White LEDs for Neutral and Turn Signal indicator lights

[5th_bike]

Getting fed up with both indicator lights having burnt out twice in less than 4,000 miles, I decided to use white LEDs for the turn signal and neutral indicator lights. Modern white LEDs have a good enough light output to replace the filamented light bulbs that are still used for the indicator lights. So far I have constructed the turn signal indicator light using the base of an old light bulb, and building two LEDs onto it, with some epoxy resin. The procedure is below.

Materials:
- Two white LEDs, I took them out of two Dollar store "reading lights"
- One old burnt out indicator light bulb
- One 1 k? (1,000 ohms) resistor, 1/4 watt, Radio Shack (1/2 W is too big)
- Plastic (epoxy resin)

Equipment
- Plyers
- Knife
- Soldering iron

Procedure:
- Put the light bulb in a paper towel and crack its top part with the plyers, do not crack the base.
- Cut the two wires just underneath the little glass ball
- Keep the base with the two wires sticking up, discard the rest.

- Determine each LED's negative side, indicated by the flat spot in the ring at its base.
- Cut the negative legs to approx. 10 mm.
- Put the LEDs side by side at their flat spots, and connect each negative leg to the other LED's positive leg at about 3-4 mm below the base of each LED. Do NOT have the negative legs touch another, move one to the side, and the other can go underneath.
- Cut the resistor's legs to about 8-10mm and 20mm, solder the short end to one of the LED's positive legs, right where the negative leg connects. Cut that positive leg right underneath where the resistor connects.
- Now there are two wires, one LED's positive leg, and the long end of the resistor. Position these such that they point down (away from where the LEDs shine to) at a distance about equal to the distance between the old light bulb's base wires.

- Scrape the base's two wires clean with a knife, and prime them with the soldering iron and some solder - they tend to not to want to take solder initially, and need some persuasion.

- Cut the assembly's two wires to length, and solder them to the base's wires. The size of the 'new' bulb should not exceed the size of the old light bulb, the assembly may need a little twisting/compression.

- Test with a 9V battery, depending on the polarity of the battery one LED at a time should be 'on'.

- Mix up some plastic (epoxy resin) and fill the space between the base and the LEDs. Hold it by the base, and twist and turn it to keep the plastic blob in the middle as it hardens (approx. 15 minutes).

- Harden overnight, and insert in motorcycle.

A turn signal indicator light needs two LEDs because depending on which turn signal is used, current goes through it in one direction or the other. The next light, the Neutral indicator, will only have one LED in series with the 1k? resistor, and if it doesn't work I will just put it in the other way.

Put the LED that is 'on' when the left turn signal is used, at the left side underneath the green lens, ditto for the one on the right, and you will have a 'directional' turn signal indicator light, like I do now

(edit The image below shows the principle of the two LEDs in opposing directions, with the current going in one direction: