LED lights

[Tunahunter]

I notice all the highly spec, ed cars now have those (I presume) LED lights which really show up, especially when switched on during the day. I have also seen these lights installed on ordinary cars which begs the question, do they make smaller sets of these lights which could be installed on bikes?

[nathanwhite]

Yep.

trademe.co.nz or Superbrightleds (http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/index.cgi?action=DispPage&Page2Disp=%2Fdrl.html)

I've got some bling lighting from superbright leds and though they are in america they have very good service and ship nice and fast.

The next thing you have to work out is what to call them (which determines their legality) and how to wire them onto your bike. Google is your friend for this

[avgas]

Make sure you angle them low. Instant wof fail if LED's shine directly into oncommers eyes.

I hit this problem when doing a mini LED project for OSRAM many moons ago. Many cars which had LED's in the 90's were not legally allowed on NZ roads.

[nzspokes]

Gremlin will be along soon.....

[Gremlin]

Make sure you angle them low. Instant wof fail if LED's shine directly into oncommers eyes.

I hit this problem when doing a mini LED project for OSRAM many moons ago. Many cars which had LED's in the 90's were not legally allowed on NZ roads.
It depends how you define them. Shining straight ahead is legal if the lights are within certain categories. I think you're referring to cosmetic lamps, which must not be directly visible, and has certain sight angles with which it needs to comply. Daytime Running Lamps and Forward Facing Position Lamps have different rules. Tunahunter... do a search, I've lost count on how many posts I've made before on this... Also look up the Vehicle Inspection Requirements Manual (VIRM) on NZTA website for the legal specifics regards WOF.


Gremlin will be along soon.....
:shifty: Somebody was talking about lights...

Tunahunter, I use LED strips from this guy: http://www.ctautoparts.co.nz/

The exact ones I use: http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/car-parts-accessories/performance/bulbs/auction-460090674.htm

Flexible, waterproof and can be cut in certain places, excellent for application on bikes.

[avgas]

It depends how you define them. Shining straight ahead is legal if the lights are within certain categories. I think you're referring to cosmetic lamps, which must not be directly visible, and has certain sight angles with which it needs to comply. Daytime Running Lamps and Forward Facing Position Lamps have different rules.
Nah we were developing a headlamp. They developed several for europe/US but LTSA wouldn't have a bar of it.
Its also one of the reasons there are no Ford GT90's in NZ (the other is they are rare as hens teeth).

Crazy thing is now Osram (and a few others) are developing Lazer headlights. Friggin LAZERS!!!!!

[Tunahunter]

Thanks for the responses peoples
:niceone:

[Gremlin]

Crazy thing is now Osram (and a few others) are developing Lazer headlights. Friggin LAZERS!!!!!
Giz a trial mista! The sooner I can cut the cars in my way in half, the happier I'll be! :niceone:

[SimJen]

new ducati 1199 has led headlights :)

[nathanwhite]

new ducati 1199 has led headlights :)

But does it have lazers? Thats the next big thing you konw :yes:

[CookMySock]

new ducati 1199 has led headlights :)Do they actually have any balls at night?

[nathanwhite]

Googling turned up this info

http://wot.motortrend.com/bmw-shows-us-how-its-laser-headlights-and-dynamic-lightspot-work-126103.html
:shit: :D


Now how long till bogan gets a hold of this idea and hacks his own homebuilt system?

[bogan]

Now how long till bogan gets a hold of this idea and hacks his own homebuilt system?

Well my B2 'haast' build is currently just a frame in the shed, so maybe 2 years until it is ready for headlights. And laser lights would be fucking epic! Must keep an eye on the development progress :yes:

[nathanwhite]

And laser lights would be fucking epic! Must keep an eye on the development progress :yes:

The specialist knowledge required would be pretty intense.... getting the lazers aligned, the materials right, the reflector etc...

Adaptive headlights on the other hand would be relatively simple...servo, accelerometer and a small logic board. Can't be that hard....inFact I think ill have to do this now

[bogan]

The specialist knowledge required would be pretty intense.... getting the lazers aligned, the materials right, the reflector etc...

Adaptive headlights on the other hand would be relatively simple...servo, accelerometer and a small logic board. Can't be that hard....inFact I think ill have to do this now

I was thinking I'd just flog one from a bmw :D

Easy to adapt your headlights to point straight into a hillside, harder to get them to point to a specific visual distance!

[nathanwhite]

If you could get the accelerometer to tell the logic board how far over the bike is, then get it to rotate the lights equally. The hard part(s) would be getting the input accurate enough, and then a smooth output. Hang on, thats the entire process.....

[bogan]

If you could get the accelerometer to tell the logic board how far over the bike is, then get it to rotate the lights equally. The hard part(s) would be getting the input accurate enough, and then a smooth output. Hang on, thats the entire process.....

oh you mean for lean? I thought you meant for accel, lean is easier to do it old school, just chuck the whole assembly on a gimbal (which you need to do anyway) add a hard drive platter, balance, and spool it up, job done!

[nathanwhite]

oh you mean for lean? I thought you meant for accel, lean is easier to do it old school, just chuck the whole assembly on a gimbal (which you need to do anyway) add a hard drive platter, balance, and spool it up, job done!

Thats why I knew I should have got some imput from you.

What do you mean for accel? up and down movement?

[bogan]

Thats why I knew I should have got some imput from you.

What do you mean for accel? up and down movement?

yup, bike acceleration, best laser headlight in the world isn't going to help if it is only illuminating the moon :p

I'm actually working on turning two hard drives into a gyrocompass over the next few weeks, I can PM you with the results if you are interested?

[nathanwhite]

yup, bike acceleration, best laser headlight in the world isn't going to help if it is only illuminating the moon :p

I'm actually working on turning two hard drives into a gyrocompass over the next few weeks, I can PM you with the results if you are interested?

yes please. I'm a little way off from attempting this stuff myself, but it definately be nice to see someone elses work

And wouldn't you have only a few degrees vertical movement? (like, 10 at most) unless you want the light still on the road when your wheelieing...

[Haggis2]

Fricken laser beams!

By the way does anyone know anything about LEDS, can't find any previous posts :laugh:

[nathanwhite]

Fricken laser beams!

By the way does anyone know anything about LEDS, can't find any previous posts :laugh:

Can you be more specific? I know stuff about LEDs but not much at all about LEDs as headlights.

[bogan]

yes please. I'm a little way off from attempting this stuff myself, but it definately be nice to see someone elses work

And wouldn't you have only a few degrees vertical movement? (like, 10 at most) unless you want the light still on the road when your wheelieing...

I'll be making it an instructable, so you should be able to have a go at it.

Yeh that would be my guess, thing is, if you just level it, when you are going down a slight incline, all cars in front will be in the full beam, and going up an incline, you visual distance would be greatly reduced. Only way I can see it working for bike acceleration, is with wheel speed sensors, and a very accurate default position sensor, so it only moves when the bike is under heavy acceleration. Saying that, most bikes are heavy enough as it is (looking at you kawasaki), I would only bother with any of that if it was going to be a hundred grams or so... might be doable shifting the laser aseembly, or lense/emitter postion, but doubtfull to move a whole LED, incandesent, or HID assembly.










the more astute of you may note that my currently in development headlight arrangement weight upwards of 2.5kg, but that's and awesomness feature, not a function feature, there's a difference imo :blink:

[Laava]

Can you be more specific? I know stuff about LEDs but not much at all about LEDs as headlights.

Have a look at www.ledstuff.co.nz
I have used literally hundreds of his leds and find you can be very creative if you are that way inclined. I have individual leds in my v strom handguards as indicators and in my exhaust tips at the back. Have had no trouble with wofs.
Best tip, get a TRIDON HD12 indicator relay [non load sensitive] if putting leds in. At $17 they are cheaper and easier than the individual resistor route.
I have a cunning plan for my current project but will save it till later!

[nathanwhite]

Have a look at www.ledstuff.co.nz


Ooh, some very very pretty lights there...

My comment ther was more to haggis who asked a nice ambiguous question