LED Turn Signals?

[adidasguy]

That sounds correct. No need to change anything for the brake light.

The indicator for turn signals is in the circuit between the left and right side. The current of that lamp may cause both sides to come on or not work at all or my work OK. Some people add load resistors when going LED turn signals to simulate the same load and keep the flasher relay happy. Others replace the flasher relay and may or my not do things to the indicator light.

Those who have changed all turn signals can offer suggestions of what they have done. I have LED stop lights but left the turn signals stock with smoke lenses. All my indicators and gauge lights are LED.

[knowles]

I looked on ebay and found two t10 leds, so I can change them out with the incandescent bulb, and change the flasher module then it should work if I also put on led turn signals? Or do i have to put the diode in with the t10 led? And resistor on the wire to leds?

[adidasguy]

There have been other threads on LEDs and what to get and where to get them if changing only the indicator lamps on your gauge cluster, and the gauge lamps.

Specifically, what are you wanting to change? (A)The big bulbs in your turn signals, (B) the turn signal indicator lamp on the instrument cluster, or (A+B) both?

You can't put in a regular LED as the indicator. It must be non-polarized or you need 2 diodes. You can't get a non-polarized T-5 (for "F" models). The "E" models have T-10 size instrument cluster indicators and non-polarized green or amber are available. The other 3 indicators can be standard polarized T-10 size LEDs (green, red and blue).

[Steel]

I bought a multimeter.

...check the bike's voltage with a meter. Also check the voltage at the turn signals. Maybe the PO wired them to the wrong place.

If you mean an output test under load, my meter reads 14.13V at 5000 rpm of a fully warm motor, read in parallel from the battery terminals.

Tell me if I'm wrong, but when I'm testing the left front turn signal for voltage, I turn the ignition ON and I flick the switch left as if I was making a turn. I've removed the dead bulb from the left signal and I set my auto-ranging multimeter to DC volts, press the positive lead to the nub at the base of the bucket the bulb sits in, and the negative (ground) lead to the metal housing of the signal. Because the power is pulsing, to flash the bulb, I set my meter to display the maximum reading only, from which I read 7.77V. Then I turned the engine on and reved it to 5000rpm, when I got a reading of 10.26V.

Three bulbs have blown from this socket so far, two 12V8w and one 13.5V8w

The turn signals go to ground and the turn signal switch. They should not be connected to the flasher as far I have been able to determine, unless that turn signal relay has +12, flash, and ground.

You are correct, I misspoke not knowing how important those details were there. I was trying to say that I did not see any special load resistors or any other unidentified doohickeys. I have a Suzuki manual and a Haynes manual, and all the diagrams. The rear signals both go to the switch at the handlebars through the main spinal cord looking thing that goes from the back to the front over the airbox and along the side of the frame.

SO, there you have my voltage readings. As I'm learning about all this (and I must remind you I am learning from the ground up), I'm not convinced theres a problem with the flasher unit I have now. It may even be the original (based on conversations with the PO) for a 2009 US model. It says on its side that its a electronic flasher unit. It doesn't make the clicking sound. When the conventional front turn signal bulbs are intact, everything works and flashes at a quick, acceptable rate. The LEDS in the back are obviously cheap shaZam! that aren't very bright, but they work. The problem at hand is losing bulbs.

If I've done the tests correctly I think I've reached the limit of what the manuals can tell me. They seem to be more focused on breakages due to dirt chafing and corrosion. My charging system has passed all three tests. What else can it be?

[adidasguy]

The voltage at the lamps is probably right. There is some loss due to the connection through the turn signal relay. I do remember that when I put on +my side marker/turn LEDs. (Their circuit was rather simplistic and relied on the same voltage for the turn signal as the running lights to properly turn of running light when turn signal went on with only 10.5v. Result was I had to use the turn signal line to run a DIP reed relay and feed +12v to the LED module, well, that's a different project but look at pix of Suzi).

There really is no way a 12v or 13.5v lamp would blow on a 12-14v circuit. Unless the lamps were not rugged and couldn't take the vibration. Something like a 12v desk lamp bulb might not be as rugged as one made for automotive use.

The only other thing I can think of right now is a bad voltage regulator. If it lets spikes of up to 18v or more, then lamps could blow. if that were the case, I think you'd see headlamp and other lights go out.

With and without turn signals on and bike running, do you see any change in brightness of the headlamp or any of the indicator lamps? (i.e. neutral, high beam)

Auto-range meters are nice. One drawback is they can't adjust fast enough for short spikes. That's where a scope or a mechanical meter work. You can see fast vibration of a meter needle, where the digital meters which only sample a few times a second, can't see them (or give what appears to be random readings). I only mention thus because there could be a voltage regulator problem that a digital meter can't see.

Bad regulator blew 2 headlights on Junior in one day until I got home and measured 18v or more and replaced the regulator. Ages ago I had a Yamaha250 and was poor, cheap and didn't know what to do so put a 5v regulator on the headlight that kept blowing (6v bike kick start like a 1980 model and had computer 5v regulators sitting around.) Though I have never blown the turn signal lights. Since they go through the flasher that drops the voltage, it seems pretty hard for them to get burnt out due to high voltage.

Do your lamps blow if sitting or when riding over rough streets?

[Steel]

Now that you mention it, the headlight is one of those POS 'Xanadu' jobs with generic fork mounts. Ive read a lot of forums bashing them since. They vibrate like a mofo, get really loud. I'm in the process of trying to dampen them now.

The generic fork mounts clamp directly onto the forks with no rubber at all, same with the headlight bolting on the mounts. There's no rubber anywhere on the thing.

[Steel]

Also, my meter does have a MAX/MIN function for just what you're describing. After you press it, it will hold both values on display and updates in real time. At three samples per second, I give it about 10 to show me a spike like you're describing.

[Steel]

To combat vibration I'm going wild with a can of 3M rubberized undercoat. If it ruins the finish, f%$k it anyway, it was born worthless.

[Steel]

Do you think theres a distinction between automobile lamps and motorcycle lamps? For increased vibration?

[the mole]

I'd try testing the voltage at the front blinker with the bulb in the socket, so the normal load is there. You'll have to find another way of connecting to the positive terminal, maybe bare a bit of the wire and tape it later or go in to a connector. I don't know of any difference between bike and car bulbs, it certainly seems strange to be blowing them at less than 15 volts.

[adidasguy]

Also, my meter does have a MAX/MIN function for just what you're describing. After you press it, it will hold both values on display and updates in real time. At three samples per second, I give it about 10 to show me a spike like you're describing.

3 samples per second can miss spikes.
Imagine - checking a voltage 3 times a second. A 1/4 second surge could easily be missed.
Undercoating won't do anything. Waste of time and money.
Auto/bike bulbs probably exactly the same. Inside lamps for desk lamps - probably not as rugged.

Something is going on that's frying those bulbs. You said the flasher unit is not OEM? I winder if there is something in that which could be spiking the voltage.
I'd try 2 things: 1) put in a stock flasher and then 2)swap the voltage regulator.
If you know someone with a GS500 or compatible parts, you could try swapping for a day or two and see what happens.

[Steel]

How can it be the regulator/rectifier if no other bulbs suffer? There's only two active members of this site near me, and I haven't met them yet. Maybe I could take these parts to the dealers and make them bench test them, entice them with "maybe I'll buy a new part".

[Steel]

The flasher is OEM, the serial number on it matches the suzuki part number, even if the image on the fiche doesnt match.

[Toogoofy317]

Why not get a flasher from Auto Zone for $5 I hated my LED set up took forever to get set up right was blowing indicator bulbs all the time and went through 3 flashers. I did the GSXR integrated mirrors with small incandescents in the back. It was a PITA for me.
BTW the dealership will charge you $20 to do a 5 min check. So, save $15 an buy one from Auto Zone
Mary

[Steel]

A jerky dealership maybe. The collective "experts" here have led me to believe that there's no way a flasher can cause voltage spikes or otherwise blow bulbs. Only voltage spikes and physical stress can.

[Steel]

It's still a little hard to swallow that there are 'one size fits all' flashers I can buy from auto zone that are supposed to be appropriate. I have a flasher, it flashes.

[Steel]

I think it was vibration. I bought two six inch squares of cut-your-own gasket rubber from home depot and went to town, buffering at the forks braces and where the turn signals plug into the fork brace. Turn signals have lasted three days now. The glass is still spinning around in its seat, what a piece of shaZam!.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/gs250-gs300-gs500-gs550-t500-gs-suzuki-headlight-kit-/360410000345?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item53ea1c2bd9#ht_600wt_1165

BEWARE, don't buy this, ever.

[adidasguy]

We thought you were having trouble with OEM turn signals.

So, you never told us you put on some crappy after market piece of shaZam! 

[Kijona]

Being somewhat of an LED aficionado, I must caution you about those "LED replacement bulbs" as they are total garbage. Might as well not even have a blinker at that point.

As far as LEDs are concerned, it's pretty basic design. LED stands for "Light Emitting Diode" and one of the properties of diodes, among other things, is that they only allow voltage to pass one way through them. If you connect them incorrectly nothing will happen. It won't come on and it will not blow it (that is unless you apply 12v to a 2v LED). Now as far as the resistor is concerned, that is a simple way of restricting the current to the LED bulb(s). Now, the tricky part is figuring out what resistor to use on what kind of lamp.

Unless you are a math genius and understand all of the complexity of the way LEDs work, I think you may find this tool useful:
http://ledcalculator.net/

FYI, radio shack sells some fairly bright four-pin LEDs that you might be able to rig up in there. They're 3.2v if I recall correctly. They're also square/flat instead of the traditional bulb shape.

As far as the bulbs blowing up is concerned...that can be one and only one thing: either the voltage to them is TOO high, OR, the bulbs themselves are not the correct voltage. Look on the base of the bulb, it should tell you what voltage it is. You need to check the voltage going to the turn signal sockets. You should also check the voltage at the battery. If they are different, well, you've found your problem.

Given the fact that relays have no inherent voltage stepping properties, the relay would make little difference in the voltage being supplied to the turn signal sockets. Also, the amperage is a bit irrelevant, seeing as how you could take that same bulb and connect it directly to a car battery (which is in excess of 700amps) and it would work just as well as it would in the socket on any bike. The reason is because of how DC works. A device only draws as much amperage as it needs. If it was drawing too much amperage it would smoke the wiring before it would blow the bulb.

Hope this helps!

[Big Rich]

I think it was vibration. I bought two six inch squares of cut-your-own gasket rubber from home depot and went to town, buffering at the forks braces and where the turn signals plug into the fork brace. Turn signals have lasted three days now. The glass is still spinning around in its seat, what a piece of shaZam!.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/gs250-gs300-gs500-gs550-t500-gs-suzuki-headlight-kit-/360410000345?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item53ea1c2bd9#ht_600wt_1165

BEWARE, don't buy this, ever.

Crap, I could have told you that. The "Xanadu" on the lens is a dead give away. I have a 6.75" headlight from them that does the exact same thing.