What is the secret to installing L.E.D. blinkers?

[incogbdog]

I tried to hook up a set of LED blinkers last night and they just don't want to work....

I hooked them up the same way that the stock blinkers were wired and I'm not having any luck. The blinkers are made by Moto Boss and the look like they may have the resisters built into them...?

Any help would be graet!

-Brandon

[JR]

Have you wired the polarity the right way?

http://www.btinternet.com/~brookes007/bikewiring/bikewiring.htm#ledindicators

[Ross]

Are you sure the blinkers have the resistors built in? LED's don't have enough resistance to make the flasher relay work. On my bike, I needed resistors on just the rear signals to make them flash (although they blink pretty quickly). I need to get off my butt, and check to see if any of these flasher relays will work:

http://www.superbrightleds.com/tail-brake-turn.html

They are about 3/4 of the way down that page, along with their resistors.

[NT696]

The resistors used to allow LED signal bulbs to work properly are a fairly big size. At least all of the ones I have seen, anyway. It is a ceramic, about 3/8" square and about 1" long. One needed each for LH and RH. What you have built in may be for another reason, like voltage limiting or something. Even with the resistors, the signals (blinkers) flash at a fast pace.

[incogbdog]

Thanks for all of the help... I'll try some additional resistors and see what happens.

[surferdude]

Old thread but I wanted to add my own experience for those searching for answers like I've been doing.

I just hooked up my LED turn signal's today with two resistor's in the back - they work fine but blink fast which doesn't bother me.

Definitely a good mod!!!

[MrDude_1]

my advice:
forget the resistors.. run straight LEDs and use a solid state flasher relay.

you may have to change the plug on the bike, but then you get the wattage savings of the LEDs, and they blink at a steady normal (and sometimes adjustible) rate... only downsides are:
no steady light when a bulb is out (shouldnt happen with LEDs)
you may have to change the plug.