LED blinkers / turn signals / indicators

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yamaha_george
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LED blinkers / turn signals / indicators

Post by yamaha_george »

This from another list:-
Hi,

The turn signal is based Resistor/Condenser oscillator circuit so load
is very important to get it works properly.
The load must be 2x21w bulbs + 5w dash indicator.
So putting led turn signals will not put enough load so extra resistor
can help or more modern flicker unit will do the job.

Extra thing : if you want to change the dash light to a LED you will
need to put a small rectifier because the polarity at the dash light
change when you flicker the left or right turn signals and LED only
works in one way
.



This last section I have never seen or heard of before any one care to confirm about the dash lamp changing polarity ?
thatkid

Re: LED blinkers / turn signals / indicators

Post by thatkid »

Yep it does change polarity, power comes from the blinker's that are on, it earth's/grounds via the blinkers that are off, i.e the bulbs 2 wires are connected to right blinker & left blinker positive feeds.
yamaha_george
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Re: LED blinkers / turn signals / indicators

Post by yamaha_george »

mawler wrote:Yep it does change polarity, power comes from the blinker's that are on, it earth's/grounds via the blinkers that are off, i.e the bulbs 2 wires are connected to right blinker & left blinker positive feeds.
If that is the case as the original author says we must add a rectifying diode to a LED if we use that in the place of a dash light bulb. so that it does not matter if LH or RH is switched on the dash light will still blink?
thatkid

Re: LED blinkers / turn signals / indicators

Post by thatkid »

What i think would be needed is a diode fitted to both wires (both positives) also a suitable resistor 12v would blow a LED's they aint 12v, then the diodes joined together
(opposite ends where soldered to the wires) and soldered to the resistor then solder the resistor to the positive on the led, a new ground/earth wire connected to the led negative and fixed to a suitable ground/earth.

That's the only way i could see it work, LED's or Light Emitting Diodes have a positive (anode) and negative (cathode) wired wrong = they wont work and can blow.

EDIT

Just found the diodes i use, should work for leds, i have resistors but can't find them, i'll wire a led up and connect across a battery, see if it works.
yamaha_george
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Re: LED blinkers / turn signals / indicators

Post by yamaha_george »

mawler wrote:What i think would be needed is a diode fitted to both wires (both positives) also a suitable resistor 12v would blow a LED's they aint 12v, then the diodes joined together
(opposite ends where soldered to the wires) and soldered to the resistor then solder the resistor to the positive on the led, a new ground/earth wire connected to the led negative and fixed to a suitable ground/earth.

That's the only way i could see it work, LED's or Light Emitting Diodes have a positive (anode) and negative (cathode) wired wrong = they wont work and can blow.

EDIT

Just found the diodes i use, should work for leds, i have resistors but can't find them, i'll wire a led up and connect across a battery, see if it works.
TOP MAN, let us all know how it goes.
thatkid

Re: LED blinkers / turn signals / indicators

Post by thatkid »

Yep that works

The components

Left 1 x 430 ohm resistors
Right 2 x 1N914 100v 75mA Signal Diode
Bottom Left 1 X 10mm white led
Bottom right 1 x 10mm capless led holder
Image

Note the long leg on the led, that's the positive (anode)
Image

The resistor soldered to the anode, note how closely fitted to the led, not much room in the capless holders.
Image

Fitted inside the holder, i've doubled the resistor leg, to identify the positive (anode) which will connect to the diodes.
Image

The diodes soldered to some makeshift wires, imagine they are the blinker wires from the loom side (light/Green dark/Green some US models, dark/Green Brown other models)

Will need to cut the wires on the rubber push in blinker warning lamp holder (light/Green dark/Green some US models, dark/Green Brown other models) diodes will solder to the 2 blinker wires harness/loom side, difficult to see here but there's a thick black band at one end of the diodes, bottom end in photo (your diodes could differ, so check with a ohm meter, or multi meter in the diode position) they should face the wires on the rubber holder and be soldered to either wire, make sure the positive (anode) goes in that side of the holder. The remaining warning lamp wire, will need connecting to a suitable ground. (will add photo's when i get round to doing the mod) was difficult to explain without, does it make sense?

Image

All wired up. I've used White/Orange for ground, Blue/White to 1 diode, White/Blue to the other. Simply cause it was lying around :)
Image

White/Blue connected to battery positive, led illuminated
Image

Blue/White connected to battery positive, led illuminated
Image

After pissing around putting the led together, i remembered i had 4 pre-made ones :duh: got them of eBay for around £2, was going to use them for my dash lights, but opted for Red led's (bikes Red)
Image

pulled 1 open to identify the anode, the resistor (left leg) is the anode, diode (right leg)is the cathode, diodes there to protect against reverse polarity (led could blow)
Image

So all you need is 4 leds around £2 $3, may as well change the oil, high beam, and neutral warning light's, 2 diodes a pack of 25 is around £0.75 $1, some heat shrink, or electrical tape,

Those led's come in all colour's and are a direct replacement for your dash (speedo, tach, and temp) gota make sure anode (positive) connects to the positive wire (think it was Blue) mine where 3 x 10mm leds 1 x 5mm led, if the dash is dim, you need to open the dash, there's covers over the stock bulbs that need removing, i fitted an extra 10mm led under the 30 MPH position, fixed it with double sided foam tape to the speedo body (mine was dim in the low MPH area).

LED's dont get hot use less power, and have a long life span, coloured ones look pretty in the dash :) But stick to white for the warning lamps.

Does that all make sense? :)
yamaha_george
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Posts: 5853
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Re: LED blinkers / turn signals / indicators

Post by yamaha_george »

mawler wrote:Yep that works

The components

Left 1 x 430 ohm resistors
Right 2 x 1N914 100v 75mA Signal Diode
Bottom Left 1 X 10mm white led
Bottom right 1 x 10mm capless led holder
Image

Note the long leg on the led, that's the positive (anode)
Image

The resistor soldered to the anode, note how closely fitted to the led, not much room in the capless holders.
Image

Fitted inside the holder, i've doubled the resistor leg, to identify the positive (anode) which will connect to the diodes.
Image

The diodes soldered to some makeshift wires, imagine they are the blinker wires from the loom side (light/Green dark/Green some US models, dark/Green Brown other models)

Will need to cut the wires on the rubber push in blinker warning lamp holder (light/Green dark/Green some US models, dark/Green Brown other models) diodes will solder to the 2 blinker wires harness/loom side, difficult to see here but there's a thick black band at one end of the diodes, bottom end in photo (your diodes could differ, so check with a ohm meter, or multi meter in the diode position) they should face the wires on the rubber holder and be soldered to either wire, make sure the positive (anode) goes in that side of the holder. The remaining warning lamp wire, will need connecting to a suitable ground. (will add photo's when i get round to doing the mod) was difficult to explain without, does it make sense?

Image

All wired up. I've used White/Orange for ground, Blue/White to 1 diode, White/Blue to the other. Simply cause it was lying around :)
Image

White/Blue connected to battery positive, led illuminated
Image

Blue/White connected to battery positive, led illuminated
Image

After pissing around putting the led together, i remembered i had 4 pre-made ones :duh: got them of eBay for around £2, was going to use them for my dash lights, but opted for Red led's (bikes Red)
Image

pulled 1 open to identify the anode, the resistor (left leg) is the anode, diode (right leg)is the cathode, diodes there to protect against reverse polarity (led could blow)
Image

So all you need is 4 leds around £2 $3, may as well change the oil, high beam, and neutral warning light's, 2 diodes a pack of 25 is around £0.75 $1, some heat shrink, or electrical tape,

Those led's come in all colour's and are a direct replacement for your dash (speedo, tach, and temp) gota make sure anode (positive) connects to the positive wire (think it was Blue) mine where 3 x 10mm leds 1 x 5mm led, if the dash is dim, you need to open the dash, there's covers over the stock bulbs that need removing, i fitted an extra 10mm led under the 30 MPH position, fixed it with double sided foam tape to the speedo body (mine was dim in the low MPH area).

LED's dont get hot use less power, and have a long life span, coloured ones look pretty in the dash :) But stick to white for the warning lamps.

Does that all make sense? :)

OK Mawler it is your chance at fame put your last post as is in the WIKI as a HOW_To:-
NOT as link PLease
Thank you for that great pics and a simple explanation well done ClapHands ClapHands ClapHands :udaman
thatkid

Re: LED blinkers / turn signals / indicators

Post by thatkid »

Will do, i'll add

"for those who don't understand diodes, diodes allow current flow in one direction only, we only want power to the warning LED not the other blinker, without the diodes your blinker's would act as Hazard Warning Lamps"

Edit

looked into adding it in the WIKI, im unsure how to and don't want to mess things up, maybe the WIKI should have a "HOW_To:- add to the WIKI" section lol
thatkid

Re: LED blinkers / turn signals / indicators

Post by thatkid »

yamaha_george wrote: Extra thing : if you want to change the dash light to a LED you will
need to put a small rectifier because the polarity at the dash light
change when you flicker the left or right turn signals and LED only
works in one way
.



This last section I have never seen or heard of before any one care to confirm about the dash lamp changing polarity ?
I've read this over and over again, while partially true, why does he only mention "you will need to put a small rectifier" or diode, 2 are needed (we have 2 positive feeds), also why no mention of the need for an additional ground/earth? LED's as i mentioned are diodes they have a positive and negative (if wired incorrectly they will not work, and could blow).

All i can come up with is, when you have a two blinker warning lamp system, one for left and one for right, as in cars. the positive feed is taken direct from the specific blinker i.e. left blinker positive feeds the left warning lamp, both warning lamps have a ground. so no need for the adding of an extra ground, nor a diode :headscratch:

Oh well nm :) :)
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