Daytime Running Lights (194) vs LEDs (W5W)

[SnowFox]

I just did replace these original Incandesent bulbs last night.  Right side was nearly impossible to reinstall,  and I did it first.  Found then the left side a breeze as the 2nd bulb to attempt. Ha. I did the tough one first. 

 

However,  I chose to replace the "194" incandescent bulbs with high quality LED "W5W" replacements.  The "Parking" function lights or "Daytme Running lights" now LED's come on with first key turned to ignition,  but once engine is started,  they go out and dash displays error like forward lights are INOP. 

I can't see installing a "CANBUS" system just to get the new LEDs as DRL's to work automatically with the low beam headlights. The incandescent bulbs had a very low wattage output. 

I have a beautiful 2006 R1200RT.

Anyone have an idea?

[dirtrider]

10 hours ago, SnowFox said:

I just did replace these original Incandesent bulbs last night.  Right side was nearly impossible to reinstall,  and I did it first.  Found then the left side a breeze as the 2nd bulb to attempt. Ha. I did the tough one first. 

 

However,  I chose to replace the "194" incandescent bulbs with high quality LED "W5W" replacements.  The "Parking" function lights or "Daytme Running lights" now LED's come on with first key turned to ignition,  but once engine is started,  they go out and dash displays error like forward lights are INOP. 

I can't see installing a "CANBUS" system just to get the new LEDs as DRL's to work automatically with the low beam headlights. The incandescent bulbs had a very low wattage output. 

I have a beautiful 2006 R1200RT.

Anyone have an idea?

Morning  SnowFox

 

Your problem has nothing to do with the CanBus as the CanBus is just the communication Bus. When a bulb says CanBus compatible that just means that it will work on CanBus era motorcycles. 

 

It sounds like those LED bulbs that you installed just don't draw enough current to prevent the light-out warning so you get a system shutdown. 

 

To satisfy your light's-out warning system you will probably need specific LED's with built in parallel resistance or you will need to add some external resistance in parallel with each LED bulb.

 

Those LED "W5W" that you installed are probably rated at 5 watts equivalent light output but don't actually draw 5 watts of current.   

 

 

[SnowFox]

dirtrider,

I agree.  I considered that possibility before installing these LEDs but the very high difficulty aspect of accessing and reinstalling outweighed "going at it" for another round.  And any idea of adding a resistor to the circuit gets dashed because the right hand side is so damned difficult with the antenna cable taking up what little access space that exists. 

Apparently,  I'll have to accept a significant dismantling of the fairings  to do as you suggest. I was hoping someone else may have a less messy "plug & play" method, already developed. 

Thanks! 

Love the bike! 

[dirtrider]

56 minutes ago, SnowFox said:

dirtrider,

I agree.  I considered that possibility before installing these LEDs but the very high difficulty aspect of accessing and reinstalling outweighed "going at it" for another round.  And any idea of adding a resistor to the circuit gets dashed because the right hand side is so damned difficult with the antenna cable taking up what little access space that exists. 

Apparently,  I'll have to accept a significant dismantling of the fairings  to do as you suggest. I was hoping someone else may have a less messy "plug & play" method, already developed. 

Thanks! 

Love the bike! 

Morning SnowFox 

 

You might try calling some of the motorcycle LED light companies as one of those might have a parallel resistor setup that will plug in between the bulb connector & the new LED bulb. The problem is, there really isn't much of a market for LED side lights.

 

Or you can probably use one the removed bulbs to track down some terminals & connectors to make your own (plug-in) resistor jumper.  

 

Bottom line: you either new bulbs that have more circuit load, or add additional load (parallel resistance) to your existing LED bulbs. 

[DJDixon]

As I said on the other thread - SuperBrightLEDs.com has som CANbus (ZFE, actually) compatible bulbs that won't throw the error codes, I had some white ones in my '06.  I recommend the yellow though for contrast.  They are a "plug and play" swap, resister is built in.

[SnowFox]

Guess I missed that mention of the web site somehow.  But got it now and I'll be ordering bulbs from there.  THANK YOU!