Replacing the tail light with an LCD setup - ideas?

On Mon, 14 Apr 2008, John Podlasek wrote:

> bulb with an LCD (to slightly reduce the chances of getting punted at a stop
> sign). Anyone have advice on bulbs, brands, etc.?
>
No harm whatever in trying to use LEDs in place of filament lamps, but it
might be useful to explore the use of modulators at the same time, or
maybe even before changing the light sources. My little hymn to modulators
is here: http://www.zefox.net/~bob/mc/modulators.html but it deals mostly
with headlights, not brake lights.

The modulators I use came from here:
http://www.kisantech.com/index.php?cat_id=2

The notion of combining LEDs with modulators has potential benefits; the
very quick turn-on for LEDs makes the flashing of a modulator much more
attention-grabbing. Commercial vehicles with LED turn signals are _really_
conspicuous, no doubt a modulated LED brake light would be similarly
arresting.

bob prohaska

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Hi,

I ride a '94 and have been thinking about the idea of replacing my stock
bulb with an LCD (to slightly reduce the chances of getting punted at a stop
sign). Anyone have advice on bulbs, brands, etc.?

Thanks in advance,
John


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Replacing the tail light with an LCD setup - ideas?Any help guys?
I have this link.
http://tinyurl.com/rdzl3
*****************************************
Steve "Spider" Enfield
87 VFR 750
Sydney, Australia
www.ozvfr.net
:-)
----- Original Message -----
From: John Podlasek
To: vfr@xxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2008 2:23 PM
Subject: Replacing the tail light with an LCD setup - ideas?


Hi,

I ride a '94 and have been thinking about the idea of replacing my stock bulb with an LCD (to slightly reduce the chances of getting punted at a stop sign). Anyone have advice on bulbs, brands, etc.?

Thanks in advance,
John



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On Mon, Apr 14, 2008 at 9:23 PM, John Podlasek wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I ride a '94 and have been thinking about the idea of replacing my stock
> bulb with an LCD (to slightly reduce the chances of getting punted at a stop
> sign). Anyone have advice on bulbs, brands, etc.?
>

This isn't a whole lot of help, but what you want is called L*E*D, not L*C*D.
LED means Light Emitting Diode. LCD is Liquid Crystal Display, e.g. what's
used in wrist watches and calculators. Getting it wrong in your google
searches might explain poor results...

And as long as we're talking about visibility, I'll plug one of my favorite
visibility-enhancers, reflective tape: http://www.identi-tape.com/

I got some of the yellow tape and put some stripes on the sides of my yellow
y2k. It's barely noticable in daylight, but really lights up at night. I
also put a strip of the super-reflective 3M tape on the back, just above the
license plate.

-Brett

> Thanks in advance,
> John
>
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Brett Coon - brett.coon@xxxxxx - http://www.cheesepipe.com

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> I also put a strip of the super-reflective 3M tape on the back,
> just above the license plate.

Brett you just reminded me, there's black reflective tape that blends in
nicely in the daylight but reflects quite well at night...


-Brad
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Yes,

And around here excellent chance you will be arrested.
Flashing red (and now blue) lights are illegal.
Flashing (modulated) headlights are also illegal. So are daytime full power
high beams.
Do the right thing, look out for yourself, make yourself visible without
being ignorantly annoying. Don't try to cast responsibility for your safety
onto someone else.


----- Original Message -----
From: "bob prohaska's vfr list account"
To: "John Podlasek"
Cc:
Sent: Monday, April 14, 2008 6:50 PM
Subject: Re: Replacing the tail light with an LCD setup - ideas?


> On Mon, 14 Apr 2008, John Podlasek wrote:
>
>> bulb with an LCD (to slightly reduce the chances of getting punted at a
>> stop
>> sign). Anyone have advice on bulbs, brands, etc.?
>>
> No harm whatever in trying to use LEDs in place of filament lamps, but it
> might be useful to explore the use of modulators at the same time, or
> maybe even before changing the light sources. My little hymn to modulators
> is here: http://www.zefox.net/~bob/mc/modulators.html but it deals mostly
> with headlights, not brake lights.
>
> The modulators I use came from here:
> http://www.kisantech.com/index.php?cat_id=2
>
> The notion of combining LEDs with modulators has potential benefits; the
> very quick turn-on for LEDs makes the flashing of a modulator much more
> attention-grabbing. Commercial vehicles with LED turn signals are _really_
> conspicuous, no doubt a modulated LED brake light would be similarly
> arresting.
>
> bob prohaska
>
> _______________________________________________
> vfr mailing list
> vfr@xxxxxx
> For subscription and delivery options:
> https://lists.cs.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/vfr

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Where is "here"?

JZH
London, UK
www.vsource.org

On 4/16/08, Matt Fitzsimmons wrote:
> Yes,
>
> And around here excellent chance you will be arrested.
> Flashing red (and now blue) lights are illegal.
> Flashing (modulated) headlights are also illegal. So are daytime full power
> high beams.
> Do the right thing, look out for yourself, make yourself visible without
> being ignorantly annoying. Don't try to cast responsibility for your safety
> onto someone else.
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Matt Fitzsimmons wrote:

>Yes,
>
>And around here excellent chance you will be arrested.
>Flashing red (and now blue) lights are illegal.
>Flashing (modulated) headlights are also illegal. So are daytime full power
>high beams.
>
>
You do not say where "around here" is, but acccording to links on the
Kissan web site, "FMVSS 108 (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) (49
CFR Part 571.108 S7.9.4) allows motorcycle headlight modulation systems
in all 50 states provided they comply with the standards set forth":
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/get-cfr.cgi
"Title 49 USC 30103(b1) (US Codes) prohibits any state from forbidding a
system that conforms to FMVSS 108."

Headlight Modulation is covered in paragraph S7.9.4.:

S7.9.4 Motorcycle headlamp modulation system.
S7.9.4.1 A headlamp on a motorcycle may be wired to modulate either
the upper beam or the lower beam from its maximum intensity to a lesser
intensity, provided that:
(a) The rate of modulation shall be 240 40
cycles per minute.
(b) The headlamp shall be operated at maximum power for 50 to 70
percent of each cycle.
(c) The lowest intensity at any test point shall be not less than 17
percent of the maximum intensity measured at the same point.
(d) The modulator switch shall be wired in the power lead of the
beam filament being modulated and not in the ground side of the circuit.
(e) Means shall be provided so that both the lower beam and upper
beam remain operable in the event of a modulator failure.
(f) The system shall include a sensor mounted with the axis of its
sensing element perpendicular to a horizontal plane. Headlamp modulation
shall cease whenever the level of light emitted by a tungsten filament
light operating at 3000[deg] Kelvin is either less than 270 lux (25
foot-candles) of direct light for upward pointing sensors or less than
60 lux (5.6 foot-candles) of reflected light for downward pointing
sensors. The light is measured by a silicon cell type light meter that
is located at the sensor and pointing in the same direction as the
sensor. A Kodak Gray Card (Kodak R-27) is placed at ground level to
simulate the road surface in testing downward pointing sensors.
(g) When tested in accordance with the test profile shown in Figure
9, the voltage drop across the modulator when the lamp is on at all test
conditions for 12 volt systems and 6 volt systems shall not be greater
than .45 volt. The modulator shall meet all the provisions of the
standard after completion of the test profile shown in Figure 9.
(h) Means shall be provided so that both the lower and upper beam
function at design voltage when the headlamp control switch is in either
the lower or upper beam position when the modulator is off.
S7.9.4.2(a) Each motorcycle headlamp modulator not intended as
original equipment, or its container, shall be labeled with the maximum
wattage, and the minimum wattage appropriate for its use. Additionally,
each such modulator shall comply with S7.9.4.1 (a) through (g) when
connected to a headlamp of the maximum rated power and a headlamp of the
minimum rated power, and shall provide means so that the modulated beam
functions at design voltage when the modulator is off.
(b) Instructions, with a diagram, shall be provided for mounting the
light sensor including location on the motorcycle, distance above the
road surface, and orientation with respect to the light.


--

-Fred W

'98 Honda VFR800Fi
'05 Yammi FJR1300
'00 Aprilia Pegaso

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I think Matt may be from Canada, based on his "rogers.com" email address.

If so, he is still wrong:

http://www.webbikeworld.com/Motorcyc...egs-canada.htm

-Fred W


jzh3@xxxxxx wrote:

>Where is "here"?
>
>JZH
>London, UK
>www.vsource.org
>
>On 4/16/08, Matt Fitzsimmons wrote:
>
>
>>Yes,
>>
>>And around here excellent chance you will be arrested.
>>Flashing red (and now blue) lights are illegal.
>>Flashing (modulated) headlights are also illegal. So are daytime full power
>>high beams.
>>Do the right thing, look out for yourself, make yourself visible without
>>being ignorantly annoying. Don't try to cast responsibility for your safety
>>onto someone else.
>>
>>
>_______________________________________________
>vfr mailing list
>vfr@xxxxxx
>For subscription and delivery options:
>https://lists.cs.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/vfr
>
>
>


--

-Fred W

'98 Honda VFR800Fi
'05 Yammi FJR1300
'00 Aprilia Pegaso

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Matt Fitzsimmons wrote:
> Don't try to cast responsibility for your safety
> onto someone else.

Could you enlighten us (me) with the train of logic by which
making an extra effort to be more visible to others is casting
the responsibility on someone else?

C


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