This may be relevant... I had a customer with a V-Rod ask me just about the same thing, and well, I figure some of you may find this sickly entertaining or at least helpful.
Original question:
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I have a 2004 stock Vrod. I ride all winter so I was given the Gerbings heated gloves, jacket and pants. I have since discovered that the electrical system on the Vrod can't handle the load of the heated gear.
I am considering changing out the running light/turn signal bulbs and replacing them with clear LEDs retaining the stock amber covers as well as replacing the brake light with an LED. My concern is that most of the LED replacements I have seen are too dim for my comfort, I want to be seen. Secondly, every turn signal replacement has a caveat that I MIGHT need a load balancer. I am not an electrical engineer so I have no clue what this is and whether I would need it or how I would know if I actually needed it.
I am looking for just a simple swap out of the incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs. Nothing fancy, no integrated turn signals in the brake light. No brake/running lights in the stock rear turn signals. Of course I am also going under the assumption that the LED swap will give me the amperage I need to keep the battery charged and my backside warm.
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Dealers reply: :duh?:
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Their recommendation was to ride the bike and see if the battery dies. They failed to realize that the fuel pump would most likely quit before that and with my luck on a highway in the middle of nowhere.
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My reply:
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I would say the main concern would be lights that are on all the time, then the brake light, and lastly, the turn signals. The front signals are run and signal, so they would fit in the first category, where the rear signals are only lit up when the signal is activated, and for a short time. You may be able to leave them alone for now.
OK, bear with me here.
The 1157 bulbs found in the taillight and front signals draw about 600mA on the low brightness (running light) and about 2.1 amps (2100mA) on the high brightness... when the signal or brake light is on, both filaments are lit, drawing about 2.7 amps for each bulb. The rear signals', single filament, 1156 bulbs draw about 2.1 amps.
Our LED boards for the turn signals draw about 38mA on low brightness (running light) and about 340mA on high brightness. The Stage 1 standard taillight (no signals inside) draws about 105mA on the running light circuit and about 505mA on brake light circuit, for a total of about 610mA when the brakes are applied.
You see where this is starting to look good, right?
Stock bulbs on running lights, two 1157 bulbs in front signals and one in the taillight: 3 x 600 = 1800mA (1.8 amps)
LED taillight and front signals on running lights: (2 x 38) + 105 = ~180ma
You just saved 1620mA or about 1.6 amps.
The LED taillight would also save you about 2 amps on brake light.
The front signals would save you about 2.3 amps when the signal is flashing. Add in a set of rear LED signals and there's another ~1.7 amps saved for each flash of the signals. Front and rear LED signals would drop each flash of the signals (one side) from ~4.8 amps (4800mA) down to ~.8 amps (800mA)... for a whopping 4 amp savings on each flash of the left or right signal.
One other though too... LED license plate light. That is also part of the running light circuit and the stock bulb light draws about 780mA and the LED version draws about 250mA... another half an amp saved.
your Gerbings gloves draw about 1.6 amps, the pants are about 3.2 amps and the jacket is about 5.5 amps... grand total to keep your buttocks warm: about 10.3 amps
OK, now that I probably confused to heck out of you...
If you went all LED running lights; front signals, taillight, and license plate light, you would gain back about 2.1 amps for your heated gear. Like I mentioned before, this is the most important because these lights are always lit.
Also, you would get the brake light current reduction of about 2 amps and the front signal reduction of 2.3 amps (of course, only when the signals are activated).
The rear signals would buy you back another 1.7 amps, but only when the signal is flashing... not very often and not for very long... this is where I would say you could leave the bulbs if you wanted to save a few bucks.
As far as the SmartEqualizer (brand name for a very good load balancer) goes, I am not positive of the current draw that might add back, but it would only be while the turn signals are flashing on... the load equalizer is to keep the bike's turn signal module happy and not flashing fast because it thinks a bulb is out due to the reduced power draw of the LED signals. Again, this only affects the turn signal circuitry and will only be drawing current when the signals are flashing. You should direct this question to Biketronics, the manufacturer...
www.biketron.com is their website and they are very knowledgeable... nice people to deal with also!
So, yes, it would help out quite a bit by going to the LEDs
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Editor's note: if I made any mistakes or you could add something that would be helpful, please do!
