Cheap MOD 2
- Thread starter B4ndit
- Start date
Did you just change the bulbs?
Bendy toy
Registered user
I put some low cost wide angle LED lamps on mine - total cost about £40. Woo Hoo.
But one has filled up with water so they not looking such good value right now. Re fitting the OEM lamps with LED bulbs make more sense.
Where did you get your LED bulbs?
But one has filled up with water so they not looking such good value right now. Re fitting the OEM lamps with LED bulbs make more sense.
Where did you get your LED bulbs?
I get all my bulbs from China. As its all hit and miss with the output and effect of these bulbs the savings in price make the experiment worth while. Patience is required waiting for delivery!
Its just a straight swap for CREE LED. The Fog Lights needed the aperture widening slightly. I also needed a resistor on the dip beam although its supposed to be Canbus error free (This is the first one of many lighting mods I have done that needed the resistor). But the wiring is quite neat after modifying the waterproof cover slightly. The resistor sits neatly under the front wing. Pretty similar to where the ballasts go for HID. But much smaller. The fogs didn't require a resistor.
Its just a straight swap for CREE LED. The Fog Lights needed the aperture widening slightly. I also needed a resistor on the dip beam although its supposed to be Canbus error free (This is the first one of many lighting mods I have done that needed the resistor). But the wiring is quite neat after modifying the waterproof cover slightly. The resistor sits neatly under the front wing. Pretty similar to where the ballasts go for HID. But much smaller. The fogs didn't require a resistor.
Out of curiosity how hot is your resistor getting?
On my Rt12 I was dabbling with LED rear lights, but the added wirewound resistor gets extreamly hot even though it's 100w rated.
Maybe crees are different.
On my Rt12 I was dabbling with LED rear lights, but the added wirewound resistor gets extreamly hot even though it's 100w rated.
Maybe crees are different.
It does get hot. I will post the temp later this week when I give it a run out. The resistor sits on one of the crash bar braces under the front wing. So it should be fine. I would imagine all resistors get to the same temperature. I am no electrician but thats how I understand they work.
Bendy toy
Registered user
The resistor will use about the same power as the original 50watt halogen so it will get hot. Maybe its possible to reprogram the Canbus to accept lower power lamps. The aux headlights "fogs" are not fed by Canbus.
Many thanks, but I have just found temps online. Your looking at a constant 2-300 degC depends on the resistance). Fine on the gs because there's plenty of places to mount it without melting things, but no good for my plastic covered RT
Bendy toy
Registered user
It should be possible to find the resistance needed to keep the canbus happy. It's basically looking for bad connections and open circuits so it probably wont need a full 40 or 50 watt resistor. Start with 10 watt and increase until the LampF stays happy. Upgrade to a continuous rated resistor when you know what's needed.
Hi Bendy,
It's not the wattage but the resistance that fools the dreaded \!/ on the dash, although I think that's what you meant to say. You need the wirewound high wattage resistor to dissipate the heat as they are just put in parallel to the load (lamp).
It's not the wattage but the resistance that fools the dreaded \!/ on the dash, although I think that's what you meant to say. You need the wirewound high wattage resistor to dissipate the heat as they are just put in parallel to the load (lamp).
Bendy toy
Registered user
A high resistance will be seen as a fault so up comes the LampF. A low resistance (but high power - watts) will keep it happy. At some point the LampF will go off. That should be well below the normal power demand from a halogen headlight bulb. But Ive no clue at what point the LampF is kept away.
Some LEDs by their very high light output will pull enough power. My spots are 30watts but MUCH brighter than any 50watt halogen.
Some LEDs by their very high light output will pull enough power. My spots are 30watts but MUCH brighter than any 50watt halogen.
It will not be well below the power demand of the lamp, the ZFE unit is looking for a set-ish resistance value. There is a need to take into accout the I squared r effects on a tungsten lamp when illuminated. The resistance can be calculated by measuring the current used by the lamp when a voltage is applied.
Either way, you going to have to carefully mount any resistor chosen as it will get extreamly hot. This isn't such a big deal for indicators as they are not in constant use.
Either way, you going to have to carefully mount any resistor chosen as it will get extreamly hot. This isn't such a big deal for indicators as they are not in constant use.
Bendy toy
Registered user
Based on the current used by the bulb here's a simplistic thought -
Normal rated bulb is 50W halogen. Probably a 30watt halogen is also ok - I mean wont raise a LampF. The good LED bulbs are 30W so (simplistically) should also use the same current and keep the LampF at bay. Cheap LEDs, that look bright but deliver not much light, are lower power consumption so likely to raise the LampF.
If the ZFE expect to see 50 Watts being used (4 amps) then you could run a 20 watt bulb parallel with the 30 watt LED bulb. Most indicators use 21 watt bulbs.
Who knows, Ive not tried, but this would be my approach to the problem.
Normal rated bulb is 50W halogen. Probably a 30watt halogen is also ok - I mean wont raise a LampF. The good LED bulbs are 30W so (simplistically) should also use the same current and keep the LampF at bay. Cheap LEDs, that look bright but deliver not much light, are lower power consumption so likely to raise the LampF.
If the ZFE expect to see 50 Watts being used (4 amps) then you could run a 20 watt bulb parallel with the 30 watt LED bulb. Most indicators use 21 watt bulbs.
Who knows, Ive not tried, but this would be my approach to the problem.
Isn't the whole Watt thing confusing when it comes to LEDs. They all draw very little power. The Watt thing being a representation of the power delivered if they were a standard bulb. Really output for LEDs is Lumens and the colour is done as a K rating.
LEDs are always going to throw up a Lampf fault unless they have been truly made error free. That at the moment is still hit and miss. I think CREE is just starting to get the high Lumens. It can't be long before true error free bulbs appear. My Car fairs much better in this respect than my bike.
LEDs are always going to throw up a Lampf fault unless they have been truly made error free. That at the moment is still hit and miss. I think CREE is just starting to get the high Lumens. It can't be long before true error free bulbs appear. My Car fairs much better in this respect than my bike.
Bendy toy
Registered user
My LEDs pull 30watts measured at 2.5 amps with an ammeter. They make about 6 times as much light as a 30 watt halogen bulb.
If the can bus measures power consumption there should be no problem. If it's looking for resistive load characteristics it could well raise error codes.
If the can bus measures power consumption there should be no problem. If it's looking for resistive load characteristics it could well raise error codes.
pojoel
Registered user
My Ammurrican LEDs, in parking, dipped and high haven't caused any LAMPF. Yet.
I'll install a LED-strip on each handprotector when it gets warmer in my garage, so it's still a chance of failure.
I'll install a LED-strip on each handprotector when it gets warmer in my garage, so it's still a chance of failure.
Bendy toy
Registered user
Wired with a relay the new LEDs will not upset the CanBus. You could consider stick on repeater lights used on car front wings. Most can be got in amber or white.
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