LED TAIL LIGHT

[TheMick]

Can I replace the stock tail light bulbs with LED bulbs? Will it cause any error messages with the canbus system? If it is ok, where are they available?  2010 RT

[dirtrider]

7 minutes ago, TheMick said:

Can I replace the stock tail light bulbs with LED bulbs? Will it cause any error messages with the canbus system? If it is ok, where are they available?  2010 RT

Afternoon Mick

 

Some yes & some no,  it depends on the load that the lights put on your system or if the load is too low then it could trip the light-out warning. Some LED bulbs also come with built in resistors to allow them to work.

 

You should makes sure the lights will work with your computer monitored camhead. 

 

Some will actually say CanBus compatible (really has nothing to do with the CanBus) but that is how they differentiate them as working on the newer BMW's

 

 

[TheMick]

On 2/15/2023 at 1:53 PM, dirtrider said:

Afternoon Mick

 

Some yes & some no,  it depends on the load that the lights put on your system or if the load is too low then it could trip the light-out warning. Some LED bulbs also come with built in resistors to allow them to work.

 

You should makes sure the lights will work with your computer monitored camhead. 

 

Some will actually say CanBus compatible (really has nothing to do with the CanBus) but that is how they differentiate them as working on the newer BMW's

 

 

Ok thanks for the info

[Lowndes]

Mick,  try this site: https://www.superbrightleds.com/

 

More specifically:   https://www.superbrightleds.com/vehicle?find=2010-bmw-r1200rt-4239085&sid=715OsSKllU

 

There is a Canbus bulb shown for your brake light (it shows the TAIL light as "non user serviceable" which usually means it's an LED anyway):

 

 

Superbright has a very good bulb selector that includes motorcycles, AND has Canbus rated LED bulbs.  They have very good quality products and the customer service is very good, too.

 

I've replaced all the bulbs on 4 or5 bikes with LED's, some Canbus, some not.  NO issues to date.  I believe they can recommend and provide resistors for non-Canbus bulbs, too.

 

Also, get RED LED bulbs for brake and tail lights, weather your covering lens is clear or tinted

[M Novack]

On 2/15/2023 at 12:46 PM, TheMick said:

Can I replace the stock tail light bulbs with LED bulbs? Will it cause any error messages with the canbus system? If it is ok, where are they available?  2010 RT

In my experience NO, I have a 2010 and I've been able to replace every bulb with an LED except the taillamp/brake lights. The issue seems to be that these bulbs area single filament bulb (as I recall 1156) and to go from taillamps to brake lights there is an increase in amperage sent to the bulb thus making them brighter. The problem is the LED bulbs have a lower resistance and even with a CANBUS rated bulb it cannot adjust for the change and so it creates a CANBUS error. All will be good initially and then when you hit the brake light the error will occur. Once you cycle the ignition off, it resets the "fuse" or CANBUS and all is OK until you use the brake light again. the technical details might be off a bit but I've tried several LED bulbs and all have the same issue. Never found a bulb that will work, even the ones that claim CANBUS compatible.

 

[dirtrider]

10 hours ago, M Novack said:

In my experience NO, I have a 2010 and I've been able to replace every bulb with an LED except the taillamp/brake lights. The issue seems to be that these bulbs area single filament bulb (as I recall 1156) and to go from taillamps to brake lights there is an increase in amperage sent to the bulb thus making them brighter. The problem is the LED bulbs have a lower resistance and even with a CANBUS rated bulb it cannot adjust for the change and so it creates a CANBUS error. All will be good initially and then when you hit the brake light the error will occur. Once you cycle the ignition off, it resets the "fuse" or CANBUS and all is OK until you use the brake light again. the technical details might be off a bit but I've tried several LED bulbs and all have the same issue. Never found a bulb that will work, even the ones that claim CANBUS compatible.

 

Morning M Novack

 

The BMW system varies the voltage to the tail/brake light bulb by pulse-width-modulating (continually pulsing) the rear bulb supply voltage. It goes to 100% on (12-14v) for brake light, the tail light runs at around a modulated (pulsed) 8 volts or so for tail light.

 

Some LED's won't respond to this & some LED's  don't put enough load on the system to allow it to work correctly & keep the warning light off. 

 

You need to find compatible LED bulbs then possibly play with adding some parallel resistance to make the system think it still has the incandescent bulb load.   

 

You also need to watch  the LED color (if the LED color vs the lens color is wrong then a lot of the light output will not get through the tail light lens). We have a couple of riders in my ride group that think "aftermarket" LED bulbs are the be-all, end-all___  the end-all part might end up being true as we can't see their darn brake light in the bright sun. They are brighter than he!! at night but not so good in bright sunlight.   

[Hosstage]

Don't get me started on "glaring" taillights. Some of them are downright obnoxious. 

[TheMick]

So, my Third Wheel Trailer has all LED lights. I wired them directly to theTail and directional lights on my 2010 RT. All work no yellow warning triangle. No relays or isolation harness used.

[dirtrider]

21 minutes ago, TheMick said:

So, my Third Wheel Trailer has all LED lights. I wired them directly to theTail and directional lights on my 2010 RT. All work no yellow warning triangle. No relays or isolation harness used.

Morning  TheMick

 

That is slightly different as your system computer still sees the load of the original tail light bulb.  (those LED's add very little load).

 

Take your existing tail light bulb out with just the trailer LED's on the system & you will probably get a light-out warning on the dash.  

[TheMick]

2 hours ago, dirtrider said:

Morning  TheMick

 

That is slightly different as your system computer still sees the load of the original tail light bulb.  (those LED's add very little load).

 

Take your existing tail light bulb out with just the trailer LED's on the system & you will probably get a light-out warning on the dash.  

You are probably correct in this. It is all back together now and ready to ride. { if the weather would cooperate)