How much is too much?

[MasterGuns]

I hope this post isn't being beat to death but here goes anyway.

Just installed a 15 inch LED light bar on the rear of my 88 VR and it works and looks great. I am intent on improving rear visibility both during the day and at night short of wearing a yellow reflective vest. I am just curious as to how much amp draw one can expect the taillight circuit to handle without ruining the computer. I was looking for replacements for the two 1157 dual filament bulbs that might draw a little less amp, but have not been able to locate a suitable substitute. I suppose there isn't such a bulb. Each 1157 bulb draws 2.1 amps, I think anyway, and maybe 2.7 amps (don't know for sure) when the brake light is activated. Double that for two bulbs and that is perhaps as much as 5.4 amps. No wonder the voltmeter drops so radically when the brake light is on. Has anyone modified their scoots like I have and would they have any advice on how to reduce the rear brake light circuit draw just a tad? I did purchase two led bulbs and installed them. Even with two led bulbs and the 15 inch led light bar, the computer warning light was on.

[gibvel]

Have you seen the gauge go when you've got a blinker on at the same time as the brake lights...

 

If you replace the brake lighst with LEDs the computer will think that the bulbs are burnt out. I replaced one of mine with an LED 1157 and that didn't freak the computer out but when I replaced both then the computer thought the bulb was burnt out. So you might be able to replace one of them with an LED bulb without getting the indicator on the dash. I didn't even do that because the LED wasn't nearly as bright as the regular bulb.

 

Hope this helps somewhat.

[loehring]

I just added LED bars and tied them into the existing wires to the brake lights on my 1st Gen. The turn indicators are fine and now I have an LED on the trunk and both bags. I added a modulator so they flash when I apply the brakes. I haven't noticed any problems so far and they've been on there for about 18 months.

[MasterGuns]

I just added LED bars and tied them into the existing wires to the brake lights on my 1st Gen. The turn indicators are fine and now I have an LED on the trunk and both bags. I added a modulator so they flash when I apply the brakes. I haven't noticed any problems so far and they've been on there for about 18 months.

 

 

By golly, this is good news. Having read your reply, I think I'll just leave well enough alone and see what happens. Do you still have two 1157s burning in the tail?

 

Thanks

[Neil86]

The other alternative as far as protecting the CMS would be to have a separate power supply for the LED strip that uses a relay triggered off the stock light wiring.

As far as the voltmeter dip...a significant amount of the draw isn't from the brake lights....the antidive solenoids on the front forks are energized when the brake switches close. The earlier 83-85 Venture antidives were hydraulically (Brake fluid) controlled.

[MasterGuns]

Good info Neil86. Had I thought it out for a while longer, I might, repeat, might had figured that out. Now, I wonder just how much juice both front anti-dive units draw. Couldn't be much. Then I also wonder since I have brand new progressive springs in the front, which stiffened her up quite a bit, could the anti-dive units be disconnected. And if disconnected, what negative impact, if any, could occur to something else. Like I said earlier, I most likely will just leave things alone for a bit to see just how she handles the extra teeny bit of juice being drawn by the addition of the LED light bar. It sure looks goods back there, adds some light higher up in the rear during normal running and when activating the brakes, adds a tremendous amount of addition visibility from the rear. If I knew how to add pics to this thread thing, I would because I think this could be something others may consider. Thanks again.

[Neil86]

The 83 Venture had a 15 Amp signal fuse...86 up uses 20 amp...I'm guessing the increase was for the antidive (the antidive relay runs from signal fuse power, triggered by brake switch) As far as a load issue.....typically brake application is brief (aside from being stuck in traffic on an incline).

[timk]

When you hit the brakes, the solonoids on your amti dive forks activate also. They use significent power. You could put them on a switch.