LED question

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Rudy wrote:

I like it.
You can also dim them electrically by using a lower voltage regulator when running and bypass the regulator when you want full bright.

How did you get into the housings to place the LEDs?

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Thanks Rudy. Your project for the saddlebags inspired me to start this stuff. I bought 15m of strip LED lighting from China....
I think I know what to do with the lower light level. I would just wire both the brake and tail light wires to the center strip, with diodes (on both wires?) and put an additional resistor in the taillight circuit, I guess. I can infer the resistance of the LED's by the voltage and current draw. E=IR. So, 12=.1*r, or probably around 100-150 ohms is the imputed resistance of the LED's. So I would probably start with a resistor of around 120 ohms in the taillight circuit and see how dim that made it....

The camera is really not 100% true to life on the taillight and stop light photos. In person, the LED's really look much brighter than the normal 1157 bulbs, especially if the following car were close, and say a truck or SUV, so they are looking down at the bike more so than straight at it.

I got into the housings by first removing the assembly with two screws in the chrome trim band, per the shop manual. Then I carefully pried the tabs off and used a sharp screwdriver and knife to cut through the rubber caulk/adhesive that held the case together. Being CAREFUL, it worked OK. Then I assembled the 3 strips of LED's as one unit and taped them inside the red lense. Piece of cake really, just time consuming.

I am just not 100% sure if I should continue with it or put it back as it was with 1157 bulbs. I have a long trip next week through many many states and don't want any LEO to get his back up. Though I've had led running lights on my other bike and a brake modulator with no hassles. I do think however, that the LEDs are more visible. The way I have it, the LED's can be in addition to the 1157 in the housing, though they would block some of the 1157 light coming out the red lense.

Thoughts?

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OK. Thanks for the advice. Sounds like I'm OK to proceed. So, if I proceed with this, several options. In all cases, I can either keep the 1157 in the circuit or delete it and use just the LEDs. Remember I have 3 strips of 6 bright LEDs.
1. Simplest is what I have: center LED strip is tail, top and bottom are brake.
2. Another option is center LED strip--dimmed to half intensity--is tail, all three at full intensity are brake.
3. Could just have all 3 dim for tail, and all 3 full brightness for brake.

So, a. Do I keep the 1157?
and b. Which of the 3 LED options, or some other, makes the most sense?

Rudy, I can dig out my invoice and PM you, if you want. I got mine direct from China, still cuttable in 3 LED segments, and they are waterproof--they have a clear vinal cover that makes them waterproof, with silicon on the ends. They have a bunch of different LED's. However, each smd has 3 leds in it, so they are nice and bright. By the way, the 24 LEDs on each side of the saddlebag--your project--are so bright, they are almost too much. In the garage, they light up the entire garage when they are on. I maybe should have used only one row....