Speedo/Tach lamps.

[F6Ghostrider VRCC #32501]

I have a 98 Tourer and it seems I have to replace my Speedo/Tach lamps about every year. Has anyone found LED’s to replace these guys, or do I stick with OEM lamps?
Any feedback is appreciated.
Jeff.

[Bagger John - #3785]

Many LED threads on the board. Do a search.

Superbrightleds (the site) has a few that work well. I got some bright white 194s from AutoZone, put them in my '99 Tourer and like them a lot.

[MarkT]

I put white LED's from superbrightLEDs in my favorite cruiser (Jade, 97 Tour).  Installed a pot to dial it up or down.  Plenty of light I can dial the light above or below the level that's reflecting from the dusk sky and always see the numerals and sweep hands.  Some try other colors, so did I but they all have problems.  White is best.

[Jims99]

I used superbright.com bulbs in mine a few years ago and love them. The color ones look good,  but not bright enough. White is the best. I also replaced most other bulbs on tourer and interstate with LEDs including head lights. Less draw on switches and electrical system.

[-mike-]

Superbright is quite praised here for some reasons. No mistake to order there.

Nevertheless, for you cheap guys out there - these LEDs do remarkably well and have not the flaws of simple LEDs with just resistors for a voltage divider. (read: no thermal problems esp. for higher outputs and/or when placed in isolated rubber fittings, no polarity issues and better contact surfaces):

NOT dimmable, though.
You may order in different colors for fun or test purposes, too. Just add a line after purchase.

1.99 USD a pair.



They do work for more than a year now w/o issues, where others miserably have failed after a few weeks...

-mike-

[F6Ghostrider VRCC #32501]

Thank you, ALL. Great feedback with solid information. I never realized Auto Zone carried those lamps. I thought it was an OEM Stealer item only. I took BaggerJohns advice and went to Auto Zone. Just didn’t want to wait another week with burned out lamps. The LEDs were $22 bucks and the regular lamps were $12 bucks. Low on fun tickets, so I went with the cheaper ones to get me by until I can check out the website and get some good ones. Even the regular white lamps are brighter than OEM’s.
Thanks again Fellas. Ride safe and watch your six.
Jeff.

[gordonv]

Bulbs for instrument lighting

Std/Tourer 194 miniature wedge base
IS 74 miniature wedge base

I showed them in my project post.
http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,96578.0.html

[98valk]

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,34551.0.html

I've brought some good ones off Ebay, more than half the cost of superbrights, 2 to 3 times the quantity and they last for yrs.

[Pluggy]

One of you experts must have put LED's in for the indicator lights.  That's Tourer and Standard Neutral, Turn, and High Beam in the headlight she'll.  Those are not particularly bright in daylight.  Any success stories?

[mugmarine]

Mark T can you tell me which bulbs you used and the pot for adjustment?

[98valk]

One of you experts must have put LED's in for the indicator lights.  That's Tourer and Standard Neutral, Turn, and High Beam in the headlight she'll.  Those are not particularly bright in daylight.  Any success stories?

I put these is much brighter in sunlight.
I think these are the ones I bought.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/252827576248

[MarkT]

Mark T can you tell me which bulbs you used and the pot for adjustment?

Prtetty sure the bulbs were this one in cool white: https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/instrument-cluster-gauge/194-led-bulb-5-smd-led-tower-miniature-wedge-retrofit-car/206/




As for the pot, it was just one of the many I had in my electric box.  Don't know the specs.  I just hooked it up to the LED & a battery and turned the dial and observed it had full range control.  Can't measure what it is w/o uninstalling it.  Pretty sure you could use the specs of the LED load and use Ohm's law to figure what might work.  Easier for me to just do a smoke test.  Or maybe one of our guru's who work with analog circuits daily can just tell you.

[mugmarine]

Thank you Sir !

[Pluggy]

One of you experts must have put LED's in for the indicator lights.  That's Tourer and Standard Neutral, Turn, and High Beam in the headlight she'll.  Those are not particularly bright in daylight.  Any success stories?

I put these is much brighter in sunlight.
I think these are the ones I bought.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/252827576248

Thank you.

[Buza]

One of you experts must have put LED's in for the indicator lights.  That's Tourer and Standard Neutral, Turn, and High Beam in the headlight she'll.  Those are not particularly bright in daylight.  Any success stories?

I put these is much brighter in sunlight.
I think these are the ones I bought.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/252827576248

Headlight mounted indicator lights are T5's and there's plenty of led replacements.
Bulbs are pretty deep in the rubber sleeves but the change is a bit easier if you fold the excess sleeve.

I changed the neutral light standard bulb to led, worked fine. But with the turn signal indicator things got interesting. Seems that with indicator light the polarity changes when you switch from right turn to left turn, so the led will work only on one side, depending which way the led was positioned.

I think there could be enough space in that rubber sleeve to fix 2 T5 leds side by side. I was thinking that if I could solder one bulb mount to 2 led's so that both have opposite polarities it should work.
It should work, right?

I left the high beam light with the stock bulb, I'm guessing that super bright led would be to bright when driving in dark.

[Gnarly]

Similar to MarkT's dimmer pot, these tiny dimmers are about $30, made by PCA Electronics.
Think: dime-sized diameter. Fits a 5/16" hole,IIRC. Protrudes maybe a half inch.

From their ad:
12 Volt DC Dimmer. Dims up to 60 watts (4.2 amps) of incandescent, halogen, or LED lighting reducing heat and power drain on batteries.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C4UBLZG/?coliid=IG68EV061NHD7&colid=6SUNLA0FDDKZ&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Have used these pots on the last 3 bikes; no issues.
The one on my I/S is controlling  30W of courtesy LED's without problems.

Also maybe worth adding: it's also an off/on switch.

Hope that helps. I apologize for the slight derailment.

[98valk]

Similar to MarkT's dimmer pot, these tiny dimmers are about $30, made by PCA Electronics.
Think: dime-sized diameter. Fits a 5/16" hole,IIRC. Protrudes maybe a half inch.

From their ad:
12 Volt DC Dimmer. Dims up to 60 watts (4.2 amps) of incandescent, halogen, or LED lighting reducing heat and power drain on batteries.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C4UBLZG/?coliid=IG68EV061NHD7&colid=6SUNLA0FDDKZ&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Have used these pots on the last 3 bikes; no issues.
The one on my I/S is controlling  30W of courtesy LED's without problems.

Also maybe worth adding: it's also an off/on switch.

Hope that helps. I apologize for the slight derailment.

thank you   

[-mike-]

But with the turn signal indicator things got interesting. Seems that with indicator light the polarity changes when you switch from right turn to left turn, so the led will work only on one side, depending which way the led was positioned.

I think there could be enough space in that rubber sleeve to fix 2 T5 leds side by side. I was thinking that if I could solder one bulb mount to 2 led's so that both have opposite polarities it should work.
It should work, right?

Just use a LED bulb that is equipped with a constant current driver - these LEDs have a non polarity design.

-mike-

[Buza]

Just use a LED bulb that is equipped with a constant current driver - these LEDs have a non polarity design.

-mike-

Great!

[MarkT]

One of you experts must have put LED's in for the indicator lights.  That's Tourer and Standard Neutral, Turn, and High Beam in the headlight she'll.  Those are not particularly bright in daylight.  Any success stories?

I put these is much brighter in sunlight.
I think these are the ones I bought.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/252827576248

Headlight mounted indicator lights are T5's and there's plenty of led replacements.
Bulbs are pretty deep in the rubber sleeves but the change is a bit easier if you fold the excess sleeve.

I changed the neutral light standard bulb to led, worked fine. But with the turn signal indicator things got interesting. Seems that with indicator light the polarity changes when you switch from right turn to left turn, so the led will work only on one side, depending which way the led was positioned.

I think there could be enough space in that rubber sleeve to fix 2 T5 leds side by side. I was thinking that if I could solder one bulb mount to 2 led's so that both have opposite polarities it should work.
It should work, right?

I left the high beam light with the stock bulb, I'm guessing that super bright led would be to bright when driving in dark.

This has been discussed several times before, including by me.  I'm not taking the time to search for it; gotta get back in the shop.  Just quickly, again:
Honda's design of the turn signal circuit includes running the power for the indicator bulb in the bucket through the opposite turn signal to ground.  Works OK with incandescent bulbs, but not with LED turn signals as that minimal current through the indicator bulb to the other LED to ground is enough to light up the LED's and you get 4-ways inadvertently when trying to signal a turn.  There's a simple kit you can buy to replace that wiring design.  Instead I fixed it by separating the two paths to ground, through two red LED's in the signal socket then to ground. They fit in there easily, just be sure you put shrink wrap tube on the LED leads on the hot side so they don't back feed each other.  Bonus, they are bright red, un-ignorable  and will not burn out as the OEM signal bulb can.  You just need a little soldering skill and a little wiring knowledge.

[Buza]

Just use a LED bulb that is equipped with a constant current driver - these LEDs have a non polarity design.

-mike-

Great!

Well, it seems that that kind of led's are bit more difficult to find, so I went with my idea and it works