Light dimmer switch options

[DiggerJim]

I have 3 HIDs in my 1200RT (2 low & 1 hi) all 35w 3200ish lumens. I also have a set of ADVMonster 60W LEDs mounted under the mirrors and also supposed to be about 3200 lumens each. The bike throws a ton of light which I like during the day for conspicuousness (yeah, I've seen threads about how it doesn't help and to ride like I'm being targeted for death, but no one argues the extra light hurts). At night though, that's overkill on the roads unless no one is around in which case they're great for keeping an eye on the forest denizens looking to become roadslime.

 

What I'd like is a way to have the LEDs on a dimmer or even just a fixed lower output (like 50%) which would not be blinding but would give me some extra light as well as keeping the broader view of lights facing the oncoming traffic so they notice me a bit more. I'd like to be able to have them switch on 100% if I hit the high beam so I can flash my brights (not something HIDs lend themselves to) or more importantly get all of my light shining down the road on those dark twisties without having to hit another switch.

 

I tried the ADVMonster dimmer switch (a PWM type, not a variable resistor type) but it doesn't dim - it's always on full and does not in fact switch on/off for me. Thought it was the switch (checked the wiring job in case it was OE but nope, that looks right) so they sent me a new one. That one doesn't work either. I even tried wiring it straight between the battery & a single LED to cut out all other wiring error possibilities - no luck. So I can keep trying with someone whose switches might all be a bad batch or find an alternative.

 

Anyone know of an alternative that allows me to run my lights at 50% and then trigger 100% when the high beam is hit?

 

Right now my LEDs are wired from a Fuzeblock switched outlet to a switch (on the + wire) to the LEDs. I can turn them on or off when the bike is on. I put the ADVM dimmer switch in between the existing switch and the lights and they turn on if the existing switch is on (as they should) and off when that switch is turned off (again as they should)...but, whether the ADVM switch is fully off or anywhere in the dimming adjustment range, the LEDs are lit. The dimmer switch had no apparent effect on light brightness or on/off status. If I pull the + lead from the dimmer switch the lights die so it's not like I've got a wiring issue where they're picking up power from somewhere else. The presence of the hi-beam trigger wire (attached to the + power lead to the high beam) is also irrelevant - the LEDs light the same with or without it in place and with or without the highs turned on. I'm thinking there may be something conflicting between the PWM controller in the dimmer and the 1200's electrical (CANBUS) system.

 

Any thoughts?

 

TIA

[dirtrider]

Evening Jim

 

You have one of those things that you are probably have to play with & try different things.

 

Some LED's will dim & others won't, if your LED's are not dimmable then you are going to have problems.

 

Same with pulse width modulating them-- unlike incident bulbs that the filaments will grow dimmer as they dim down, LED's are pretty fast reacting & are either on or off with no in between.

 

If you want to try 50% you can try to wire two LED arrays to be switchable between parallel (as they are now) & in series.

 

They might work at 50% & they might not, about all you can do is try.

 

[DiggerJim]

Thanks DR. I figured buying the switch from the same folks who supplied the lights (ADVMonster) would ensure that they worked together. No go. Spent a day last week with the original switch I bought from them in various combos and then this weekend spent another day with their new switch. Single lights, dual lights, full on, full dim...the fact that the switches don't turn the lights off when they're in the clicked off setting while my other spst switch does that nicely (and pulling the + from the dimmer switch does too) suggests a circuit design or mfg problem I think. But 2 fails several months apart (I bought the first one intending to put it in last fall but life got in the way) has me looking for alternative vendors.

[EddyQ]

The actual LED device is very temperature sensitive, so it needs some method of regulation. Low power LEDs typically have a dropping resistor. I would think a higher power unit like yours would have a real current regulator (likely switching type). So if DC voltage varied or temperature changes, you get maximum intensity. In this senario, the only way to dim it would be a dimmer that actually switches off and on fast. The trick is, how fast. If you switch too fast and the regulator has some charge storage (a capacitor), it won't work. If you switch too slow, the LED will noticably blink.

 

Good luck.

[DiggerJim]

In this senario, the only way to dim it would be a dimmer that actually switches off and on fast.

That's what the PWM circuit of the dimmer is supposed to do (same type of thing as for heated gear) - it's not really reducing input voltages, it cuts it off completely for X% of the time to make it seem like an average lower voltage or in this case lower light output. No luck with ADVMonster but I thought Glendas or Kristas had the option and was hoping someone had some experience with those.