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Yamaha quad blue tail light repair

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futz

Active Member
A guy asked me to repair the tail light for his **broken link removed**. It has six blue LEDs and judging by the atrocious wiring and electrical tape inside it's either non-stock or has been modified. The problem is that a couple of the LEDs are dead.

Since they're all the same age I plan to replace them all. He wants high brightness. I want to get them fairly quickly, so Digikey it is. They're expensive and have not much selection, but they're quick and convenient. What they have is Kingbright 5500mcd LEDs. Is 5500mcd bright enough for the job? Opinions?

The wiring was done like this:
tail_light.png

Can/should this schematic be improved? What do you all recommend?
 
I would put a resistor in every lead of a LED it's not the money that will stops you from doing it

5500 mcd would in my opinion do the job

Robert-Jan
 
I would put a resistor in every lead of a LED it's not the money that will stops you from doing it

5500 mcd would in my opinion do the job

Robert-Jan

You can. With each addtional branch the LEDs will be dimmer (more voltage drop across the resistor). Adding resistors to each branch will alleviate this problem and they should be brighter. You could use a 150 ohm resistor in place of the 220 ohm and stay with the current configuration. This will allow your LEDs to shine at optimum brightness. If you choose to use a resistor in each branch, go with a 470 ohm.
 
I would think that in a situation where safety and reliability are high on the priority list that every LED should get its own resistor.

Note that I've never actually witnessed the LEDs-in-parallel-dying phenomenon where one LED hogs the current until it dies, then another does, then another, etc. But I've been warned about it enough times by folks I respect that just don't ever put them in parallel.

Maybe it's a belt-and-suspenders thing. :)


Torben
 
Separate resistors for each LED - using common resistors is probably a major reason why they have failed.

hi futz,
No dig at you.:)

As Nigel as said and we keep saying to Tyro's who put LED's in parallel, it should only be done if all the LED's are voltage matched.

The easiest and most reliable method is to use one resistor/LED.
 
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As it's 12V it's more efficient to connect two in series.
 

Attachments

  • Blue LED driver.GIF
    Blue LED driver.GIF
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**broken link removed**

10 mm -130,000 mcd Intensly Bright Blue LED $US 4.99
10 mm, 5 chip Bright Blue LED
3.4-3.8 VDC @ 100mA
465 Peak Emission wavelength
40 degree viewing angle
25-555


You can always dim it if necessary.
 
Last edited:
**broken link removed**

10 mm -130,000 mcd Intensly Bright Blue LED $US 4.99
10 mm, 5 chip Bright Blue LED
3.4-3.8 VDC @ 100mA
465 Peak Emission wavelength
40 degree viewing angle
25-555


You can always dim it if necessary.
Can't do that. The polished aluminum part is drilled for 5mm LEDs. I don't plan to modify it.

Wow! Those are super bright! Thanks for the link.
 
I would go with Hero's method myself. BTW, I thought that blue tail lights would be illegal in BC? Maybe add a hidden switch that can be thrown if he is pulled over. RGB leds and a PIC would really confuse them! :D
 
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Tail lights are supposed to be orangish-red. Snow Plows use blue.
Your LEDs are bright because the case focusses the beam into a narrow angle. Too narrow for a vehicle. Somebody who is a little off axis won't see the narrow angle LEDs.
 
I think that the cops won't care what colour taillights you have on it in B.C.--you'd be in enough trouble just for driving it on the road to start with, since as far as I know ATVs are not street legal here.

I could be wrong about that. Haven't driven one since I was a teenager.


Torben
 
I was wondering what is a Yamaha. I thought it was a tiny motorcycle.
But it is actually a tiny motorcycle with 4 wheels. It is not street-legal so it can have no light or any light on its rear.
 
I would have thought that these ATVs (we call them Quad-bikes in the UK) would have been idea as local transport in the icy frozen north! so why illegal?

I have seen some in the UK which are correctly registered and road legal, but they are work vehicles rather than recreational.
I have also seen them on the road in Germany, again all registered and legal (would the Germans do otherwise?) and used as local/recreational transport.

regards

JimB
 
Road vehicles need pollution controls, seat belts, air bags and proper lighting. Their bumper must resist a 5mph crash.
I don't think the toy will meet the requirements.
 
I would go with Hero's method myself. BTW, I thought that blue tail lights would be illegal in BC? Maybe add a hidden switch that can be thrown if he is pulled over. RGB leds and a PIC would really confuse them! :D
It's an off-road machine! :p Not legal for road use. You can do anything you want with its tail lights.
 
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