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So I am thinking about pulling the guts out of my stock turn signals and making some super bright LED signals out of them. I was thinking about using these LEDs:
Anyone see any issue with this? I am by no means electrically savvy but it seems to me that this would work and give me some very bright signals. What do you all think?
FYI: I have an XT500 but it has been converted to 12v.
Hey brother,
I have some I picked up from SuperBrightLED.com & I accomplished the same thing you're looking to do.
There are a few tricks you'll need to do, I'm not familiar with the XT500 system, but you will need a new flasher, either the lights will all flash at once or they won't flash at all. That may be available on the luxeonstar website, they a pretty easy to find. Next, at least with the cb350 system you have to upgrade the indicator (dummy) light with it and with that you'll need to add an additional diode in the system and ground it out. This is due to the fact there is so little resistance in the LED themselves. Some people add resistors (DON'T ADD RESISTORS).
Come to think of it, I have a link saved that'll help you out....Here it is. http://www.hondatwins.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=13819
Sorry, I forgot to mention that I am already running some cheap led signals I got off eBay and am already using a new flasher and have removed the dash light. The signals work ok but are just not very bright. I have hear that the luxeon stuff is extremely bright and so that is why I was looking into them but maybe it is overkill. I am not sure how bright the bulbs from superbrightleds.com are but maybe they would be enough.
What kind of base are you putting it in? Does the base have a reflector and a traditional socket or is it something else? Is the lens visible from the side or only the front?
I was thinking about using the stock XT500 signal housings and just gutting them. If the LED parts would fit, I would like to use something smaller though.
That kind of housing (like most) have a reflector in the back and the bulb emits light in about 320 degrees. You will want to put an LED fixture in that will emit light in a similar pattern.
The reason you want to replicate the original function of the bulb is that the light is designed to be visible not just directly ahead, but from the sides as well.
The issue with using a single LED package (Like your COB or a single through-hole LED) is that their emission patterns are very narrow by comparison (around 30 degrees). That means you get a spot in the middle of your lens that's lit up but the rest is dark.
The best way to use that fixture is to get a replacement bulb that fits the socket and emits light in all directions. That will give you the benefit of a low-current lamp that's much brighter than a standard bulb and is visible from behind and the sides.
Yeah I'm the king of complicating shit for no reason. People have to talk me down from some complex method of doing some mundane task almost every day!
Your high-powered COB solution would be insane bright just not ideal for visibility... that lamp you linked to will do the job with a lot less headache.
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