Detect burnt out tail/brake light?

[BartmanEH]

Basically it sucks when a tail/brake light burns out because you've effectively just halved the rear facing visible lighting. I do walk arounds regularly and likely would detect this pretty quickly but what if I'm on a super long ride and it dies? I did a google search and couldn't find any products that indicate when a tail/brake light burns out and alerts you. Ideally I'd find a brake light modulator with burn out detector in it. Anyone have any ideas?

[Polarbear]

On long trips, I try and park right beside a wall or a window backed up, and I look to see if I see any change in the amount of light I see on the wall/window when I apply the brake. I guess you can do that at gas stations if you pick any reflective object, and you can do it several times a day. If it's burnt out, get the spare from the toolbox in the huge trunk and replace--never had to do it yet though... That's my low-tech solution...

Hope that helps,

C

[MadScientist]

If you feel like figuring out the specifics, you could place a hall effect current sensor in series with the two tail light bulbs. Something with a ratiometric output such as this, so that when the current dropped by half (the 2 bulbs are in parallel - if 1 burns out, current is halved), the output of the sensor drops by app. half. Connect the output of this sensor up to an LED in series with a current limiting resistor and a zener diode or a series of diodes, such that when the output voltage drops by half, the bias of the diodes is insufficient to flow current. At this point the LED turns off. This could be set up on either the brake or tail light circuit.

For the turn signals, doesn't the speed of the flashing increase if one burns out?

[BartmanEH]

If you feel like figuring out the specifics [...]

Thanks for the suggestion, MadScientist. Ideally I'd find a nice hermetically sealed product that did this that I could just wire in.

For the turn signals, doesn't the speed of the flashing increase if one burns out?

Indeed, it's pretty obvious when a turn signal burns out which is why I was looking for just a tail/brake light detector.

[MadScientist]

If you feel like figuring out the specifics [...]

Thanks for the suggestion, MadScientist. Ideally I'd find a nice hermetically sealed product that did this that I could just wire in.

I did a little checking on the automotive lamp failure sensors and it appears that they are fairly specific to the exact type of light bulbs used. Different model years of the same vehicle have slightly different circuitry to account for a change in the bulbs specified. If you put an incorrect wattage bulb with the same base in the circuit, often the sensor will still indicate a lamp problem.

I'm guessing all of these circuits utilize a fairly specific trigger current or voltage, thus limiting the aftermarket availability of such a generic device.

[BartmanEH]

I'm guessing all of these circuits utilize a fairly specific trigger current or voltage, thus limiting the aftermarket availability of such a generic device.

I'd design it to have a calibration mode. I smell a patent :pinocchio:

[MadScientist]

I'm guessing all of these circuits utilize a fairly specific trigger current or voltage, thus limiting the aftermarket availability of such a generic device.

I'd design it to have a calibration mode. I smell a patent :pinocchio:

I was playing around with this circuit a bit and I've got a circuit drawn up that will work. I know my way around a circuit reasonably well, but an EE could probably design this in their sleep, and much more elegantly that what I cobbled together. Then again, I was aiming for cheap, with minimal logic circuitry. My solution also requires two separate sensors, one for the tail light/license light circuit and a separate for the brake light circuit. If this was all integrated into a modulator, the solution may be easier.

[Beck]

I bought a little doohickey back in the late 80's for my Hawk GT to monitor its tail/brakelight functions. All it was was a legnth of fiber optic cable that you stick into the tailight bezel near the bulbs through a 1/8 inch hole you have to drill and it terminates into a small hooded head that you mont near the bike's instrument panel with a frosted lens on it. The the light on it indicates the bulbs are OK and it also brightens when you apply the brakes as more lumens go through the fiber optic cable. Forgot who made it as it was just a straggler in the clearance bins I found in an older motorcycle accessories shop back then. I think anyone could put togther parts to make their own real easy. Good thing about it was it was totally passive and nothing in it can break down. :fing02:

Dang!!I should have pulled it off the Hawk when I traded it in for my VFR! :angry:

Beck

95 VFR

[Trace]

Instead of circuitry....how about fiber optic cable(s) from the taillight housing up to a "jewel lense" somewhere on the dash area, as the 68-71 Corvettes did to the center console? :idea3:

Wait...it didn't work very good on the Vettes, and prolly wouldn't work so good in sunlight on a bike. Never mind...but it was worth thinking about for a few seconds. :biggrin:

I'll be damned! Beck and I came up with the same idea at the same time. Geniuseseseses! :fing02:

[BartmanEH]

Hmmm, ya know, the fibre optic cable(s) isn't entirely crazy idea. I agree that sunlight readability is a problem but it sure is an ultra simple passive failsafe idea.

[Beck]

Instead of circuitry....how about fiber optic cable(s) from the taillight housing up to a "jewel lense" somewhere on the dash area, as the 68-71 Corvettes did to the center console? :idea3:

Wait...it didn't work very good on the Vettes, and prolly wouldn't work so good in sunlight on a bike. Never mind...but it was worth thinking about for a few seconds. :biggrin:

I'll be damned! Beck and I came up with the same idea at the same time. Geniuseseseses! :fing02:

I beat you by maybe a keystroke, but I agree, we could be both "soooper geeeniussses..es.eses!" :fing02: :biggrin:

Beck

95 VFR

[Trace]

I beat you by maybe a keystroke, but I agree, we could be both "soooper geeeniussses..es.eses!" :fing02: :biggrin:

Make that "soooper DUPER geeeeeeniusssses...es...esssss"! :laughing6-hehe:

[Rivcyko]

Awesome, Trace. Simple yet high-tech.

As for visibility, it's all in how you mount the visible end, and how you shade it. (Made a shade for my voltmeter LED).

As for the safety factor, while you ride,... Even if alerted, there is little to be done about it, in an instant, without a small undertaking. Solution,..... Line the a$$ end of your bike with red LEDs. That way, you always have a blast of light, (unless of critical electrical failure).

.02

[BartmanEH]

Line the a$$ end of your bike with red LEDs. That way, you always have a blast of light, (unless of critical electrical failure).

yeah, I'm looking into additional lighting options too.

Travis, now get outta my tail light thread and answer my PM and my email through your website about your hugger! Capice?

[ericlw]

this all sounds like a lot of work for somthing you can just grab the brake lever while in a dark area and look. or maybe use a rubber band to hold on for you?

[Trace]

Line the a$$ end of your bike with red LEDs.

Yep. Got 'em. Hyperlites. http://www.hyperlites.com/ Five years later, they're still working "brilliantly". Hehehe.. :happy:

[Trace]

this all sounds like a lot of work for somthing you can just grab the brake lever while in a dark area and look.

True, if you remember to do it with constant vigilance. Who thinks to check that often? When one tail/brake light burns out, the other often soon follows. Then you're dark back there. Not good.

Best solution indeed is additional LEDs like Hyperlites.

Also--I bought as set of LED replacement "bulbs" off the Interweb, but they weren't for shit. Not nearly as bright as normal incandescent 7443 OEM bulbs. I tossed 'em!

[BartmanEH]

Also--I bought as set of LED replacement "bulbs" off the Interweb, but they weren't for shit. Not nearly as bright as normal incandescent 7443 OEM bulbs. I tossed 'em!

Thanks for the heads up on LED replacement 'bulbs'. I've read a lot of controversy about them when retrofitting into housings like ours that were not designed for them.