LED 1157 / 1156 bulbs

[Do Lee]

LED swap out

I have a 1979 XS1100SF and have swapped out several of the incandescent bulbs with LEDs

*Front turn signal/running light. (1157-A24 superbright LEDs)
*Side running light on fairing and instrument lights speedo &
tach (BA9's superbright LEDs)
*Tail light (1157-R19 superbright LEDs)

I tried to replace the rear turn signals also with LEDs but the turn signals would not work. Also replace thermo flasher can with an electronic flasher can (both heavy duty and standard) The only thing I can think of why this is not working is the load on this loop is not high enought to trip the relay in the flasher can. I know that you can add low resistance high wattage resisters to help with the load but wouldn't that defeat the purpose of the LEDs for lowering your power consumption on the charging system.

The reason why I think the load is to low is when I replaced my tail light the oil/taillamp indicator came on and would not go off.
Put the old incandescent 1157 back in the tail light and the indicator light would go out.
I tried the T.C. method on the rear turn signals if I replaced the front turn signals with incandescent 1157 turn signals would work fine.
My question on all 4 turn signals using LEDs is has anybody been able to have all LEDs and get the turn signals to work?

I will post some of the other things I found out in swapping the other LEDs.

[MartyA]

Hey Do Lee!
I hope putting in the front WITH the rear will work. I just ordered 2 1157 LED's for the front fairing signals. Last year I replaced the brake and rear signals, and had to put a cheapie replacement signal stat in to make the signals work.

I will replace the front Vetter signals which are wired for 1157's with LED's as soon as I can plow through the snow to the shed, which is I hope next month.

Hope it works!

[btdtdan]

Hey DoLee,
I replaced everything on my 80SG front/rear turn signals /Brake lights/turnsignals on my sidecar and brake light. I read someplace if you try them with out changing the flasher to the automatic electronic first it will fry something. I did all of this and had no problem with anything. T.C. is pretty sharp on the LED's you might want to check with him. I may be all wrong but mine worked out great. I think you could have another problem.
Dan

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Do Lee,

The Electronic flasher doesn't care about ANY load, it has it's own built in electronic trip timer mechanism, it's just a simple switch, turning the power on and off to that circuit. I don't know about anything getting fried?? I would check your ground wires on your rear signals, they are prone to corrosion/rust.

Oooh, I just had a flash. The rear turn signals DON'T use 1157, they are single filament 1156 style bulbs. If you tried 1157 LED's then that's probably why. Your front fairing running turn signals are 1157 style, but the rears are probably single wire style, unless somebody changed them!? So...if you get an 1156 style LED, it should work. Double check your rear bulbs, they are probably 1156 single filament bulbs!?
T.C.

[skids]

Oh, good pun!

Originally posted by TopCatGr58
Hey Do Lee,

Oooh, I just had a flash. T.C.

[DiverRay]

Skids;
You or TC forgot about the pan!!!

[prometheus578]

LEDs for rear

Did get my super brite leds for the rear turn signals last year. As I had written previously, I had planned to place a blob of solder across the two terminals of the 1157 led as the rear socket is for single pole 1156, and super bright only makes 90 degree 30 bulb yellows in 1157. I didn't have to do this. The prob is in the configuration of the nipples on the side of the bulb(Now there's a phrase I'd be careful with) The 1157 Dual filament bulb has two offset nipples to ensure that it goes in correctly to activate the marker and turnlamps as needed. The single pole bulb has two nipples also, but they aren't offset, and both of them are at the lower end. I took a file and filed off the nipple that was in the middle of the metal case of the LED, leaving the one at the bottom end in place,(corresponding to the placement of the two from the original 1156 bulb) The 1157 now fit nicely into the 1156 socket, and both terminals of the bulb hit the center terminal of the socket. Lights work fine. Again, the inner socket may have to be spun a little, as one LED faced upwards and the other to the front.

[Do Lee]

I figured out why I was having so much trouble replacing my incandescent turn signal bulbs with LEDs. (see earlier post) The 1979 XS1100 Special model has a common tie-in on the turn signal loops. In the instrument cluster the turn signal indicator does not have a ground, the brown wire for the left turn signal is hooked up to the hot of the socket and the green wire for the right turn signal is hooked up to the return side or ground. The 79 Special model is the only XS11 this way, all other 11s have dual turn signal indicators. The incandescent light work both ways + to - or - to + and does not care about current flow direction, but the LED are one way electrical flow. So when the left turn signal was turned on the right turn signal came on also because of the voltage/current path to ground. Seperated the left and right turn signal wires from the turn signal indicator and both sides work fine with LED front and rear. Picked up an 80 Special model instrument cluster to replace my existing one for the fix.