Bright Light Indicator

[badf85]

 This thing blinds me when it's on. Anybody tried dimming it down. If so, how have you done it?

[mikeeitup]

Black electrical tape over the sob...

[VirginiaJim]

+1

[maxtog]

This thing blinds me when it's on. Anybody tried dimming it down. If so, how have you done it?

Yes, it is EXTREMELY blinding.  The easy and cheap solution is a small piece of electric tape or opaque cling plastic and just stick it on the clear plastic covering 95% of the light and the problem solved.

The complex, time-consuming, difficult way is to disassemble the bike and dash and then cover the light inside the dash or tone it down by covering over it with semi-opaque paint or marker.

[lather]

A more elegant way to dim the light might be to replace the bulb with a lower watt bulb. But I don't have a problem with it, in fact I like it. Course, I'm half blind so maybe its only half as bright for me.

[maxtog]

A more elegant way to dim the light might be to replace the bulb with a lower watt bulb.

It might be an LED.  Nobody has ever confirmed what type of bulb it is.

But I don't have a problem with it, in fact I like it. Course, I'm half blind so maybe its only half as bright for me.

You must, indeed, be half blind- that thing is so bright it is dangerous!  The times you need high beams is out in nowhere, when it is dark and there are no oncoming cars.  And during those times, the glare from the indicator is so great, it actually makes it hard to see down the road.  Of course, my eyes are getting older and I notice each year I seem to have a little more problem with glare with night driving.

[Richard. Wales UK]

Hi

I have dimmed the head beam indicator light on mine.
The lights are LEDs

Full write up here: -
http://www.gtr1400.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=3891.15

Richard

[B.D.F.]

A long time ago, a frequent visitor to this forum specified the way he 'dimmed' his: he used a 1K Ohm resistor in series with the LED that illuminates the high beam indicator. It knocked the brightness way down and was a very satisfactory fix for that gentleman as I remember.

That indicator uses a dedicated circuit (wire) to illuminate it; it is easy to find in the schematic and you would have to then find that wire, cut it and install the resistor in- line and then weatherproof the wire again. Fairly easy to do but you would need to be reasonably proficient at electrics (soldering, shrink tubing) and able to disassemble the bike sufficiently to find the wire, which terminates in the plug at the instrument cluster.

Brian

This thing blinds me when it's on. Anybody tried dimming it down. If so, how have you done it?

[B.D.F.]

It is an LED soldered to the circuit board that is under the instrument cluster. They are surface mounted and so would have to be de- soldered and another LED soldered in place to achieve a lower light output. Probably easier to leave the P.C. board alone and interrupt the wiring going to the instrument cluster instead; IMO of course.

Brian

A more elegant way to dim the light might be to replace the bulb with a lower watt bulb. But I don't have a problem with it, in fact I like it. Course, I'm half blind so maybe its only half as bright for me.

[lather]

It is an LED soldered to the circuit board that is under the instrument cluster. They are surface mounted and so would have to be de- soldered and another LED soldered in place to achieve a lower light output. Probably easier to leave the P.C. board alone and interrupt the wiring going to the instrument cluster instead; IMO of course.

Brian

I did not bother to check the details since it is not an issue for me and just qualified my comment with the "might". The in-line resister is a good solution, way better than tape.

[lather]

It might be an LED.  Nobody has ever confirmed what type of bulb it is.

You must, indeed, be half blind- that thing is so bright it is dangerous!  The times you need high beams is out in nowhere, when it is dark and there are no oncoming cars.  And during those times, the glare from the indicator is so great, it actually makes it hard to see down the road.  Of course, my eyes are getting older and I notice each year I seem to have a little more problem with glare with night driving.

I was not joking, I am blind in one eye since an accident in 1974. The red light that annoys so many doesn't bother me either. This may actually be a benefit of being blind in one eye. Probably the only one.

[Conniesaki]

A piece of scrap window tint from a local car window tinting shop. Probably would even be free. Trim to shape with scissors. Add extra layers if one isn't dark enough. Removable later if desired.

This is how I dimmed my redonkulously bright alarm clock.

... and my GPS. Even on the lowest brightness setting it was still too bright. Trimmed a piece of window tint to fit neatly inside the surround ... and the touch screen even works exactly as it did before I added the tint.

[B.D.F.]

A really slick solution would be a dimming circuit that responded to ambient light. Full daylight, full indicator lights. Nighttime, perhaps 50% brightness (just a guess) going through a tunnel- maybe 70% would be the right amount. With a light detector on the dash, all this is possible and even easy, at least for the manufacturer.

Brian

I did not bother to check the details since it is not an issue for me and just qualified my comment with the "might". The in-line resister is a good solution, way better than tape.

[maxtog]

A really slick solution would be a dimming circuit that responded to ambient light. Full daylight, full indicator lights. Nighttime, perhaps 50% brightness (just a guess) going through a tunnel- maybe 70% would be the right amount. With a light detector on the dash, all this is possible and even easy, at least for the manufacturer.

Even better yet, a circuit that prevents the high beams from being used in daylight for more than a few seconds.  And a sensor to disable them when it senses oncoming traffic at night.  And a hyper hi/lo flash when horn pressed.  And a feature that teleports slow people out of your way. 

[sailor_chic]

A long time ago, a frequent visitor to this forum specified the way he 'dimmed' his: he used a 1K Ohm resistor in series with the LED that illuminates the high beam indicator. It knocked the brightness way down and was a very satisfactory fix for that gentleman as I remember.

That indicator uses a dedicated circuit (wire) to illuminate it; it is easy to find in the schematic and you would have to then find that wire, cut it and install the resistor in- line and then weatherproof the wire again. Fairly easy to do but you would need to be reasonably proficient at electrics (soldering, shrink tubing) and able to disassemble the bike sufficiently to find the wire, which terminates in the plug at the instrument cluster.

Brian

Brian, this seems like the best way to fix this problem. Now we just need to find a really smart man that can point us mentally challenged to what wire and what resistor to install. Hint hint.

[Conniesaki]

Even better yet, a circuit that prevents the high beams from being used in daylight for more than a few seconds. ...

Haven't you heard ... some people ride around with their high beams on during the day 

[Rhino]

 

[VirginiaJim]

And yes, I had to do this..

http://youtu.be/ld4tIG_PAdo

[just gone]

And yes, I had to do this..

....aaah yes, the classics are compulsory. 
This clearly holds it's own (for us) with Who's on First and others in that category.   
Ya think maybe Breaker19 now writes for Second City?

[maxtog]

And yes, I had to do this..

LOL