LED Blinker Problem

[Motogiro]

Thank you ALANRIM.

 

[Motogiro]

I have not purchased them yet, I am trying to figure out what I need.

Maybe we should back up a little. When you say that the front lamps (can I assume they are regular incandescent bulbs?) light up regardless of which relay you use it makes me definitely think you have a bad relay or a mismatched relay to LED set up. LED's will always light faster than an incandescent bulb. How can there be enough power to fire the fronts but not the backs? Are the fronts regular incandescent bulbs? Maybe start by individually applying 12 volts dc or for that matter a little 9 volt battery should easily fire them up. Do this to each unit. Separate each LED unit from the bike and try this.
Try them also in reverse polarity making sure they are not reverse conducting. They should only light in one direction. Establish which lead on the LED is positive. Also make sure there isn't a broken ground on that bike circuit.

 

[Mississippi]

I have not purchased them yet, I am trying to figure out what I need.

Maybe we should back up a little. When you say that the front lamps (can I assume they are regular incandescent bulbs?) light up regardless of which relay you use it makes me definitely think you have a bad relay or a mismatched relay to LED set up. LED's will always light faster than an incandescent bulb. How can there be enough power to fire the fronts but not the backs? Are the fronts regular incandescent bulbs? Maybe start by individually applying 12 volts dc or for that matter a little 9 volt battery should easily fire them up. Do this to each unit. Separate each LED unit from the bike and try this.
Try them also in reverse polarity making sure they are not reverse conducting. They should only light in one direction. Establish which lead on the LED is positive. Also make sure there isn't a broken ground on that bike circuit.

I have the Led bulbs that I showed in the origional post in my pod lights that I am using as front blinkers. They all light up with the stock flasher relay. They just blink fast. When I put the aftermarket/new flasher relay in is when I get the problem. On the rear blinkers only, I get 4 of the 14 lights in each blinker that actually lights up. However, the blinking rate is corrected. I will try to get a picture of the back lights to show what I am talking about.

 

[Mississippi]

1st & 2nd pic - Aftermarket Relay Slow Blinking Rate 4 lights only
3rd & 4th pic - Front Signals
5th pic - Factory Relay Fast Blinking Rate

 

[Motogiro]

Yeah I see what your talking about. My first instinct as I'm sure yours is, is the relay. I'm sure you'll come up with a fix.

I really like the lights in your pods. I'd like to do that. Is that a big deal to do?

 

[Mississippi]

Yeah I see what your talking about. My first instinct as I'm sure yours is, is the relay. I'm sure you'll come up with a fix.

I really like the lights in your pods. I'd like to do that. Is that a big deal to do?

Not at all. You will need a 9/16" drill bit, pod lights from an '03 R1 that you can get at your Yamaha dealer, and 194 bulbs either led or regular (the one's that I have I got on e-bay. They are 19 led's in each bulb). Search the site for Pod Lights and you will find a lot of information. I have a PDF at work of the instructions I will post in the morning.

 

[Motogiro]

Cool! Thanks!

 

[Mississippi]

This is a copy of the pod lights document that I promised. I used it for reference. I did not add in the relays. I also added the bulbs that I showed at the start of this thread. Hope this helps nccoder.

 

[SovietRobot]

When I installed my pod lights, it created a resistance issue, where the pod lights and my rear signals lit up half way. I reconnected the hot-to-ground resistance wire that came with my watsens(I cut it) and it fixed that issue. But when I took the podlights out and had no resistance, the system functioned normally.

Also about the flasher relay, the stock one is load based, so if you have all LED's it will be fast no matter what. Aftermarket ones are supposed to be load independant, so they have a steady flash rate with any load(or they should). My relay is a rumble concepts and it makes the flash dangerously slow(40fpm)

 

[Mississippi]

When I installed my pod lights, it created a resistance issue, where the pod lights and my rear signals lit up half way. I reconnected the hot-to-ground resistance wire that came with my watsens(I cut it) and it fixed that issue. But when I took the podlights out and had no resistance, the system functioned normally.

Also about the flasher relay, the stock one is load based, so if you have all LED's it will be fast no matter what. Aftermarket ones are supposed to be load independant, so they have a steady flash rate with any load(or they should). My relay is a rumble concepts and it makes the flash dangerously slow(40fpm)

All you did was cut the wire to your signals, reconnect them and that fixed it? Did you do this to the back lights or do you have front signals and the podlights. I am using my pod lights as front signals for the time being. The person that had my bike before me dropped it and broke the front signal metal bracket off of the bike where the bracket connects to the fairing.

 

[SovietRobot]

No I didn't cut the signal wires, so don't do that.
What I cut was a fourth resistor wire that came with my signals. The resistance was not needed with only front and rear led signals, but as soon as I added the pod lights to the system(wired into turn and running, no ground), everything malfunctioned because it needed resistance. Why I have no idea.

But you should be fine if you add some resistors before the podlight sockets.

I have watsen LED flushmounts and led podlights in the front, and LED lights in the rear.

 

[Mississippi]

No I didn't cut the signal wires, so don't do that.
What I cut was a fourth resistor wire that came with my signals. The resistance was not needed with only front and rear led signals, but as soon as I added the pod lights to the system(wired into turn and running, no ground), everything malfunctioned because it needed resistance. Why I have no idea.

But you should be fine if you add some resistors before the podlight sockets.

I have watsen LED flushmounts and led podlights in the front, and LED lights in the rear.

I am using the Flame Sliders (LED) for my running lights, Pod Lights for blinkers, and LED signals for the rear. I wonder if I have to many resistors or whatever they are called in my rear signals. They work fine until I add the flasher relay, then only 4 light up. Can you walk me through what you did to remove or cut the fourth resistor?

 

[SovietRobot]

I am using the Flame Sliders (LED) for my running lights, Pod Lights for blinkers, and LED signals for the rear. I wonder if I have to many resistors or whatever they are called in my rear signals. They work fine until I add the flasher relay, then only 4 light up. Can you walk me through what you did to remove or cut the fourth resistor?

Are you running with no flasher relay at all? Or are you talking about the stock one. The flasher relay will only effect the flash rate if everything else is balanced.

How do you have the leds in the frame sliders wired up? Post a picture if you have one

Also if you have a picture of the wiring in your rear signals that would help.
If your rear signals already have resistors then that could be causing a problem, but I'd have to know what your system has.

If you don't have the watsen flushmount signals, ignore my comment about a "fourth resistor wire" as only this brand of signal uses it, but the same thing can be achieved by resistors.

 

[Mississippi]

Are you running with no flasher relay at all? Or are you talking about the stock one. The flasher relay will only effect the flash rate if everything else is balanced.

How do you have the leds in the frame sliders wired up? Post a picture if you have one

Also if you have a picture of the wiring in your rear signals that would help.
If your rear signals already have resistors then that could be causing a problem, but I'd have to know what your system has.

If you don't have the watsen flushmount signals, ignore my comment about a "fourth resistor wire" as only this brand of signal uses it, but the same thing can be achieved by resistors.

The frame sliders have a 3 wire set up just like the factory front signals do. I have them wired up just like the stock signals (poss signal, poss running, ground). I do not have a pic. I have the Pod lights wired as blinkers only (poss and ground). I have the back signals wired up (poss and ground). In the back signals, they have diodes or resistors or something soldered into them. With the stock flasher relay in, everything works great, just blink rate is fast. With the after market flasher relay from motorax from motosports made for Yamaha bikes, the blinking rate is fixed, the front signals and frame sliders work perfect, but the rear signals only have 4 of the 14 led's working in each light. It is like there is not enough juice to trigger the rest of the lights.

 

[SovietRobot]

The frame sliders have a 3 wire set up just like the factory front signals do. I have them wired up just like the stock signals (poss signal, poss running, ground). I do not have a pic. I have the Pod lights wired as blinkers only (poss and ground). I have the back signals wired up (poss and ground). In the back signals, they have diodes or resistors or something soldered into them. With the stock flasher relay in, everything works great, just blink rate is fast. With the after market flasher relay from motorax from motosports made for Yamaha bikes, the blinking rate is fixed, the front signals and frame sliders work perfect, but the rear signals only have 4 of the 14 led's working in each light. It is like there is not enough juice to trigger the rest of the lights.

Try this: Disconnect the podlights from the system, but keep the aftermarket flasher relay and all other signals connected.
If it works perfectly like that, then you need some resistors before the podlights.

On your rear signals, are the resistors or diodes on the leds themselves, or on the wires? If they're not on the wires, they're most likely NOT resistors.
I haven't seen any rear turn signals that came with them.

 

[Mississippi]

Gotcha, I will give it a try tonight.

 

[Mississippi]

Try this: Disconnect the podlights from the system, but keep the aftermarket flasher relay and all other signals connected.
If it works perfectly like that, then you need some resistors before the podlights.

On your rear signals, are the resistors or diodes on the leds themselves, or on the wires? If they're not on the wires, they're most likely NOT resistors.
I haven't seen any rear turn signals that came with them.

Well, unplugging the pod lights did not fix it. The front works fine with the new flasher relay, so I am now thinking that there is something wrong with the rear signals. It appears they need more juice than what the after market flasher relay allows.

 

[SovietRobot]

For that to be the case, your rear signals would have to be halogens. The flasher relay regulates the flash rate, it shouldn't regulate power. Most aftermarket relays can handle between 0.05A and 10A.

 

[Mississippi]

I think what I am going to do is diconnect the frame sliders and pod lights, and see what that does to the rear signals with the new and old flasher relay. If it works then add the pod lights, then last the sliders. Process of elimination is all that I can see that I have left.