Daytime running lights

[Kwikasfuki]

I currently have the hyperlites installed on my bike. Today for some reason, the right most hyperlite started to smoke. The LEDs were dying anyhow (both front and rear), and the smoking unit has meant I need to replace. Having a look around the web, I found BikeVis who offer a selection of lights.

Just wondering if anyone has purchased any of these? It doesn't look like they come with a night time dimmer so I'd probably have to make one up but that shouldn't be rocket science.

[cpettifer]

I bought some BikeVis bullets for an old bike and never installed them, so sold them on. However, a friend of mine has them on his Triumph. I'm not convinced the bullets are good running lights, unless version 2 are brighter than version 1. Having said that though, some of their other products may be brighter and better still.

When I bought the bullets all I got was the lights with bare wires - so no controls on anything.

[cpettifer]

OK, I just clicked through to read the version 2s of the bullets are over twice as bright as version 1. This may just make it worth it... I'm tempted, if I can spot a decent place to mount, although I know it'll end up being another one of those things I buy but never install...

[Martin#30]

I have no experience with the BikeVis gear, so cannot comment there, but just wanted to comment on your "making a dimmer" point.

As far as I know, LEDs are simple digital devices. They are on, or off. You cannot dim them by providing less voltage to them. Thus I imagine that dimming them may not be as simple as you perhaps think.

I am of course biased as I have fitted car DRLs to mine recently, but I think these are the perfect solution. Bigger and more visible than the BikeVis, built in dimmer functionality (by illuminating half of the LEDs), they just don't look as neat.

Martin.

[BigAlan]

I have no experience with the BikeVis gear, so cannot comment there, but just wanted to comment on your "making a dimmer" point.

As far as I know, LEDs are simple digital devices. They are on, or off. You cannot dim them by providing less voltage to them. Thus I imagine that dimming them may not be as simple as you perhaps think.

Martin.

Actually incorrect, you can easily dim LED's using a resistor, you can of course come up with some fancy circuitry if you like but different resistors will limit the LED.

Alan

[Boomer]

Actually incorrect, you can easily dim LED's using a resistor, you can of course come up with some fancy circuitry if you like but different resistors will limit the LED.

Alan

They will but only within a limited range.
Most LEDs have to have a current limiting resistor.
Some of these are built into the "chip" inside the plastic but many need an external resistor.
If you decrease the resistance you will make it brighter but will significantly reduce the lifespan of the LED.
If you increase the resistance the LED will dim until the voltage across the LED itself reaches approx 1.2 volts.
Any lower than that and the LED will not work at all.

The standard method for "dimming" LEDs is to pulse width modulate them with a small cheap electronic circuit.
This effectively switches them on for say 50% of the time (switching at 10,000 per second) which results in a third of the brightness. With this method you can vary from 0% to 100% output.

As for these daytime driving lights, they are great if everyone else looks.
My experience is that they don't look, so even having a flashing glowing nekkid picture of a Page3 girl on your bike is not going to help them to see you.

I rely on seeing them and staying the **** out of their way.
I will continue to do this until they legalise motorcycle mounted Disruptors.  ;D

[Kwikasfuki]

I've decided to go for the Cree LED running lights as they have a built in dimmer. I'll also be getting the BikeVis V2 lights in red for the rear

[Kwikasfuki]

For the Cree LED running lights (installation PDF), they have a white wire that is used for dimming. I want to connect this wire to a switch so I can optional switched to dimmed mode during night time riding.

A three way rocker switch would do the trick, but I'm slightly confused as to which circuit I need. Position 1 would be on, position 2 off, and position 3 on with dimmer.

Looking at Wikipedia does anyone know which circuit I need (SPDT, DPST etc)?

[Kevin]

On the Glenda lights we have fitted it's possible to brighten and dim them using a 'volume control' but they won't go to full power until main beam is selected. They seem to be very effective but, as Boomer says, you could ride in flashing neon clothing and some other drivers still won't see you.

Kevin

[Martin#30]

For the Cree LED running lights (installation PDF), they have a white wire that is used for dimming. I want to connect this wire to a switch so I can optional switched to dimmed mode during night time riding.

A three way rocker switch would do the trick, but I'm slightly confused as to which circuit I need. Position 1 would be on, position 2 off, and position 3 on with dimmer.

Looking at Wikipedia does anyone know which circuit I need (SPDT, DPST etc)?

Looking at the installation instructions, the lights dim when the white wire is fed 12V - just like the ones I have. The control box also switches the lights on and off automatically sensing battery voltage to tell when the engine is running.

So, if you are happy with the auto on/off functionality of the lights, you only need a SPST switch to connect the white wire to 12V when you want to activate dimming. This is what I have done on mine, as I use the switched 12V of my Fuzeblock to actually switch the lights on and off.

If you want to do the three position on/off/dim functionality like you suggest in your post above, you are going to need a DPDT switch I think - one side of the switch to simply switch the main power feed on and off, and one side of the switch to switch the white dimming wire.

Martin.

[Kwikasfuki]

Thanks for that Martin.

The instructions are to connect the controller directly to the battery. Do you think it would work if I connected it to the permanent live of the fuzeblock? It appears the brown and blue wires can be connected to switched power to power on the lights, rather than relying on the controller detecting battery voltage.

If the automatic lighting will work directly from the permanent live from the fuzeblock then I'd try that first before connecting to a switched source.

[Martin#30]

They will work fine connected to the Fuzeblock permanant live, or one of the switched live terminals too.

The manufacturers of these DRLs have been clever (though the cynic says that it must be the law making them do it). You don't need a switch. They sense battery voltage, and so can tell if the engine is running (14V ish) or not (12.4V ish). Thus, they can simply connect to the battery or a perm 12V.

If you read the PDF you posted above, it says the lights will stay on for 20s after switching the engine off.

Mine are the same, and that would drive me crazy. I would *have* to wait the 20s to confirm to myself they had switched off. Thus, I wired mine into a switched 12V on the Fuzeblock.

Martin.

[cpettifer]

I'd love to know how they are...

[Kwikasfuki]

Hopefully do it over xmas and will post pics.

[Kwikasfuki]

I need to find out why the Hyplerlites LED started to blow, and why the right most started to smoke. Could it be down to a voltage spike? There was an inline 1A fuse, but maybe I should be looking at an inline voltage suppressor that is rated the same as the mA supported by the lights?