I just installed some LED indicators but they don't flash. If I pull out the idiot bulb then they flash but the LED's stay on in-between flashes, they're just dim. I am using the flasher relay that was included with the set that I bought. How can I get them to flash with the idiot bulb installed aswell?

Cheers

The idiot light uses electrical principles to work,

It uses the opposite side to that which is flashing as the earth, this works because the remaining current left in the circuit after the bulb is not sufficient to light the bulbs in the circuit but they work fine as an earth for the idiot light. Crucially the LED's will quite happily light on the power left in the circuit.

Std indicators will pull, 21w x 2. divide by 12 dives roughly 2amps. So you need a minimum of 2A to run normal indicators, no surprise the un selected side stays dark on the negative side of the idiot light (5w, uses maybe 0.3A)

The led's want mA, the 0.3A will run the LED's easily.

You need to modify the system slightly, (there may be something sold by the LED people for this, hardly an uncommon issue). OR, fit diodes in the feeds to the idiot light, connect both of these to the + side of the idiot light and earth the other side. Or fit a second idiot light. Or disconnect the idiot light till the mot then put the indicator system back to std for the mot man.

Edited July 29, 20159 yr by Cynic

fit diodes in the feeds to the idiot light, connect both of these to the + side of the idiot light and earth the other side

I've got some 1n4001 diodes, will they be okay to use. They're 1A 50V.

Cheers

Should be, 50Va may cover it. Idiot light will be about 6w, at 12v that's 0.5A You will soon know if it doesent.

You need to connect the output from both diodes to the + side of the idiot light, in this case the opposite of what you choose to earth. Then connect what were the feeds to the idiot light to the diodes.

That should do it. Providing the diodes can handle it.

The last part lost me, this is what I understand to do atm:

Why does there have to be 2 diodes?

Edited July 29, 20159 yr by YAMAHA21

Because at the moment the idiot light doesent have an earth per se.

Its connected to both sides at the same time. Using the non flashing side for earth.

You need the feed to go to the bulb then to earth. So both sides of the indicator circuit need to be connected together at what you decide is the positive side of the bulb. Using the diodes makes it possible.

Then there will be no current crossover and only 1 set of indicators will light.

The other option is the resistors you fit at the indicators on the bike but for me that defeats the power saveing of having led's in the first place.

Before I start cutting things, I'm going to try swapping the idiot light for an led. I got 2 for 99p on ebay so it's worth a try first.

Are they 12v led's.

Dont forget as a temporary fix just temove the bulb.

Yes they are 12v w5w t10 led's, I know I could just remove the bulb but I like to have everything working properly.

Edited July 30, 20159 yr by YAMAHA21

As you have the LED's that are diodes anyway why not fit both in the idiot light housing. One connected to the left circuit. The other to the right.

I had this problem when I installed LED's to my DT400. The easiest thing to do is remove either the left or right feed connector to the idiot bulb. Granted, the idiot bulb only illuminates when the other side is operated, but I can live with that.

Overall it's a good conversion and to have indicators on a 6V machine that actually flash consistently at idle is a welcome change!

But that isnt a solution. Its just half as wrong.

But that isnt a solution. Its just half as wrong.

Or it's half a solution. Anyway, trying to add a digital solution to an analogue machine is never going to be entirely straightforward.

My solution involves the minimum amount of work to get a usable fix and the downside is minimal compared to the upside of clear, bright, regular flashing indicators whilst waiting at a junction to turn right (or left in other parts of the world). A glance at the left hand switch unit is enough to remind me I've left on the indicator side which doesn't operate the idiot light and saves me having to get out the soldering iron and start messing around with the headlight spaghetti.

However, for the sake of completeness, the OP should feel free to follow others suggestions.

the reason for the indicators staying half lit can also be down to the the dtr running an ac current once the bike is running and moving the indicators do not usually stay half lit i changed mine to dc current so mine flashed properly and so my digi dash worked properly 

Dont know where that comes from but its wrong.

The bike uses rectified dc  for the indicators.

 

 

 

None of the lights on my dtr worked till started as it runs on a ac current loads of posts on Google about it that's why I changed mine over 

Mind you half my wiring at the front was a mess so could possibly be that some one had wired mine wrong from the start ? But it's all on dc current now everything works from the ignition without it started so much easier 

Sorry about the thread resurrection.

I eventually gave up fixing this because the bike passed an MOT with the indicators staying dimly lit in-between flashes. But I've recently installed some nice new indicators and it's bothering again. I'm trying to understand where to put the diodes on the bike but can't figure it out. So just to refresh, the indicators will not flash when a standard bulb is installed as the idiot light and when it's removed they will flash but stay dimly lit in-between flashes. They also do this if you use an LED for the idiot light. Can someone point out on this diagram where to put the diodes? Or literally where on the bike.

I used a tester to find the positive of the idiot light but it showed up as one side being pos 12v and the other side being pos 12v flashing. So where do I earth it?

Cheers

Ok, you have hazard lights which changes things a little, the idiot light still earths through the indicators but slightly differently.

You may or may not have noticed that your idiot light flashes when the indicators go OUT. That is because the indicator warning light is fed from the same circuit as the neutral light. When the indicators are turned on the indicator relay has an earth and allows electric to flow. With 2 indicators to feed there is a nice fat earth path for the energy. With the idiot light being fed from elsewhere that also needs an earth. It gets this earth by being connected to the indicator circuit between the relay and the indicator switch.

Throw in some electrical principles (no I'm not explaining it.) and you will know that the earth the idiot light needs disappears while there is power to indicators, your light stays on dimly because the led's have nowhere near the electrical resistance of a filament lamp . Because of this lack of load from the 21w bulbs there is still enough energy through the bulb to make it come on  if even only dimly.

Your right with the fix, and reading this diagram a led will work fine, bell the idiot light again and use the 12v that is live when the indicators are turned OFF as your positive for the led and then connect the cathode to the other wire going to the relay. You should be ok with that, or fit a resistor after the bulb.

 

good luck.

There is a positive that is 12v all the time but the other side is positive 11v constant when the indicators are off and 11v flashing when the indicators are on. I connected a diode to the green wire that goes to the relay and the indicator switch while using the led as the idiot light but the back indicators are still dimly lit in-between flashes.