it with different color LED's.

Jeandr · Sep 22, 2011

Hegel said:
Those ultra-bright sure are fierce ! Very cool idea that

What's the board material? FR4?

Steve

The board material is what I had on hand (helps to be a pack rat) it is 3/32" or 0.094" fiberglass. Any board material would do, nothing critical in this application.

Jean

I had an hour to waste...

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