Installing LED lights is a fun way to show your unique personality with your bike and the end result will be stunning. After you buy a set of LED lights that you like or buy LED strips to make your own design, you can easily install them at home.
1
Gather everything you need. In addition to the set of LED lights, you will need additional electrical cables, preferably two different colors to help you distinguish the positive and negative connections of the battery. The job may also need Velcro strips (or, if you prefer, a permanent adhesive), additional 18 or 20 gauge electrical wire, sandpaper, pliers, screwdrivers, soldering (or gel soldering) equipment, connection terminals for cables, electrical tape and an in-line fuse
2
Try the LED strips. Test the strip by connecting the positive cable to the positive battery terminal and the negative cable to the negative battery terminal. Make sure each of the lights on the entire strip is on.
The LED light kit may come with a battery to use to test the LED strips. If not, it is possible to use your motorcycle battery for the test. You just have to make sure you have disconnected it from the motorcycle. You can also use a spare 9-volt battery you have on hand to test the strips. [1]
When testing the strips, separate all the strips of the same size into different groups.It's a good idea to disconnect the battery from the motorcycle even if you don't need it to check the LED strips. On most motorcycle models, you will find the battery located under the seat. By disconnecting the battery, you can test the LED light strips without worrying about damaging the other components of the motorcycle that it powers.
3
Test the placement of your LED light strips. Try a few designs and make sure you have enough strips to complete the design you want.
Be sure to use masking tape that will not damage the paint on the motorcycle at all when you remove it. [2]
4
Choose a location for the switch. The LED assembly will come with a switch that should have three wires on the back: positive, negative, and ground. Choose a comfortable place where you install the switch later. [3]
Part
2
Attach the LED strips to the motorcycle
1
Add velcro to your LED strips. When you know where exactly all the strips have to go, go fixing them to the motorcycle. Many LED assemblies have strips of tape already attached, but after gluing them it is not possible to vary the design much. If you use thin strips of velcro instead you will have a lot of grip as well as the ability to move them however you want. [4]
If you are sure that you will never want to move the strips, you can use the strips of tape that come with them or take strong double-sided tape to hold the strips.
2
Attach the strips to the motorcycle. With the chosen location and its Velcro applied, it is now possible to fasten the straps on the motorcycle. You may need to take the parts apart to fit the strips at some points, such as the bottom of a fairing. These streamlined parts are simply held in place with assembly screws, so they can be disassembled with a screwdriver or socket wrench. [5]
When attaching the strip, make sure the velcro has the wiring towards the battery. You will need to direct all the cables in this general direction.
3
Route any unconnected wiring to the battery. Some cables, such as the ones behind a fairing, may need you to run them to solve the electrical part of the project. You can use a stiff line like a weed trimmer or even fishing line. Tie the wiring to the line, and when it is in place behind the fairing, route it out with the fishing line. [6]
Part
3
Connect electrical components
1
Connect the switch to the positive post of the battery. If you use some extra red wire (since this is the positive terminal), you will need to connect the switch to the positive battery post. This tip will be placed over the positive battery terminal before tightening it. Solder another terminal on the opposite end once you've run enough wire to reach the switch.
Also, you need to splice the fuse in line in this part of the wiring. LEDs consume very little power, but connecting a fuse is always the safest thing to do. The in-line fuse will have a wire coming out of each side. Cut a length of the wire at a point where the fuse can easily be inserted near the battery under your seat. Use the wire stripper to remove about 1/2 inch (1.2 cm) of the sheathing and braid the wire and one end of the fuse together; then use electrical tape to secure the connection. Do this at both ends to mount the fuse. Since the lights require little power, you will only need a 5-10 amp fuse. [7]
If you're not sure how to do this, take a look at this guide on how to solder or purchase a soldering gel that will allow you to place the wire in the terminal along with the gel and then simply apply heat.
Most likely, the switch has male connection terminals, so you will need female connection terminals to solder to the wire. [8]
For any cable splices you have in the project, it is possible to also buy heat-compressible sleeves that further protect the splice. The sleeve slides over the wire above the electrical tape (make sure you buy the correct size for the wire you are using), and then by applying a little heat with a lighter (do not burn the wire to one of the the ends of the sleeves) will compress and strengthen the splice. [9]
2
Connect the ground wire. This connection also requires an additional piece of wire with a connection soldered to one end of the switch and a ring terminal soldered to the other. You will need to connect one end to the ground terminal of the switch and connect the other end to the metal frame of the motorcycle. The ground wire must have a metal-to-metal connection, so it is easiest to find a metal area of the frame with a screw located near the switch position to put the terminal ring on the screw and tighten it down. [10]
To make sure it's a metal-to-metal connection, use a piece of sandpaper to remove any paint that may be directly over the point on the frame where the screw tightens on the frame. [eleven]
3
Connect the positive leads from the LED strips to the switch. Lead the positive wire from each of the LED strips to where you placed the switch. Route the cables glued to the frame, holding them down if necessary. When all the wires are long enough to reach the switch, use the wire strippers to remove some of their coating, twist them all together, and solder them to the terminal you need to connect to the positive terminal of the switch. [12]
If the positive and negative sleeves of the LED strips are close together, and since you will need to lead them in opposite directions, it is possible to use a precision knife or cutter on the notch that runs parallel to the two wires to separate them.
If one of the cables at the end is too short, you can use one of the additional cables that you have to make it longer. Simply use the wire stripper to remove some of the end of the sleeves, braid them together, and secure them tightly with electrical tape.
4
Connect the negative leads from the LED strips to the negative battery terminal. Now, lead all the negative leads from the LED strips to the battery. Just like you did with the battery line to the switch, connect them to the battery with a ring terminal. Once you have routed all the negative cables from each LED strip to the battery, solder them onto the ring terminal that you are going to attach to the negative battery terminal before tightening it.
Advice
If you have multiple strips in a similar location on your motorcycle, you can always splice the positive cables and negative cables together at that location. This will allow you to route one wire to the switch or battery instead of several.
It can help to remove some of the fairings from the motorcycle while you are working, because it is easier to attach the wiring to the frame so that it is not visible when you are done.
Use your nine volt battery or test battery to test the LED strips after each splice. It is much easier to repair a connection splice before moving forward than to try to backtrack a particular cable later.
Remember that some states have laws that prohibit these types of lights while driving on the highway or highway. In other words, check the city or country laws before driving with the lights on. In some places they are only allowed "for the purpose of showing them," so check the laws before riding, and drive safely.
Some kits may also have a remote control for the lights, in which case you will also need to route the antenna cable to the frame of the motorcycle to improve reception.
Warnings
If your specific LED assembly does not come with a fuse in the wiring, then you will need to splice one. It is always safer to have a fuse even with low power LEDs.
Make sure to disconnect the battery from the motorcycle before starting.
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