LED turn signal conversion problem

[po18guy]

I bought five Made in Corona adjustable two wire LED flashers and so far, so good. The problem is finding BAU15S LED bulbs which survive the V11's, um…heartbeat. 

[po18guy]

Here are the bulbs I use in front (so far). Zero problems and really bright, as the projector beam points straight forward. No vibe problems, and not terribly pricey at $8.50 US per bulb.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B075Q9RGZW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Kiwi_Roy]

On 4/2/2020 at 9:31 PM, Lucky Phil said:

So Roy if you use a 3 wire flasher you wont need to do any wiring mods?

Ciao

We are talking VII? no, just the ground for the flasher.

Some of the more modern Guzzis don't have a flasher at all instead they have 4 dedicated outputs from the dash.

I helped a guy with a Griso, his LEDs were still glowing even with the key out and he could measure 8 Volts across the lamp. I have a Griso so I checked into it, I don't have LED lamps but I stuck a couple in to try.

It turns out that the dash checks for a burnt out lamp, it tries to pull the output toward +12V to the tune of 40 microamps even when the ignition is off.

If the key is turned On and the output goes higher than 3.2 Volts which it will do if a lamp is burnt out the dash displays a picture of a lamp and the red triangle is illuminated. Some LEDs have a high forward bias that may cause the alarm, the Griso owner measured 8 Volts, this probably has several elements in series, The LEDs I have had 19 elements in parallel and the forward bias was only 1.97 Volts and operated without a problem.

Simply adding a 1K 1/4 Watt resistor across the lamp is enough to keep the Voltage down when not operating, the resistor should ideally be at the end of line across the lamp. Soldered across the lamp holder is probably the best you can do.

The V7 range have a different arrangement based on measuring the lamp current, i'm guessing you need a shunt resistor to run LEDs in this bike.

[Gmc28]

i'll look more at the other threads on this, but takeaway seems to be that the flasher unit is the ticket for the LED turn signals?  is there a tried-and-true flasher unit folks have come to like? 

was looking at that conversion for a long time for the V11's, as i'm personally not a fan of what i'll call the "ugly" (ya, eye of the beholder...) stock signals.  such a cool bike with nice lines and nifty looking instruments, then with those cheap, oversized plastic blinkers...   

But had a depressing string of events in the shop the other day, where I tipped over red (dammit!!), damaging a few things including the right front blinker, so pulled the lens from goldie, only to have the inner attachment tab break right off.  so stole one from greenie-on-the-stand just to get red back to ride-able condition (but still wounded).  Best to have never gone near the shop that day.  So all of a sudden i'm in the market for a blinker assembly and two lenses (easy, but annoying).   So figured now's the time to do the LED thing.  I Like the Revival and Rizoma options, so will just work out the flasher unit i need, and then pay too much for some slightly upgraded bling.

[Gmc28]

bump...

[docc]

1 hour ago, Gmc28 said:

bump...

Okay, I'll bite . . .

I changed to an LED dedicated electronic flasher unit, but can still only run LED at the rear, incandescent in the front (or vv) to avoid having all four flash.

This is an issue with the early V11 (through 2002?) that have one turn signal indicator and a battery/"charging" light. This set-up requires the resistor(s?) be installed on the indicator light on the dash to allow left/right turn signals.

Later V11 deleted the battery/"charging" light and introduced a left and right turn signal indicators.  Perhaps this arrangement does not require the resistors, but the rate of flashing still benefits from an electronic "LED" flasher unit?

[Scud]

I've got LEDs in the rear of my Scura with the stugly (stock/ugly) indicators up front. Would be fun to go all LED with stealthy units up front. Please share whatever you end up using. Scura has the single indicator on the dash. Would like to go LED on my Nero Corsa as well, and that has both left and right indicators on the dash. Sounds like four LEDs are easier to do on the later models.

[Gmc28]

Gotcha - thx all.

is there a preferred flasher unit folks are preferring, or are they all about the same? 

[footgoose]

led rear

 

Here's incandescent fronts (next to stock) I used that I had on another bike (ebay) till I figured out the flasher dilemma. Got used to them and just left them.

 

the led's had come off my parts bike and didn't think to look how they were wired. It had 2 up front like the rear. I went back and checked the wiring harness and found a little wire was added that 'could' have gone into the dash. I've deduced it likely was the Kiwi Roy solution, which was to add a wire to a dash indicator bulb??? allowing all 4 to flash normally. I was afraid to try it without youtube video instructions. So there I am. All works, just no led fronts.

 

[footgoose]

2 minutes ago, Gmc28 said:

Gotcha - thx all.

is there a preferred flasher unit folks are preferring, or are they all about the same? 

I got an adjustable flasher thinking I might accidentally figure it out. not.

[docc]

The special flasher is just for the blinking speed that goes faster with the lower resistance LEDs. Yet, does not solve the connection through the single turn signal indicator of the earlier V11 (turning them into "4-way flashers").

Is this still an issue with the later V11 with both left and right turn signal indicators in the "dash?"

[Gmc28]

7 minutes ago, docc said:

The special flasher is just for the blinking speed that goes faster with the lower resistance LEDs. Yet, does not solve the connection through the single turn signal indicator of the earlier V11 (turning them into "4-way flashers").

Is this still an issue with the later V11 with both left and right turn signal indicators in the "dash?"

Makes sense.  So the resistors like i have on my other older bikes for the LED’s may or may not help, but the flasher unit addresses the speed of the flash.  I’m fine with idea of a good set of LED’s paired up with a decent looking set of incandescents like what footgoose shows. 

I’m assuming my 2002’s will have the “old” set up you’re speaking of, but I’ll check.  For sure the greenie will. 

[footgoose]

13 minutes ago, docc said:

Is this still an issue with the later V11 with both left and right turn signal indicators in the "dash?"

my 2002 has the "issue". Now you mention it the bike my led setup came from was a 2003. It did have a non stock flasher iirc, I'll have a dig around for it. I recall trying it on my '02 but it didn't solve the problem. seems like I tried a few claiming to be for led.

[Gmc28]

Has anyone found an incandescent signal replacement that looks like something from Rizoma?  So far looks like all the Rizoma stuff is LED, but I’m still looking.  I may convert 2 to LED, then look for a matching, or nearly matching set of non-LED’s to complete the set, and call that a good band-aid solution. 

[Gmc28]

23 hours ago, Gmc28 said:

Has anyone found an incandescent signal replacement that looks like something from Rizoma?  So far looks like all the Rizoma stuff is LED, but I’m still looking.  I may convert 2 to LED, then look for a matching, or nearly matching set of non-LED’s to complete the set, and call that a good band-aid solution. 

Rizoma responded to my inquiry saying they don’t have any incandescents.   So wouldn’t be from them.  I’ll order a singe set of LED’s for now.