completely unrelated electronical question (need help)

[diymirage]

hey guys

i know very little about electronics and i thought someone on here might be able to help me with this

i have a street legal bike with a less then adaqaute electrical system

the stator only puts out about 35 watts of AC power

by the time i run a head and taillight there isnt much left for accesories

i added LED turnsignals but none of the conventional flasher work on them

i can flick the switch and they turn on but i can not get them to flash

is there a simple way to make them flash?

its a 12 volt AC system

thanks guys

[steamboy]

my buddy had same problem on his CB 550 cafe bike. Check-out some bike forums, LOTS of guys have posted on this...

[vintagestang]

If they are meant to stay on and not flash mostly no unless you want to get into a big conversion project. If they are meant to flash see if any of the wires are in the wrong place or loose or if you need a stronger power system. What brand and model number are they?

Edited March 8, 2012 by vintagestang

[Psychographic]

From what I understand LED's don't draw enough power to make the blinker work. There is a part(s) you can add to draw more power and make the blinkers work. I'm sure with a little searching you can find what you need to fix your problem or you can swap out the Mechanical blinker with an electronic one.

http://www.cyclegear.com/eng/product/led_signal_relay/web1006869

Edited March 8, 2012 by Psychographic

[monkeyclaw]

You need to add "ballast" kits when installing LED kits on your bike....Dealt with this early on with LED lights on my Road-glide; The ballast will make up the draw difference and allow the winkers to work as intended....depending on the popularity of the bike; you may also be able to install a more powerful stator; I also had to do this on the road glide to support the 1000 watts of stereo I installed on the bike....Not easy to keep a sub-woofer powered on two wheels..................Matt

[moparmagiclives]

Go to a good parts store that offers motorcycle pars an see if the have a "no load" flasher to run the LEDs.

[diymirage]

thanks for all the info guys

the entire turn signal set-up is aftermarket and pieced together...not sure what the numbers on anything is

i think i tried a "no-load" flasher but it didnt work on my AC system

[DiamondJoeQuimby]

You need a load resistor for the LEDs to flash or get an automotive base led bulb w/ the resistor built in for a std flasher circuit. Here is a link from superbrightleds.com for their flashing LEDs and load resistors. Hope that helps. Cheers

http://www.superbrig...CFSHatgodoCa3eA

edit, just read that it is an AC system. Sorry. Disregard. Only think I can think is to get a power inverter, then transformer. Or just convert to a DC system

Edited March 9, 2012 by DiamondJoeQuimby

[moparmagiclives]

built in for a std flasher

That's a whole different problem right there buddy lol

[FASTBACK340]

I did the LED upgrade in one of my cars and I had to use an electronic flasher relay instead of the the standard piece. You never mentioned the year or model of bike, but I would start there.... And you can't mix & match LED's in the rear and a bulb up front. Never work right.

[diymirage]

thanks for the replies guys

Adam, i actually tried a set-up with a rectifier which turned the system into a DC system but because of the way it works it pretty much cut my power output in half and im allready taxing the system with a head and tail light as it is

John, i tried the electronic flasher aswell, it doesnt work on AC.

im running LEDs on all 4 corners, so that shouldnt be the problem

and the bike is a 96 kawasaki KDX

[MikeMc]

convert all lights to LEDs and use the bridge rectifier....are you sure the headlight is an AC bulb ?....the base / socket type should tell you

Edited March 9, 2012 by MikeMc

[diymirage]

i tried that Mike, the headlight went way to dim and so did the tail

i tried running LEDs for the front and taillights but they just didnt last with the vibrations of a dirtbike

im not 100% sure if the headlight is a AC specific bulb but i AM sure its a filament type bulb and the system is AC

[Patrick2005]

Normally a ballast resistor would correct this problem. I know a lot of the time if you put LED bulbs in cars they will either blink way to fast or not at all. But then again that is a DC system so I'm not sure. I know car electronics more than bikes.

[diymirage]

yeah, if i could get them to blink too fast id be halfway there, but they just dont blink at all

i can run them on if i leave the flasher out of the system or leave the flasher installed and they dont come on at all

i was hoping someone could give me an idea on a resistor or some type of electrical doohicky that would work as a flasher, interupt the flow of current to make them flash