Load Equalizer for Front Turn Signals

[awsmsrv]

Can anyone help me with this? I've replaced my rear turn signals with LED clusters & installed a load equalizer to correct the flash rate. Yesterday I replaced the front running/turn lights with LED clusters as well, but after installing another load equalizer to keep the flash rate correct, the flash rate is double what it should be. Is there a specific location I need to put the load equalizer? Does it need to be somewhere inside the fairing?

 

The first one is on the rear side of the harness under the seat. I put the other one on the other side of the harness, but it doesn't work there. I'm obviously not putting it in the right place. Any help with solving this is deeply appreciated. Thanks.

[Condor]

Buddyrich is the one to talk to on this one. I don't think he has a tungston bulb left on his scoot.... MOF I think he's posted before about using inline resisters??

[BuddyRich]

You should only need 1 equalizer. Try removing the second one you installed.

Does the equalizer have a rating on it?

[awsmsrv]

You should only need 1 equalizer. Try removing the second one you installed.

Does the equalizer have a rating on it?

It's a 4 ohm equalizer. I'll try removing the second one. Thanks.

[awsmsrv]

You should only need 1 equalizer. Try removing the second one you installed.

Does the equalizer have a rating on it?

I took the 2nd load equalizer off & still the flash rate is double the norm.

At a loss here.

[BuddyRich]

Sounds like you need a heavy duty load equalizer. What make are you using?

 

Another thing that I use is a 12 ohm 20 watt resistor tied to the rear blinkers.

1 resistor per side tied to the blinker wire and ground. Your.

 

You not using a run/turn and brake adapter are you?

[Tartan Terror]

Make your life much easier. Order 2 new flasher relays from Custom Dynamics. one for the flasher relay and one for the Hazard Relay. On the Flasher relay which is under the Right side battery cover all you have to do is follow the instructions on the web site. For the Hazard relay just plug it right in. It is inside the front fairing on the right side of the radio. These flasher relays act as the equalizer as well as the relay and eliminates the need to hack your harness. They just plug in. I have this done on my bike and they work great.

http://www.customdynamics.com/trick_flasher.htm#Standard_DOT_Flasher

[awsmsrv]

Sounds like you need a heavy duty load equalizer. What make are you using?

 

Another thing that I use is a 12 ohm 20 watt resistor tied to the rear blinkers.

1 resistor per side tied to the blinker wire and ground. Your.

 

You not using a run/turn and brake adapter are you?

No adapter. Wouldn't a 2nd 4-ohm equalizer be like 1 8-ohm equalizer? Shouldn't that be enough? Hey, you're starting to get into stuff I know nothing about now. Is a resistor the same thing as an equalizer? Might be gettin' in over my head now.

[BuddyRich]

Yes, a resistor is a load equalizer. Problem is if you put 2 loads going to ground they are not additive. With 2, 4 ohms resistor/load eqoualizers tied to ground you now have a 2 ohm load which is almost a short. May want to do what Scott said.

[awsmsrv]

Make your life much easier. Order 2 new flasher relays from Custom Dynamics. one for the flasher relay and one for the Hazard Relay. On the Flasher relay which is under the Right side battery cover all you have to do is follow the instructions on the web site. For the Hazard relay just plug it right in. It is inside the front fairing on the right side of the radio. These flasher relays act as the equalizer as well as the relay and eliminates the need to hack your harness. They just plug in. I have this done on my bike and they work great.

http://www.customdynamics.com/trick_flasher.htm#Standard_DOT_Flasher

If I were to do this, would I lose the self cancelling feature of the turn signals?

[BuddyRich]

That's a good question. Scott, your self-cancelling still work?

[Tartan Terror]

That is a good question! I dont think so. On my other bike I didnt have a canceller so I always turn it off manually. I dot think it does work but I prefer not to hack my wiring so I will stick with this. Also I think Custom Dyanmic has something for that too.

[awsmsrv]

Make your life much easier. Order 2 new flasher relays from Custom Dynamics. one for the flasher relay and one for the Hazard Relay. On the Flasher relay which is under the Right side battery cover all you have to do is follow the instructions on the web site. For the Hazard relay just plug it right in. It is inside the front fairing on the right side of the radio. These flasher relays act as the equalizer as well as the relay and eliminates the need to hack your harness. They just plug in. I have this done on my bike and they work great.

http://www.customdynamics.com/trick_flasher.htm#Standard_DOT_Flasher

Is this the hazard relay you're talking about? http://www.customdynamics.com/motorcycle_4_way_hazard_kit.htm. It says that it has an independent switch. Is this difficult to install?

[V7Goose]

Instead of trying to help you solve the flash rate, I thought I'd ask why you are even messing with it?

 

I use a lot of LEDs on my bike; in fact, I much prefer them to normal lights for just about any added lighting. But not for the existing turn signals.

 

The main reason why most of us even look at LEDs is to add lights without increasing the load on the charging system. Converting existing running lights or brake lights will also reduce the total electrical load, so those conversions make sense. But not with turn signals.

 

To make the existing turn signal circuit flash at the same rate, you need to add shunt resistors to cause all the electricity that WAS being used by the old lights to be wasted going to ground; therefore, you are not reducing the electrical load on your bike the least little bit (I'm deliberately ignoring the dual-filament bulbs in the front).

 

Sooooo, if you are not gaining anything by reducing the electrical load on your charging system, why waste your time and money messing with it?

Goose

(All contrarian views expressed are free, and they DO reflect the opinion of the author!)

[awsmsrv]

Instead of trying to help you solve the flash rate, I thought I'd ask why you are even messing with it?

 

I use a lot of LEDs on my bike; in fact, I much prefer them to normal lights for just about any added lighting. But not for the existing turn signals.

 

The main reason why most of us even look at LEDs is to add lights without increasing the load on the charging system. Converting existing running lights or brake lights will also reduce the total electrical load, so those conversions make sense. But not with turn signals.

 

To make the existing turn signal circuit flash at the same rate, you need to add shunt resistors to cause all the electricity that WAS being used by the old lights to be wasted going to ground; therefore, you are not reducing the electrical load on your bike the least little bit (I'm deliberately ignoring the dual-filament bulbs in the front).

 

Sooooo, if you are not gaining anything by reducing the electrical load on your charging system, why waste your time and money messing with it?

Goose

(All contrarian views expressed are free, and they DO reflect the opinion of the author!)

Are you saying even the special relays, i.e., hazards & flashers, are still using the same amount of current? BTW, I have also changed my tail/brake light to LED, partly because of less current & partly because they react quicker to the current & partly because they appear brighter anyway.

 

So, what about the dual-filament bulbs in the front? That seems to be where my problem is coming from.

[Tartan Terror]

Are you saying even the special relays, i.e., hazards & flashers, are still using the same amount of current? BTW, I have also changed my tail/brake light to LED, partly because of less current & partly because they react quicker to the current & partly because they appear brighter anyway.

 

So, what about the dual-filament bulbs in the front? That seems to be where my problem is coming from.

No they arent using the same amount of current. If you put the equalizer in they are because it fools the curcuit into thinking there is the same load. Thats why they say dont use the flasher if you have and equalizer in there. The relays that I posted are set up differently. they are not Solid State and are not affected by load. Buddy is right you loose you self canceller but that is acceptable I think. You only need the relay I posted for the Hazards. Not the kit you posted as the bike already has hazards. just plug the relay in and they will work too and not over heat. This is how my bike is currently set up and working fine. I prefer the LEDS also as they are brighter and resistent to failing. Better to have thirty small bulbs than one that can go out. Imagine if your taillight bulg burns out and you have no other light on the bike. LED all the way.

 

Just my opinion!

[awsmsrv]

No they arent using the same amount of current. If you put the equalizer in they are because it fools the curcuit into thinking there is the same load. Thats why they say dont use the flasher if you have and equalizer in there. The relays that I posted are set up differently. they are not Solid State and are not affected by load. Buddy is right you loose you self canceller but that is acceptable I think. You only need the relay I posted for the Hazards. Not the kit you posted as the bike already has hazards. just plug the relay in and they will work too and not over heat. This is how my bike is currently set up and working fine. I prefer the LEDS also as they are brighter and resistent to failing. Better to have thirty small bulbs than one that can go out. Imagine if your taillight bulg burns out and you have no other light on the bike. LED all the way.

 

Just my opinion!

OK, I just want to understand everything here. The flasher you're referring to is the Standard DOT Flasher that Custom Dynamics carries, not the Adjustable Rate Flasher that they also carry, because the Adjustable one is solid state, so my assumption is that the Standard one is NOT solid state & with the Standard one I will be using less current. Is this correct?

[awsmsrv]

You only need the relay I posted for the Hazards. Not the kit you posted as the bike already has hazards.

This part confuses me. Please clarify. Thanks.

[Tartan Terror]

OK, I just want to understand everything here. The flasher you're referring to is the Standard DOT Flasher that Custom Dynamics carries, not the Adjustable Rate Flasher that they also carry, because the Adjustable one is solid state, so my assumption is the the Standard one is NOT solid state & with the Standard one I will be using less current. Is this correct?

Yes. With not Load you will use less power. you can use either one if you want but what is the point. The standard flash rate is the one you want. The point Im getting at is why have the extra current draw if you dont need to and why hack you harness. Definite benefit to the LEDs thought for safety and look.

[awsmsrv]

Thanks, Scott, Kent & Buddy. I've learned a few things here today. This place is great. Of course, it does make me spend too much money, though.

[Tartan Terror]

Thanks, Scott, Kent & Buddy. I've learned a few things here today. This place is great. Of course, it does make me spend too much money, though.

 

 

Yeah me too but its all good!!!

[BuddyRich]

What's money???

I'm married AND have a bike....

[Crash]

I have changed ALL my bulbs and even added more including LED mirrors as run/turn signals. My dealer installed 2-3 load equalizers and everthing works correctly. Regular speed turn signal flashing and the auto cancel works. The egualizers are from Kuryakyn and I believe wired in series.

[BuddyRich]

One other thing to consider here. I have all leds. The flash rate is fast. But it works very well with the leds. The reason for the slower flash rate on incandesent bulbs is the time it takes the bulb to reach full brightness. About 1/4 of a sec. then another 1/4 of a second for it to cool/dim. Hence the 1 second/50% duty cycle. An LED reachs full brightness in microseconds.

[V7Goose]

Yes. With not Load you will use less power. you can use either one if you want but what is the point. The standard flash rate is the one you want. The point Im getting at is why have the extra current draw if you dont need to and why hack you harness. Definite benefit to the LEDs thought for safety and look.

Not trying to disagree with anyone's personal preferences here - just expressing my own thoughts . . .

 

I agree in the choice to replace brake lights and running lights with LEDs. but ONLY if you find ones that work appropriately with an incandescent fixture and lens. This is a totally separate subject that I won't take the time for here, but the majority of LED bulbs will NOT work appropriately as replacements for normal bulbs in existing lights.

 

It is possible to replace flashers with units that are designed to work specifically with the low draw of LEDs (as already described in other posts). If you do this and do not use anything described a load balancers, resistors, etc., then you will be saving electrical load for the very small amount of time that the flashers are actually flashing. And that is all. I personally do not see the benefit of this, even if my bike is running close to the limit. Since the flashing lights have roughly a 50% duty cycle, even if those two bulbs (four in the case of 4-way flashers that are even used LESS often) put me over the max charging current when they are on, the time they are off should more than compensate for the battery drain. The total current drain from just two flasher bulbs is fairly minuscule in the grand scheme of things. Then when I factor in the problems with the computer circuits that provide the auto cancel function, if I loose that feature than I have lost something valuable to me while gaining nothing of value. And on top of all that you still have the problem of the correct light pattern when replacing normal bulbs with LEDs.

 

CAUTION: even more personal opinion follows:

Yes, LED bulbs do last MUCH longer than normal bulbs, but considering the price difference and normal long life of standard 1156 and 1157 bulbs, you will never save more than you spend.

 

Yes, LEDs do technically light up a few milliseconds faster than incandescent bulbs. MAYBE in a brake light this provides a margin of safety; although, that is debatable. I absolutely deny any possibility that the turn signal lighting up a few milliseconds faster on each flash can have any possible safety value. None. Nada. Zip Zilch. No way.

 

Unfortunately, the dual filament 1157 bulbs in the front don't have a good solution. Since the smaller wattage filament is on all the time as a running light, you could save this very small amount of electrical load by switching to LEDs, but all of the other concerns above then come back into play. There is no option that I know of where you can change just one filament of an 1157 bulb to LED and not the other. The closest thing here is to use a replacement LED and the load balancing resistors on the flasher circuit. Still not enough benefit in my eyes to be worth the expense or effort. Just two small running lights is not going to make a real difference in the charging system.

 

So, for those that have a personal preference to make the change, great - go for it. Just 'cause I wouldn't do it is no reason for you not to. I just want to try to help folks understand what is really going on so they don't do this for the wrong reasons. Good luck all,

Goose