After a couple of failed attempts, I now have the brightness of the LED lights I bought on eBay under control.
The idea of bright LED lights for extra visibility is excellent, but at night the unfocused light scatters all over the place and annoys other road users.
I bought the LED lights for their power, so I want that available, but I needed to get the excessive brightness under control for riding at night, which sounds counter-intuitive, but stick with me. It will all make sense.
Denali calls the variable brightness Data Dim Technology. The ability to have the LED Lights run at full power or half power. I’ve gone one further and have three power settings.
My first couple of attempts to dim the LED Lights failed, but the solution that works very well is the Skene Lights IQ-275 Pulse Width Modulator that I bought from The Adventure Bike Shop in the UK.
Despite having an impressive name and a multi-coloured wiring diagram, the IQ-275 is a lot easier to fit than you might imagine.
There are a couple of LED light manufacturers the IQ-275 isn’t compatible with, which Skene are kind enough to list on their website.
However, for most LED lights on the market, it is the perfect solution to controlling the brightness of your LED lights while still having full power available when you need it.
How Did I Get Here
Like every motorcyclist, I ride as if everyone is out to get me. If a car appears from a side junction, I’ll assume the driver hasn’t seen me even if they have stopped. Yes, I’m paranoid.
Next on my paranoia list comes being conspicuous. That isn’t about dressing in dayglow; it is about being in contrast with the background and bright LED lights are an excellent way of achieving that contrast, even in daylight.
Having looked at SW-Motech and Denali lights, I would have to spend £300-£600 depending on the options I wanted. Even on eBay, branded LED motorcycle lights would set me back around £250, while there are numerous unbranded LED Lights for sale from as little as £10 each. You can read that story in the Let There Be Auxiliary Light article below.
So far, I have invested £80 and for my money had acquired a set of excellent lights, mounting brackets, handlebar switch, and a relay so I could power the lights through the ignition.
Included in that cost is also the normal collection of odds and ends that are needed to put it all together. Ensuring I’d accounted for everything, I was still significantly under the cost of the cheapest set of branded lights I could find.
My lights are great for daytime visibility, but I need to dim them down for evening and night time use. It sounds daft I’ll grant you, but at night when other traffic is around, the LED lights are too bright to use on full power.
I’m looking for full power from the LED lights when the high beam is on; a bright light during the day to make me stand out; and a reduced brightness when town riding at night. Simples. Well not at first.
Things Not To Do
Most LED lights have a wide operating voltage. The ones I bought will work with a voltage anywhere between 9 and 48 volts, so they can’t be dimmed by simply reducing the voltage the way you can with a regular bulb.
I’m told that to dim LED lights, you either have to reduce the amperage going to the LED, which produces a lot of heat you need to get rid of or buy a Skene IQ-275.
Please don’t do what I did and surf through eBay and Amazon looking for LED dimmers. Some look like they will do the job but having tried them; they are not what you need. If you want to prove this to yourself, I have a few you can try if you have some time you would like to waste.
Skene IQ-275 LED Light Dimmer
After a lot of internet searching and having spoken with professionals who know about this stuff, I found a UK based supplier for the Skene IQ-275, which is a pulse width modulator.
This clever device dims the LED lights by flashing them on and off very quickly. The human eye can’t detect it, but you can see the strobe effect in videos and photographs.
By varying the duration of the power pulse, the IQ-275 makes the lights appear dimmer or brighter as required. I have mine set to illuminate with 20% or 50% power which I control through the handlebar switch and to produce full power when high beam s selected.
With the switch in the off position, the lights default to 20% power. Turn the switch on, which supplies 12 volts to the IQ-275 trigger wire, and the lights increase in intensity to 50%.
And finally, the IQ-275 has a high beam sense wire which I tapped into the positive wire on my KTM’s high beam circuit. When I select high beam, the LED lights come on at full power and turn night into day.
The Skene IQ-275 costs as much as all the other parts put together, but it is worth every penny. I spent £187 altogether, including some parts I didn’t need. As you can see from the shopping list below, I could have done it for £150 if I’d read this article first.
The LED Lights Shopping List
Bits I Didn’t Need
It would be easy to be annoyed at this, but it is part of DIY and in the end, it didn’t cost me that much. The cheap but useless dimmers were £20, the relays which I didn’t need once I found the IQ-275 were another £9 and the three-way switch was £8.
A total of £37 pounds I could have saved if I’d known what I know now.
Final Configuration
I’ve gone one better than Denali’s Data Dim Technology which has two power settings. I call mine “Cheaper Than Yours Technology”, as I have three power settings for the LED lights on the KTM.
“Off” is 20% power which is bright enough for night riding in towns. The scatter pattern of the LED increases my visibility without blinding other road users.
I have “On” which is 50% power for daylight riding, or 4,500 lumens which is approximately the same as three standard headlights.
Finally, there is full power – all 9,000 lumens of it – which comes on when the high beam is selected, regardless of whether I’m using 20% or 50% power.
All of this can be yours for £150 and a few hours in the garage. I’ve linked to the items in the shopping list above. Hopefully, the items are still available when you read this.
The only question that remains is will the £32 LED light units from eBay last? There is only one way to find out. I best go ride the KTM.
Clarity
I’m an idiot. You are strongly advised to seek professional advice before modifying your motorcycle.
The regulations for lights on motor vehicles in the UK can be found here. It isn’t the most entertaining read, but it may save you from the local constabulary finding your motorcycle unroadworthy.
Data Dim is a trademark of Denali Electronics. The header image is based on an original work by Paul Green
