LED Headlight Query

Pluribus

Pluribus

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Am hoping someone out there can help.

I recently fitted and LEDPerf.co.uk headlight to my 2018 R9T Urban. Despite the blurb saying it is compatible, once fitted and error message icon is displayed on the LCD dash.

I am assuming this is due to the LED light drawing less power than the OEM headlight which in turn makes the canbus think a bulb is out.

Having rang a BMW dealer to ask if there was a plug in module that would eliminate the error i was told that as it is a non genuine BMW part there is no way this error message can be removed and will remain present whilst the light is fitted.......I found it hard to accept this and questioned the chap accordingly....he insisted this was the case.

If I am wrong and this cannot be resolved then so be it, however, i thought i would ask on here.

Oh, i also asked if the bike was plugged into a GS-911 then could the error message be cleared and he again replied with an emphatic NO.

Anyone got experience of similar and is there a solution to remove the error message.

Thanks

P
 
Have you narrowed it down to if it is the main bulb or the sidelight bulb that is throwing the fault? The dealer is just towing the official BMW line, but with the right resistor fitted inline you can remove the error.
There are a good few posts on the forum about this.
 
would i need to fit a w5w led pilot bulb as well do you know. I have looked at the Horizons H4 canbus lead which they say will work on the light units they sell but are not sure on the light i bought. I guess more research and phone calls reuired.

thanks

P
 
Funnily enough mine arrived this morning! I’m guessing I’ll get the same. Normally with with led conversions a resistor can be fitted inline, to ‘increase’ the load.
Not sure what size this would need, or if one is needed for all lights, ie side, dip, main. Hopefully some electrical bod will be able to help.
 
Andi_archer said:
Did you try contacting the seller directly to ask about the problem?
Click to expand...

Immediately, they basically said there should not be an error. I responded to say there was and not heard from them since. Also, no instructions on fitting in the box, i know its pretty straight forward, but a bit poor.

P
 
Akulaking said:
Funnily enough mine arrived this morning! I’m guessing I’ll get the same. Normally with with led conversions a resistor can be fitted inline, to ‘increase’ the load.
Not sure what size this would need, or if one is needed for all lights, ie side, dip, main. Hopefully some electrical bod will be able to help.
Click to expand...

Did you go with the LEDPerf headlight ? Let me know how you get on when you fit it.

Thanks

P
 
Pluribus said:
Did you go with the LEDPerf headlight ? Let me know how you get on when you fit it.

Thanks

P
Click to expand...
No, just bought a cheaply from eBay. £20! Just fitted and yes fault light on dash. I’m wondering if one resistor on the negative wire would do the trick.
It’s very bright, the daytime angel ring is highly visible, and can be white or blue. Will try the dip/main tonight.
It looks identical to the LEDperf unit they are selling for £116.
 
On the units Ive seen mentioned they would normally have an inline resister so Im assuming this is missing from the unit. That said if it doesn't work send it back as unit is unfit for purpose as they stated it would work on that bike.
 
Andi_archer said:
On the units Ive seen mentioned they would normally have an inline resister so Im assuming this is missing from the unit. That said if it doesn't work send it back as unit is unfit for purpose as they stated it would work on that bike.
Click to expand...

And buy a £20 one from eBay. It will still have the problem, but we’ll get it sorted with a few pence worth of resistor.
Investigations into said resistor are ongoing.
 
I have some made for indicators floating about in the garage, if you want to try one pm me your address?
 
When we spoke the other day pluribus about the LED headlight, I did wonder about whether an error would be displayed, but had not considered the pilot light issue.

Would also like to do the same with my Turban and Twin Cam GSA, found the following link.

https://www.webbikeworld.com/led-load-resistor-bmw-can-bus/

Hope you both manage to find a solution.
 
Andi_archer said:
I have some made for indicators floating about in the garage, if you want to try one pm me your address?
Click to expand...

Thanks Andi, at present i am going to persevere with contacting the sellers, if not working without modification to the bike then i will return it.

Regards

P
 
The one that it came with to supposedly avoid an error light.
The light is a thing of beauty and the plug and play tempted me.
Shall continue to investigate, its a common mod so am sure there is a simple solution - it's just finding it.

Thanks

P
 
Been doing some research into this, it seems the only way around it is to fool the canbus into thinking the the standard bulb is fitted, by increasing the load. The obvious way is by resistor. Unfortunately from what I’ve gleaned it has to be of a level of resistance that generates a significant amount of heat. This means it has to be one of the aluminium heat sink types, and fitted outside of the headlamp shell, somewhere ideally where it can catch the breeze, so would thereby be on view, and they don’t look attractive.
The other only other option I can think of is to fit the standard bulb, in tandem with the LED, but have it either as a secondary daytime running light, or have it hidden somewhere, possibly in the headlight shell, but this maybe not a good idea as it would generate heat.
OR.... just live with the bulb failure alert on the dash.
It seems daft that with the high tech of a canbus system we would have to resort to fitting a low tech bulky resistor to get thing to work properly. Apparently the older models have a canbus with higher tolerance to this, and in most cases don’t register a fault.

As an aside, and rather annoyingly, the handbook states not to leave the heated grips on the high setting for too long, as it can drain the battery. If the drain from the conventional, permanently on headlight were removed, and replaced with an LED unit, the drain would be less, and the grips could probably be left on full!
 
You have come to the same conclusion as me in terms of a workaround to eliminate the error message. I am not prepared to do this so I have been in touch with LEDPerf and agreed a full return/refund. What a pain.

P
 
I fitted the LED ones of ebay, to my hexhead with no issues whatsoever,

I have a spare one that your welcome to try to see if it isnt the one your using - providing it's the same fitment
 
Thanks for your very kind offer Santa-2512 but I am going to stick with the stock light for the time being. At least LEDPerf are taking it back. Bloody canbus.

P




Santa-2512 said:
I fitted the LED ones of ebay, to my hexhead with no issues whatsoever,

I have a spare one that your welcome to try to see if it isnt the one your using - providing it's the same fitment
Click to expand...
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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