It just occurred to me that, now that I have replaced my car's conventional bulbs with LEDs the current consumption has dropped by about 10 Amps which might be useful info for BECs using the original bike alternators.

So you have (worst case scenario):
4 x 21W + 2 x 5W Hazards
2 x 5W Tail lights
2 x 5W Side Lights
2 x 21W Brake Lights
2 x 21W Fog Lights

Total = 278Watts = 23 Amps
My LED equivalents are approximately 30 Watts - less than 3 Amps

20Amp saving

Am planning LEDs on my bec - hadn't thought of that. Good point!

These are the little beauties - much, much brighter than earlier versions and the ONLY ones I have found which are not invisible in bright sunlight.

These are your side lights right?

I'm planning on using the car builder solutions rear led clusters and regular 7 fronts, maybe a high level led brake strip on the roll hoop.

Have any of the manufacturers managed led driving lights yet i wonder? I know luxeon have managed some crazy bright leds but still daft price i think?

From? Come on RazMan, don't be coy.

I seem to remember that Audi are reported to be using LED headlights on the new TT.

[Edited on 25/3/07 by Confused but excited.]

Good thought RazMan,

The real numbers are a little less favourable.

Indicators only have a 50% duty cycle (half on, half off). And although hazards excepted, normally only one side or another.

Also brake lights can't be on more than about 10% of the time

Also 1 fog light is as much as is needed, you can leave a bulb out of one if you have fitted it.

So recalculating I get:
(2X21W + 5W) * 50% Indicators (one side at a time) 24
2 * 5W tail 10
2 * 5W side 10
2 * 21W brake lights * 10% 4.2
1 * 21W fog 21

I get a total of
70W or 6A for filament bulbs. You are right LED's are almost nothing (which also has implications for use of thinner and lighter wiring).

Obviously, you lose the power benefit with the indicators if you have to use the high power resistors required to get some flashers working properly.


Its some amps in the right direction though, and may be useful if you have to use an electric water pump and drive at night (as headlights are the big draw at 55W per side). If you also get stuck in traffic (high brake light usage, and fan coming on) and its foggy, then maybe a BEC isn't the right car for you ;-)

Interesting for those who find they don't have enough amps.

Matt

The ones I have pictured are actually my indicators but the same assembly applies to the stop/tail & fog lights. They are basically 3 x 1Watt Luxeon Stars pointing outwards plus 24 conventional LEDs pointing radially (to make use of the reflector)
I get them from eBay and they are not as expensive as you might think - roughly a fiver each.
Check out the supplier h ere

quote:

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Originally posted by matt_gsxr
Obviously, you lose the power benefit with the indicators if you have to use the high power resistors required to get some flashers working properly.

---

are they E marked? many aren't that i've seen (eg in Halfords) are they good for SVA/MOT?

I know things can be changed after SVA

and the advantage of this electronic blinker is that it will give the same duty cycle no matter how much load(within the limits) it has, unlike the normal one which blinks faster if one bulb fuses....

I'm with you Razman,

I have gone for all LED lights with the exception of headlights.

Wanted to keep power low as using extended bike loom and standard bike battery.

Changed to electronic flasher which can deal with hazards as well.

Cheers

Mike

Trouble is a BEC alternator can't be reduced in size or capacity without major modifications... sorry to urinate on your chips... but it is an excellent thought.

On a CEC it would obviously be different... as you can replace a large alternator with a smaller/less output version.

LED's will replace all conventional incandescent/HID lamps eventually I predict.


Steve

I don't think reducing the bec alternator is why this was discussed, it was to reduce the current load on it and less load means slightly more bhp.
Remember that less current drain will also mean a better charged battery etc.
I have got all the led bulbs/flasher unit ready except for fog and reverse as these lamp holders are side on and I don't know if enough light will be produced.
I also think that I may have to use conventional bulbs for sva as none of my leds are marked. Although at my previous sva, not a lamp holder was taken off!

[Edited on 26/3/2007 by nitram38]

I got brake & taillight LED's from autosave talk about dim! at least half as bright as normal, useless. I will try the ones you've used as a bike alt will be a lot easier to fit in my engine bay.

Got mine from ebay and they are so bright I can't look straight at them.
Make sure you get decent ones as there are lots of cheap inported rubbish out there.
My ones have 24 leds each.

quote:

---

Originally posted by nitram38
I don't think reducing the bec alternator is why this was discussed, it was to reduce the current load on it and less load means slightly more bhp.
Remember that less current drain will also mean a better charged battery etc.
I have got all the led bulbs/flasher unit ready except for fog and reverse as these lamp holders are side on and I don't know if enough light will be produced.
I also think that I may have to use conventional bulbs for sva as none of my leds are marked. Although at my previous sva, not a lamp holder was taken off!

[Edited on 26/3/2007 by nitram38]

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by nitram38
Got mine from eBay and they are so bright I can't look straight at them.
Make sure you get decent ones as there are lots of cheap inported rubbish out there.
My ones have 24 leds each.

---

In my experience, no one has looked at the markings on either bulbs or light units - if they are bright enough they will not get a second glance in either SVA or MOT test.

Hi,

I have been given a set of rear lights (Tail, Stop and indicator) in a round unit approx 3" dia. All LED with built in resistors and my god they are bright.....one major setback though, there are no E marks on them. They are a new item from America and are being fitted to Fire engines. I am however being given a certificate of conformity will this be suitable for SVA?

quote:

---

Originally posted by bbwales
Hi,

I have been given a set of rear lights (Tail, Stop and indicator) in a round unit approx 3" dia. All LED with built in resistors and my god they are bright.....one major setback though, there are no E marks on them. They are a new item from America and are being fitted to Fire engines. I am however being given a certificate of conformity will this be suitable for SVA?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by ghuncha
and the advantage of this electronic blinker is that it will give the same duty cycle no matter how much load(within the limits) it has, unlike the normal one which blinks faster if one bulb fuses....

---

I agree re the flasher- the fast flash is the only thing in the past that has alerted me to blown indicator bulbs on the tin-top... obviously me pre-flight checks aren't what they should be...

Swapping to LEDs seems a of debatable benefit... After all in the worst case scenario of...

So you have (worst case scenario):
4 x 21W + 2 x 5W Hazards
2 x 5W Tail lights
2 x 5W Side Lights
2 x 21W Brake Lights
2 x 21W Fog Lights

You're driving in fog with brakes on and the hazards on..... does a few extra BHP really matter?
For 99% of the time, the only benefit you'll see is 20W of tail and side light.... Okay, you'll gain benefits if you're on the twisty stuff I suppose....
With only 28A on tap with the ST, I was tempted by LED lamps in order to liberate some current for other duties but 1.8A isn't going to provide much benefit....

Oh well, each to their own... I'll probably fit some though!!!