Lighting up my Venture

[Flyinfool]

I know that there are other threads for adding lights.

I will be using what I feel are the best of the ideas that I have found on this site and others.

This is going onto my 88 Venture, (not a Royal) you may need to modify this procedure for your scoot.

 

This project may last all winter as I acquire parts and install them.

 

I will post pics but some buffoon left my camera on my desk at work.

 

The first project is to illuminate the reflector that is on the trunk.

I plan to make it a combination of running stop and turn lights.

 

Step one is to figure out how to get the reflector off the trunk.

It is mounted with 3 small screws from the inside of the trunk.

Sounds easy huh, NOT!!!

There is also a piece of double sided tape at each screw plus one more pirce at each outer tip. They used some REALLY strong tape.

 

After a bunch of head scratching and a few failed methods what finally worked was to slide a sheet of .008 thick sheet steel up from the bottom and use the sharp corners to cut through the tape. This worked great and got it off with no damage to anything.

 

Next getting the reflector off of the back.

More head scratching to do.

[cimmer]

Jeff, I have a broken reflector off of the trunk that I can look at and see how the best way might be to separate front from the back. I will check it out on Sunday and see what I can figure out. I was able to pick up one of the replacement lite reflectors from Big Bike Parts before they were all gone.

I will let you know what I find.

Rick F.

[Flyinfool]

Thanks Rick

But I got past this already.

 

The two parts are NOT hot glued together. Heat only made the plastic soft.

They are chemically welded, IE they used a solvent based glue.

I was able to use a very thin blade screwdriver to crack the seal all of he way around each lens and get them out intact. This took several hours of tedious work, but I got it.

 

Next, the lights.

[Flyinfool]

More Progress

 

The lights will be red LEDs rated at 1000mcd each.

The lights are from Super Bright LEDs, P/N WFLS-R300. That last 300 is the number of LEDs on a single strip that can be cut in 3 LED segments, you can but smaller/shorter strips if you do not need that much. With all of my plansI will still need to buy more.

 

The set up will be;

 

Each turn signal will have 12 LEDs that will operate as running lights, brake lights, and turn signals.

The main center section will have 78 LEDs that are both Running and brake lights.

There will be another 66 LEDs that will be just brake lights for a total of 144 LEDs in the center for brake lights. Since the turn signals are also brake lights there will be a grand total of 168 LEDs come on at full power when I hit the brakes (assuming the turn signal is not on).

 

The running lights are all running at about 50% brightness, I will use a variable brightness control to determine the final running light intensity once it is all buttoned up and I can see what it looks like. I of course want the running lights to be visible at night (I don't care if they are visible in direct sun) but I want as much contrast between the running and brake or turn lights as possible.

 

I will be making a controller board to make all of this happen. The controller will be mounted in the trunk. I will put a connector in the cable leading to the trunk in case I ever need to remove the trunk for any reason. The controller will be built in a 4 x 2 x 1 box with either 10 or 13 wires coming out of it. (I have not decided if all of the grounds should be connected together in or out of the box, depending on how much room is left in the box once the rest of the junk is stuffed in.)

I have the schematic laid out and will pick up all of the parts at radio shack on my way home from work tonight.

 

I will try to remember to bring the camera home from work so I can start posting pics of the progress so far. (hey cut me some slack, I'm old and the wolves are after me )

 

At least in the basement this looks awesome so far. I sure wish you could see it.

 

I am very anxious to get this up and running on the bike. I just hate driving at night with just one bulb on the back of the bike.

[Flyinfool]

Here is the first set of pics.

 

The LED strip must only be cut at the cut marks located every 3 LEDs.

 

Notice the power supply and the amp draws at 14V for the brake light (pic 7) and 6V for the running lights (pic 8).

The running lights light both turn signals and only the top and bottom strips of the center section. The brake lights everything including the turn signal areas yet the turn signals will still flash.

 

There is a pic of the center of the housing (pic 3) showing an area that had to be ground down to make room for the light strips.

 

In the center of the assembly there are some missing LEDs in the area that will be behind the Venture logo. pics 3 & 5

Edited October 6, 2009 by Flyinfool

[painterman67]

looks greta and my reflector is already prewired I just plan on adding the leds and removing the original lighting.

 

 

What color bulb are you using?

 

Have read a little as to whether or not ot use white or red bhind a red reflector.

 

 

Tahnks in advance and it looks great.

 

 

David

[Flyinfool]

I am using red LEDs behind the red lens.

 

If you use white lights behind a red lens then the lens will filter out all of the light energy except for the red. You end up wasting most of the light.

[IH Truck Guy]

Hey Jeff,that is turning out fantastic.....

[Flyinfool]

Hey Dan

Thanks,

The Pics do not do it justice, cheap camera.

 

You are close enough that you could buzz over to check it out before it is all glued back together.

 

I need to go out and buy a hot melt glue gun to put it back together.

[IH Truck Guy]

Hey Dan

Thanks,

The Pics do not do it justice, cheap camera.

 

You are close enough that you could buzz over to check it out before it is all glued back together.

 

I need to go out and buy a hot melt glue gun to put it back together.

 

 

Would love to Jeff,but I leave in the morning for Norfolk,Va. for a Friday delivery....And I will be out for 2 weeks..

I will just have to see it all put together.......

[Flyinfool]

Here are pics of the controller for the new tail lights.

It is a very simple board to build with all parts available at Radio Shack.

 

Now I just need to wire up the bike and put everything back together.

 

Edit. Oops. In redrawing the schematic to make a nice pic, I messed it up, don't use this one.

I will post the correct one soon.

Edited September 21, 2011 by Flyinfool
Messed up

[ronhenry4]

I am using red LEDs behind the red lens.

 

If you use white lights behind a red lens then the lens will filter out all of the light energy except for the red. You end up wasting most of the light.

looks GREAT

[Ozlander]

Looks good. I used four of the same LED light strips in the lower light bar also. I didn't dim them as I didn't think I needed brake lights that low.

I plan on using yellow LED light strips for the turn signals.

I used RTV instead of hot glue to secure the lens as I may want to tinker with it.

[Flyinfool]

Thanks Ron

It looks even better in person than it does in the pics.

At least that is my heavily biased opinion and I'm sticking to it.

 

 

Looks good. I used four of the same LED light strips in the lower light bar also. I didn't dim them as I didn't think I needed brake lights that low.

I plan on using yellow LED light strips for the turn signals.

I used RTV instead of hot glue to secure the lens as I may want to tinker with it.

 

I have not even looked at how I will do the lower light bar yet.

I do not have enough of the red LED strip left to do the lower light bar, I may be ordering another spool of red LED strip and a spool of yellow LED when I get that far.

I looked at using yellow LEDs behind the red lens on the top but did not like the look.

I plan to leave the stock incandescent turn signals so that I do not have to mess with adding load resistors to keep the computer happy, which ends up not saving any power.

 

Hmmmmmm.....

I was planning to use the hot glue so that the lens will remain removable with just a little heat, I thought that the RTV would be to permanent. Now I have more to think about.

Reattaching the lenses will be the very last thing that I will do after it is all wired up and working and I am happy with the results.

I am thinking about adding the last 3 LEDs on each side of the rear facing area to increase the turn signal visibility to the rear, as I have it now there is only a sliver of the turn signal visible directly to the rear. BUT that will mean decreasing the brake light area or getting a lot fancier with the control module to have the turn signals be part of the brake lights but still flash with the turn signals.

 

I hope to get started with the wiring to the bike sometime this week. I have not looked yet but I am hoping that there will be a nice easy to access wire harness with the Tail, turn, break and ground wires, right under the seat. Or is this just wishful thinking?

Edited October 12, 2009 by Flyinfool

[mbrood]

Right under the seat is your desired wireing and a nice handy "cavity" for any bulky electronics.

[Venturous Randy]

In the center of the assembly there are some missing LEDs in the area that will be behind the Venture logo. pics 3 & 5

 

Several years ago I installed the lighted strip from Big Bike parts on a friend's MKII and rather than mount the Venture logo back on the light strip, I moved it up to the upper half of the trunk. It looked very good in that location.

RandyA

[Snaggletooth]

When I installed the rear light bar and the LED lights in my saddle bags I built a control box that mounted on the left hand controls. I also made an entire new wiring harness for all the extra lights I installed to keep it as a stand alone system.

 

When I made the harness found there was plenty of room along the left side of the frame following the primary harness. The new harness was wrapped in 3/8 plastic loom covering and it fit well. When I got up to the rear section where everything branched off for the lights I split it all off under the cover for the air compressor and grounded it there. All the different lines were fitting with 2 wire trailer plugs so each item, bags and light bar could be unplugged and taken off without messing with the harness again.

 

Worked out pretty well and there is more room than you would think.

 

Your set up looks excellent. Nice job.

 

I'm planning on changing out all the lights in the light bar to LED's over the winter so I'm probably be asking questions as I get into it.

 

Later

[Flyinfool]

Oops. In redrawing the schematic to make a nice pic, I messed it up, do not use the one from back in post #11.

It will not hurt anything, It is just that the turn signals won't work correctly.

I will post the correct one soon.

[Ozlander]

Right under the seat is your desired wireing and a nice handy "cavity" for any bulky electronics.

Under the seat is were I installed four relays to operate my trailer lights on their own fuse. I did that to protect the computer from a short in the trailer lights (which has never happened).

It's easy to dig out the five needed wires in that location.

[Flyinfool]

OK,here are some more pics and progress.

Pic 1 The component side of the Diode board.

Pic 2 The copper side of the Diode board.

Pic 3 The new revised schematic for the Diode board that I promised you and the board layouts.

 

The board was made using copper clad 1 side "perf" board. The holes are on 0.100 centers.

The board was made by using a Dremel tool with a cut-off wheel to cut the lines as indicated by the light blue lines leaving the desired circuit. I left the components showing on the copper side for reference.

Once the board is made, solder on the components as shown.

After the components then solder on the wires.

So that I could tell the difference, on ALL of the output wires I added a black stripe with a magic marker.

Once all of the soldering is done I covered the board with shrink tubing.

 

Colors are for both the board and bike;

Brake - Yellow

Tail lights - Blue

Right turn - Green

Left turn - Brown

Ground - Black

[Flyinfool]

More pics and progress.

Pic 1 The wire connections under the seat.

Pic 2 The dressed out wiring under the seat.

Pic 3&4 Light bar installed on Trunk with running lights on.

Pic 5 The wiring in the trunk. The red rectangle is the diode board.

Pic 6 The floor back in the trunk.

Pic 7 Running lights from 50 yards

Pic 8 Running lights

Pic 9 Brake lights

Pic 10 Brake lights from 50 yards

 

The reflector backing was reinstalled using double sided foam tape 1/32 thick, with five 1.5 x 2 pieces and the original 3 screws. I have not glued the reflector back on since the backing was rather flimsy once the reflector was removed so I have to have it mounted to the trunk to hold proper shape for gluing.

 

I have not yet reinstalled the reflectors. I am waiting to see if I want to increase the Turn signal portion to be more visible from the back. Increasing the turn signal area will decrease the brake light area. I may need to get someone to follow me to see what it looks like on the road.

[Flyinfool]

Well I have decided to increase the turn signal are of the lights.

That will take some more cutting and splicing of wires and LED strips, but it should not be to bad.

 

I will post pics of the mod once I do it.

 

I have had very positive comments from those that have seen this light mod in person.

Although the running lights are just barely visible in the daylight they are bright enough at night to make a big difference in visibility.

The brake lights are very visible in daylight but so bright at night as to be obnoxious to the person behind me.

 

I see a lot of views on this thread.

Did I really get lucky and do that good of a job of explaining so far, that there are so few questions, comments, and/or snide remarks???? Or is everyone just waiting to see the final product??

[warthogcrewchief]

I was looking at my "Yamaha" reflector between the two saddlebag turn lights. I thought that it might be a good addition for another "LED" reflector. First, I have to get my bike road worthy, then I'll look at doing mods (like this LED reflector....perhaps to both of them for EVEN more light!).

[Flyinfool]

Once I finish up the trunk reflector that bottom one may be next.

 

Although now that perpetual night is here and I will not see the sun on a weekday till some time next year. The HID headlight might be a good choice. Especially now that it is that time of year where the deer have declared war on motorists.

 

We will see which direction the ambition and budget head.

[Flyinfool]

Well I finally finished this project.

I did add the outer 3 LEDs of each LED strip to the turn signals for better rear visibility of the signals.

 

I have attached pics of the mods made to the ends of the LED strips where I cut out the positive side of the strip to separate it from the rest of the strip. I left the ground side still connected since all of the grounds are tied together anyhow (no reason to run any more wire than necessary).

 

Sorry but I got to involved with what I was doing and forgot to take pics of the new wire that connected the four new section of turn signal to the existing turn signal LEDs. I have already glued the red lens back on.

 

If you look close in the first pic (right side) you can see where I cut out the positive part of the strip and added the shiny solder dots where the new wire will attach. I simply connected a wire from those solder dots to the positive lead just around the corner. I ran this wire along the bottom of the assembly and notched out a small spot in the lenses for it to go thru.

 

With the red lens back on the LED running lights are almost invisible in the full sun. The Brake light and turn signals are still bright enough to be noticed.

At night it looks great and is very visible.