$5 - front turn signals into turn signals/running lights

xjwmx

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Here's how to easily convert your front turn signals into turn signals/running lights. The front signals will normally be on and will blink -off- to signal. The rear signals will operate normally. Awesome yo.

The stock signal bulb is 27W, meaning the flasher circuit can easily supply the current to operate a small relay with a pair of normally closed contacts.

This describes how to modify one side; duplicate for the other side. Inside the headlight bucket break the wire that goes through the threaded turn signal mounting tube. Connect the end that goes to the bulb to one of the normally closed contacts on the relay. Connect the other end of the cut wire to one side of the relay coil. Connect the other side of the coil to ground. Connect the other normally closed contact to +12. A convenient place to get +12 would be inside the headlight bucket at the brown wire coming from the ignition switch - however one diagram shows the wire not being fused at that point. One place near the front of the bike where it is fused is at the horn. The brown wire there is +12 as long as the ignition is on. If you use the blue wire at the key switch for +12, the running lights will come on when the key is in the park positon.

That's it. Easy Japaneesy. $5 or so should cover both relays. Make sure you use the "normally closed" contacts. Most 5-pin relays have them. Make sure the relay is 12V and the contacts are rated for about 3A or more.
 

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I was thinking of using a resistor between the headlight low beam wire and the turn signal wire. This way with the head light on the turn signal would be lit at about 1/2 brightness. When the turn signal lights it would be at full brightness. It's just gonna take some experimenting to find the right resister.
 
I once scolded Pete for telling ppl to remove the turn signal canceler, so maybe he doesn't like me anymore :) Pete is very good. I have a high regard for him. His solution was probably the same as this, unless he thought up a way to do it with no parts at all.

XSLeo, you can find the right resistor quick by using a cheap pot wired like a voltage divider. Twist until you have the brightness you like, measure and copy those resistances for your divider. Actually I guess the lamp itself could be one branch of the divider, so just wire the pot like a variable resistor; a middle and one outside terminal in series with the bulb.
 
I THINK a two filament turn signal from a later model XJ is the same. Or at least the socket will fit into the XS signal body. Then I guess all you have to do is wire the signal's "running " filament into the headlight circuit or whatever switched power you want. .
 
It's just a whole lot easier to replace the turn signal sockets with dual filament sockets and plug in 1157 bulbs instead of 1156, as pumps suggests.

The problem with the relay deal is burning 27 Watts X 2 = 54 Watts which is almost 4 Amps from the alternator which is straining to carry the load as it is. The electrical system normally draws about 10 Amps. The maximum output from the alternator is 15 Amps @ 5,000 RPM, so the added 4 Amps means that there will not be any reserve to charge the battery and only 1 Amp at 5,000 RPM available to charge the battery, and that's with a new alternator and brushes. The rotor will be running with maximum current all the time, so its life will be shortened.

Also, if you are running the stock flasher, it will not flash because the load from the relay is too low to satisfy the minimum current required by the flasher.

And, the bright filament in the 1156 bulb is not designed for continuous duty, so it will burn out pretty quickly.

For those with a single turn signal indicator bulb, they will have to rewire it because the resistance of the relays is too high to provide the ground needed from the lamp that is not selected.

The relays cost $5 each X 2 = $10. A dual filament socket is about $2.50 X 2 = $5. Available at your local auto parts store.
 
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I once scolded Pete for telling ppl to remove the turn signal canceler,

A little off topic but; I thought I should remind to have my name put on that bad guy list of those who recommend removal of the TSCU (turn signal canceling unit). I've found these units to be so unreliable that they are actually a hazard/danger due to the turn signals being turned off at a you don't know when moment.....waiting at a long light to make what you think is an "indicated turn"..... and failures of all sorts. Now, figure the price of a three pronged flasher OEM, the OEM TSCU if you can find it, who knows what about the speedometer reed switch and you've got a pretty pricey unreliable way to turn your turn signals off when it decides or not. Just so you can say it's "stock".....ahem & ahem.

Left thumb switches L or R ON and cancels when you push it in for OFF....Radical!

Slide over Pete, old man comin in! Blue
 
So where exactly is the turn signal canceling unit mounted on the bike? Under the gas tank? Doesn't seem to be one of those do-hickeys under the seat or the side covers. It makes me nervous when it times out and I'm still waiting for oncoming traffic to clear so I can make a left turn - I keep taking my eyes off the traffic to see if the turn signal is still blinking - not good.
 
I want to convert my front turn signals to run dual-filament sockets to get front running lights - I have sockets that I removed from some Virago front turn signals that use 1157 bulbs and fit right into the 650 turn signal housings. Problem is that there is no room for two wires in the hollow threaded rod that fastens the 650 turn signal stalk through the headlight mounting brackets and takes the wire inside the headlight bucket - the inside diameter is too small; I don't know how much it could be drilled out without weakening the threaded rod. How did you get around this, Pete?
 
aldo5458,

I used aircraft grade 22 gage wire which has an anti abrasive insulation and its overall diameter is less than automobile 22 gage wire.

I removed the two wires that came with the sockets and soldered the 22gage aircraft wire directly to the contacts on the base of the socket.

Available from:

http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/elpages/unshieldlwire.php

18 cents a foot.
 
So where exactly is the turn signal canceling unit mounted on the bike? Under the gas tank? Doesn't seem to be one of those do-hickeys under the seat or the side covers. It makes me nervous when it times out and I'm still waiting for oncoming traffic to clear so I can make a left turn - I keep taking my eyes off the traffic to see if the turn signal is still blinking - not good.

My sentiments as well.....The TSCU is a rectangular black rubber encapsulated unit which is mounted on a slide on hanging frame tab just under the top frame rail and right behind the steering column. Just wiggle it off the tab and disconnect at the six pronged connector. No new connections need be made.

You're now manual L/R ON and cancel by pushing the switch IN.....only! ie it will flash till you turn it off. Blue
 
Bikemaster's 25-4115 are dual-filament, ready-to-roll, and look the part (see cheapcycleparts.com for about $13 per signal). They don't immediately come up when you search by bike because, obviously, the XS comes with single-filament front signals. I've got these on, though, and they really do the trick. Combined with superbrightleds.com's 1157x45 and the resistance is less and the light brighter. At the end of the day I was committed for about $70, but having exactly what you want is priceless, no?
 
Do these light except the stock lenses? Here in NY and probably everywhere, on the rear if it works as a brake light then it needs a red lense.
With the dual element bulb you can easily run them as brake lights as well as turns. More lights on the rear might help traffic see you.
Leo
 
The bikemasters? Yes, they use the same 79mm lens as the stock signals. That means you can move over your red lenses or, if you don't have any, buy a couple from MikesXS (couple bucks each). Combined with a 3-in-to-2 trailer wire adapter (got mine from Curt), you've got three red running lights/three red brake lights/two red turn signals.
 
Thanks, I had the trailer light adapter just using LED's in the stock lights and they didn't work right, back fed somehow and lit the rear signals as brake lights and the front right signal too.
Leo
 
Weird...I have no explanation for that, unless it has to do with the low draw of the LEDs. Have you tried experimenting with whether that still happens if you use traditional incandescent bulbs?
 
I had it that way with the stock bulbs and everything worked fine, except the current draw was way to much. Almost stalled the bike.
Thats one of the reasons I went to LED's.
I think the adapter needs a more current draw to work right than the LED's provided.
Leo
 
If you mean turn signal cancling unit when you say TSCU then the 75's didn't have the canceling unit. That didn't come around till 78 I think.
I'm using a flasher from www.superbrightleds.com The LF1-S-Flat. It will flash just one led bulb and up to 150 watts of lights.
Leo
 
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