So I bought some LEDs

**Mom** · 28th June 2011, 19:03

I know where I want to install them, I have no clue how to

They are a simple strip of LED's with some spare wire each end, I intend to shorten the strips. I know very little in the grand scheme of things but I obviously need more wire, and some connectors, and some way of switching them on and off, and a multi meter to find an appropriate circuit to join them into, perhaps a relay? Some way to attach them where I want would also be helpful

Is there a nice member that could come and give me a heads up here, happy to pay, may have to be an over nighter for install though, cant see them in the day time

**EB255GTX** · 28th June 2011, 20:36

What did you buy? Determines what you need to do you see :-)

This sort of cosmetic lighting is big in the states, but you get a hella big fine if you dare move with them on - so the thing a lot of people do is have them go off when the ignition is ON.

**Maha** · 28th June 2011, 20:57

LED party?....

**DrunkenMistake** · 28th June 2011, 22:30

Ohh, i know what your talking about im going to look at getting some soon, basicly what I was going to do was attactch neg and positive to the battery, but run that to a toggle switch then from the switch to the lights, I even have small plastic inserts on the insides of my fairings I can mount a little toggle switch, so my plan was to run the wires under that and go from there, otherwise you could maybe run from your headlights? just splice them in and then when the head lights turn off they turn off but I dont know if this would cause any issues with the LEDs, how many strips did you get ?

**skinman** · 28th June 2011, 23:21

feel free to correct me if im wrong but I thought so long as the said lights are not directly visible (say under the tank) and dont flash you can have them on (any colour), or you can have white on the front visible (I have seen this on cars)

**bogan** · 29th June 2011, 00:34

Don't forget to put in a fuse! If you comply with the standards (pretty sure skinman is right), just wire them in to the park lamp circuit (in this case you wouldn't need a fuse or switch as long as you use the same gauge wiring), way easier that way

If nobody volunteers; universities have plenty of knowledgeable folk, maybe ask the SMC for help, or pop along to one of their maintenance evenings (if they still do them).

**Mom** · 29th June 2011, 06:13

I am happy with the legality of where I am mounting them and how I want to use them. No doubt Gremlin will be along soon to give us the correct terminology to use when describing these lights to officials.

The park light circuit sounds the go to me. I have seen some wired directly to the battery with toggle switches to operate. Where I plan on mounting these you wont see them in daylight at all, they are more "mood lighting" for at night

**Gremlin** · 6th July 2011, 02:42

Originally Posted by Mom

I am happy with the legality of where I am mounting them and how I want to use them. No doubt Gremlin will be along soon to give us the correct terminology to use when describing these lights to officials.

I may as well dredge this... been busy with work for several weeks.

If they are the same colour as you previously posted, they can only be cosmetic lighting... Know thine enemy is what I reckon, so by knowing the laws, you know what you can do... I even corrected the guys at VTNZ, sending them off to check the requirements

**bikaholic** · 6th July 2011, 23:27

Make sure there is a resistor in series with the diodes, or else 12v straight on the diodes will let all the prepackaged smoke out.

Linky to do the math for resistor size http://led.linear1.org/1led.wiz

**Mom** · 7th July 2011, 06:25

Originally Posted by bikaholic

Make sure there is a resistor in series with the diodes, or else 12v straight on the diodes will let all the prepackaged smoke out.

Linky to do the math for resistor size http://led.linear1.org/1led.wiz

Thanks for this. I have had experience of pre-packaged smoke leaking out, though this was more of a damn busting than a leaking

**p.dath** · 7th July 2011, 07:39

Originally Posted by DrunkenMistake

Ohh, i know what your talking about im going to look at getting some soon, basicly what I was going to do was attactch neg and positive to the battery, but run that to a toggle switch then from the switch to the lights, I even have small plastic inserts on the insides of my fairings I can mount a little toggle switch, so my plan was to run the wires under that and go from there, otherwise you could maybe run from your headlights? just splice them in and then when the head lights turn off they turn off but I dont know if this would cause any issues with the LEDs, how many strips did you get ?

Whatever you do, when attaching stuff directly to the battery, put in a fuse as close to the battery as possible.

If you want to know why, go and like at battery related fires.

**EB255GTX** · 8th July 2011, 20:12

Originally Posted by bikaholic

Make sure there is a resistor in series with the diodes, or else 12v straight on the diodes will let all the prepackaged smoke out.

Linky to do the math for resistor size http://led.linear1.org/1led.wiz

Might not need resistors, but would need to see a photo to be able to tell. A fuse is always a good idea!

**scumdog** · 8th July 2011, 20:52

Originally Posted by p.dath

Whatever you do, when attaching stuff directly to the battery, put in a fuse as close to the battery as possible.

If you want to know why, go and like at battery related fires.

Run five green strips plus a flourescent one on my hot-rod, no fuses and no bothers, all run through a relay run off the headlight circuit.

All lights hidden from direct view, no worries legality wise.

And the LED wiring is that skinny it probably acts as a 10 amp fuse...

**EB255GTX** · 8th July 2011, 21:11

Originally Posted by scumdog

Run five green strips plus a flourescent one on my hot-rod, no fuses and no bothers, all run through a relay run off the headlight circuit.

All lights hidden from direct view, no worries legality wise.

And the LED wiring is that skinny it probably acts as a 10 amp fuse...

Wiring doesn't act like a fuse, a FUSE acts like a fuse. The wiring might burn out at quite a low current, but do you want melted wiring all over the place, is any of that wiring that will get red hot running near fuel lines, etc etc. Fuses prevent fires, it costs almost nothgin to add one, hell you can even get fused relays so there is no additional wiring for you.

Surely if you care enough about your bike/car to want to improve it's appearance with LEDs you care enough to add a fuse?

**scumdog** · 8th July 2011, 21:20

Originally Posted by EB255GTX

Wiring doesn't act like a fuse, a FUSE acts like a fuse. The wiring might burn out at quite a low current, but do you want melted wiring all over the place, is any of that wiring that will get red hot running near fuel lines, etc etc. Fuses prevent fires, it costs almost nothgin to add one, hell you can even get fused relays so there is no additional wiring for you.

Surely if you care enough about your bike/car to want to improve it's appearance with LEDs you care enough to add a fuse?

Oh, there is a fuse that feeds the relay.

And ALL wires from the power source are away from anything combusible and also 'out in the breeze'.