Badbob, need electronic advice

[Dupo]

You are a whiz at this stuff so i am calling you out!

I ordered 2 sets of aftermarket turn signals for my bike. 2 wire 20w halogen bullet signals to be exact. They will hook up fine in the rear being 2 wire. The problem is the front. Since the front has running lights as the signals, using these aftermarkets will kill my running light ability and only work as turn signals.

What i am trying to figure out, is if i can splice (make a Y adapter) from some wire to connect these aftermarkets to my original 3 wire setup. The original setup is red black yellow wire (yellow being the running lights). I know it probably wont work just making a Y splitter for the power off the signal, that would just make them stay on when you hit the turn signal (i think).

What i found was a Y splitter on scootworks.com that says you can retain your run/turn ability with LEDs using this splitter of theirs. Now i dont know what the diff would be between LEDs and any other aftermarket signal, but i think what they have in theirs is a diode on the signal part of the Y. Does this sound correct having a diode to solve the problem? I ask, because they dont specify what all makes up these Y adapters.

Pic and description of the adapter is here: http://www.scootworks.com/swcart/shop.c ... 33944.6947 (LED conversion kit)
#13-307 LED Conversion Harness - $7.55 Here's a neat way to convert OEM turn signals to LED without losing the dual functionality of the lights on Honda motorcycles. This LED Dual Conversion Harness allows LED Marker Lights to operate as running and turn signal lightsOne harness is needed for each individual light. This item is not required with Show Chrome Accessories® Conversion Kits.




What do you think? Will this work to let me keep the running light and signal ability?

[Badbob]

I'm not sure I understand what your asking.

My bikes all have a two element bulb in the front. One element burns all the time and the other flashes when the turn signal for that side is selected. Electronically speaking, this is the same thing as having two pairs of bulbs on the front. One set for turn signals and one set for running lights. The running lights are not a big deal. As long as the new running light doesn't exceed the current capacity for the circuit it will work fine.

Turn signals are another matter altogether. Traditional Flashers are current sensitive and are designed to work in a specific current range. If you draw to much current it will flash to fast or maybe burn out. If you don't draw enough they blink to slow or not at all. Many of the LED replacements for turn signals require you to add a resistor to the circuit that acts as a current sink so the turn signals will draw the proper amount of current and cycle the flasher at the desired interval. This defeats the power savings you get from installing the LEDs. There are electronic flashers but I have never seen a schematic of one and don't know how they work yet. They could just have the resistor built in. I sincerly hope this is not the case because I want to change mine to LEDs to get more power for other things such as GPS and additional lighting.

II think the Y will screw up your turn signals. If I hook up a bulb/LED to 12 volts with a wire I have 12 volts across the LED. If I hook a second 12 volt wire from the same source this is not any different than connecting one larger wire. its the same 12 volts. It doesn't add. If the Y works for LEDs there has to be more there than just wire. Also keep in mind that anything made for an LED may not handle the current from a 20 watt bulb and you'll get a smoke leak. If you let all the smoke leak out it will stop working.

This is really hard to explain without being able to draw schematics and do a little simple math.

The only way I can think of to make a single element bulb work where you now have a dual element bulb is to change the flasher so it interrupts the circuit to the running light to flash it. In this case you would not have a running light while the bulb was flashing. I don't know if they make such a thing but it is certainly possible.

[Dupo]

Well after some MORE investigating, plus your input, found out that Y splitter will definetly not work. I am just going to have to ride without running lights. Atleast for now, until i figure out a different setup or get myself a light bar.

[Badbob]

Maybe you could add an extra set of lights?

[Dupo]

I was thinking that too, not sure that 4 lights up front would look all that great. I am probably going to go with a 'naked' light bar and just add my own lights to it. Possibly some small driving lights with amber/yellow lenses with the signals mounted under them. That should do the trick.

OR just sell these and get LED like i should have done in the first place lol.

[Badbob]

I like the light bar idea. The more light on the front the better.