DIY strips LED

[Copperwire]

History

 

Went over to truly asia to install two led strips under my Gilera runner VXR 200.

Shld have checked before i go off. Tht mechanic just connect the two strips to a rocker swtich and to my battery. Even if my bike is off, when i on the swtich, the lights will swtich on. When it rains, the swtich shorted tgt and TADA. there goes my battery.

 

i gotten a new battery and took out the two strips of LED already.

Am thinking of DIY to put em back. Just have some connection qns to ask.

 

Sequence of Connection

Correct me if the sqeuence that i mention below is wrong.

 

Battery -> 15Am fues -> Swtich -> Blank -> the two LED strips -> ground.

 

what do i have to connect the Blank so that i have to on both my bike and the swtich to have have the lights swtich on?

[asmi]

Bro.. just need to put a relay in the blank.... thats all.. You can PM me for more info..

[asmi]

I drew it out for you... The big square thing that you see is a SPST (Single Pole, Single Throw) RELAY.. which is inside the relay.. helps you understand better on how a relay works. Its like an electronic switch, where, when you turn on the electromagnet(by your backlight), its a closed circuit! When there is no backlight, no electromagnet, thus opened circuit.

 

Meaning.. even if you your switch is ON or OFF, there is no way, your LED can light up because there an opening in the Relay.. IF you still don't understand, you can come my house here, HOUGANG.. PM me for my contacts .. i can show you.. guide you along so that in the future, you can do your own DIY! Don't waste money on bikeshops. if you do wanna come down, pls buy a relay from sim lim tower or autobacs k.. ask for HELLA relay.. i got a few connectors and wires to spare too. Cheers.

Edited September 22, 2009 by asmi

[kwanheng]

I drew it out for you... The big square thing that you see is a SPST (Single Pole, Single Throw) RELAY.. which is inside the relay.. helps you understand better on how a relay works. Its like an electronic switch, where, when you turn on the electromagnet(by your backlight), its a closed circuit! When there is no backlight, no electromagnet, thus opened circuit.

 

Meaning.. even if you your switch is ON or OFF, there is no way, your LED can light up because there an opening in the Relay.. IF you still don't understand, you can come my house here, HOUGANG.. PM me for my contacts .. i can show you.. guide you along so that in the future, you can do your own DIY! Don't waste money on bikeshops. if you do wanna come down, pls buy a relay from sim lim tower or autobacs k.. ask for HELLA relay.. i got a few connectors and wires to spare too. Cheers.

 

bro add in a flasher it will look nice.

[schwein.bissen]

Sequence of Connection

Correct me if the sqeuence that i mention below is wrong.

 

Battery -> 15Am fues -> Swtich -> Blank -> the two LED strips -> ground.

 

what do i have to connect the Blank so that i have to on both my bike and the swtich to have have the lights swtich on?

No need relay!

 

Connect the lights to the main wire that's after the ignition key-switch, then replace the faulty switch.

[asmi]

You can do that also...

 

But trust me, you will see future problems, not only your light strips, but your bike as whole. Been there, done that, regretted.

 

I'm just advising you a safer way.

[yctradingsg]

dun need relay la... waste $ and effort. Just either go to your fuse box or main ignition or headlight wire.

There won't be any future problems la...

Been there done that for years....

[Copperwire]

I drew it out for you... The big square thing that you see is a SPST (Single Pole, Single Throw) RELAY.. which is inside the relay.. helps you understand better on how a relay works. Its like an electronic switch, where, when you turn on the electromagnet(by your backlight), its a closed circuit! When there is no backlight, no electromagnet, thus opened circuit.

 

Meaning.. even if you your switch is ON or OFF, there is no way, your LED can light up because there an opening in the Relay.. IF you still don't understand, you can come my house here, HOUGANG.. PM me for my contacts .. i can show you.. guide you along so that in the future, you can do your own DIY! Don't waste money on bikeshops. if you do wanna come down, pls buy a relay from sim lim tower or autobacs k.. ask for HELLA relay.. i got a few connectors and wires to spare too. Cheers.

 

no mah, if the swtich is on, the magnetic coil will become live and the relay swtich will trigger thus switch on the light right. haha. u HOUGANG, i jurong lehhh!!

[adriel]

wah helpful guy asmi......i will monitor this thread.....if got diy/tutorial session call me can.....i wanna learn how to do these things too..... teach a man to fish vs givin him a fish.......ups for ya bro.........

[limbat]

Guys - you are also welcome to see my bike set for LED strip applications - I hv built a 3rd stop-light & 2 side signal lights to my Big Rear Box.

[asmi]

I don't know man, from what i've done, and ask around.. if you connect directly to your main switch, that wire will draw more current.. what if your wire cannot take the current transfer? burnt wire, sometimes you don't even know where its burn.

 

You try putting a battery, positive to negative, you will feel that the wire is hot. few hours later, take it off, and you will have a very hard wire.. you can even peel off the insulator. That's what happened to my previous bike. I connect directly to my ignition switch, in the end, i have to rewire my whole bike.

 

Now, all my bike setup, be it alarm, LEDs, horn, whatever... i try to draw from my battery. Let it be messy, at least i know i'm safe.

 

But really, its up to you.. just my humble 2cents.

[asmi]

wah helpful guy asmi......i will monitor this thread.....if got diy/tutorial session call me can.....i wanna learn how to do these things too..... teach a man to fish vs givin him a fish.......ups for ya bro.........

 

Sure NO problem I'm no electronics student, but i've read on the internet alot, ask around, and tried it out.. tested and fail many times, and i'm very willing to share my knowledge around. If you have any DIY project on your mind, probably we can meet up, and work it out together

[Copperwire]

if there is any session, post it in here. i would like to join in too. ^^

[joajas]

Before you install these things, you must know if the led strips has resistors incorporated into its design. If not you need to add one to protect the led strip.

 

Next you must decide what type of wires to use. If your wires are going to be installed in places which experience high temperature and oil, you must get proper wires for that kind of application. You must also decide the guage(AWG) of the wires to use. The main reason why wires get hot is because there is too much current it can handle. Therefore oversize wires is always better, when I say oversize, i mean the amount of the copper strands and copper thickness, not the overall thickness.

 

Then on to your switch, same as wires you need to properly size your switch. If your switch cannot handle the amount of current supplied to it, the contacts inside might warp and short-circuit or permanently open circuit.

 

I get my electrical supplies from Chop Hock Hong at King George's Ave. I only found them recently, but they have the things I want at a much cheaper price than autobacs. For wires, you can tell them how many ampere you need for your device and let them recommend.

 

My last purchase there, a 30m wire that can take up to 21 amps cost $25 and a 30m wire that takes up to 6 amps cost $5.50. They also sell switches and connectors, though not those fanciful ones like autobacs, the switches are much better quality. It is better to buy the wires in 30m packs as they are packed that way, else it will be more expensive. So you can maybe find 2 more friends and share the cost. 10m should be able to last for quite some time unless you are adding lots of stuff.

 

When installing low current draw devices like leds, a relay is not really needed. The easiest way is to tap your headlight wire (make sure you tap the correct one if not the led will not light up), then to a fuse before going to the switch which then goes to the led positive. The led negative you can just tie to a screw that screws into the bike frame.

 

So in this manner, the led will not turn on unless the bike's headlight is on.

 

For installation of just 1-2 led strips or voltmeter, the 6 amp wire is usually sufficient.

 

For items like additional fog/spot lights or loud electric/air horns, at least get the 21amps wire coupled with proper fuse rating and relay.

Edited September 24, 2009 by joajas

[Copperwire]

Power la. hey. joajas, what bike are u riding? u familiar with runner's circuit? i dun dare to anyhow to add plugins. haha. maybe if u have any diy session can jio along.

[joajas]

Power la. hey. joajas, what bike are u riding? u familiar with runner's circuit? i dun dare to anyhow to add plugins. haha. maybe if u have any diy session can jio along.

 

I am riding S4, I am not that power lor. Anyway I am not familiar with runner's circuit . If you are not versed in electrical stuffs, I believe it is best to leave it to the mechs.

 

You can try Unique Motor. No guarantee they are always perfect, but their service is good. If got problem with their work, just go back to them nicely and they will rectify for you.

[Copperwire]

lol. ya. i tried to diy and tada. blown fuse. n b c b. lol. i think i shall spend money on mechs and dun try stupid shi t myself. unless got pros to teach

[joajas]

lol. ya. i tried to diy and tada. blown fuse. n b c b. lol. i think i shall spend money on mechs and dun try stupid shi t myself. unless got pros to teach

 

Maybe you can let us know what exactly you did to blow the fuse?

 

For a start, you can try this way of connection:

 

Tap Headlight hotwire -> fuse 5A -> switch -> led(+),

 

Led(-) to metal chassis (structure) for your bike.

 

This way of connection ensures that your battery does to drain when there is short circuit due to rain.

[yctradingsg]

can also try...

1）Wrap wire around one of the legs of the tail light fuse.

2）That wire go to the -ve of your switch.

3) +ve of switch go to +ve of LED.

4) -ve of LED go to any grounding point

[counterstrike]

Dear sir and all, as fuse got 2 leg, could i ask a humble question, which leg do we connect to, do we connect just 1 leg to the positive (+) or both leg.

 

Thank you for e answer.

[at0m87]

Dear sir and all, as fuse got 2 leg, could i ask a humble question, which leg do we connect to, do we connect just 1 leg to the positive (+) or both leg.

 

Thank you for e answer.

 

if you intend to utilise the fuse, u should connect at the "*" - [battery+]---->[FUSE]--*-->[anything this fuse is suppose to connect to]

[at0m87]

Before you install these things, you must know if the led strips has resistors incorporated into its design. If not you need to add one to protect the led strip.

 

Next you must decide what type of wires to use. If your wires are going to be installed in places which experience high temperature and oil, you must get proper wires for that kind of application. You must also decide the guage(AWG) of the wires to use. The main reason why wires get hot is because there is too much current it can handle. Therefore oversize wires is always better, when I say oversize, i mean the amount of the copper strands and copper thickness, not the overall thickness.

 

Then on to your switch, same as wires you need to properly size your switch. If your switch cannot handle the amount of current supplied to it, the contacts inside might warp and short-circuit or permanently open circuit.

 

I get my electrical supplies from Chop Hock Hong at King George's Ave. I only found them recently, but they have the things I want at a much cheaper price than autobacs. For wires, you can tell them how many ampere you need for your device and let them recommend.

 

My last purchase there, a 30m wire that can take up to 21 amps cost $25 and a 30m wire that takes up to 6 amps cost $5.50. They also sell switches and connectors, though not those fanciful ones like autobacs, the switches are much better quality. It is better to buy the wires in 30m packs as they are packed that way, else it will be more expensive. So you can maybe find 2 more friends and share the cost. 10m should be able to last for quite some time unless you are adding lots of stuff.

 

When installing low current draw devices like leds, a relay is not really needed. The easiest way is to tap your headlight wire (make sure you tap the correct one if not the led will not light up), then to a fuse before going to the switch which then goes to the led positive. The led negative you can just tie to a screw that screws into the bike frame.

 

So in this manner, the led will not turn on unless the bike's headlight is on.

 

For installation of just 1-2 led strips or voltmeter, the 6 amp wire is usually sufficient.

 

For items like additional fog/spot lights or loud electric/air horns, at least get the 21amps wire coupled with proper fuse rating and relay.

 

Totally agree with you on the wire size to use! if u use a thin wire and connect up an air horn, ur air horn will not be able to draw enough current at any unit time. meaning to say, if you have a tap. one with big pipe one with tinner pipe. obviously the bigger pipe's tap will fill ur cup faster right?

 

also on the point about LEDs not requiring a relay. Leds are drawing way less current and are lower powered than the incandescent light bulbs so they definitely wont burn up ur wiring harness when u tap it to your backlight or headlight wiring. the bike wiring is build to withstand the original current draw by the bulbs which is alot higher than the LEDs. do the maths and calculate the power rating of the bulb and led and compare the vast difference.

[at0m87]

for ease of tapping the ignition wires so that your leds/horn/etc can only be turned on after the ignition is on to prevent a battery flat out without cutting wires then rejoining then or connecting wire to the fuse legs, try the 3M T-Tap connector! it is truly a magical connector which makes tapping of wires neat, clean and easy! very impress and satisfied with it. it isnt sold in SG but someone in this forum is selling it and i got mine from him. alternatlvely you can go to SIM LIM TOWER to buy the chiong version at $0.40 each.. (the red oval shape one is the chiong one which i personally feels is not much of a different thou the price of the 3M one is cheaper $0.25 each if i remember correctly.)

[counterstrike]

so in short i only connect to 1 leg instead of 2, it doesn't matter which side i suppose ?

[at0m87]

so in short i only connect to 1 leg instead of 2, it doesn't matter which side i suppose ?

 

look at the "diagram" i drew, Yes it matter where you connect the leg. if you are intending to use the fuse, the connect at . if you dont intent to use the fuse aka bypass the fuse then connect at . if you dont really care, you can connect at or it will still work. just keep in mind that a fuse will protect what is connected to the battery from overcurrent.

 

[battery+]---->[FUSE]---->[anything this fuse is suppose to connect to]