Author Topic: Turn signals  (Read 6611 times)

Offline StuCorpe

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 1102
  • Location: Traverse City, MI
Turn signals
« on: September 02, 2014, 09:55:10 AM »
Will changing the flasher unit to an electronic type let me use LED turn signals?  2003 EV and when putting in a LED replacement the signals no longer flash. ???

Offline rodekyll

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • Posts: 21219
  • Not my real name
Re: Turn signals
« Reply #1 on: September 02, 2014, 01:42:01 PM »
Yes.  Must be LED compliant (load independent).

Offline StuCorpe

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 1102
  • Location: Traverse City, MI
Re: Turn signals
« Reply #2 on: September 02, 2014, 02:27:59 PM »
Thank you, it took me about an hour to locate the !$%^&* thing! :o

Offline Waterbottle

  • Gaggle Mentor
  • ****
  • Posts: 641
  • Location: Gladstone Queensland
Re: Turn signals
« Reply #3 on: September 02, 2014, 03:13:55 PM »
Why didn't you look there first ?  :D
2015 Griso SE Rosso
2012 Stelvio 8V
2009 Griso R  Track only
76 GT 750 Suzuki
If you Ride a Griso, You need Tyres with Gription

Wildguzzi.com

Re: Turn signals
« Reply #3 on: September 02, 2014, 03:13:55 PM »

Orange Guzzi

  • Guest
Re: Turn signals
« Reply #4 on: September 02, 2014, 05:48:17 PM »
I bought these ceramic things at Radio Shack that has a wire on each end.  They were 2 for $3.00.  I attached one end to the hot wire going to a turn signal and the other end was grounded to the frame.  Seems to work good with my l e d turn signals.

Offline Bobbilljim

  • Gosling
  • ***
  • Posts: 231
  • Eternal Student
  • Location: Phoenix, AZ
Re: Turn signals
« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2015, 10:46:46 PM »
That is a Load Resistor. Thats one way to go but creates  LOT of heat and defeats one of the greatest things about LEDs.... Saving battery power! The less power the less AMP draw the less work on the alternator means less power drawn away from the motor. I am rebuilding (still) a Cal II and replacing all elctronics with LED. I will have about the same electrical load as a cafe racer. but with all the LIGHT! any ways, just get a good LED Flasher and you are still in business but with way less amp draw. And I am willing to bet those 2/3.00 ceramic bricks have failed by now. Good bye Radio Crap. You arent the store I remember.
Rob

"There's Guzzi Cheap, then there's Stupid cheap" - Fotoguzzi

1984 California II

Offline StuCorpe

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 1102
  • Location: Traverse City, MI
Re: Turn signals
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2015, 08:29:22 AM »
On the 03 EV when you put the electronic flasher in and change all the lights to LED you have 4 way flashers.  No matter which way you try to signal.  You must either change the single signal indicator lamp to separate indicator lamps or put a full wave diode bridge in the turn indicator socket or something similar.  They used an el cheapo way to get the turn signal indicator lamp on this model.

Orange Guzzi

  • Guest
Re: Turn signals
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2015, 09:37:56 AM »
That is a Load Resistor. Thats one way to go but creates  LOT of heat and defeats one of the greatest things about LEDs.... Saving battery power! The less power the less AMP draw the less work on the alternator means less power drawn away from the motor. I am rebuilding (still) a Cal II and replacing all elctronics with LED. I will have about the same electrical load as a cafe racer. but with all the LIGHT! any ways, just get a good LED Flasher and you are still in business but with way less amp draw. And I am willing to bet those 2/3.00 ceramic bricks have failed by now. Good bye Radio Crap. You arent the store I remember.

Still going strong after 2 years. 

"less power away from the engine" from turn signals.  Loosing 5 pounds off your gut will put 1 horse power to the rear wheel, which would be way more than the the loss from a flashing turn signal.  Skinning guys rule. 

Offline Sasquatch Jim

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • Posts: 9600
  • Sidecar - Best drive by shooting vehicle ever
Re: Turn signals
« Reply #8 on: February 13, 2015, 09:55:00 AM »
  Lost items can only be found in the last place you looked.
Sasquatch Jim        Humanoid, sort of.

Offline Kiwi_Roy

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • Posts: 9796
  • Location: New Westminster BC
Re: Turn signals
« Reply #9 on: February 13, 2015, 10:23:59 AM »
On the 03 EV when you put the electronic flasher in and change all the lights to LED you have 4 way flashers.  No matter which way you try to signal.  You must either change the single signal indicator lamp to separate indicator lamps or put a full wave diode bridge in the turn indicator socket or something similar.  They used an el cheapo way to get the turn signal indicator lamp on this model.
Change the idiot lights to LEDs at the same time, I like the type 194 because it has a built in diode bridge that you need for the flasher lamp, and you can't screw up the polarity.
https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/instrument-cluster-gauge/194-led-bulb-1-led-wedge-base/197/
Match the lamp colour to the lens. Throw away those flakey rubber lamp holders and glue the lamp in place. Don't bother with new lamp-holders they are more trouble than they are worth, just solder the wires direct to the lamps, they will probably outlast the bike.
The only tricky one is the fuel level, it needs a bit more load, I connect one of the old lamps in parallel and tuck it in behind. You might wonder why not a resistor, I think of incandescent lamps as magic resistors, they change with the applied Voltage.

I will attach some pictures later - cannot do it from here
« Last Edit: February 13, 2015, 10:40:30 AM by Kiwi_Roy »
72 Eldorado
17 V7iii Special
76 Convert
Half a V9 Roamer

Moto Guzzi - making electricians out of riders since March 15 1921

Offline StuCorpe

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 1102
  • Location: Traverse City, MI
Re: Turn signals
« Reply #10 on: February 13, 2015, 10:38:58 AM »
You still have to make some kind of change around the direction indicator lamp.  Even with a 194 with built in bridge rectifier you end up with 4 way flashers unless you add another bridge with a ground on the negative end.

Offline StuCorpe

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 1102
  • Location: Traverse City, MI
Re: Turn signals
« Reply #11 on: February 13, 2015, 10:41:01 AM »
I do like the 194's though. Getting rid of the indicator lamps was a "just because" kind of project for me.

Offline Kiwi_Roy

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • Posts: 9796
  • Location: New Westminster BC
Re: Turn signals
« Reply #12 on: February 13, 2015, 10:46:03 AM »
You still have to make some kind of change around the direction indicator lamp.  Even with a 194 with built in bridge rectifier you end up with 4 way flashers unless you add another bridge with a ground on the negative end.
I doubt the current thru a 194 would be enough to light the Indicators, they only draw about 15 mA where the old incandescent idiot light drew 100 mA. I don't have LEDs in my flashers so I may be wrong, if so a pair of diodes would fix that
|-----|<------- Right Indicators
|
|-----|<------- Left Indicators
|
|---------idiot light ------>chassis

Sorry it's a bit hard to draw in QWERTY
« Last Edit: February 13, 2015, 10:52:16 AM by Kiwi_Roy »
72 Eldorado
17 V7iii Special
76 Convert
Half a V9 Roamer

Moto Guzzi - making electricians out of riders since March 15 1921

Offline StuCorpe

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 1102
  • Location: Traverse City, MI
Re: Turn signals
« Reply #13 on: February 13, 2015, 12:23:55 PM »
My experiment showed that the indicators do light through a 194 giving the 4 way flasher effect.  A diode bridge with - end grounded added to the lamp socket cured it but by then there was to much stuff in there to fit real well.  Took it all back out and left the empty socket.  It was a fun way to spend a couple hours.  :BEER:

Offline Kiwi_Roy

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • Posts: 9796
  • Location: New Westminster BC
Re: Turn signals
« Reply #14 on: February 13, 2015, 04:18:17 PM »
If you are using the OEM sockets you may be creating a short with the new LEDs, I sent you an e-mail.
72 Eldorado
17 V7iii Special
76 Convert
Half a V9 Roamer

Moto Guzzi - making electricians out of riders since March 15 1921

Online kidsmoke

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 1386
  • It's never too late to be what you might have been
Re: Turn signals
« Reply #15 on: February 13, 2015, 04:24:22 PM »
another priceless thread

Bike is a '00 Jackal

I went with an LED taillight, and four indicators. Tail light works fine in running and braking mode. I had installed an LED flasherswitch as well. However it didn't work...got the all four solid on or off, sometimes blinking. Since they aren't LEGALLY required and it's too damn cold to work on the bike, I've left it for warmer days.

Wondering if a good next step is to buy idiot light LED's and even a replacement LED headlight kit, before messing with other solutions. Just to make it all uniform. I dig the light off the headlight, but brighter is better, particularly in the City...since we know its always the other guys fault anyway...right?
'79 G5
'93 1000S
'00 Jackal
'09 GRiSO

Offline Kiwi_Roy

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • Posts: 9796
  • Location: New Westminster BC
Re: Turn signals
« Reply #16 on: February 13, 2015, 05:21:37 PM »
Don't use LEDs in the existing Idiot light sockets, they short out blowing fuses because the connections are double sided whereas the original lamps were single sided, Far better to throw the sockets away and use the 194 lamps I indicated to StuCorpe.
Some say the LEDs are too bright but I like to be able to see them in bright sunlight, I rarely ride in the dark but you could reduce the brightness if it's an issue.
72 Eldorado
17 V7iii Special
76 Convert
Half a V9 Roamer

Moto Guzzi - making electricians out of riders since March 15 1921

Offline rodekyll

  • Gaggle Hero
  • *****
  • Posts: 21219
  • Not my real name
Re: Turn signals
« Reply #17 on: February 14, 2015, 01:50:00 AM »
I replaced my dash light when I did led turn signals.  I got a generic 3-color LED bulb and ran the red to left and green to right, bypassing the issue altogether.  The brightness was notable.  At night it lit up the entire windshield and threw a shadow in either color.  It was embarrassing.  So I soldered on resistors until I liked it.

 

20 Ounce Stainless Steel Double Insulated Tumbler
Buy a quality tumbler and support the forum at the same time!
Better than a YETI! BPA and Lead free.
Advertise Here