LED turn signals

swooshdave · Jun 15, 2010

http://www.d2moto.com/p-5562-universal- ... ype-3.aspx

Price: $13.90

Small, unobtrusive and cheap. All things I like. I've already got the electronic flasher so no problems there.

I was looking at these too.

http://luckybike.com/motorcycle-turn-si ... 593c27e477

$15.62

I like the second ones better. Once mounted you won't even notice them if they aren't on.

ML · Jun 15, 2010

Is the polarity POS earth? or your bike NEG earth.....nice products if available in both.

Mick

swooshdave · Jun 15, 2010

ML said:
Is the polarity POS earth? or your bike NEG earth.....nice products if available in both.

Mick

Negative. One of the advantages of wiring it yourself. That and torturing everyone with endless wiring sketches...

maylar · Jun 16, 2010

Photos show two wires per assembly, so they should work with either ground polarity.

I put LED's in the stock Lucas blinkers on my '74 after converting to negative earth. If you have any issues with the indicator in the headlamp shell drop me a PM and I'll tell you how to get around that.

mike996 · Jun 16, 2010

"Once mounted you won't even notice them if they aren't on."

My experience indicates that no one notices motorcycle blinkers even if they ARE on.

I think hand signals are a lot more likely to get the attention of folks in cars...

builder · Jun 16, 2010

I tried similar units, but they ended up not being bright enough...individual LEDs were not close enough to be real visible at a distance. I don't remember the brand right now, will have to look when I get home tonight, but I've since switched to a specific brand where the signals are very compact and are in metal cases. I know they used to be sold under the Shock Racing brand, they discontinued them and were unavailable for about two years, but they have since been taken over by another company.

When it comes to wiring the indicator in the head lamp bucket, get yourself Kuryakyn P/N 4709. It's a pair of diodes that allow you to put the (+) of the left and right turn signals on one side of the bulb and then simply ground the other. The diodes don't allow for the signals to "back feed" each other giving you 4-way flashing hazard lights. If you wire it up like the Commando diagram, you'll get the same effect.

Look here for the type that I have had great success with.

http://www.motorcycletoystore.com/sport ... p_294.html

I use Option 1 (chrome) off the head lamp bolts, and Option 2 (black) in the back.

geo46er · Jun 16, 2010

Hi Dave,
IMHO a bike without directionals has a much cleaner look, but of course there is a safety issue (not to mention laws). Surfing through Ebay motorcycle parts and accessories one night I found some LED mirrors. These mirrors not only had the LED lights on their backs (IE facing forward) but, had LED lights built into their glass that lit up red in a chevon pattern towards the rear. Unfortunately they are somewhat pricey and not exactly a match for Commando style. Another option which I have recently saw somewhere were bar end directionals (shaped like the bar end weights found on many bikes) which illuminated front and rear.
LED or not all those little lights are marginal and probably "quasi" legal. Even with the stock directionals I prefer hand signals during the daylight hours (more visable and I won't forget to turn them off).

GB

swooshdave · Jun 16, 2010

mike996 said:
"Once mounted you won't even notice them if they aren't on."

My experience indicates that no one notices motorcycle blinkers even if they ARE on.
I think hand signals are a lot more likely to get the attention of folks in cars...

Not so worried during the day, more at night were the LED light will hopefully do ok.

swooshdave · Jun 16, 2010

builder said:
I tried similar units, but they ended up not being bright enough...individual LEDs were not close enough to be real visible at a distance. I don't remember the brand right now, will have to look when I get home tonight, but I've since switched to a specific brand where the signals are very compact and are in metal cases. I know they used to be sold under the Shock Racing brand, they discontinued them and were unavailable for about two years, but they have since been taken over by another company.

When it comes to wiring the indicator in the head lamp bucket, get yourself Kuryakyn P/N 4709. It's a pair of diodes that allow you to put the (+) of the left and right turn signals on one side of the bulb and then simply ground the other. The diodes don't allow for the signals to "back feed" each other giving you 4-way flashing hazard lights. If you wire it up like the Commando diagram, you'll get the same effect.

Look here for the type that I have had great success with.

http://www.motorcycletoystore.com/sport ... p_294.html

I use Option 1 (chrome) off the head lamp bolts, and Option 2 (black) in the back.

Yes, I was looking at those from another vendor.

http://luckybike.com/lighting-super-sig ... 593c27e477

Thanks for the help with the diode.

Stole this off the interweb:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... Id=2062575

I could pay $7 plus shipping or pop down to the local Radio Shack and put it together myself. I'll have to figure out how it will fit with the Norton wires. I think I will have to use the Green/Brown wire from the Flasher to send the signal through the diodes and to the indicator light (which I was also going to replace with an LED if I could).

swooshdave · Jun 16, 2010

I think this is correct for the LED lights. It assumes a LED light for the turn signal indicator in the headlight.

I have a pack of resistors that I used to "fix" the ignition wiring on the Corvette (so much fun...) so hopefully I have the right one.

Found this great LED calculator. Enter in some numbers and it tells you AND shows you how to configure them.

http://ledcalc.com/

I don't remember who but I recall someone saying to use a 1000ohm resistor for the LED light, but the calculator came up with 560ohm (1/4w). I guess I'll try the 560 and see if anything turns to smoke.

swooshdave · Jun 17, 2010

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNlRTDsm4Lo[/video]

Here's my test of the LED. I'm using a small 12v battery and 220 and 330 Ohm resistors. It seems to work... Next I'll solder the circuit together. It should be nice and compact and I'll seal it up in some heat shrink tubing.

Pretty riveting, eh?

I hope to borrow a real battery this weekend and do some more testing.

pelican · Jun 17, 2010

pretty cool

swooshdave · Jun 17, 2010

pelican said:
pretty cool

Of course I also need to scare up some lenses for the warning lights...

maylar · Jun 18, 2010

swooshdave said:
Here's my test of the LED. I'm using a small 12v battery and 220 and 330 Ohm resistors. It seems to work... Next I'll solder the circuit together. It should be nice and compact and I'll seal it up in some heat shrink tubing.

Check the max current rating on the LED.. most are designed to work at 10 - 25 ma. A 220 ohm resistor is a bit low (50 ma).

swooshdave · Jun 18, 2010

maylar said:
swooshdave said:

Here's my test of the LED. I'm using a small 12v battery and 220 and 330 Ohm resistors. It seems to work... Next I'll solder the circuit together. It should be nice and compact and I'll seal it up in some heat shrink tubing.

Click to expand...

Check the max current rating on the LED.. most are designed to work at 10 - 25 ma. A 220 ohm resistor is a bit low (50 ma).

Actually if you read it again I have a 220 AND a 330 which gives me 550. I have a 10 that I'll throw in there too for the 560 the calculator recommends. Radio Shack doesn't have a 550 but these things are small and I think I can just wire them up like this: -0-0-0- (How's my ASCII art?)

I'm assuming 12v (safe guess :mrgreen: ), and 20ma (which is also a recommended number for the calculator).

Any other suggestion are welcome.

Hobot · Jun 18, 2010

You can also wire up enough LED in a row to limit current.
Depending on the LED and how bright and long to last IIRC
6-8 of em work well.

I'm trying to minimize stuff to get knocked off in crashes
and bike drops, looking at the flush mounts or fabbing
up a string of LED to also act as vortex generating streamliners.

The chopper wire kits say then handle LEDs signals but some need
an adapter to work the various LED function indicators.

hobot

swooshdave · Jun 18, 2010

hobot said:
looking at the flush mounts or fabbing
up a string of LED to also act as vortex generating streamliners.
hobot

I think that's what your head is for. :mrgreen:

Hobot · Jun 18, 2010

Yeah and a helmet tester too, but helmet aero dynamics
disappears over 120 mph when I tuck down d/t wind
buffet and resistance. Do note 120 mph is also where
lift generated on arched back can raise a light pilot off
the seat on crests so big tank to knee grip is handy.

About 100 mph my open face shield slams shut by itself.
About 100 mph is when wind gets under glasses and blurs
vision some to annoy.

So I mark 120 as end of upright cruise and beginning of straight
speed thrills, but only on Ms Peel as my factory Combat and SV650
are already lagging in zip by 100 mph and topping out about 120,
but that's when past Peel snicked into 4th and pulled some more.

hobot

maylar · Jun 18, 2010

swooshdave said:
Actually if you read it again I have a 220 AND a 330 which gives me 550. I have a 10 that I'll throw in there too for the 560 the calculator recommends. Radio Shack doesn't have a 550 but these things are small and I think I can just wire them up like this: -0-0-0- (How's my ASCII art?)

I'm assuming 12v (safe guess :mrgreen: ), and 20ma (which is also a recommended number for the calculator).

Any other suggestion are welcome.

560 ohms is a standard 5% value and should be fine. A few milliamps one way or the other doesn't significantly affect brightness, anything from 470-680 ohms is OK. 1/2 watt or better.

swooshdave · Jun 18, 2010

maylar said:
swooshdave said:

Actually if you read it again I have a 220 AND a 330 which gives me 550. I have a 10 that I'll throw in there too for the 560 the calculator recommends. Radio Shack doesn't have a 550 but these things are small and I think I can just wire them up like this: -0-0-0- (How's my ASCII art?)

I'm assuming 12v (safe guess :mrgreen: ), and 20ma (which is also a recommended number for the calculator).

Any other suggestion are welcome.

Click to expand...

560 ohms is a standard 5% value and should be fine. A few milliamps one way or the other doesn't significantly affect brightness, anything from 470-680 ohms is OK. 1/2 watt or better.

Did you try that calculator? Do you agree with it's results? Because it said to use about 1/4 watt which is what I did.

LED turn signals

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