Rear Brake Light with Self-Contained Modulator

[vegasbuddy]

I've been looking at different options to install a rear brake light modulator. Although the wiring looks fairly simple for most install jobs, I'm always looking for the path of least resistance & stumbled on this today.

http://www.customdynamics.com/20wd.htm

About twice the cost of the other regular modulators I've seen, but a lot less work and probably about what you would pay a dealer to install a regular modulator (parts + labor). Plus it's a halogen bulb, so should be brighter just by itself.

Thoughts?

[UnionZac]

has anyone tried to install ground fx style lights underneath their Buddy?

[ericalm]

I've been looking at different options to install a rear brake light modulator. Although the wiring looks fairly simple for most install jobs, I'm always looking for the path of least resistance & stumbled on this today.

http://www.customdynamics.com/20wd.htm

About twice the cost of the other regular modulators I've seen, but a lot less work and probably about what you would pay a dealer to install a regular modulator (parts + labor). Plus it's a halogen bulb, so should be brighter just by itself.

Thoughts?

Many ModernVespa members have had problems with these (or similar bulbs) because they stopped modulating.

[vegasbuddy]

Hmmm... I thought it seemed too good to be true. Any success stories with these or just a whole lot of problems?

[nissanman]

The flickering power supply of a scooter seems to mess up a lot of bulb types. My tailight bulb (1157) only lasted about a month (LED) then I had to put the factory incandecent back in If I want LED looks like I'll have to order the whole darn thing from Genuine...

[Kurzer]

@ UnionZac

Yes. I had a red underglow installed but as mentioned, LED's and the Buddy don't get along well... I still have yet to figure out exactly why, everything seems to defy odds, maybe it has something to do with the generator.

@ nissanman

Yours lasted longer than mine. At 100% LED bulbs they lasted 1 day, at the end of the day I was having blinker issues, one had even stopped lighting (the LED was fine, tested on the bench). I had the signals, brake and citylight all LED as well as an underglow setup. 50W 10A resistors were soldered in line with the indicators. All hell broke loose after just a few minutes

I've gone back to incandescents on all but a few bulbs and even those will be reverted soon. The headache isn't worth the time and trouble of rewiring the entire scooter just to get the LED look.

In order to get an all LED setup to work, I think one would need to place relays at every bulb... ugh... then have power sent from a second battery and control the relays from the stock system. The 2nd batt. would need to be isolated so the scoot could provide power but it couldn't flow back to the scoot. With the plastics off, this could be done fairly easily, it's just a ton of soldering and wrapping wires which is no fun.