Signal indicators

[Art]

Nobody wants to be that guy going down the road with signals flashing. I have seen someone build an auto cancelling system using numerous sensors and microprocessors. I can solder LEDs.

This is a problem for those who have installed LED signals. The stock indicator lamp will not work. Whoever installed the leds on my bike must have had a great memory, which didn't come with the bike.

I'm experimenting with a super thin row of 8 leds that will sit on top of the panel. At some point I remembered that somewhere on this forum this problem was probably solved 15 years ago.

[MartyNZ]

When I fitted LED indicator lamps, I needed an electronic flasher, since the current draw was too low to make the original flasher work. Then I found that the indicators on both sides flashed at the same time. Evidently the dash indicator light was providing a ground return through the other side lamps.  I had to rewire the dash light as shown in the pics.

EDIT: The final version has 18,000 mcd (millicandela) LEDs with 360Ω resistors.

[Art]

Thanks for the diagram. I'm basically doing the same, with 4 leds for left and 4 for right.

I'm impressed you got it to fit in the original location.

[MartyNZ]

6 minutes ago, Art said:

I'm impressed you got it to fit in the original location.

I filed off a lot of the encapsulating resin of square LEDs to make them fit.

[p6x]

19 hours ago, Art said:

Nobody wants to be that guy going down the road with signals flashing.

Here, it is actually the opposite; sadly.... the new normal is to never signal, or to signal too late.

When I see a turn indicator flashing, however rarely, it is because it was forgotten on. True, it is difficult to have your phone in one hand, and signaling at the same time when you only have one hand for the steering wheel.

Hopefully, when all cars will be driving themselves autonomously, the situation may improve.

At least we are certain motorcycles will never be able to!!!

 

[cowtownchemist]

Has anyone tried an inline resistors with the LED turn signals to regulate the flashing?  I am contemplating this upgrade and have a few of these laying around.

https://www.af1racing.com/OXOF374-Resistor-Pair

 

 

[Art]

I believe those resistor pairs will allow the use of the stock mechanical flasher. They have since started to make digital flashers that cost less than the resistors.

The resistor pairs will not solve the indicator lamp problem. You need two indicator lamps, one for each side. I kind of like the ones installed in mirrors, some place I'll see them.

[Tomchri]

All I did was buying some cheap   relays for led lights,  even adjustment for rate.  Was it 10$ for 5, so how will they last ?

Cheers Tom.

[Art]

Using the MartyNZ wiring diagram I was able to use a single super bright white led for each side, and fit them in the proper place.

[MartyNZ]

Just a comment about using a white LED behind a green dash panel lens. I believe that you would get a brighter and more noticeable dash indication if you use a green LED instead of white.

A green lens filters out all visible light except green. Only green can pass through, and the rest is absorbed.

So, all the light from a green LED passes through the lens with no loss, because it is only green emission. LEDs have a very narrow light emission spectrum (except white LEDs).

Your white LEDs are most likely blue or UV LEDs with a phosphor over the emitter surface which glows (sort of bluish) white. Then only some of this white light can pass through the lens, assuming that the bluish white light has some green component to its output. 

There are two losses in this. 1/ Blue to white conversion inside the LED, and 2/ white filtered by the dash panel lens, to leave only green. This means that a white LED will be dim compared to a green LED when viewed through a green dashboard lens.

The same logic applies to red taillight LEDs (better than white LEDs), and amber indicator lights (better than white LEDs). 

EDIT

If those white superbrights are bright enough when installed, then ignore what I wrote above.

[Speedfrog]

Thank you for that explanation @MartyNZ 

I became aware of this when I first started to install LED emergency exit sign in commercial spaces. They come with interchangeable lenses in a 2 color option, red and green to satisfy specific code requirements by local jurisdictions. They are built with a double set of LEDs, you guessed it, one red and one green, controlled by a micro switch to allow matching the LED color to the chosen lens and optimize the light output through that colored lens.

[Art]

MartyNZ is correct about white Leds. The 2 small arrows are too small a surface to get much light through.

I went with my original plan, which is very easy to see, even in sunlight.