yet another l.e.d. thread..

[GS_Dan]

Okay, so i searched and searched, and yes, searched some more.

But i would like a definite answer if i could get one.

So i have all four indicators hooked up (l.e.d.) and they were not going on, so i did some research, and found out that most likely it was the flasher relay.
So i went down to Advanced auto parts, picked a nice heavy duty relay, plug it in and..yes they work! well sort of, they go on, but all 4 light up at once (crap, this doesn't help!)

So i do even MORE research, and i came across a post that says to remove the dash indicator light. so i take the bulb out and..well now when i hit the switch, the correct sides come one, yay!
-Now the problem is that, yes the right and left side come on individually(after removing the indicator light in the dash) but they don't blink, they only stay on.

now people say you need a diode or something??

basically, my question is, is there ANY alternative rather than getting a diode, i really, really don't want to do any more wiring/splicing things like that. is there any other wire to undo, or something along the lines of the dash indicator light so that when i use my signals, not only do they just come on, but they blink?

any help is very appreciated

thank you guys/girls


-Dan

[zirconx]

You should just be able to swap out the flasher. Don't know why all 4 would flash, unless the new flasher is hooked up wrong or is the wrong type?

There are a bunch of flashers on this page made specifically for LEDs, and there are some motorcycle specific ones also.
http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/index.cgi?action=DispPage&Page2Disp=%2Ftail-brake-turn.html
Scroll down to "Electronic LED Flashers" and click on See Prices & Buy.

[GS_Dan]

Hey zirconx, thank you for the reply, but the problem wasn't that all 4 were flashing, all four would just stay on (or lit up if you will)

then i pulled the tiny little bulb out of the dash(indicator light) and now, if i hit the right blinker on the switch, the right blinker goes on, and same for the left, so that's good, the directions work and what not, the only problem now is the they don't flash, they just stay on.

so basically i was wondering if there is anything i can to just get them to flash..i feel like i'm so close i can taste it!! got them to go on now, and one side at a time at that, but now i just need to get them to flash.

but i really don't want to do a diode set up, i don't want to splice and add new wires or anything like that.


again thank you all for your time to help me out

-Dan

[zirconx]

Hmmm. I don't know about using a diode, you shouldn't need one. You shouldn't need to remove your indicator light either.  When I switched one of my bikes to LED turn signals all I had to do was swap out the flasher for a solid state unit.

[Big Rich]

+1 to Zirconx.

I've bought 4 or 5 flasher relays and have them sitting around for this reason. Sometimes one electronic flasher relay will work but another one wont. Don't know of they are that sensitive to the input load or what. But I highly recommend the ones from superbrightleds. While you're on their site, I would get some led's to replace some dash lights too since they are so cheap. Maybe that's just me though.....

[the mole]

So for the 10000th time.....
The way the standard lights work is that the warning light on the dash is connected to both left and right indicator circuits. Now, when you put say the left indicator on, that side lights up and the current also flows from the left circuit, through the warning light and to earth through the bulbs of the right circuit. This works because the warning light is much lower wattage than the indicator lights, so the small amount of current it draws is not enough to light the right side bulbs, even though some current is going through them.
When you replace the normal lights with LEDs, that all changes. Now, the LEDs are much lower wattage than the warning bulb, so the current flows from the left side through the warning bulb and lights up the right side, so now you see all 4 come on.

The fact they don't flash is just that you have the wrong relay, you need a relay designed to work with a very low current draw, or you need to increase the current close to what it was before.

So the easy solution is to fit a resistor from the live wire for the indicators to earth (ie. in parallel to one of the blinkers, front or back). Do this both sides and it will all work, including the standard warning light and the standard relay. Main disadvantage is you have to mount them somewhere safe as it may get hot.

OR

You can buy a suitable relay that will work on the LEDs alone and disconnect the warning lamp. (you can replace it with a seperate warning lamp or LED for each side, so there is no current flow from side to side).

OR

You can put it back to standard and stop messing with a system that has been happily warning road users where you're going for 22 years.  

[GS_Dan]

alright alright alright im sorryyyy

but i thank you guys, definitely a big help.


so my last and final question..which flasher should i get from them?

fl2-red
CF12ANL-01
CF12ANL-02

etc etc.

this is my last and final question about this annoying topic haha

thank you very much guys, if you could just point me in the direction of the right one i will give you guys the biggest and best internet hi-5

[GS_Dan]

bump bump

about to pull the trigger and by from the website. i just don't know which one to get. anyone know which one??

[the mole]

Sorry, no idea, I'm sticking with option 3 above.

[zirconx]

alright alright alright im sorryyyy

but i thank you guys, definitely a big help.


so my last and final question..which flasher should i get from them?

fl2-red
CF12ANL-01
CF12ANL-02

etc etc.

this is my last and final question about this annoying topic haha

thank you very much guys, if you could just point me in the direction of the right one i will give you guys the biggest and best internet hi-5

Based on the mole's post, I don't think simply swapping out the flasher will fix your issue. Sounds like the GS turn signals are wired a little differently than I've seen on other bikes.

Simplest thing for you to do now is probably add some load resistors inline with the turn signals. Then you can keep the after market flasher you already bought and installed. Something like these:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270683431047
http://store.ijdmtoy.com/50W-Load-Resistor-Blinkers-License-Plate-Light-Fix-p/led_load_resistor.htm

[adidasguy]

One thing to note when replacing indicator lights with leds:
MOST leds are polarized - that is, they run on DC and current only flows one direction.
Some LEDs are non-polarized meaning they can run on AC and current will flow both directions.
This can make a difference in the GS since the turn signal indicator connects to both sides of the bike.
Another choice would be to NOT have the standard turn signal indicator - take it out. Then connect 2 LED indicators (like I did on Suzi) one to the left and one to the right side then you know which way you have your turn signals on. I put them inside the front cowling on my "F". On an "E", you could rearrange your indicators so you have a left on the left and a right on the right. Ad an extra hole between the instruments if you want a high beam indicator or one of the others there. You could pop out all the plastic lenses and use LEDs with plastic mounts so they all look the same. Then sell off that blue indicator for a fortune since everyone, for some reason, always needs that blue indicator lens.
You can get them at laces like Frys for about $5 each. You might need to ream out the holes another 1/8" but that's easy to do. All colors are available: red, yellow, orange, green, blue, white and even blinking red (perfect for the oil indicator).

[DoD#i]

Well, the main part of not working too well (and not blinking) is getting what would appear from your description and the behavior to be a "heavy duty (high current) flasher", presumably of the electromechanical type, when putting in LED bulbs that are lower current than stock. What you want is an "electronic flasher" that is not heating up a bimetallic strip with the current through itself to "flash" (which is why the flasher does not flash, as a general rule.) The electronic type just switches itself on and off without paying too much (or any) attention to the current through it.

Given the wimpy charging system on the GS, IMHO the preferable option if you are going with LEDs is to use the electronic type of flasher and rewire the indicator (I rather like the two-sided indicator option, but my system is stock at present) rather than put in resistors that just waste power to make your flasher work.