LED pilot light

acadian · Jun 21, 2013

Just received this little doo-dad in the mail today. Have been running the 23w halogen pilot bulb as a daytime light, but I was curious if a 1w LED could match the brightness of the halogen light. Needless to say I'm impressed with the results.

Halogen bulb:

- 23w
- battery voltage w/pilot on at idle = 11.7v

LED bulb:

- 1w
- battery voltage w/pilot on at idle = 12.5 - 12.8v

vuuduu21 · Jun 21, 2013

Does that work with positive ground?

concours · Jun 21, 2013

I hope you have better results with superbrightleds.com, I bought a batch of 'em for 3 MKIV VW's and they just don't last. YMMV

Corona850 · Jun 21, 2013

acadian said:
Just received this little doo-dad in the mail today. Have been running the 23w halogen pilot bulb as a daytime light, but I was curious if a 1w LED could match the brightness of the halogen light. Needless to say I'm impressed with the results.

Halogen bulb:

- 23w
- battery voltage w/pilot on at idle = 11.7v

LED bulb:

- 1w
- battery voltage w/pilot on at idle = 12.5 - 12.8v

I, too, run a halogen pilot light as a running light (20W in my case) and have been looking into using an LED bulb.
From what I have gleaned so far, a halogen bulb puts out about 180 - 200 lumens,
The LED bulbs that I have found are about half that (lumens that is) with about a 5W LED bulb with 15 diodes. How much lumens does your 1W bulb put out?
And, are lumens really a relevant measure of anything here?
So, how good is your set up as a running light? The photo doesn't give me a feel for how bright the light is, i.e. visible when used on the road.
I appreciate that you are impressed with the results. I guess I am looking for some elaboration of your opinion? Is it bright enough? As bright as gteh halogen bulb? Brighter? If so, how much?
Always good to save a few watts on these old systems, so I'd really welcome your objective assessment of how good/bright it is.

Hobot · Jun 21, 2013

Pilot lights as any proper Englishman knew was for parking not riding. I for one notice the bikes runing on rather more than low beam and vintage halogen upg4ades even less so, guess how my bar switch stays set. Put the LED for mood lighting like i am and pin point bright dazzle rear lights and maybe a arc or line of super bright LED whites to startle deer.

Nater_Potater · Jun 21, 2013

I'm considering converting to negative earth just so I can run LEDs - pilot, tail, turn, instrument. Even though the pilot light's not something you'd use for legitimate road illumination, does it appear to make you more visible to oncoming traffic during the day? btw, roll the old girl out of her own puddle of discharge when filming. 'Just a thought...

acadian · Jun 21, 2013

Corona850 said:
acadian said:

Just received this little doo-dad in the mail today. Have been running the 23w halogen pilot bulb as a daytime light, but I was curious if a 1w LED could match the brightness of the halogen light. Needless to say I'm impressed with the results.

Halogen bulb:

- 23w
- battery voltage w/pilot on at idle = 11.7v

LED bulb:

- 1w
- battery voltage w/pilot on at idle = 12.5 - 12.8v

Click to expand...

I, too, run a halogen pilot light as a running light (20W in my case) and have been looking into using an LED bulb.
From what I have gleaned so far, a halogen bulb puts out about 180 - 200 lumens,
The LED bulbs that I have found are about half that (lumens that is) with about a 5W LED bulb with 15 diodes. How much lumens does your 1W bulb put out?
And, are lumens really a relevant measure of anything here?
So, how good is your set up as a running light? The photo doesn't give me a feel for how bright the light is, i.e. visible when used on the road.
I appreciate that you are impressed with the results. I guess I am looking for some elaboration of your opinion? Is it bright enough? As bright as gteh halogen bulb? Brighter? If so, how much?
Always good to save a few watts on these old systems, so I'd really welcome your objective assessment of how good/bright it is.

I guess it's more subjective than anything else. The bulb is rated at 110 lumens, for what it's worth... From my perspective it's directionally brighter (from the front), even though it's a 360 degree cluster. It's also bright white as opposed to the yellow of the halogen unit. One issue is that the bulb will not work with a + ground system, so I simply switched the leads from the bulb carrier to the harness... problem solved. I've also wired my pilot so it's on at all key positions. My objective was simply to satisfy legal requirements here for a daytime runner, while minimizing draw on the battery... this unit seems to do just that. As for longevity... I've run the "superbright" brand in my cooper S and speed triple for two years with no problem thus far.

ILLF8ED · Jun 23, 2013

Thought the old British adage was gentlemen don't ride at night. That forgives the Prince of Darkness - Lucas. I know California doesn't require daytime headlights for vintage Commandos. Must be some of you feel safer with lights on. Good luck.

Corona850 · Jun 23, 2013

illf8ed said:
... I know California doesn't require daytime headlights for vintage Commandos. Must be some of you feel safer with lights on. Good luck.

You're right: daytime headlights are not required, ... but ... the cops around here are not necessarily clued-up on the fact that my Norton is vintage (so possible BS ticket that I have to take the time to fight), and the suburban, cell-phone-addicted SUV cagers on the 91 Fwy scare the shit out of me in a car, never mind on a bike that they can't see in their mirrors (if they actually bother to look!), so I want a running light to try and improve my chances a bit, if I can.

Corona850 · Jun 23, 2013

I was just looking up the California code pertaining to vintage headlights and came across this little tit-bit that I did not previously know of:

V C Section 24253 Taillamps Which Remain Lighted

(a) All motor vehicles manufactured and first registered after January 1, 1970, shall be equipped so all taillamps are capable of remaining lighted for a period of at least one-quarter hour with the engine inoperative. This requirement shall be complied with by an energy storing system which is recharged by energy produced by the vehicle.

(b) All motorcycles manufactured and first registered after January 1, 1971, shall be equipped so all taillamps, when turned on, will remain lighted automatically for a period of at least one-quarter hour if the engine stops.

That, and other "gotcha" info available here: http://www.chp.ca.gov/publications/pdf/chp888.pdf

So, you have to have a battery (how does that affect the numerous folks who try to run battery-less with a power box or what have you?) and it's got to be big enough to keep the taillight on for 15 mins (do Shorai and the small LI batteries do that?).

I recently had a bike I rebuilt go through the CHP exam required to register it, and they paid no attention to the battery, but it's out there on the books if the want to ding you. Just sayin' ...

bluto · Jun 23, 2013

FWIW another option for those that only ride during the day and have a feeble charging system is a 35W H4 bulb, scooters use them. I live in California myself and did some research awhile back to see if vintage bikes were exempt from the daytime lights on requirement and could not find anything specific on that...but like the other poster do not want to give a cop an excuse to pull me over so I nearly always have my headlight on.

Torontonian · Jun 23, 2013

Need this item. Define switched the leads from bulb carrier to harness please. Running the 23 W. at present and they run hot and die every year , the ceramic turns to powder dust. And yes the cops will pull you over running a weak pilot. Explained to the Justice of the Peace that my vintage motorcycle was never intended to run daytime lighting and he said" It's taken care of..". Teak panelled office ,me sitting in huge leather comfortable chair , secretary bringing us coffees on silver tray . Real civilized in Toronto. Hopefully I might get pulled over again.

acadian · Jun 24, 2013

Took a few more at night, quite bright frontwise... but from the profile you can see its directionality

jaydee75 · Jun 29, 2013

Acadian, I got the LED and it looks good. I hooked it up with jumpers and believe it will be plenty bright for legality. I'm wondering how you isolated it from the headlight shell so you could reverse the polarity on it.
I was thinking about making an insulator for the snap in connector, but don't want to re-invent the wheel if you found a simpler way.
Thanks,
Jaydee

crusadersports · Jun 29, 2013

acadian said:
Took a few more at night, quite bright frontwise... but from the profile you can see its directionality

HI arcadian,

If that's an LED in your headlamp it looks more than good enough for day time running lights! The second photo that shows your rear light: Is that LED too? That looks well bright as well!

Got to say that 5 gallon ally manx tank looks fantastic. The only tank that will dwarf a Cdo engine! Can I ask where the headlamp peak came from? Sharp looking machine, sir!

acadian · Jun 29, 2013

jaydee75 said:
Acadian, I got the LED and it looks good. I hooked it up with jumpers and believe it will be plenty bright for legality. I'm wondering how you isolated it from the headlight shell so you could reverse the polarity on it.
I was thinking about making an insulator for the snap in connector, but don't want to re-invent the wheel if you found a simpler way.
Thanks,
Jaydee

I used the rubber bulb carrier from my t120, the metal "crab claw" carrier in the norton will ground it to the headlamp shell otherwise. Another solution is a proper size rubber frame grommet from any auto parts store.

crusadersports said:
HI arcadian,

If that's an LED in your headlamp it looks more than good enough for day time running lights! The second photo that shows your rear light: Is that LED too? That looks well bright as well!

Got to say that 5 gallon ally manx tank looks fantastic. The only tank that will dwarf a Cdo engine! Can I ask where the headlamp peak came from? Sharp looking machine, sir!

The tail light is indeed LED, I'm running the Lucas 679 pattern kit from bulbsthatlast4ever: http://www.bulbsthatlast4ever.com/products/679-si.html
The light peak came from Walridge.

DogT · Jun 30, 2013

That peak reminds me of my '50 Pontiac.

LED pilot light

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