LED indicators?

[cfxjason]

hey guys and girls i just bought some nice n small led indicators for my drz400sm, but they seem to flash a bit faster,will this be a problem for WOFs if so how do i fix it.....cheers

[AllanB]

You will need either a electronic flasher relay that will run the LED's (ebay or I believe JACAR may stock) or resisters that mount inline with the LED turn signals to slow down the blink rate. Bike shops should have these or be able to order them.

[cfxjason]

cheers fella

[Laava]

Go to supercheap and get a tridon hd12 indicator relay

[neels]

If the 400SM flasher unit is the same as the 400E, then it's part of a box that does other stuff as well, so the options are bugger around with the wiring to stick another flasher unit in, or hide some resistors somewhere to increase the current draw and make it flash properly.

And yes it could be a problem for a WOF, I got failed when I had lower wattage bulbs in my indicators and they flashed too fast.

[Ed Bear of Canada]

In the old days, flashers were thermal; the current would heat a bi-metal bar that would bend away from a contact, cool down, reconnect and repeat. These were cheap and simple, but if a bulb was broken they would flash very slowly, often being missed by other drivers who didn't look long enough to catch a flash.

So they switched either to reverse-contact ones (where the flasher was on when the current in the bar was off) or, mostly now, to electronic ones. These flash faster when there's a bulb out, so you know there's something wrong but other drivers see the flashing.

Since LED lights draw less current, they cause faster flashing, too. This really isn't a problem usually.

If you add resistors or bulbs to draw more current, you lose the low-drain advantage of the bulbs, so it's not really a good solution.

You need a special LED relay. Don't worry if your bike has a complex box - just disconnect the indicator and control wires and connect them to the new relay, with a new ground. The existing circuits should work just fine.

But my experience tells me the new LED bulbs aren't ready for prime time yet. I tested several generations of them, liking the look and low power and ruggedness, but found they were barely bright enough on-axis and woefully inadequate when seen from adjacent lanes or cross streets. Keep testing them until they work well enough.

Then worry about the relays.

ED BEAR<<(+*+)>>
(SASK//proved)

[Erelyes]

Agree, EdBear. I think....

1) Get LEDs the colour you need - don't just stick white behind an orange lens.

2) Almost anything based on the traiditional globe LEDs will be pants. SMD is a mix and match at the mo, the 'towers' seem average, some of the high-power ones look good.

3) If you go too low wattage they'll be pants. I saw 0.5w indicators and 1w indicators at Supercheap - neither actually mentioned current draw on the box, had to read the lens. I wouldn't go less than 1.5w for indicators.

4) There simply hasn't been the R&D by the aftermarket makers (selling a few hundred or so pairs per manufacturer I'd bet) to make 'em work properly. They seem like thrown-together designs where they identify the price they wanna sell at and the profit they wanna make, and design from there.