question on LED bulbs

[Redshirt]

Id like to change as much as I can to LEDs without sacrificing flasher/cancelling.
I have a fairing with running/turn sigs on front and standard bulbs on back (and rear running lights clustered with brake, but do not brighten with brake).

Is it possible to change the fairing run/turns and tail running lights to led without losing cancelling (or appropriate term)?

Also wondering if I should change the instrument lights to LEDs. Is that tough?

My hope is to save every amp and watt I can to keep from having charging problems.

[rpgoerlich]

I tried replacing the ones in the Tach and speedo but they were just way too bright. If you found some that were more of a warm light , they might not scream at you in the night.

Your rear running lights are your turn signals as well. You'd lose the auto cancel if you were to replace them.

I did however replace my tailight/brake light with LED 1157 and they work well. Nice and bright!

[Redshirt]

rpg, I have a strange tail light setup. PO put on a suzuki brake light cluster that has running lights attached to it. This is all fender mounted.
The turn signals seem to be stock on the long posts set back about a foot from the brake cluster.

So LED brake light wont cause any issues? hmm
I was concerned that I would get a oil/brake light warning if I did that.

[natemoen]

If you change to led turn signals you WILL NO LONGER have self canceling signals. The self canceling is built into the flasher and if you go to led you need to switch to an electronic flasher and does not have the stuff for the self cancers.

The gauge lights are BA9's. http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b...gi?product=755

I got the 5th one down on that page. Bit tight to get in the hole in a couple spots in there but they go. I also used the red bulbs in the gauges instead of white. Red doesn't mess with your night vision and they are not blindingly bright.

[Redshirt]

natemoen, Id lose cancelling even if I only change the front turn/running lights to LED?
My thinking is this: if the tail turn sigs are normal, wouldnt they provide the necessary ...um... resistance/whatever so the unit can continue to work?

Since I didnt have front turn sigs or front running lights previously, and it worked fine, by adding them Im putting more demand on the system. So if I reduce the demand (load?) by using LEDs in only the front, instruments, brake light, and tail running lights, shouldnt I be avoiding the problem?
Of course it should be obvious now that Im not an electrical guy and this is me speculating.

[natemoen]

Resistance is what causes the signals flash, correct. Where your turn signals flashing and canceling without the fronts there?

[crazy steve]

Since I didnt have front turn sigs or front running lights previously, and it worked fine, by adding them I'm putting more demand on the system. So if I reduce the demand (load?) by using LEDs in only the front, instruments, brake light, and tail running lights, shouldnt I be avoiding the problem? Of course it should be obvious now that Im not an electrical guy and this is me speculating.

If you only had rear signals and the flashing/canceling both worked, somebody has added a 'load equalizer' in there someplace. The factory flasher/canceller are extremely picky about connected load and anything outside of stock (or equivilent) will cause the system not to work right. You can install LED lights in the gauges, indicator lights (except for the turn indicators), and brake/tail lights without affecting the signals, but change the turn signal load either up or down and you'll lose at least the self-cancel feature.

Like Nate said, you can swap a different flasher in and run 'standard' 22 watt 1157/1156 bulbs in the signals or even LEDs, but you'll lose the self-cancel.

[rpgoerlich]

Your front fairing mounted Run/Turn Signals if changed to LED would probably not work the canceling unit. They are an 1157 dual element bulb if you have front running lights.

Changing your rear bar mounted running lghts and tail/brake light would definetely reduce load on the system. I've never had a problem with the oil/brake indicator with the LED's, only when the light burns out or wiring problem to it.

[Redshirt]

When I bought it the right turn signal worked but the left didnt. PO had bar mounted aftermarkets on front, now that I think about it. (doh! sorry)
I inspected the aftermarkets and the left front was compromised by water and corroded heavily. Theyre off the bike now.

[crazy steve]

They are an 1157 dual element bulb if you have front running lights..

Actually, they're not an 1157. A 1157 will fit and sometimes work, but these are supposed to be motorcycle-specific lamps. The bike lamps have a heavier-duty filament with a 'brace' at it's mid-point to help prevent vibration-caused failure. If the brace is missing, it's a car lamp. You can get these at nearly any bike shop. They are slightly higher wattage (27 watts) compared to most 1157/1156 lamps which is why using parts-store lamps can cause problems with the OEM flasher/canceller.

[James England]

I just tried replacing my flashers and rear tail lights with LED's. A big disaster. The flashers wouldn't flash... they came on and stayed on. I changed all 4 at once to try and balance things up electrically but no joy. Also, the LED bulbs I bought had most of the LED's at the top, with a few on the sides. So they're emitting light in the wrong direction because the bulb sockets in the flashers face outwards from the bike. Same with the rear stop and tail lights.... they point outwards and downwards, don't they? The stop and tail lights were 26 LED's per bulb and still were nowhere near as bright as a standard bulb. Even worse was that the brake light was a lot, lot less bright than a standard bulb... so much so, I wouldn't feel safe riding with them in bright sunshine.... there's no way that a driver behind would see the brake lights come on. I kept imagining the crunch from the rear as a car rammed me after not seeing the pathetic LED light output.

I threw them all out after messing about with them for hours and I'll be sticking with the normal bulbs!

[crazy steve]

James, some LED lamps out are junk, but if you look you can find good ones. Yeah, as far as using them in the signal circuit if you want it all to work as stock, no go.

They've become common here on trucks/buses, so I know there's good ones out there...

[natemoen]

Here is another site I have recently found for leds. Haven't liked super hard though it so not really endorsing it just tossing it out there. They also offer a cheap brake light modulator.

http://autolumination.com/1156_1157.htm

[b.walker5]

Didnt someone a while back come up with a method of fitting a resistor to the flasher circuit to retain the self cancelling feature when fitting led's? I seem to remember reading something about it somewhere. Might not have been here, but in any event it shouldnt be that hard to do. With my electrician hat on I might have a play and see what happens. Just over morning coffee, and without really studying it, I'm thinking some sort of series, parrellel circuit that retains full voltage to the leds but provides enough resistance to make the flasher work. There must be a way.

[natemoen]

Didnt someone a while back come up with a method of fitting a resistor to the flasher circuit to retain the self cancelling feature when fitting led's? I seem to remember reading something about it somewhere. Might not have been here, but in any event it shouldnt be that hard to do. With my electrician hat on I might have a play and see what happens. Just over morning coffee, and without really studying it, I'm thinking some sort of series, parrellel circuit that retains full voltage to the leds but provides enough resistance to make the flasher work. There must be a way.

But when you put the resistor in you are then creating the same load on the electrical system as the incandescent lightbulb, thus negating the purpose of using led lights in the first place, so there is no point.