XJ owners please help

[tbcfreerider]

ok so i got l.e.d. blinkers, seem to be causing problems... i HAVE a electrical blinker 2 prong switch (that the forum tech pages said) and here is what happens. hit the signal on and front, rear, and cluster light up and stay solid. so no flashing... BUT if i turn the hazards on the signals flash correctly....




so signal = not flashing but solid
hazard =work properly.



what am i missing?

[latexeses]

Did you do a search on led blinkers?
I remember a bunch of talk about what was keeping them from running. I remember reading it but can't remember when or where.

[justme1100]

The hazard and turn signals have separate flashers. You can use a regular flasher in the system but it will eliminate the self-canceling feature.

[justme1100]

oh yea, you might need a load equalizer (or something to that effect) as the voltage drop might not trigger you flasher so it acts like a bulb is burned out and not flash as not enough current is being drawn to trigger the flasher.

[crazy steve]

oh yea, you might need a load equalizer (or something to that effect) as the voltage drop might not trigger you flasher so it acts like a bulb is burned out and not flash as not enough current is being drawn to trigger the flasher.

The problem is the LEDs don't draw enough current to heat up the bi-metal strip inside the flasher. A 'load equalizer' is nothing more than a resistor of the right value connected in parallel with the lights to 'fool' the flasher into thinking you have regular lamps. So you need a 6 ohm resistor for each LED light, or a 3 ohm if you have LEDs front and rear. Get one rated for at least 25 watts.

'78E original owner

[XJOK2PLAY]

+1 w/ CrazySteve.

Probably not enough draw to make it flash.

I added a LED flasher recently on the 2 big LED trunk Lights I had, so they'd flash when I hit the brakes, only to find they wouldn't flash... asked for advice around here... and decided to add 1 1157 bulb in the circuit to add more load... that did the trick.

Also, don't forget, sometimes the bike needs to be running, and above 1500 rpm to produce enough charge to make them flash, too.
However, once I added the 1 1157 load to the circuit, mine will flash now even w/ the bike not running, just the key on.

[psycoreefer]

The problem is the LEDs don't draw enough current to heat up the bi-metal strip inside the flasher. A 'load equalizer' is nothing more than a resistor of the right value connected in parallel with the lights to 'fool' the flasher into thinking you have regular lamps. So you need a 6 ohm resistor for each LED light, or a 3 ohm if you have LEDs front and rear. Get one rated for at least 25 watts.

'78E original owner

He shouldn't need any load with an electronic flasher. IMHO the whole idea of going to LED's is to reduce the load, if you add a resistor your right back where you started, no energy savings. I've got an electronic flasher in my xs and it flashes, even with no bulbs attached.

TBC, if you wanted to try the load idea, swap out one of your LED signals for the stock unit and see if it flashes on that side but not the other.

I however think there is something else going on, I just don't know enough about XJ's to troubleshoot without the bike.

[psycoreefer]

TBC....
Something you said in your PM got me thinking....
If you turn on the 4-ways the lights flash.
If you turn on the blinkers, they come on solid
You said your flasher plug only had 2 wires....

Are you sure you replaced the correct flasher with the new electronic one?

To test, unplug your new electronic flasher, now try the 4-ways, if they don't work, but the regular blinkers still come on solid, then you've plugged your new electronic flasher into the wrong harness connector.

According to the wiring diagram you should have 2 flashers, one for the 4 ways and 1 for the regular blinkers. The one for the 4-ways is a 2 wire plug, the one for the regular blinkers is a 3 wire plug.

Best I can tell from the manual, the hazard relay is under the seat and the flasher relay is on the Right side, under the side cover. On xs's its just below the fuse box but not sure on an XJ...

That is my best idea at the moment!

It should be noted here, because of the 2 flasher system all the xs/xj's with 4 way flashers need to replace 2 different flashers with new electronic ones to maintain the ability to use the 4 ways.

[tbcfreerider]

yes i checked its on the left side of the bike next to the battery. i will get pics today.

[GARTHXS]

the on on the left is your hazard

if your are sitting on the bike, and on the right is your regular flasher

[tbcfreerider]

sitting on bike flasher is on left

[psycoreefer]

wrong flasher, keep looking, there are two flashers on your bike. Do as I suggested, pull the new flasher from the two prong plug and see if your hazard flashers still work. Then see if your blinker still comes on solid. Which ever one doesn't work is the one that flasher plug goes too.

[CatatonicBug]

sitting on bike flasher is on left

That is the 4-way flasher. You need to replace the regular flasher as well.

[CatatonicBug]

The regular flasher is the silver cylinder zip-tied on to the frame on the right side of this picture. (thanks Cobia )

[tbcfreerider]

wow i didnt see it , it was tucked behind my fuse box.... well after the 2 hr project, i got them install working , taken off and stock one back on... just changing the switch made the stock ones bright as hell... thanks to ALL for your help.