Easy fix to non flashing LED signals??

Could it be this easy? I saw this on ebay and wondered if this would work for the issue on our older bikes. I'd like to install LEDs in the turn signals but have read here about the flasher not working. What do you think?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... :middle:us

 

It works but won't save you any amperage vs a standard light since the resister will take make up for the difference which causes the standard flasher to work. Otherwise, you can go with a digital blinker from here near the bottom of the page.

 

You can also get a diode kit - I have used them a couple of times. The lights will still blink at a fast rate but they at least still blink.

Now for an even cheaper fix just remove the indicator bulb from your gauge cluster.

http://www.kuryakyn.com/products.asp?bn=metric&ci=3133


Sean Morley

 

Even if it didnt lighten the load wouldn't it be brighter than the old bulbs? Are the Silver star bulbs as bright as LED?

Also I swapped out the brake lights for LED so that should save some already.

 

You can buy a 6 ohm resistor at radioshack for pennies

 

But are they waterproof?

 

resistors are generally just wire wound around a ceramic 'core' or just a tiny tiny amount of coiled wire (not an insulated wire coil like an inductor/choke/coil)...

as long as you keep the leads from contacting 'ground' with either tape or shrink tubing youll be just fine...

if you want to put them in (the cheap radioshack resistors) just solder the leads in and tape them. the

are just fancy connectors...

for a more permanent waterproof solution, i cover everything in hot melt glue. you wont be pulling them apart though if you change your mind...




i just want to know which LED 'bulbs' i need to buy for my turn signals. is everyone using the Right Angle LEDs for them? ive figured i need the 1157 LEDs 24 wide angle 'bulbs' for the tail light. here is the description from that page:

the image shows light emitting to the sides (similar to an incandescent bulb) which would direct light on the reflector...

 

Ive seen those side emitting ones and thought that would really make it visible. Haven't tried them yet though. Anyone else tried it?

 

ive gone thru the LED threads several times but never found what people are using...

i know the number (1156 or 1157) but not which ones exactly. ive got some extra coin coming from work so maybe ill just take one for the team and get some LEDs and see what works...

ive heard youre supposed to use LEDs that are the SAME color as the lens. i cant see where that would work, since the original bulbs are CLEAR (white) so thats what im going to get, is white...

d

 

The bulbs are 1157 in front (running lights + flashers) and 1156 in the rear (flashers only).

The LEDs should be the SAME color as the lens, because they are not bulbs. They are LEDs.

LEDs are monochromatic. They only emit one "color" like lasers. If you want much visible light after you put a colored lens on them, the colors need to match as closely as possible.

The "white" LEDs are really ultraviolet LEDs that shine on a phosphor that then emits several different frequencies of light that then appear to be a bluish-white. Amber lenses will mask much of this light. Amber LEDs of the same brightness will outshine the white ones - through an amber lens - all day and all night long.

And, of course, replace the flasher relay with an electronic one. You'll lose the functionality of the self-cancelling unit, but for many folks, that's a bonus. The electronic relay will work with regular bulbs as well, so you don't have to worry about swapping THAT back and forth. If you don't like the self-cancelling unit anyway, it's probably a #4 for Rick's list of "suggested mods" for any bike, since the stock flashers are tricky to get working just right (and require lots of battery power, which sucks when working on them while the bike is not running).

 

If you switch to an electronic flasher you don't need resistors.

I don't understand why the there is no sticky how to thread on this... This comes up at least once a week.

 

actually my question was in regards to WHICH 1157s and WHICH 1156s to get...

there are 90o units, there are straight units and there are straight units with radial mounted LEDs...

since the socket on the turn signals are at a 90o angle to the direction of the bike (basically) i would think you might desire to have the 90o unit which would have the LEDs pointing towards the lens and not toward the end of the reflector...

on the taillight im pretty sure that the radially mounted LED unit would be the best because it could utilize the reflector for more radiance...

 

I switched to a mini stalk non-LED light when I bought the bike. I used a load equalizer to help with the flash. I put on LEDS I bought from walmart for a while and all I did was buy an electronic flasher for 6.99. Everything worked fine. I switched back to regular mini stalks because LEDS have very little visibility during the day. Well, that's what other riders tell me.