LED turn signals

swooshdave · Jun 21, 2010

Now I understand what the wattage rating is. How many watts will be going through the LED circuit?

TJKII · Jun 21, 2010

Laws, safety? We are talking about riding motorcycles, correct? As I said before, Left arm outstretched, louie. left over head, right turn. And you can't forget to cancel it.

swooshdave · Jun 21, 2010

TJKII said:
Laws, safety? We are talking about riding motorcycles, correct? As I said before, Left arm outstretched, louie. left over head, right turn. And you can't forget to cancel it.

Works great in the dark, eh?

Hobot · Jun 21, 2010

Turns signals are over rated.
Regardless of you or others signals, you better not be turning
if in doubt you are seen or where someone else going to be aiming.
About like brake lights, nice to have em but just seeing
that you are approaching a slower of stopped craft should
be enough.

Small LEDs on back of gloves would give attention to your intention.
I also drilled back of helmet to accept a Moody Blue theater
blinker. Just tiny sparkles but plenty to catch the eye.

Weaving a bit like you are clumsy rider gets more attention
and fear space than signals.
Getting on a motorcycle is risky life business no matter what.

No signals hurt in this Trixie photo
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1287210 ... 1179qaXmIN

hobot

pelican · Jun 21, 2010

What kind of housing are you going to put them in?

swooshdave · Jun 21, 2010

pelican said:
What kind of housing are you going to put them in?

The LED test you saw was for the light in the headlight that tells you it's flashing.

The turn signals have their own housings.

maylar · Jun 22, 2010

swooshdave said:
Now I understand what the wattage rating is. How many watts will be going through the LED circuit?

In the case of a resistor, the power that it dissipates goes up as heat.

P = Amps X Voltage.

13 volts / 500 ohms = .026 amp.
.026 X 13 = 0.338 watts.

Of course the blinkers are not on continuously, so at 50% duty cycle a 1/4 watt will probably survive.

I will note that when I put amber blinkers into my Lucas signal lamp assemblies I noticed that they are not as bright as the factory 21 watt bulbs. I elected to use them only in the front and leave the rears alone. I want some visibility there in traffic during the daytime.

swooshdave · Jun 22, 2010

maylar said:
swooshdave said:

Now I understand what the wattage rating is. How many watts will be going through the LED circuit?

Click to expand...

In the case of a resistor, the power that it dissipates goes up as heat.

P = Amps X Voltage.

13 volts / 500 ohms = .026 amp.
.026 X 13 = 0.338 watts.

Of course the blinkers are not on continuously, so at 50% duty cycle a 1/4 watt will probably survive.

I will note that when I put amber blinkers into my Lucas signal lamp assemblies I noticed that they are not as bright as the factory 21 watt bulbs. I elected to use them only in the front and leave the rears alone. I want some visibility there in traffic during the daytime.

Thank you. So if I wrap the resistors up in heat shrink it would be a bad thing? Just how hot are these things going to get?

batrider · Jun 22, 2010

A 1/4 watter would get too warm especially with the heatshrink. I usually calculate the wattage and then double that or more when picking the resistor. The resistors only cost pennies - A 1 watt metal oxide resistor is 13 cents at Mouser. (Plus probably $4.95 shipping!

Russ

swooshdave · Jun 22, 2010

batrider said:
A 1/4 watter would get too warm especially with the heatshrink. I usually calculate the wattage and then double that or more when picking the resistor. The resistors only cost pennies - A 1 watt metal oxide resistor is 13 cents at Mouser. (Plus probably $4.95 shipping!

Russ

That's what I was suspecting. I had some 1/4w sitting around but I'll get some higher rated ones. Thanks!

swooshdave · May 30, 2016

Just as a test I tried to use an LED as a diode. Didn't work.

I need to look through my stuff to see if I have some real diodes.

Nater_Potater · May 30, 2016

Get some 1N4001's (or 1N4002's) for your diodes. Dirt cheap at Radio Shack.
More work done earlier diy-led-lights-cheap-t21177.html

Nathan

swooshdave · May 30, 2016

I found my diodes. I'll make up the harness hopefully tonight.

swooshdave · May 31, 2016

More success. Managed to get the indicator working. Two diodes and a lot of heat shrink tubing.

swooshdave · May 31, 2016

This before I covered it all up. Yellow pigtails go to the turnsignals, Molex goes to wiring harness and flasher and I attached another wire to the two diode ends that go to the indicator light the only problem is that indicator light doesn't have a ground, yet.

pete.v · May 31, 2016

Go here and get direct led bulb replacements. POS or NEG ground, your choice.
http://www.dynamoregulatorconversions.com/

Indicator Bulbs
http://www.dynamoregulatorconversions.c ... s-shop.php

And don't forget the flasher.
http://www.dynamoregulatorconversions.c ... s-shop.php

Deets55 · May 31, 2016

I can't say for a fact but I bet you can take a 2 prong electronic (-) earth flasher and just flip the connections and it will work on a (+) earth system. I also think if you take a 3 prong (+) earth flasher you can use the third prong to run you instrument panel bulb without diodes.

swooshdave · May 31, 2016

Deets55 said:
I can't say for a fact but I bet you can take a 2 prong electronic (-) earth flasher and just flip the connections and it will work on a (+) earth system. I also think if you take a 3 prong (+) earth flasher you can use the third prong to run you instrument panel bulb without diodes.

I think you're right about the three prong flashers. I'll try that on the next bike.

LED turn signals

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