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Radar Detector Indicator Lights -- Fun With Leds


Havagan

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  • 1 month later...
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I finally got around to building a circuit for my radar detector alert LEDs. The original circuit design was based on the Escort's "Smart Cord" and drives only a single LED. I found that that circuit didn't provide enough voltage to drive 8 5mm 3.2V LEDs at full brightness so a new circuit design was in order. The original circuit used a constant 5V power source and a second line that produced voltage spikes to trigger a 3N2904 transistor that powered the LED on. The new circuit uses 12V to power the LEDs with ground running through a 3N2904 transistor. There is a second 3N2904 that is powered by the 5V line and triggered by the second line that produces voltage spikes.

I currently have the LEDs wired into the bike and connected to the radar via the 3.5mm mono audio jack on the x50 -- since I didn't want to have to rewire the LEDs I simply wired a female 3.5mm mono audio jack into the circuit so I can just plug the existing LEDs into my new circuit.

Circuit Diagram:

10678891325_0b83c372f9_o.png

Circuit Mock-Up:

10678892635_8e8ff5a89b_c.jpg

Video of the Mock-Up In Action:

So it looks like I've got the circuit working... now I just have to package it up nicely and get it installed on the bike. (But not until after my NC trip this coming weekend.)

Paul

Edited by Havagan
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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm not always blasting around at 20-30 over the speed limit, but regardless, I love what you've come up with! Electrical has always been a weakness of mine, so I really enjoy watching people who know what they are doing.

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Even I don't have that horrible of taste in furniture. That's a place mat that I use to keep from scratching the kitchen table!

Bread board on the couch !!!!

Yeah, I have no idea what I'm doing. I spent a lot of time reading and bugging a knowledgeable friend to come help me out. I had to feed him but it was worth it.

I'm not always blasting around at 20-30 over the speed limit, but regardless, I love what you've come up with! Electrical has always been a weakness of mine, so I really enjoy watching people who know what they are doing.

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You're too kind.

I feel really lazy about the LEDs because I'm still not finished with them. Too busy installing the volt meter and tearing down the Ducati carbs (AGAIN!)

10861515425_f1fff564a9_b.jpg

10861663844_24da3ae90a_b.jpg

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You're too kind.

I feel really lazy about the LEDs because I'm still not finished with them. Too busy installing the volt meter and tearing down the Ducati carbs (AGAIN!)

Sorry, but (AGAIN) part made me think of this poster :laugh:

17222-DUCATI-Making_mechanics_out_of_rid

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  • 4 months later...

One of those times he flipped us off.

So that's how they roll in TX, huh? I would have stopped, turned around, and had a talk with the cop, and probably told him to call his superior to the scene or I would, just so we could all chat a bit about it.

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You're too kind.

I feel really lazy about the LEDs because I'm still not finished with them. Too busy installing the volt meter and tearing down the Ducati carbs (AGAIN!)

Sorry, but (AGAIN) part made me think of this poster :laugh:

17222-DUCATI-Making_mechanics_out_of_rid

And that's a fact !!!

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  • 4 years later...

I've had the Marc Parnes setup for years now. He's LoCal SoCal to me so I've met him in person and been to his shop. I like it b/c I have 4 bikes that I ride, and can easily swap the RD unit between all of them, taking the lights along too. I'm using a bluetooth RD, so I get audio in my ear thru the Sena unit as well.

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