LED blinkers... and I searched and everything!!! (All or none.)

[ineedanap]

ha!  I figured it out!!!  I actually couldn't sleep last night.  I kept doing wiring diagrams in my head.  You can do what fred said, mary said, or I said.  Or you can...

reconnect your resisters /load balancer thingees that you already have and everything will work as good as stock!!!!

adding resistors will keep the lights as the highest resistance pieces in the wiring system.  This will keep the dash light from being the highest resistance  in the system and will keep all the current flowing in the right direction.  You won't need any other parts.  

You can run either flasher you want, they will both work since there will be a big enough draw to activate a stock thermal/mechanical one.  It would still be better to run your LED one since it's basically a more modern electrical one and the LED designation means it can be triggered at low amperage.  

YHEA!

[ineedanap]

oops, rylon answered it while I was typing, do his way, he sounds like he knows what he's talking about. 

[Danny500]

I've seen those diagrams before. I don't want to go down that route again. The issue is, i lose a LOT of under-seat space with those large resistors and they heat up behind the headlight and have melted  the tape and wrapping under the headlight. I wanted to do this as-stock-as-possible and still get the same affect.

Thanks for the help guys, I'm going to just wait till the diode comes in and try things out from there... At least now I have a good starting point.

I'll let you know how things work out! Thanks again!



Dan

[Paulcet]

I've seen those diagrams before. I don't want to go down that route again. The issue is, i lose a LOT of under-seat space with those large resistors and they heat up behind the headlight and have melted  the tape and wrapping under the headlight. I wanted to do this as-stock-as-possible and still get the same affect.

The resistors in Rylon's diagrams are low-wattage resistors.  They are sometimes included in the blinker assembly.  They don't get very hot, and they are not very big.  I haven't been following closely... what turn led signals do you have?

<edit>
I've gone back and read the thread.  Let me know if I've got this straight:  You have LED signals all around.  You have a flasher MODULE (not the stock relay).  You have ordered the diode kit from Kuryakyn.

That should work. (you will end up with the circuit in Rylon's post)

[Danny500]

Paulcet: Yep, that's what I thought too. I'm just waiting for that diode to come in. That, and I still have to run through the dashboard to find out what caused my gauge lights to quit on me. 

Dan

[rylon]

All you need it two 12v diodes that you can get from Radio Shack for real cheap.  Don't know what you paid from that site but if you have any skills with a soldering iron there should be no reason to buy an expensive module.

The resistors in all of my diagrams are integrated into the LED blinkers, nothing has to be added.

Like I said in my previous post was that I have my bike running like I have in the diagrams with LED front turn signals and a clear alternatives LED brake light with integrated turn signals.  I bought my diodes at radioshack and my flasher at autozone, no special motorcycle specific pieces needed.

Rylon

[slipperymongoose]

Here is a post I made in another thread, and is the way I got my LED flashers to work:

I had several issues installing my led signals and integrated tail light, here is an excerpt from a previous post with details about how I have it wired.  Let me know if I can be of any more help.

I have all LED signal and a LED break light, and they all work.  I have a similar relay to the original one you bought (I'll check later and verify part number) and installed 12V diodes to the turn signal indicator in the dash.

Here is a diagram for all the turn signals



And here is a diagram of where I added my 12V diodes



I also had issues while trouble shooting my blinkers as a result of my battery needing a charge (it was dead cause the bike was sitting for a while while getting upgrades/repairs)  So that may be something else to check if it applies to your situation.

Hope this helps

Edit:  The relay that I have is a Blazer 552/536 LL two terminal variable load relay.  I tried the original 552 relay and it didn't work, could be blown as a result of my trouble shooting.

Rylon

As far as the flasher the way I understand it, and the way it was explained to me was that the stock flasher is a bimetallic style which basically needs enough current to heat up a piece of metal which completes the circuit and turns on the lights.  Once on the current is redirected through another portion of the flasher allowing the piece of metal to cool and disconnect the circuit.  The LED's don't draw enough current and won't allow the metal piece to close.

Here is a link with some diagrams and more detailed information.  http://www.mgaguru.com/mgtech/electric/et104.htm

The diode is need to restrict current to only one side of the turn signal circuit.  If you look at the top diagram (stock wiring) when the turn signal switch is put in the left position a majority of the current is drawn to the left blinkers causing them to light up and some residual current is passed through the right side blinkers by way of the ground side of the turn signal indicator in the dash, just not enough for them to light up.

But if you replace your stock incandescent turn signals with LEDs while still having the stock wiring setup the residual current that passes through the opposite side (right if you are still with the above example) then the LED's light up because they require less current to illuminate.

So adding one diode to each turn signal lead and then to the turn signal indicator with the other side to ground this emliminates the four way flasher problem.  The only caveat to this is if you have replaced your dash bulbs with LED be sure to note polarity when making the modifications as it does matter which end is connected to what with LED's

I hope this helped your situation, if not let me know and I may be able to explain things in a different manner.

And if anyone notices any error please be sure to make the appropriate corrections.  This issue has come up on several occasions and I think something should be added or modifications should be made to the wiki.

Thanks Rylon 

Thanks for this it helped immensly with my LED install, I originaly had the diodes around the wrong way and was scratching my head as to why my dash light wasnt working. Ive retained my stock flasher and my indicators flash fast but im trying to source an led flash can to slow the rate down. All that it cost me was $0.50 at jaycar. thanks for the diagrams.