converting lights to LED

How can I tell if I have a mechanical or elctrical flasher? I have an 83 XJ750K Maxim.

Thanks
Joe

 

If it is stock, it will be small, three contact black box about 50mm wide and 30mm deep by 45mm high. These are mechanical.
Anything else will be aftermarket and it is quite difficult to tell if it is mechanical or electrical. You will have to take the numbers off of the unit and cross them with the manufacturer.

 

So as far as LED's go - how do I know what is good/not good? Would these do the trick? They use the new VLED's...

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie ... %26otn%3D8

 

They would work but you would need to replace your flasher with a generic electronic one.

 

I made my LED signal bulbs better by adding some tin-foil inside the housing to spread the light better. I carefully cut around circle of foil out and tucked it inside the housing. Than I just poked a hole in the center with a knife and spread the foil around the hole to replace the bulb.
I've been using this trick on my car/truck tail lights for years to give them a better effect. It makes more light by reflecting off the foil for better light dispersion.
Most headlight housings are chrome mirror-like finish on the inside to help reflect the light better (magnify it) so I figured it should work on signal lights too. It's a cheap easy way to get more light out of one bulb.

 

Another trick to use to reflect more light is to use the aluminium tape. Not Duct Tape, but tape that you use to seal ductwork. It is fairly thin, and does a great job of reflecting light, heat, etc.

I have used it on my garage door opener or anywhwere there is a bulb that doesn't use a reflector.

Dan

 

I would love to switch to LED but it all sounds really confusing! I have a 81 SECA 750, what would I need to convert all the lights over?

Thank You!
nino

 

I just did me rear lights. Put in an integrated unit for an R6. I'll put extra LED lights on my hardcases once they're on. I got off easy because I've kept my regular signal lights on the front and they produce enough heat to switch the relay.

 

OK, seems a lot of people have talked about this, but I haven't seen a solution yet, so I'll take a stab:

I finally got my bike back from the shop after it had been run over in a parking lot. One of the things I had done to save money (and hopefully power) was have the shop put on LED turn signals in place of the broken stock ones. I had them install a "plug ready for Yamaha" electronic flasher as well.

As you might expect, the flasher was not plug ready for an XJ, and, after some playing around with it the tech cut out the old connector and connected the new flasher between Br and Br/W. So, now the turn signals flash (albeit a bit slowly for my taste) but the self-cancelling is gone.

I opened up the old flasher and here's what I found:

It uses a relay with an NC contact and two coils on the pole piece (one about 100Ohms, the other about .2 Ohms). There are also a 1200uF cap and 150 Ohm resistor, but these seem to be more for stabilization than for any flash timing purpose. There is no bimetallic element. My best guess on the operation goes like this:

1. The handlebar switch has a two pairs of contacts in each direction. One pair switches conductivity between the Br/W of the flasher and the selected turn signals and leaves it there, the other momentarily connects Y/R and B to the cancelling unit, enabling it.

2. Once enabled, the cancelling unit, which had been holding +12V on the C contact (Y/G) of the flasher relay, lets this contact float. This deengergizes the 100Ohm coil allowing the relay contacts to close.

3. Once closed, the relay contacts provide 12V through L (Br/W) to the turn signal pair selected by the handlebar switch. The current to them flows through the heavier coil and opens the relay. Once the relay is open, current flow stops, so the relay can now close again, and we have a flash cycle, based largely on the magnetic field build up and collapse time of the heavier coil of the relay.

4. Eventually one of two things happens:
a) the cancelling unit's counters expire and it puts 12V back onto the C contact, energizing the 100Ohm coil and locking the relay open (no more flashing), or
b) the handlebar switch is cancelled, which opens the contacts between the L contact (Br/W) and the turn signals (no more flashing)

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So, assuming I'm right (and I think I am pretty close), the easiest solution for self-cancelleling with LED turn signals would be to use another relay to switch the Br 12V to the electronic flasher based on the state of the Y/G line from the cancelling unit.

Just connect the Br from the harness to the common terminal of the relay and connect the NC contact of the relay to the 12V input of the electronic flasher. Then connect the Y/G from the cancelling unit to one end of the relay coil and connect the other end of the relay coil to ground.

Anyway, that's the theory. I will most likely test said theory this weekend. I'll let you know what I find out.

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On a related topic, I installed the 1157 LED subs for my taillight but now have my computer complaining about the TAIL being out. Someone mentioned back on page one that there was a way to disable this check in the instrument cluster, but didn't provide much detail. What specifically needs to be jumpered, and will this mod only disable the TAIL check or will it disabled multple checks?

Thanks,
Paul

 

Arggh....

I just realized that there's an even easier solution: Don't remove the original flasher, just add the electronic flasher in series on the Br/W line coming out of it.

The original flasher should connect to the supply side of the electronic flasher, and the line running back to the turn signal switch should connect to the load side.

The original flasher will then act as your switching relay to provide power or not based on the input of the canceller, and the electronic flasher will provide the flashing.

I just wish I had looked into this before my mechanic had cut out the original connector.

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Update... nevermind. The current load through the LED turn signals is probably not enough to keep the flasher relay open, so I'm back to theory A (see above).

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Cheers,
Paul

 

hey sqlguy,

thanks for all that research. i just ordered led turns and brakes for my bike and also picked up a smartblink. you think you could give me a starting point on the best way to integrate it? BTW i got the version without the brake output, mine will only be handling turn signals.

 

That thing is really overkill/underkill for this application. A regular 2-pin LED flasher would be much easier (and probably cheaper).

They don't have any speedo input, so I'm guessing they're auto-cancelling is just time based. If it were me, I'd return it and get the 2-pin.

If you really want to use this, though, the easiest way is probably going to be to remove the original flasher and canceller and connect this one with:

Orange - original flasher Brown
Brown - original canceller Y/R
Black - original canceller Black
Light Green - original flasher Br/W

Everything else unused, except that you'll also need to cut the black that goes to the turn signal switch and connect it to fused +12V instead.

There may be simpler configurations that would work, but this is what comes to mind off-hand.

Again, with this setup you will lose the original self-cancellation which is distance AND time based and get instead this time-based only cancellation. Also, this is all assuming that your original setup is comparable to the SECA 750 turn signal setup.

Paul

 

thanks sqlguy.

i agree its pricey but i actually got one for 15 bux off of ebay shipped. and as luck would have it my auto cancel is already not working so i can only win with this thing.

 

and actually the thing i forgot to mention was that this unit solves two issues.

first, it eliminates the fast flash syndrome that goes along with leds

second, it wil allow me to use my new turn signals as running lights.

 

That's a great idea for the tail!

 

The Self Canceling Unit gets a signal from the Speedometer Head. It's also dependent on TIME.

The SCU turns-off the Flashing Signal Light after 10-Seconds or 490 Feet of Forward Motion.

At High Speed BOTH Motion and Time functions combine to keep the Flashing Light ON for Lane Changing and Passing.

There is Sensor in the Speedometer that controls the Motion feature.

 

What was this in reply to?

I agree with what you're saying, which is why I wanted to maintain my self-cancelling capability and did this analysis. The Smartblink unit that turtlejoint was asking about only uses time - it has no speedo connection.

 

My theory about the operation of the self-cancelling circuit seems to be holding up. I removed the tank to do this and some other work. The first thing I checked was to see whether there was voltage on the Y/G wire initially after turning on the ignition... there was. Then I switched on the turn signals, and the voltage on that line dropped to 0.

I have now added a SPDT relay in series with the electronic flasher and driven by the Y/G wire. I have confirmed that, now, if I turn the ignition on with the turn signal already engaged to one side or the other, the turn signals do not flash, they only start flashing when I push the switch again to one side or the other.

Pictures to follow, and, of course, it will have to wait 'til I have the rest of the work done (a couple of days, I hope) before I can take the bike out and verify that the self-cancelling circuit is indeed working as it should.

I've also got the computer torn apart to check on the TAIL indication. Basically, the computer uses a .47Ohm resistor to check voltage drop from B+ on the line leading to the taillight. This should give about a .7V drop for the stock 1157's. I've replaced the resistor with a 3A rectifier, as this should allow the use of either incandescent or LED bulbs without any further changes in the computer and without disabling the check.

By the way, while I've got the cluster apart, anyone here have any familiarity with replacing or restoring the stock gauge backgrounds? My warning center outline is a bit heat damaged, and all the red has faded from the gauge backgrounds. I did repaint the needles with flourescent orange, and they came out nice, but I'd like to do a bit more.

Cheers,
Paul

 

OK I HAVE A 93' XJ600 Seca II

I dont know about the self canceler
Im not sure if i have one
I dont think my turn signals have ever turned off by them selfs


Im looking for front turn signals to be THESE



or maybe some LED strips like These



But Thats The General Idea

Im trying to get away from ALL protruding peices
I want it as Neked As Possible



A Good Place To Start

 

i was looking at those same options for leds but i didnt feel like they were visible enough for my taste so i went with these and i also have a led brake/license holder coming in to change the look of the rear fender.