Dimmable LEDs
Noone been farckling since 2010?
Have recently completed the addition of some LED flood lights with a dimmer. The aim was to add only one set of auxilliary lights for dipped and main beam with these four objectives:
1) improve nighttime vision over stock main beam which is pathetic on the F800 (2011)
2) improve the night time vision over stock dipped beam
3) improve daytime conspicuity
4) avoid having banks of monster lamps for different tasks
Clearwater in the US have a nice system using dimmable LEDs but very expensive ($600). LEDs can have their brightness altered by phase modulation - they flash at a rate that is not perceptible to the human eye, and the modulator increases/reduces the time interval between the flashes which creates the dimming effect.
I came across a supplier on ebay offering cheap powerful LEDs (3000 lumen each) with an optional remote controlled dimmer.
http://2allbuyer.auctivacommerce.com/3000LM-Led-Light-x2-P3121582.aspx
There seem to be numerous suppliers of LEDs bit it is difficult comparing them and knowing for sure how bright and what sort of light pattern you will actually get. I went for cheap to experiment with - (£120 for lamps and dimmer).
The lamps arrived very quickly from HK, and a bench test showed they worked just as planned - switch between a user set dimmed level and full brightness. The problem was that I did not like the remote control, and the dimmer is a bit bulky and uses spring terminals. So I ditched them in favour of a switch controlled dimmer from Abel Electronics which is also smaller in size and uses screw terminals (£40).
This is what the lamps look like mounted on the rugged roads light bar.
There is a lot of wiring involved - I draw feeds from both dipped and main beam wires by tapping into the loom just behind the headlight socket. I used 0.5mm2 thin walled wire which is rated at 11amp - lamps are rated at 2.6 amp each. I have two waterproof connectors which allow the lamps to be removed, these are tied either side of the central cockpit subframe:
I have two switches mounted on a bracket on the handlebars: master on/off and a momentary on/off/on switch to control the dimmer and an led tell tale light. The bracket is aluminium off a plasterers hawk and a maplins plastic project box:
The dimmer and two relays and fuse are mounted under the battery cover, I have a mounting plate attached to the battery top holder. I have sculpted the holder to accommodate the mounting bolts and allow easy removal without having to disconnect the earth lead - to get at the air filter I have to take off the batter holder with the electronics attached:
The end results (all photos shot using identical exposure settings)
Stock dipped beam:
Stock dipped beam + LEDs set to lowest dim setting (above this and oncoming vehicles tend to flash you. The photo suggests more light from the LEDs than the eye sees. Not sure why the photo gives a slightly orange tint:
Stock dipped and main beam:
Stock dipped and main beam with LEDs on full brightness - impressive for pair of little lights and inspire confidence when night riding.
Just to give you an idea of the relative brightness of the lamps from the front. Not the actual brightness as seen by the eye - note streetlamp - everything is actually much brighter. The left hand lamp is pointed to the left so not as bright from the front as the right hand one:
Conclusion:
Objectives achieved except not any significant improvement to dipped beam without blinding oncoming vehicles. I am very happy with the results though.
There is little reason for having an infinitely variable dimming capability but you do need to be able to set your own level to match the way you mount the lamps and avoid dazzling.
These lights are not AP rated, have glass lens, and have insubstantial mounting hardware. They probably wont last long, that being said, met a guy at HUBB who had a pair mounted on a trip from Alaska to Ushuaia - only one cracked lens and he had to modify mounts.
Zen Overland sell a neat dimming device with 2-3 preset levels (not sure whether these are user defined or factory set). It is also has a very small footprint. Komy Kwan from HK says the next version of his LEDs will come with a dimmer incorporated in the lamps. But you still need relays with this level of power.
The technology and price/performance is changing fast for these components.
How did you wire them in?
