Have a little question.

[Yard Dogg]

Crazy Steve gave my the idea of using inline resistors to make my turn signals flash again after switching to smaller bulbs so I can keep my auto cancelling unit. I found the Ohms Law conversion calculator online and need a little clarification. I already messaged him, but I already know that I am missing something.

My bulbs are 10W each, single filament. The required draw on the flasher needs to be 54W. So in the calculator I entered 20W for 2 bulbs (left, right), then 12V cause this is a 12V system. I have every reason to believe I'm getting my full 12V, my wiring has been completely gone through. The calculator came up with 7.2 Ohms.

I then entered 54W for the stock bulbs, 12V, and came up with 2.666- Ohms.

My question is, do I now subtract 2.666-from 7.2 to figure out what size resistor I need to draw enough current for operating the flasher? If that's correct, than I would need a 4.534 resistor?

[Yard Dogg]

And if this is correct, than I'm going to have trouble finding such a precise resistor I'm sure. So I should probably order a resistor that is just a little more draw rather than a little less right? So if I find a resistor that is 4.75 Ohms, that would be better than one that is 4.25 Ohms right?

[crazy steve]

Depending on what numbers you plug in, you can get different results. One thing to remember that while these are a '12 volt' system, they actually operate closer to 14 volts. It should be noted that most automotive lamp watt ratings are figured at the higher voltage. So a 4 ohm resistor will be very close. The higher the resistance, the less current it will draw...

[Yard Dogg]

That should be close. I figure if I get one a little higher on Ohms then they will blink a little faster. Right, now I know what to do.

[Yard Dogg]

How about this one. 5 Ohm 34 Watt rated. 5 Ohm to draw a little more (faster blink), and 34 Watt cause 34 Watts + 20 Watts (2 bulbs) = 54 Watts.

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/...tbwEUegv9A0%3d

[Yard Dogg]

Alright now I'm really thrown off. My light bulbs themselves are resistors. The trouble is, they are not letting enough current past to make the flasher work. When I hook up the resistor, am I supposed to hook it the power source feeding the bulbs and then ground it? Because then the resistor would act like another light bulb to fool the flasher into thinking it's getting the full 54W. Am I getting close?

[skids]

If flashing is an issue you may want to go with an electronic flasher unit. I lost my automatic cancelling function, but it is no big deal to me. I just manually cancel the turn signals.

[Yard Dogg]

If flashing is an issue you may want to go with an electronic flasher unit. I lost my automatic cancelling function, but it is no big deal to me. I just manually cancel the turn signals.

How many watts are your bulbs? What flasher did you use? I'd like the canceller but I'm starting to think it's a hassle.

[natemoen]

The resistor are spliced into the power wire. No grounding, it just goes in-line.

[Yard Dogg]

I'm going to do a little testing tomorrow. Cause it seems like I tested the auto cancelling unit on my last ride and even though my blinkers wouldn't blink, they still cancelled if I remember right. There must be a way around that damned flasher relay. I need to learn exactly what the Y/G and Y/R wires do coming and going to the cancelling unit.

So far what I've found, the Y/G is live with the ignition on, and blinkers on or off. You would think it would be one or the other. So I'm thinking that once the blinkers are activated, a signal is sent through the Y/R wire from the switch, to the cancelling unit, then a signal through the Y/G wire to the flasher relay turning off the signals.

I've saw the method for using a relay and electronic flasher, I'm just wondering what happens with the Y/G wire when the cancelling unit operates the relay in the OEM flasher. Does it stop powering the relay in the Flasher? If so, than it seems I could just use the Y/G wire to power an electronic flasher, then when the cancelling unit does it's duty, the flasher will loose power and stop flashing. I only say this, cause the cancelling unit has it's own separate power source. So if I can power the flasher through the cancelling unit, viola! Just brainstorming, need to test my theories. I'm going to hook a small light to my handlebars to see what that Y/G wire does while I'm riding. That will tell the tale.

[Yard Dogg]

I'm beginning to think, that the only reason they had to use a relay to operate the flasher unit, is because the old school bulbs were drawing so much power it would be easier on the cancelling unit. But with LED's or little bulbs like mine the power consumption shouldn't be a problem. Know what I mean Vern?

[fredintoon]

- - - My bulbs are 10W each, single filament. - - -

Dammit Dawg,
nobody's gonna see a pathetic little 10W signal!
Put the big ones back on fer chrissake, nobody want's to see you in the obits.

[IanDMacDonald]

Keep in-mind, most resistors have a tolerance band of +/- 5%, so, if you go with a 5 ohm resistor, you are still within tolerance. If you wanted to be anal, you could use multiple resistors in-series to each other to add up to the desired resistance value. If you really wanted to make it easy on yourself, buy an electronic flasher from Auto Zone and be done with it. Half the time I'm cancelling the signals on my own anyways, so, what's the big deal losing self-cancelling signals?

[Yard Dogg]

Dammit Dawg,
nobody's gonna see a pathetic little 10W signal!
Put the big ones back on fer chrissake, nobody want's to see you in the obits.

LMFAO! They light up okay. I'll be alright.


I already took the advice of the last post. It occurred to me that I had an electronic flasher in my truck and a spare to replace it, so I plugged it in and they blink.

I tried to hook the Y/G wire to the electronic flasher to make them work, no blinky. Was hoping to crack the mysterious mythical cancelling unit, no such luck yet, not anything quick and painless anyway. I'm done with it for now. I was wanting to get the canceller to work so I could varify that the speed sensor in the Virago pods would work with the cancelling unit for sure. I think it does. Another day for that.

[crazy steve]

The resistor are spliced into the power wire. No grounding, it just goes in-line.

Sorry Nate, but one end has to be grounded. You're trying to add load, putting the resistor in series with the light will reduce the load.

Dogg, you'll need two resistors, one for each side and they have to be installed after the handlebar switch. Easiest way would be to connect one end of the resistor to either the front or rear light power wire, then ground the other end. They will get hot, so mount them with that in mind....