LED turnsignals and brake lights

[Toolmaker Tim]

I found LED lights that plug right into the 1156/1157 sockets and thought, O Boy! no cutting and hot gluing. After further review I see that I need a electronic flasher module. Soooo, before I go hog wild and buy LED lights and find out that I can't use them, does an electronic flasher plug and play, or do I need to do some fancy wiring? While I am at it, does anyone know who I can get a replacement fuse block from?

[skids]

I had to run a ground wire to the electronic flashers. On the xs11H, I had to reverse the wires on two of the spades (no big deal really). You will also lose your self-cancelling feature (also no big deal to me).

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Tim,

There was a recent post about problems using LED turn signals with the older bikes that have a SINGLE turn signal indicator on the dash! The LEDs draw so little power that the power bleeds across the indicator lamp and to the other side, so that ALL 4 will blink at the same time! So...a special wire set that uses diodes to run to the indicator light and from each side of the turn signals will prevent the bleed over problem.

The Electromechanical flasher I got several years ago from the local auto store plugged right in, and I didn't have to swap the leads in the plug, but YES you do loose your self cancel feature, again also IMHO, no big deal!!

Also, depending on the type of bulbs you find, remember that the turn signal sockets are sideways, so you would need a bulb with a 90 degree turn in it's design to aim the LEDs forward/backward for front /rear lights!

The superbrightleds.com website has some nifty bulbs that have separate LED arrays on loose boards attached to wires that run to the bulb base, so you can still just plug and play, but perhaps may use a little hot glue to position the LED array inside the reflector housing or bulb housing!? These arrays are much wider than the plain bulbs you get, which IMHO would provide a wider dispersion of the LIGHT inside the signal housing to show up much better. The regular LED bulbs have them fairly closely grouped, and because the LEDS are more directional, the reflector housing doesn't work as well to spread out and disperse the light from the plain LED bulbs as well as they do the Incandescent ones!! YMMV!
T.C.

PS. I'm the one that provides the replacement fuse blocks, see the TECH TIPS(scrolling down from the MAIN FORUM PAGE....not just the links in the left yellow column) for ordering instructions....still only $8.00 delivered!

[Toolmaker Tim]

I'll be honest here and say why I wanted LEDs, I ride the Indiana Toll Road every morning to my job. When I comes to deer and rabbits, the numbers are pretty close to being equal. A coworker hit one on his bike 2 weeks ago. He was only going about 25-30, but its hard running machines with a broken foot and road rash. He'll be ok, but everyone I know who has hit a deer on a bike has been a distant second place loser. I figured a set of halogen driving lamps would be good, and I know I need to reduce my amperage demands tp make it work.
TopCat, I'll get in touch with you about the fuse block. If I'm going to run more light I'll need to get my electrical wiring right. Thanks

[webbcraft2150]

While the LED conversion will help drop amp load, you might want to consider improving your stock headlamp. Our rigs use old school fresnel lens. If you look at a late model bike or even cars, you will see most all of them are using "clear cut" lens. They reflect the light back to the lens and then out, resulting in a much brighter light with the same wattage. When I ride with the bro-in-law on his late model HD, his puney 5" headlight throws a much better light than my OEM Stanley, even with a 100w high beam bulb. I know there are conversion kits available to convert our rigs to "clear cut" headlamps.

I am sure it is just a matter of time before someone will market a DOT approved, LED headlamp that the masses will be able to afford.

[xschop]

diddo

diddo on what Skids said....reversing spades on the elec flasher...

[Toolmaker Tim]

LED Mod.

Hey TopCat,

Do the LEDs from Super Brite still have the leak-over problem like you discribed, or does the circuitboard in the lights solve that? If that is the answer, then I guess I just suck it up and change the lights. Guess I'll have to do all of the stuff I need to while the bike is down for new clutch plates. I need to start a list of things to get fixed or changed. I guess that is part of the price of riding a classic.
Webbcraft, do you have any info on where I can get a lens conversion? Right now I have a Silstar 55/60 halogen in the headlight, which is an improvement, but I know there is better out there. Like I said, we have a lot of deer around here, and while I'm glad they aren't elk, bison or moose, I don't want to hit one at 70. I don't even want to think about hitting something bigger than a deer

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Tim,

ALL LED's have the bleed over problem, the ones with the separate bulb array are just the led bulbs on a separate plate, but will still have the same bleed problem since all LEDS usually only draw .3 amps, vs. OEM's which draw 2.25 amps per signal bulb!

MikesXS.com has this.

7" Halogen Lamp Kit
7" Halogen Lamp Kit - Diamond cut style Lamp unit with 12V 60/55 Bulb
(P43T base) and bulb dust boot. Replaces stock sealed beam.
Fits into stock retainer of 74-84 XS/TX 650 headlamp.
XS1/XS1B/XS2/TX650(70-73) models must use #10-1156 "W" clip set and
clip the lamp unit to the headlamp rim.

Note: This unit is deeper than stock so there is less room for wirining inside lamp
assembly.


Part #09-0650 $35.00 USD EA.

Thankfully you've got a special with round light, so any 7" round will fit. I bought some from JCW for automobile....with extra "accent" colored rings , but had to buy 2 in a pack, so above is cheaper cause you only have to buy 1.

JCW also has some extra bright 100/80 watt halogen bulbs, but they specifically state that they are for OFF ROAD USE only!

Thanks to NemisusDM for the Turn Signal Diode wiring info: From Kuryakyn...not sure if it's on Dennis Kirk's site??


Diode Kit for Metric Bikes #4709
This kit is required when installing L.E.D. lights as turn signals on a motorcycle with a single turn signal indicator light. If this diode kit is not installed, power will back feed across the indicator light and all turn signals will flash at once.

Installation instructions Kuryakyn-4709
Install Instructions
T.C.