LED Flasher unit swap-a-roo?

[davem222]

Hey all,
Hope you're having a bracing Thursday night. I'm going to put flashers on my build and was thinking of some of those LED ones. I see in a lot of posts that the flasher relay on my 79 2F won't work for LED flashers and that I need to get an LED flasher unit (I'm assuming this is for the relay). I have a couple of questions:
1) Where can I acquire such a unit and what would a novice like me call it so as to clue them in as to what I'm talking about?
2) Is it just a simple plug in swap or do I have to wire new connections onto my wiring harness etc?
3) what part am I replacing anyways? Is it the Flasher Relay? The Flasher Cancelling Unit? The Light Checker? All of the above?

Thanks

Dave

PS: If you have a link to where someone has already addressed this and I can read up on it, please feel free to shoot it my way

 

[Ashaman]

Flasher unit. Just look for an electronic unit rather than an old-style thermal flasher and you'll probably be fine. You may need to add a transistor in the turn signal circuit to prevent backfeeding of power, but find the flasher first and go from there. Mine was less than ten bucks at Napa, for reference.

 

[davem222]

I'm thinking of using these:

http://www.torkypig.com/2008/10

 

[davem222]

Also, when you say "Flasher Unit" do you mean the "Flasher Relay" or the "Flasher Cancelling Unit"? Both are listed on my circuit diagram.

 

[Grinder]

The description of those signals says they have resistors built into them so you might try them first and see if they work with the stock flasher. the problem with led's is they have a very low resistance/amp draw so the stock flasher won't work. Some people wire resistors into the circuit which allows the led's to flash but defeats the purpose of the lower amp draw on our old charging system.

If you do need to change the flasher relay, your self cancelling feature won't work anymore. Thats not a bad thing though.

 

[cros36]

superbrightleds.com will have anything led that your looking for and usually at a decent price too. super fast shipping too.

i made this little video on some strobes that you could incorporate as well.

 

[Ashaman]

Also, when you say "Flasher Unit" do you mean the "Flasher Relay" or the "Flasher Cancelling Unit"? Both are listed on my circuit diagram.

Flasher relay. Think about it - cars don't have an "auto canceling unit", so the electric flashers you'll get are simply the flasher relay.

 

[lidirtrider]

You may want to try something like this:
http://www.customdynamics.com/loadequalizer.htm#Universal Turn Signal
Scroll down to the universal metric load eqaulizer

or this:
http://www.customdynamics.com/trick_flasher.htm This one is the first item on the page.

I have used stuff from custom dynamics in the past, with great results, and I will be using all LED lighting from them on both my cafe project and the "White Trash Bobber" build.

 

[Poverty]

this might be off topic .. IDK .. but has anyone used the stobes you can buy at autozone in the pointless shit for cars section ?

Im assuming you could easily run one up front and one in the back ( would need 2 kits for 4 turnsignals) .. they come with there own relay box are usually adjustable in speed .. they have the option to flash wigwam or same time and are simple 12v hook up and really cheap .. run the wires to your switch and everything should work

oh and there bright as shit

 

[davem222]

Wow, such great info guys, thanks

Grinder, when you say the self cancelling feature won't work anymore, what do ya mean? Bear in mind this is my first xs650 build so when I put it together and it (hopefully) starts it'll be my first time riding a bike built after 1968 lol. I don't even think I know what the flasher cancelling unit does or what the self cancelling feature is.

Dave

 

[Grinder]

The self canceling feature shuts off the turn signals automaticly after a certain time or distance traveled. Problem is they will shut off in the middle of an intersection if you have to sit there for awhile. Most guys chuck it in the trash. That is the third wire on the flasher relay. You only need the brown (switched 12V) and the brown/white (goes up to the bar switch). You can then use a two terminal flasher.

 

[davem222]

Wow, awesome. Thanks.

Dave

 

[claytronofrio]

I deleted my flasher canceling unit and bought a 3 prong electronic flasher from vato zone... Would I just ignore the third prong?

 

[pregrid]

Here ya go. This is what you need

http://www.superbrightleds.com/more...versal-motorcycle-electronic-flasher/787/842/

 

[claytronofrio]

so the 3 prong won't work?

 

[pregrid]

Not sure if it would or not. I can tell you I tried a flasher from our local parts store that was labeled "for LED lights" and it didn't work. Got the one from Superbrightleds and it did. YMMV

 

[T3chnic4l]

Dime City Cycles has one, it has different plug ends that you can swap on based upon what you need. It's a simple plug and play direct swap, 3 prong and it lets you keep auto cancel. I think it's all of $16 if I remember right. I did it, took all of 2 minutes and works perfectly.

 

[claytronofrio]

Not sure if it would or not. I can tell you I tried a flasher from our local parts store that was labeled "for LED lights" and it didn't work. Got the one from Superbrightleds and it did. YMMV

I went ahead and ordered that flasher, thanks for the advice brother.

 

[T3chnic4l]

Another solid option, if you like a particular signal style and it uses traditional bulbs, super bright LEDs has some killer replacement bulbs that kick out a lot of lumens, they are LED but set up to work in a traditional bulb socket.

 

[Delta869]

Here ya go. This is what you need

http://www.superbrightleds.com/more...versal-motorcycle-electronic-flasher/787/842/

Just ordered 1 of these, I'll stop back with results, Thanks!