converting lights to LED

OK. I can now confirm that the stock flasher/canceller does work the way I thought it did.

I built this relay setup to feed an electronic flasher controlled by the canceller circuit, and my LED turn signals are working just like stock - standard handlebar switch, and auto-cancel works.



This is a regular two-pin electronic flasher (in this case, it's a Rumble Concepts, which I'm not too impressed with, as the flash rate varies considerably with temperature) connected to a Radio Shack SPDT 12V relay. The relay is connected so that the 12V supply to the flasher goes through the normally closed contact. The coil for the relay is driven by the canceller, with the other end connected to ground.

You might want to use a more automotive-grade relay, as they might be more weather and temperature resistant, but this setup goes up under the tank, so it is somewhat protected. I more-or-less sealed my relay setup with a glob of RTV after I had finished initial testing.

... I'm still fighting with the TAIL sense circuit, though...

 

Last bit in place: I've successfully modified my SECA computer to accept the LED tail lights by swapping rectifiers in in place of the original current sensing resistors. This will also allow standard 1157's to be installed without any further changes, and the checks and warnings (in case bulbs are out) still function.

I'd like to write this and the rest of my "How to convert to LEDs and get everything working" info up for a FAQ post. I notice there are no "final" FAQ's. Is that part of the forum not used? What the process here?

Thanks,
Paul

 

hey Paul, you can post a write-up in FAQ suggestions. The Final FAQ section seems to be just a reminder that no FAQ is ever final

what you have going there is definitely FAQ-worthy. I'm sure a bunch of people here would love to go all-LED.

 

In this completely Public Forum, I would be remiss if I didn't caution you about Intellectual Property.
There is little, if any, regard for one's Intellectual Property among those who endlessly surf for good ideas they might profit from in some manner.

If this item of yours is Marketable; you should make an effort to protect your idea's, as expressed, by Copyright and the device by Patent.

If its a "Better Mousetrap" ... make sure it's known, by all, that it's your mousetrap.

 

Wow. What an incredible thread. My head hurts after eating reading in one sitting. Lots of smart and creative folks in this forum for sure.

One thing I thought went mostly un-noticed is todubbad's solution here, which would be incredibly cheap, easy, no messing with old flasher unit.

It would not keep the auto cancel circuit working, but it wouldn't throw away amps as heat like any of the load-adding solutions would.

Just wanted to bump it because its a good solution compared to adding power sapping resistors, or buying expensive chip based electronics or fabbing bread-board-originals electronics.

 

Actually IMHO SQLGuys relay trick is cheaper and easier. Here is another write up with details.

http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic ... celer.html

 

I've just got this working with an electronic flasher (Thanx Za for the schematics!), one thing i saw, was that if the signals are flashing and you turn the ignition off, when you turn the ignition back on the signals are still flashing. Anyway around this? It's not a big deal, just thought i'd ask.