US Yamaha Parking Light Mod

[Shleeve]

I remember somebody discussing this in a thread at some point but I've searched and can't find the post. Anyways, as I'm sure you all know the US model of this bike comes stock with a plastic insert in place of the bulb in the yamaha emblem light above the headlight.
I wanna do this but I'm a total noob on lighting, what kind of bulb do I need and can I wire it to the leftover "running light" wires from my stock front turn signals?
After I get some guidance and get in there to do the mod I will be happy to take pics and create a small walkthrough

EDIT:
I said I was gonna make this a walkthrough, so here it is

Step 1:
Remove headlight.

Step 2:
Find this thingy on back of headlight.

I chose to dremel off the nipple before I drilled to get the drill more centered.

Step 3:
Drill

Important:
After drilling, be sure to get all of the loose pieces of debris out of the light housing. I used a Q-tip.

Step 4:
Insert your light.

Step 5:
Wire to the running light from a blinker (gray) and a ground (black). Since I have LED blinkers my running wires are unused and I had a male connector laying around so I used that. For the ground I had to splice in a wire.

Step 6:
Finished! Reinstall assembly.

Step 7:
......

Step 8:
Profit.

 

[djcecil]

i feel the same way about the spot, i have a service manual on the way, am very good at electrical and will be coming up with a good solid idea(s) so i will take pictures and pass on what i did/found out.

 

[trixster8]

I installed a 10mm LED from radioshack. It's wired with the running lights.

 

[djcecil]

very nice!

 

[SpunkyTheTuna]

Easy mod. Pick up a single filament socket from an auto parts store, the bulb or LEDs of your choice. What looks like a plug in the back of the headlight housing isn't. At least it wasn't in mine. Sure looked like it, though. You gotta drill through it with a bit sized for your bulb socket. Wire it into the parking light circuit and you're done. Comes on with the rest of the lights.

Mine's yellow, for what it's worth.

 

[Shleeve]

I got some 10mm leds but I went to autozone and wasn't sure what to get for the socket. They didn't have any that the 2 pronged leds would fit securely into. What am I looking for in a socket?

 

[SpunkyTheTuna]

Pick a 2-wire socket from among these Search Results for light socket | AutoZone.com. Bare LEDs probably won't fit in most, if any, automotive sockets. An alternative is LEDs with bulb-style bases. I haven't done business with them, but a simple Google search found these guys:Automotive LED Lights. They should have LEDs that meet your needs. If they don't, somebody else will.

 

[trixster8]

If you use a bare 10mm LED, you'll need the correct resistor wired in series with the positive side of the LED. Otherwise your LED will last about 2 seconds and burn out. I needed a 470 ohm resistor, which I also got from radioshack. If you go with the bulb style, they should already have the resistance in the base of the bulb to accept 12volts.

 

[Shleeve]

Walkthrough has been made.

 

[beefcake morris]

Can somebody make this a sticky. Great write up!

 

[hypo]

Can somebody make this a sticky. Great write up!

copy/quoted and placed it in the HOW TO SECTION

 

[djcecil]

have not lit yet, but have all parts just deciding what level of light i want, but did put a decal to make the forks show up

 

[minja714]

have not lit yet, but have all parts just deciding what level of light i want, but did put a decal to make the forks show up
]

dude.. where did you get that sticker? hook it up

also i have a 10mm led bulb and i dunno how to install it with a resistor. Also i want to know exactly whats a good socket to use for the install

 

[djcecil]

any vinyl place (signs now etc) can cut that sticker, wife happens to have one at work. i think superbrightleds.com has a section with what resistor goes with what watt led. in another sight talking about angel eyes dude put the math formula,
R= (Vbatt -Vled)/iLed
Vbatt =12v battery
Vled = voltage rating for led (package should give voltage, 3.6v)
iLed = current rating for led (package again, 20mA or .02A)
formula
R= (12v - 3.6v)/(.02A)
R = 8.4v/.02A = 420Ω
resistor on positive side

 

[minja714]

any vinyl place (signs now etc) can cut that sticker, wife happens to have one at work. i think superbrightleds.com has a section with what resistor goes with what watt led. in another sight talking about angel eyes dude put the math formula,
R= (Vbatt -Vled)/iLed
Vbatt =12v battery
Vled = voltage rating for led (package should give voltage, 3.6v)
iLed = current rating for led (package again, 20mA or .02A)
formula
R= (12v - 3.6v)/(.02A)
R = 8.4v/.02A = 420Ω
resistor on positive side

i mean like how to connect the resistor to the socket and how to make the led sit in the socket right without looking like a mickey mouse job.

also can i buy that sticker from you? send you paypal and you mail it out? that way i dont have to go to the hassle of another shop or searching it.

 

[FaZerick8]

R= (Vbatt -Vled)/iLed
Vbatt =12v battery
Vled = voltage rating for led (package should give voltage, 3.6v)
iLed = current rating for led (package again, 20mA or .02A)
formula
R= (12v - 3.6v)/(.02A)
R = 8.4v/.02A = 420Ω

Excellent application of Ohm's law, where resistance (ohms, Ω) equals voltage (volts, V) divided by current (amperes, I): Ω = V / I

 

[Shleeve]

For anyone wondering, I didn't use a standard 10mm LED and resistor etc. because it was too much work. I bought one of these
Dorman/Conduct-Tite 9/16 in. blue LED indicator light (84929) | Indicator Light | AutoZone.com
from autozone and put a big washer on the threaded part and then stuck it through the hole I made and secured it with the nut on the backside. Then you just have to attach a running light wire and a ground to the back.

 

[minja714]

For anyone wondering, I didn't use a standard 10mm LED and resistor etc. because it was too much work. I bought one of these
Dorman/Conduct-Tite 9/16 in. blue LED indicator light (84929) | Indicator Light | AutoZone.com
from autozone and put a big washer on the threaded part and then stuck it through the hole I made and secured it with the nut on the backside. Then you just have to attach a running light wire and a ground to the back.

hell yeah man. thanks!

 

[djcecil]

i stole the formula, i know how to operate the torque wrench though! if she can get the time i'll have her cut another but she is at a miller beer dist, not a sign store so they don't use the cutter every day. i'll pm if i can get one.

 

[lmracefan]

For anyone wondering, I didn't use a standard 10mm LED and resistor etc. because it was too much work. I bought one of these
Dorman/Conduct-Tite 9/16 in. blue LED indicator light (84929) | Indicator Light | AutoZone.com
from autozone and put a big washer on the threaded part and then stuck it through the hole I made and secured it with the nut on the backside. Then you just have to attach a running light wire and a ground to the back.

How did you get the light thru the hole from inside the housing?