Yet another integrated taillight thread

Sorry in advance, these questions come up all the time. I think my question is slightly different just because I'm being stubborn and am going to try the resistor approach first, then when it doesn't work I'll track down an electronic flasher.

My question:
Since I am going to attach aftermarket LED signals in addition to the integrated signal, my plan was to tap into the resistor bundle that came with the Motodynamic taillight, here:


My understanding of LEDs is that they draw such a little amount of current, one resistor should be enough for both LED signals per side (integrated and the ones that stick out), whereas if I use a resistor for the integrated and the sticking out ones it would slow down the flash too much, since the bike was designed for 4, not 6 turns signals.

Anyway, I'll most likely do this and prove my theory wrong when the signals show up (2wheels) from China, unless someone here tells me that my understanding is fundamentally flawed.

Side note:
Assuming there are two wires per signal, I'll ground the second (hopefully black wire) to the subframe, instead of tapping into the wire before the resistor, right?

If I'm not mistaken, you can't "slow down the flash too much". The flash rate is either fast or normal; fast when current is below a specific threshold that the bike thinks you have a burned out light, normal when current exceeds the threshold.

It's definitely possible to overload a circuit by adding more and more signals. And resistors inline with each set of LEDs, acting as incandescents in that fashion, could approach your circuit limit. Splicing into the resistors already in use should work like a champ.

Let me know how it works out.

I wouldn't run the ground into the frame. It might be okay, but the original ones aren't grounded that way so, I would worry about accidentally bypassing something. If there was something else downstream of the bulbs, it would get bypassed. The indicator on the dash, for instance.

Running them in parallel with your integrated tail light would be fine. So tap into the wires just like you showed. Do it on the side nearest the tail light, electrically. You could tap the light in series on the upstream side of the resistor if you wanted as well. But, there's no benefit to doing it that way vs parallel.

All the resistor does is draw enough current to make the flasher run properly. Without sufficient current, it switches faster. But there are only two rates it runs at. Cars with 2 flashing bulbs on the rear (so three bulbs per side total) will use the same flasher as one with 2 bulbs per side total, even though the current has increased the same amount as using both resistors and they don't run any slower.

But digital flashers are like $12 and make for a much cleaner install. If you want to keep the resistors, make sure they're mounted to something heat resistant. They get hot and will melt your fairings. I routed mine under the tail fairing along the route the old wires were taking. There's enough room, and some zip ties will keep the resistors close to the frame. It's tight, but it fits, and they stay just far enough away to not melt anything.

I actually did this just 3 weeks ago. I bought the motodynamics integrated (03 09 FZ 6 Smoke Sequential Integrated Signal LED Tail Light 04 05 06 07 08 FZ6 | eBay) taillight on ebay along with the splitters they offer (Yamaha Turn Signal Splitter Harness Y Adapter R1 R6 FZ1 FZ6 FZ6R FZ8 WH SPL Y02 | eBay). It was all simple plug and play. Then I connected the split off turn signal to these LEDs (Yamaha FZ6 FZ 6 Tail Tidy Fender Eliminator 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 Black 4T S | eBay). No resistors needed and no increase in flash rate.

I have a vid showing the end result, but can't seem to upload it. My biggest challenge concealing all the wires.

When running load resistors you're running them in parallel on the directional signal wire. This basically mean you are running the current through the resistors to ground. Once the resistors are in place that resistive load is constant so anywhere you tap in, on that side,(left or right) to run additional directional lights, the flasher relay sees the resistive load.

I'll again say as I have in so many posts on this subject, The load resistors defeat part of the purpose of using LEDs as a lower current device.

Try this $8.95 LF1-S-Flat Plug n Play! Super Bright LEDs - Electronic LED Flashers Specifications Or you can usually get one at a local MC supply store for about 20 bucks.

Motogiro said:

When running load resistors you're running them in parallel on the directional signal wire. This basically mean you are running the current through the resistors to ground. Once the resistors are in place that resistive load is constant so anywhere you tap in, on that side,(left or right) to run additional directional lights, the flasher relay sees the resistive load.

I'll again say as I have in so many posts on this subject, The load resistors defeat part of the purpose of using LEDs as a lower current device.

Try this $8.95 LF1-S-Flat Plug n Play! Super Bright LEDs - Electronic LED Flashers Specifications Or you can usually get one at a local MC supply store for about 20 bucks.

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i have the relay that moto linked it doesnt have a bolt hole to mount it so i zip tied it to the bracket with 2 zipties, it works perfectly i have the motodynamic tail light and the 2wheel levers t/s id recommend this flasher relay save yourself the headache because the wires from the2wheels signals are thinner than reg auto wires 22-24 very delicate.

just my 2 cents from doing it twice do to buying the fz6 fend eliminator After already splicing all this up and i bought water proof connectors from radio shack so i didnt just butt splice all this up another nice thing is the harnesses that motodynamic sells i got two to make the install easier, :rockon::rockon:

Alright I don't have the integrated tail light, but I just installed an electronic flasher relay up front. I did not have a problem with anything flashing fast before, but I located the PO's dirty little secret in the left pod and couldn't leave it that way. My question is how do I fix this garbage and remove the working bulbs(resistors) that live in black tape in my fairing? Also, are the empty connectors at the top right for the license plate light? My testing shows they are constant on with the bike. I don't want to be without rear signals if I screw it up. Thanks.

edit to add better picture. cell phone cams suck in the dark garage

DavesFZ said:

Alright I don't have the integrated tail light, but I just installed an electronic flasher up front. I did not have a problem with the flashers before, but I located the PO's dirty little secret in the left pod and couldn't leave it that way. My question is how do I fix this garbage and remove the working bulbs(resistors) that live in black tape in my fairimg? Also, are the empty connectors at the top right for the license plate light? My testing shows they are constant on. I don't want to be without rear signals if I screw it up. Thanks.

edit to add better picture. cell phone cams suck in the dark garage

Click to expand...

what in the Zeus's green world is THAT????

Yeah....I heard about people using resistors to emulate the current draw of an incandescent bulb, but....I guess this saved him a couple bucks. Man I'm glad one of those hidden bulbs didn't go out, I would have been tearing my hair out trying to fix it!

Hahaha that's so ugly and messy. I'd say it's more that the guy was lazy than cheap. He probably didn't know that he needed the resistors until he already had the bike apart and the LEDs didn't work. So he just used what he had. Looks like government work.

Edit: Turns out I didn't actually say anything useful. Yes - the little connectors on the top are for your license plate lights.

I'm going to guess that the big bundle only has 2 wires in and 2 wires out. If that's the case, you can just cut it all off and bypass it.

Yeah, I figured it out, since he just stripped the signal wires and jammed them into the connector. Once I removed the entire roll of electrical tape, I pulled them out and they came right off. I mainly wanted to share the hell I found when I saw flashing coming from inside the tape. My bike is one Oz. lighter now! Thanks for letting me know about the license plate light, I snagged a cool white LED that should look pretty sweet back there. And no, I did not have a license plate light since I purchased the bike from Dr. wire frankenstein. (The brown wire sticking out of the top of the white connector is one of the leads for the OEM signal lol)

DavesFZ said:

And no, I did not have a license plate light since I purchased the bike from Dr. wire frankenstein.

Click to expand...

Same here - to be honest I didn't even know bikes needed them/mine was burnt out until the other day. Realized the parking light from my VS01 kit that I had never hooked up (and won't be needing anymore b/c angel eye!) was the same size, so I just popped it in.

So - Motogiro - you're right as always. I through the setup together, and it worked great, though after about a week one of the resistors on the front right decided to short, blowing the tail fuse. I wiggled it around a bit and threw in the spare, that blew. Luckily I did listen, and had purchased a digital flasher relay as you recommend. I installed that and spent an hour cleaning up the wires, removing the resistors, and encasing everything in flextube. Plugged in the new flasher and put in a couple new fuses.

I left the blocky resistor that came with the taillight in, wired in my LED turn signals and have 2 rear + the integrated and it looks great.

I have an amber LED angel eye wired in as the DRL.

But yeah, moral of the story - save yourself some time and do it right the first time, fck resistors.