LED's + Flasher

[schoeney]

I am thinking about installing LED's in my front turn signals. I was thinking about the clusters that are wired to a 1156 base to make it simple.

In reading about them on the Custom Dynamics website it sounds like I may have to install a new flasher because the LEDs don't draw enough power.

I have a few questions;

Where is the flasher on my 1500 located (and no it is not in the driver's seat ;)?

Has anyone here done this and did they need to change the flasher?

Is changing the flasher simple?

If you have LEDs how do you like them? Do they last long? do some of the little lites burn out?

Thanks

[cactusjack]

I may be wrong, but I thought if you change out your flasher you will lose your self-cancelling turn signals.

[ve3hzz]

CJ is correct if you change out the flasher unit you will loose the self cancelling feature (big deal imo).
The flasher unit on a 1500 is behind the right cover behind the fuse block it is a large black box with a white? (memory) connector and the Orange wire is the signal for the flasher.
The front turn signals on a 1500 Nomad Fi is an 1157 base (2 contacts) not an 1156. If you buy the S.D. then get the load equalizer as well and you can leave the flasher unit alone. Doing this however does not help your electrical system as the load equalizer defeats the less DRAW from that circuit due to using LED's so the only advantage is 1. Cool looks and 2. maybe longer life (as if vibration doesn't cause any issues over the life of the array?) Also other advantage is less likely that ALL the LED's in the array will fail so you will ALWAYS have light from it unless a power issue. So unlike an incandecent bulb, that once it blows that's it, you could loose a few LED's and still have near full light output.
If you remove the flasher unit put in a 3 prong electronic flasher and you will be fine and keep the flash rate about the same, just without self cancelling signals like many bikes out there still. Most Honda's I've seen don't have self cancellers and most British bikes and those riders seem to do OK without them, so just getting use to it is the main thing!!!!
After you train yourself to hit the button to turn them off it becomes second nature. Just my .02 cents

Scott

[jestephens]

I did it on a 1600.

Scott is right, you can do it by just adding load equalizers, but then what's the purpose?

Here's the link to how I did mine, posted in "Electrical" portion of the Technical Boards:

http://www.vulcanbagger.com/phpBB3/v...ic.php?t=16037

[schoeney]

Thanks guys. These are the kind of answers/ideas I was looking for. Not sure I want to give up the self cancelling feature.

My main goal was better visibility but I also don't want to create new issues either. I need to give this info some thought.

Thanks

[jestephens]

Even before I lost the self-cancelling part, I cancelled mine manually religiously.

I have another tutorial in The tech board for how to replace the spring behind the thumb lever. haha.

[cnc]

Originally Posted by schoeney

Thanks guys. These are the kind of answers/ideas I was looking for. Not sure I want to give up the self cancelling feature.

My main goal was better visibility but I also don't want to create new issues either. I need to give this info some thought.

Thanks

If you want to create extra visibility, then why not leave the stock turn signals lights as is and add extra led or conventional bulb aftermarket lights.
That way you do not need to add load equalizers or loose the self canceling feature.

[jestephens]

True! to adding LEDs to the OE system.

Several of us have replaced the front fork reflector with LED's of some sort. Mine only come on as turn signals. Other guys have theirs wired as marker lights.

[jims]

Just a little info on the LEDs. They are used on the rear mostly because of their brightness to someone directly behind the vehicle but not so much on the front as the threat to a cycle from the front is more often at an angle (left turner, side street entering). You will have less brightness with LEDs at an angle of approximately 30 degrees or more. You would be safer adding additional lights rather than substituting the stock signals.
When you are behind a car with LED taillights notice when you go to the left or right how much they dim. This characteristic can be seen on semi trailers especially as they have flat lenses.

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by jestephens

True! to adding LEDs to the OE system.

Several of us have replaced the front fork reflector with LED's of some sort. Mine only come on as turn signals. Other guys have theirs wired as marker lights.

That got me to thinking - I had replaced the front and rear side reflectors with LEDs on my Nomad. They were wired as marker lights. When I installed my tourpak, I had added 2 lights that functioned as both running and turn signals and 2 that functioned as running and brake. I bought these little LED dual element adapters that take 2 inputs to feed one output. One input will have a higher output than the other. The could be used to combine running and turn, just connect the turn signal wire to the side of the module with higher output. So you would have running lights except they will flash brighter as turn signals when the turn signal is activated. I know, sounds confusing but it works.

I'd have to dig through some papers at home to figure out where I got the modules, they were only a few bucks apiece and are very small, so it wouldn't be hard to hide them in the wiring.

[schoeney]

Originally Posted by jims

Just a little info on the LEDs. They are used on the rear mostly because of their brightness to someone directly behind the vehicle but not so much on the front as the threat to a cycle from the front is more often at an angle (left turner, side street entering). You will have less brightness with LEDs at an angle of approximately 30 degrees or more. You would be safer adding additional lights rather than substituting the stock signals.
When you are behind a car with LED taillights notice when you go to the left or right how much they dim. This characteristic can be seen on semi trailers especially as they have flat lenses.

I was focusing on the front end first mainly because very few accidents are from behind. I can't remember the exact stat I read but it was like less than 10%.

Thanks for all the ideas everyone.

[schoeney]

Originally Posted by cnc

If you want to create extra visibility, then why not leave the stock turn signals lights as is and add extra led or conventional bulb aftermarket lights.
That way you do not need to add load equalizers or loose the self canceling feature.

Good points. I have considered a light bar and still may buy one (in addition to LED's) but you can get clear lenses and LED's to replace your turn signals/marker lights so they are acting as both driving lights and turn signals. Initially it looked like a great idea and save some big bucks. See this link for an example.

http://www.customdynamics.com/motorc..._LED_Clusters_

I wasn't real comfortable with having white turn signals (versus amber) so I passed on that idea.

I am getting the feeling LED technology needs to mature a bit (or just be simplified) before I jump in. The last thing I want to do is install something that will be a future hassle and headache. We have limited riding season around here so I prefer to ride than tinker.

[Bull Durham]

If you decide to look at a light bar, check out Chuckster's. His were easy to install, nothing had to be modifed and it increased my vision at night tremendously. The stock head light and with my vision getting worse as I am getting older, was having a hard time seeing corners at night.

[jestephens]

Originally Posted by jims

Just a little info on the LEDs. They are used on the rear mostly because of their brightness to someone directly behind the vehicle but not so much on the front as the threat to a cycle from the front is more often at an angle (left turner, side street entering). You will have less brightness with LEDs at an angle of approximately 30 degrees or more. You would be safer adding additional lights rather than substituting the stock signals.
When you are behind a car with LED taillights notice when you go to the left or right how much they dim. This characteristic can be seen on semi trailers especially as they have flat lenses.

The LED signals I'm running are boards I built. My background is not electronics, but I did enough Google searches to build what I wanted. I used LED's with a 90 degree spread, and that has helped a lot.
There are LED replacements for the 1156/1157 bulbs that have additional, side mounted, LEDs to compensate.

I have been buying all my components from
www.SuperBrightLEDs.com
and been very happy with the quality and service. There stuff is warehoused in St Louis, so shipping is pretty fast too! - They have any LED conversion bulb you would want, or the stuff to make it.

[BudMan]

I'm confused. Will a regular flasher produce a normal blink rate with LED's and only cost you the self canceling turn signals?
Or are the diodes required to keep them from flashing at the same time?