Author Topic: LED console lights upgrade - tutorial  (Read 1135 times)

Offline mike the bike

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LED console lights upgrade - tutorial
« on: April 22, 2018, 11:56:22 AM »
After one of my console lights died, I decided to upgrade them to LED as they weren't very bright anyway.  I looked for a led sbc bulb but couldn't find anything suitable.  I decided to buy some LEDs and upgrade the existing bulbs.
For those that are new to electronics,
Connecting an LED across will make it glow very bright for a very short time and it wont ever do it again.  It'll be buggered. 
To prevent this it needs a series resistor.  To spare you the Ohm's law calculations, a 470 ohm resistor will limit the current to an acceptable 20mA or so.
I decided to use 10mm high bright LEDs, available in red, green, blue and yellow.  I bought these from eBay for about a quid each.
Using the photos as a guide, it's a simple matter to break the existing glass bulb, leaving the end cap.
Cut the long leg of the LED to about 4mm.
Solder the resistor to it.
Feed the resistor leg through the hole in the bulb cap.
solder the resistor leg to the end contact and the other LED leg to the side of the bulb.
After refitting the LEDs onto the bike, It makes a big difference, especially in daylight.
« Last Edit: April 22, 2018, 12:06:13 PM by mike the bike »
Where's that 10mm socket got to?

Offline mike the bike

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Re: LED console lights upgrade - tutorial
« Reply #1 on: April 22, 2018, 11:58:49 AM »
More pics
Where's that 10mm socket got to?

Offline hairygit

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Re: LED console lights upgrade - tutorial
« Reply #2 on: April 22, 2018, 12:37:03 PM »
That's an awful lot of faffing about to sort a problem that isn't there. SBC Led bulbs ARE available, I shoved a set in my Honda 90 2years ago, no problems with them at all. If you'd asked on the forum I could have pointed you in the right direction. They are 3 for £1 in U.K. and if you're not in a rush 10 for 99p from China!

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Offline Johnwebley

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Re: LED console lights upgrade - tutorial
« Reply #3 on: April 22, 2018, 12:37:57 PM »
very good,and practical,

 
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Offline mike the bike

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Re: LED console lights upgrade - tutorial
« Reply #4 on: April 22, 2018, 02:05:28 PM »
I like faffing about with electric stuff, it gets me out of doing household chores.
Where's that 10mm socket got to?

Offline hairygit

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Re: LED console lights upgrade - tutorial
« Reply #5 on: April 22, 2018, 02:22:39 PM »
Well, you should have said! Always an excuse to get out of unpaid work, should have told her it needed a 50-100 mile test run to check none of the soldered joints work loose!  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Offline mike the bike

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Re: LED console lights upgrade - tutorial
« Reply #6 on: April 22, 2018, 02:36:37 PM »
That's next weekend's 'chore'
Where's that 10mm socket got to?

Offline BigAl (Alan)

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Re: LED console lights upgrade - tutorial
« Reply #7 on: April 22, 2018, 02:49:25 PM »
Very handy tip. I have tried the LED equivalents (BA9S-5 SMD) within the CB750 clocks & centre consul, unfortunately they are 7mm longer than the traditional lamps (as image). Once fitted the lamp holder boots will not push into place.
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Offline mike the bike

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Re: LED console lights upgrade - tutorial
« Reply #8 on: April 22, 2018, 04:12:26 PM »
That's what I thought when I  saw them.
Where's that 10mm socket got to?

Offline Green1

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Re: LED console lights upgrade - tutorial
« Reply #9 on: April 22, 2018, 05:41:11 PM »
I don't need the idiot lights to be brighter then my headlight  ;D

I put an LED pilot light in the CG Honda and its now brighter then the main beam.

It does look smart though
Current bikes
Honda CB750k1 Valley Green Metallic
Honda CB750k1 Candy Gold
Honda CB550k Candy Jade Green
Honda CG125
Aprilia Pegaso 650
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Kawasaki ZXR400 J

 

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