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Help Those pesky led indicators

Discussion in 'Honda 250cc Twins' started by Spanner253, Dec 13, 2020.

  1. Spanner253

    Spanner253 Active Member

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    Ok, so another question, I'm sure it's been answered before and I tried a quick search so feel free to cut and paste links or what have you to save me tracing and metering out cables etc. So I have to take the bike for road worthy as it's from Melbourne. The previous owner did this already, Surprisingly the seat passed ok but the indicators did not as they didn't have a little e on them which apparently denotes them as being approved for au standards yada yada..... oddly, they were the factory ones (or so the owner believed) anyhoo, he got some led units and the timer driven module as the analogue versions rely on watts/heat to drive indicator relay and don't work without a dropping resistor across the circuit. I connected in the new indicators, green for ground, light blue for left and orange for right. The new relay, to existing, black, positive (which goes against my better sense as a tech that deals with 12 volt systems all the time ) green, earth and grey, flasher/signal. What I've found is that both / all indicators flash. I noticed that the dash indicator doesn't light though so I tested with it removed and left and right work independently. I checked the wires at the dash light end which are orange and light blue and found a changing polarity when changing left / right which makes sense as the incandescent globes aren't polarity conscious but I don't know why they didn't run the signal, grey through it to the directional switch. So what's the fix, it can't be a diode as that blocks one way and this is changing polarity. I'm sure someone's sorted this before me, curious to see what the fix is. And do I have to connect the old running / parking lights..? That could be tricky without the old incandescent globes.
     
  2. Andych

    Andych Moderator Staff Member Premium Member Contributing Member Dirty Wheel Club

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    Just change the flasher can to one that is suitable for LED indicators.. It should be Plug and play with the original flasher can... no need to wire anything else in. I have bought them at Jaycar, supercheap etc...
    The other option is a resistor on each flasher circuit which adds enough load for the flasher can to recognise... although this goes against the object of using LED's (mostly) in that they have less load on the electrical system.
    I am not sure about Running lights.. i believe the Parking light would normally be in the Light circuit... nothing to do with the indicators on older bikes (modern bikes might be different)
     
  3. Spanner253

    Spanner253 Active Member

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    The flasher unit is an led type, the original doesn't work, the new one does work but all four indicators flash at once when the dash indicator globe is installed, when removed they work correctly so the globe in the dash is letting voltage through to the other side is my issue and it doesn't light up.
     
  4. Spanner253

    Spanner253 Active Member

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    Might grab some 7ohm 20 Watt resistors and try that as I did notice a flicker of light through the dash globe but really dull so obviously not a lot of current. Don't know how it works to keep left and right separated but if it works I no complain. Has anyone got the wiring diagram I could have a squiz at?
     
  5. Murdo

    Murdo The Good Doctor Staff Member Contributing Member Ride and Events Crew

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    The dash indicator bulb gets its power from both sides. When the left flashers are on the dash light gets power from the left side and uses the right side for an earth, and vice versa for the right. This gives a feedback to the system, enough to light all lights. The only way I have ever been able to work this is to use a standard bulb type flasher unit and wiring the resisters in the wire to each bulb.
     
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  6. Spanner253

    Spanner253 Active Member

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    Well it's got me stumped....to my mind, increasing the load on the circuit should realistically just decrease brightness of everything, if it was all globes and it goes through two indicators then the dash then earth through the other two indicators, why don't they all light up, just dimmer?. There's got to be something else there, I've got it it fixed but you know, the cat in me has to know coz it's not making sense atm. So my fix wasn't forty odd bucks at super not quite so cheap for two fancy resistors. I've just got two 3.9..say 4 ohm 10 Watt resistors and put in series. Placed in parallel with the indicators and it all works fine. Only need to put them in the rear so no jamming them in the headlamp for the front as well as theres enough load already and it also means i can use the original blinker relay. Heat test, simulated sitting in traffic and left them going for over sixty seconds, started to get a bit toastie to touch but i will mount them onto some old alloy heatsink ive got laying about then fix them into an old berocca tube with some fly leads soldered on to the resistors. Shouldn't get any hotter than our typical summer day.... All up about $10-12 bucks including the push in lugs to keep it easy. I'll post some pics soon under here for anyone that's interested
     
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  7. Spanner253

    Spanner253 Active Member

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    Finished unit, with a couple of in progress shots. This isn't instructables so no write up, pretty self explanatory anyway.


    20201214_191610.jpg 20201214_191655.jpg 20201214_205128.jpg 20201214_214007.jpg
     
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    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 14, 2020
  8. jmw76

    jmw76 Well-Known Member

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    Surely you would be better off with globes after all that????
    I run some real neat bright indicators on my Spada that use globes. They were on the bike when I got it.
    They work just fine and are a direct replacement (apart from the mechanical fitting).

    The guy that did my roadworthy liked them and said that he had used them on other bikes.

    Spada-blinker.jpg
     
  9. jmw76

    jmw76 Well-Known Member

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  10. Spanner253

    Spanner253 Active Member

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    Didn't take long to whip up that can, I do that sort of stuff for work ( cabling, soldering etc.)and stopped at jaycar for work already so @ $1.80 per resistor x 4 and a couple of crimp lugs I don't have to go out of my way to source new indicators or wait for delivery and I'm now more familiar with the bike. I could've just taken the originals off my spada but I learnt something and got the fuzzy satisfaction feeling from making and fixing it myself. Yeah, I could've just bought the resistors from super cheap too for $40 plus but money saved is fuel in the tank for the next ride
     
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  11. Spanner253

    Spanner253 Active Member

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    Your spada looks like the same colour as my scorpion
    20201215_181110.jpg
     
  12. jmw76

    jmw76 Well-Known Member

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    Both Japanese. Bulk deal on paint.:):):)
     
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  13. PommyBiker

    PommyBiker Active Member

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    I know I had an issue similar to this and I had to get a diode to only allow the current to flow one way, this was on the GN250 I did using an LED flasher unit of ebay (I was getting all indicators flashing at once I recall) I got the diode from Jaycar and it fixed all issues

    https://classicoctane.com/products/turn-signal-diode
     
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  14. Spanner253

    Spanner253 Active Member

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    Was actually a can i bought for 85 bucks, not wanted return at the paint shop plus it's the Chrysler version with the import motor so the body wad made here in Tonsley park. At least I now know where the colour came from.
     
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