can anyone provide a link or some pix of an old bulb light to LED light conversion?
thanks!
thanks!
making old lights LEDlights
- Thread starter fast eddie
- Start date
Help Support Rat Rod Bikes Bicycle Forum:
I Googled "bicycle led light conversion" and got a dozen or more hits with pictures, videos, etc. of different approaches to converting lights to LED.
sometimes you can get lucky with the vintage slender bullet-type lights and a LED flashlight will drop right in, with the handle part cradled perfectly in the battery tray, and the lens filling in the front open part of the light housing. Almost looks like it was made to be that way. No conversion necessary, just a drop-in.
sometimes you can get lucky with the vintage slender bullet-type lights and a LED flashlight will drop right in, with the handle part cradled perfectly in the battery tray, and the lens filling in the front open part of the light housing. Almost looks like it was made to be that way. No conversion necessary, just a drop-in.
http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=440
Right from the how to section...
Right from the how to section...
This is one I did on my panther and used a old bulb and added a led to it I dident want to rune the light in any way. This is what I used got it for a buck at the dollar store just took it all a part for the goodies
That's the led in the bulb
That's the led in the bulb
thanx guys! i think i got some good ideas to start with! i have one of the led hand held flashlights, ill see if i can't coerce it into the housing, gracias!
Here is how I convert standard 5 3/4" H4 motorcycle bulbs to LEDs.
Start out with $5.00 19 LED 4-mode head lamp from Ebay.
If you unscrew the lens and remove the battery holder, the circuit boards have tiny screws holding them in. The small one has the push button.
Wired in a battery holder and momentary push button switch and mounted the boards to a plastic dust plug from another H4 bulb. Haven't found a source for these but you can make your own out of plastic or take apart an H4 halogen and mount the boards to that using some plastic to isolate them from the metal. I colored the LEDs with an orange sharpie because the light was too blue for my liking.
The chrome reflector from the head lamp is installed over the LEDs in the reverse direction from original. Battery holder is velcroed to the headlight housing. Switch is fitted to hole where headlight wiring would normally go.
This is a standard H4 motorcycle bulb. Some have a smaller opening in the reflector that only accommodates the small portion of the bulb.
This is the headlight on my Basman. With this bulb, it's plenty bright to ride in the dark on the street and definitely stands out to oncoming traffic. I tried brighter cree LEDs but they overwhelm the lens and the light just scatters too much.
Here's a nighttime picture of the same conversion on one of my other bikes.
Start out with $5.00 19 LED 4-mode head lamp from Ebay.
If you unscrew the lens and remove the battery holder, the circuit boards have tiny screws holding them in. The small one has the push button.
Wired in a battery holder and momentary push button switch and mounted the boards to a plastic dust plug from another H4 bulb. Haven't found a source for these but you can make your own out of plastic or take apart an H4 halogen and mount the boards to that using some plastic to isolate them from the metal. I colored the LEDs with an orange sharpie because the light was too blue for my liking.
The chrome reflector from the head lamp is installed over the LEDs in the reverse direction from original. Battery holder is velcroed to the headlight housing. Switch is fitted to hole where headlight wiring would normally go.
This is a standard H4 motorcycle bulb. Some have a smaller opening in the reflector that only accommodates the small portion of the bulb.
This is the headlight on my Basman. With this bulb, it's plenty bright to ride in the dark on the street and definitely stands out to oncoming traffic. I tried brighter cree LEDs but they overwhelm the lens and the light just scatters too much.
Here's a nighttime picture of the same conversion on one of my other bikes.
Used the same light, switch and battery and velcro as the Arias triangle light as I did on this old 4 1/2" light on the MURDER bike. I welded two pieces of flat stock into the housing to give the battery and LED board something flat to velcro to. LEDs were from a gutted 3 dollar flashlight from the local Harbor Freight.
great work you guys, and great info!
Hey Fast Eddie! Haven't heard from ya in a while. Hope all is well. Here is a thread I did on led conversions.
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=30397&hilit=+led
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=30397&hilit=+led
kim_dude said:In this light the entire glass piece is the bulb with the filament and reflector integrated. Has anyone tried drilling our holes in these and feeding the LED's into it that way?
Did one for my FatBob build:
LukeTheJoker said:I found an old sealed beam headlight and one of the spare led lights I bought a while back (half price $3.50 Supercheap auto for those in Aust)
DSC00145 by LukeTheJoker, on Flickr
a little judicious grinding with a diamond tile blade. PLEASE USE SAFETY GEAR IF DOING THIS! Please use a dremel or something similar if you have one, as it would be far safer than the grinder with a diamond blade!
DSC00146 by LukeTheJoker, on Flickr
Ok, so it didnt come out perfectly round as the last little bit broke before I finished but it followed the cut line around and so was very close and I just hot melted the leds in.
DSC00147 by LukeTheJoker, on Flickr
Works well!
DSC00148 by LukeTheJoker, on Flickr
Hope that helps...
Luke.
You can never have too many projects!
Post up some pics of your conversion if you can, would love to see the results!
Luke.
Post up some pics of your conversion if you can, would love to see the results!
Luke.
Ouch! :shock:kim_dude said:
Do you have another one?
Luke.
i have a few rolls of reflective vinyl used to make siigns, im gonna cut some to fit inside the housing in the homes it'll help it be brighter
