Anyone Add More Lighting?

[dlaing]

I'm more concerned that whenever I turn on the flasher, it starts in "off" mode, so the first flash is delayed more than a second (that's 30 meters at Moderate Speed[tm]). It's a bad thing as I tend to turn on the flasher pretty late. I can't understand how a guy who does this for a living has come up with this crappy design. I'm searching for a replacement flasher relay that will start its work with a flash, not a delay. In my head this is obvious. Maybe I'll do some running light when I'm at it. I will keep you informed.

Yah that delay bugs me too!!! It should be more of a safety concern than running lights.Let us know if you find a faster acting flasher.

[Skeeve]

I'm more concerned that whenever I turn on the flasher, it starts in "off" mode, so the first flash is delayed more than a second (that's 30 meters at Moderate Speed[tm]). It's a bad thing as I tend to turn on the flasher pretty late. I can't understand how a guy who does this for a living has come up with this crappy design. I'm searching for a replacement flasher relay that will start its work with a flash, not a delay. In my head this is obvious. Maybe I'll do some running light when I'm at it. I will keep you informed.

 

Isn't a flasher just a fancy name for a special relay w/ a capacitor across two poles? Can't the lead be moved from a "normally open" pole to a "normally closed" one to give us the [clearly obvious choice] of having the turn-signal light immediately & then flash?

 

At any rate, I though flashers were pretty much self-contained, fairly plug&play additions to an electrical circuit; shouldn't it be straightforward to find an alternate that works correctly from some other brand/source?

 

Don't mind me, I don't know nuffin' about the magic smoke, I just like to look at the twinkling lights...

[Guest Gary Cheek]

The common flasher has a lot more in common with a self re-setting circuit breaker. It is possible to make a flasher as you describe with a Resistance/Capacitor time constant operating a relay coil. Much like the "electronic" flashers do. Some of these use a simple IC timer controlled by an R/C time constant.

[callison]

Isn't a flasher just a fancy name for a special relay w/ a capacitor across two poles? Can't the lead be moved from a "normally open" pole to a "normally closed" one to give us the [clearly obvious choice] of having the turn-signal light immediately & then flash?

 

At any rate, I though flashers were pretty much self-contained, fairly plug&play additions to an electrical circuit; shouldn't it be straightforward to find an alternate that works correctly from some other brand/source?

 

Don't mind me, I don't know nuffin' about the magic smoke, I just like to look at the twinkling lights...

 

The cheapo flasher bulb in a string of Christmas tree lights has exactly the same mechanism as a typical automotive flasher - a bi-metallic element that opens and closes the circuit in response to a load in series with it.

[Guest Gary Cheek]

The cheapo flasher bulb in a string of Christmas tree lights has exactly the same mechanism as a typical automotive flasher - a bi-metallic element that opens and closes the circuit in response to a load in series with it.

 

...............Which is the same as self re-setting circuit breakers used in vehicular electrical systems

[callison]

...............Which is the same as self re-setting circuit breakers used in vehicular electrical systems

 

Would you believe I've never seen as self-resetting circuit breaker?

[dlaing]

Would you believe I've never seen as self-resetting circuit breaker?

I had heard of them but never new what was what, until I looked this up:

TYPE I - Automatic Reset:Cycles back on after overload, continuously

TYPE II - Modified Reset; Non-cycling, breaker remains off after tripping until power is removed, resets when power is turned back on

TYPE III - Manual Reset; Remains off until button is pushed to reset

[raz]

At any rate, I though flashers were pretty much self-contained, fairly plug&play additions to an electrical circuit; shouldn't it be straightforward to find an alternate that works correctly from some other brand/source?

 

Don't mind me, I don't know nuffin' about the magic smoke, I just like to look at the twinkling lights...

It's probably pretty easy to find a suitable one. But it should be a type that doesn't care if the load is 20W or 40W. I think most cars have a separate emergency flasher relay.

The other problem is that I absolutely want one that just fits the same connector. Don't ask me why, I can't really motivate it

[morini]

I have approached this problem differently by replacing the whole light. Back in the 80's I used to use a Cibie Z beam on my 900ss bevel drive Ducati which was fantastic with a 60/100 watt bulb. I did a number of 1000km overnight trips and can safely say that even at 140 to 150km/hr the high beam was pretty effective. On my Ballabio I have changed the standard unit over to a brand new Cibie QI with the same 60/100 bulb. It works for me when your having to dodge skippies out in the scrub.

Chris Morison

[raz]

I'm more concerned that whenever I turn on the flasher, it starts in "off" mode, so the first flash is delayed more than a second (that's 30 meters at Moderate Speed[tm]). It's a bad thing as I tend to turn on the flasher pretty late. I can't understand how a guy who does this for a living has come up with this crappy design. I'm searching for a replacement flasher relay that will start its work with a flash, not a delay. In my head this is obvious. Maybe I'll do some running light when I'm at it. I will keep you informed.

Yah that delay bugs me too!!! It should be more of a safety concern than running lights.Let us know if you find a faster acting flasher.

I found a replacement that fits physically and with about the right spec. i.e. "10Wx2+3.4W". Bought it in a jap bike store for about € 10. Unfortunately it didn't work out of the box because this one depends on polarity (the original does not) and of course Guzzi wired the socket the wrong way (if there is a 50% chance of something being bad, the chance it is the case this time approaches 100%). I will swallow my pride and rewire the socket as I expect this relay to conform to some standard.

Apart from that issue it works as I want to, immediate flash when activated. It's called FZ-222SD.

Haven't tried hazard flasher yet because my Sporti is still in pieces. Apparently it is really hard to remove a broken exhaust stud

BTW, the sympthom of incorrect polarity is that the turn signals lights up and never go off. Try before rewiring, there could very well be differences between Guzzi harnesses.

 

Edit: Googling FZ-222SD reveals Suzuki, Yamaha YJ50RN and Aprilia RS 125 among other stuff

[Crooz]

I have seen a few bikes on Ebay ect.. that added Piaa driving lights to the fork or front frame area... looked pretty good too. That's the only way your going to significantly increase your lighting!!!

I mounted some Hella's to my Touring Bike and WOW you can believe how much light I have now! Better than any car I ever owned. I own the nighttime now!

[dlaing]

I love posting the before and after of rewiring with relays

Not quite as bright as adding a hundred watts of fine driving lights, but easier on the charging system. I am hoping some good LED driving lights will become available and won't be too expensive. Perhaps 2 sets of 5-10 Luxeon Star III LEDs in a couple of appealling lamp housings.

[raz]

I found a replacement that fits physically and with about the right spec. i.e. "10Wx2+3.4W". Bought it in a jap bike store for about € 10. Unfortunately it didn't work out of the box because this one depends on polarity (the original does not) and of course Guzzi wired the socket the wrong way (if there is a 50% chance of something being bad, the chance it is the case this time approaches 100%). I will swallow my pride and rewire the socket as I expect this relay to conform to some standard.

Apart from that issue it works as I want to, immediate flash when activated. It's called FZ-222SD.

Haven't tried hazard flasher yet because my Sporti is still in pieces. Apparently it is really hard to remove a broken exhaust stud

BTW, the sympthom of incorrect polarity is that the turn signals lights up and never go off. Try before rewiring, there could very well be differences between Guzzi harnesses.

 

Edit: Googling FZ-222SD reveals Suzuki, Yamaha YJ50RN and Aprilia RS 125 among other stuff

FWIW the relay works fine with hazard flasher too, as well as with only one bulb in case one is broken. I managed to pry open the relay socket and reverse the polarity just by moving stuff around. Some of you will regard this a BS fix. I think it may just save my life without me even knowing about it.

[dlaing]

I managed to pry open the relay socket and reverse the polarity just by moving stuff around. Some of you will regard this a BS fix.

Very Clever!

I nominate you for Bodge Point