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Which flasher to use with LED's?

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  • Which flasher to use with LED's?

    Hey Gang,

    I've been slowly converting my 79 XS1100 to LED's as the money is available. I done the taillight and rear turnsignals. I recently bought the 90 degree 1157 ambers for the front (from SuperBright). I installed them and the lights won't flash. I had already bought an electronic flasher, it's a Tridon heavy duty version with 2 connectors. I'm thinking I may have purchased the wrong flasher? I had to switch to an electronic flasher when I installed the rear turnsignals (1156) LED's. With the LED's in the rear and incandesant in the front, it will flash. I've also noticed with no incandesant in the front it won't flash either. I was thinking it should flash with or without a bulb. You know, the rear would flash without a bulb in the front. Weird huh? Anyone have any ideas? As always, I appreciate any and all input.

    Regards,
    Randy S.
    Phoenix, AZ

  • #2
    Hhhmmmm?

    As you're aware, the reason to switch to electronic flashers is 'cause the mechanical ones, being activated by the current draw from the light bulbs, just can't function with the reduced draw from the LEDs.
    I would figure that any electronic flasher unit would work. Maybe not.
    Could it be that your HEAVY DUTY flasher just needs more draw to function? It flashs, but only if you have an incandecient bulb in the circuit.
    See if you can take it back(Not likely... electronic component), and get a regular electronic one... not Heavy Duty.
    Hey wait.. there was a post a little while back about two pronged flasher units and our three pronghole plug. Try shifting the flasher into the other holes. (I don't have the wiring diagram in front of me, so I can't check, or recall, what the difference is.)
    "Damn it Jim, I'm a doctor, not a mechanic!' ('Bones' McCoy)

    Comment


    • #3
      Hey Randy,

      You need to edit your profile to help us tell which model you have, 79F or SF? In your own post you state you put in 1157 in the front. Unless you've got a Standard 2 wire plus ground running/turn signal housing for the front, then the 1157 probably won't work, wrong plugs on bottom of bulb and not in proper alignment!? If it's an SF, then you would have wanted to get the 1156 bulbs! I'm thinking that since you specifically ordered the1157's that you knew/know that you have the running/turn signal housings!? I just checked Superbrite and the 90 degrees are available in 1156 and 57 in AMBER.

      Quick test, take one of the 1156's out of the rear, and put it in the same side in the front as the other rear, and then see if it flashes! IF so, then you know the 1157 is the wrong bulb!

      As long as it's an electronic flasher, then it should work with them whether it's HEAVY DUTY or not. That's the purpose of electronic, it doesn't require the heat/load resistance to trigger the flasher, it has internal electronic circuitry that sets the timing, and so it's just a switch flipping on and off. SO...I'm thinking either you have the wrong bulbs, or poor contacts, or misaligned contacts? IF the rear turn signal was working, then you've got it plugged into the proper 2 holes, won't work plugged into the other slot! The 2 prong is the correct one!
      T.C.
      T. C. Gresham
      81SH "Godzilla" . . .1179cc super-rat.
      79SF "The Teacher" . . .basket case!
      History shows again and again,
      How nature points out the folly of men!

      Comment


      • #4
        Randy,

        did you ever get this to work? I am sitting at the same spot as you were and I have just spent a few hours troubleshooting. Bottom line is, all the LEDS and wires are good, but the flasher just does not work with both front and back bulbs converted to LED's. It seems like even the electronic ones need some min current to flash and the LED's are not enough. I was thinking about making a pigtail and running both the rear signals off the same wire to see if that makes it work. If it does I would wire up a pair of left and a pair of right signals on the back all on LED's,

        If not I guess I run filament 1156's in the back.

        Thanks,
        Scott
        I have a bike and I am not afraid to use it

        Comment


        • #5
          It seems like it would be fairly simple circuit to make from a 555 timer and a MosFet. I don't really have the time right now to put something like together and test it, but if someone want to try it I can post a circuit that might work.

          Steve
          80 XS1100G Standard - YammerHammer
          73 Yamaha DT3 - DirtyHairy
          62 Norton Atlas - AgileFragile (Dunstalled) waiting reassembly
          Norton Electra - future restore
          CZ 400 MX'er
          68 Ducati Scrambler
          RC Planes and Helis

          Comment


          • #6
            L.E.D.s

            Hey guys, the best(easiest) setup that I know is to use K&S brand #24-0005 electronic blinker with straight led turnsignals. You do not need to put resistors on your signals. that is dangerous. they get very hot. The K&S has quality Digital circuitry in it, other than other brands I,ve seen...$19 in the fat book....chop
            MDRNF
            79F.....Not Stock
            80G......Not Stock Either....In the works

            Comment


            • #7
              LED FLASHER

              THEY MIGHT SAY ELECTRONIC, BUT THEY NEED SOME KIND OF SMALL LOAD ON SOME OF THE BRANDS i'VE SEEN. THIS ONE COULD FLASH ONE L.E.D. IF IT HAD TOO...CHOP
              MDRNF
              79F.....Not Stock
              80G......Not Stock Either....In the works

              Comment


              • #8
                Thanks, I will hunt one of those up in a few weeks. I have run out of time for now as I am heading to Jacksonville tomorrow. I switched to the electromechanical one and have LEDS up front and in the brake light, but left the rear blinkers as a filament and it works OK with the electromechanical. I did try an fully electronic one but it has the bulb failure circuit and blinks at double speed. I am considering using that, depends on whether I convince myself if I think the faster blink rate creates better visibility by drawing the attention of other drivers.

                I went through the vendor catalogue at autozone and we found a fully electronic for LED lights, but the part number would not come up in the computer.

                Thanks for the help,
                Scott
                I have a bike and I am not afraid to use it

                Comment


                • #9
                  Drawing me towards an answer?

                  Hey Russ,

                  Are you trying these LED's in your "E", or your "SF"? What LED bulbs did you get, the 1157 or the 1156? I think Randy's might have been that he got the 1157's, when unless he had the Standard(his profile didn't state what model), the 1157 won't work in the single wired front turn signals that are NOT for both running lights and turn signals??

                  SO...Russ, if you are trying to use 1157 led bulbs in your SF, it's only designed for 1156, and that may be why they're not working? Just a thought!

                  I was just reviewing the stats for the LED bulbs, they have something like 30 leds in one bulbs!! Yet, their draw is only about 0.068 amps for 1156, or 0.021/0.072 amps for the 1157 combo running/turn signal bulb.

                  In mine, I used the amber clearance marker lights, with only 12 bulbs in each, but the SUPERBRIGHT ones are rated at 0.083 amps. I'll confess, when I did mine, I got them from another distributor that isn't in business anymore, but I could have sworn that they were only rated at 0.030 amps!!?? So...the "other" brand actually have less draw than the superbrights, yet my signals work flawlessly with the electro-mechanical flasher, the TRIDENT brand!? So I can't understand why you're having this much trouble?!
                  T.C.
                  T. C. Gresham
                  81SH "Godzilla" . . .1179cc super-rat.
                  79SF "The Teacher" . . .basket case!
                  History shows again and again,
                  How nature points out the folly of men!

                  Comment

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