LED indicator relays - confused!
Discussion
Hi,
I'm hoping this is an easy one for someone who knows their stuff, I bought my first bike on Saturday and one thing that needs addressing is the speedy indicator flashing.
I've located the relay on the bike, 2000 CBR600F F4, under the seat and removed it and it matches the following item: https://www.mymotoparts.co.uk/p/flasher-relay-hond...
Does this look like the right thing? the connector on the end matches? Do I need 2 of them?
Thanks,
Dan
I'm hoping this is an easy one for someone who knows their stuff, I bought my first bike on Saturday and one thing that needs addressing is the speedy indicator flashing.
I've located the relay on the bike, 2000 CBR600F F4, under the seat and removed it and it matches the following item: https://www.mymotoparts.co.uk/p/flasher-relay-hond...
Does this look like the right thing? the connector on the end matches? Do I need 2 of them?
Thanks,
Dan
Looks about right. The website doesn't do you any favours showing pairs of everything when you only need a single item.
If the connectors look the same as your current relay and there is somewhere obvious for the earth to go it should be the one you need.
I did one on a Suzuki which was just your standard square relay with prongs that was a direct and easy pull out push in replacement.
The Honda set up is confusing as those look a bit like in line resistors but I'm pretty sure they aren't.
If the connectors look the same as your current relay and there is somewhere obvious for the earth to go it should be the one you need.
I did one on a Suzuki which was just your standard square relay with prongs that was a direct and easy pull out push in replacement.
The Honda set up is confusing as those look a bit like in line resistors but I'm pretty sure they aren't.
trickywoo said:
Looks about right. The website doesn't do you any favours showing pairs of everything when you only need a single item.
If the connectors look the same as your current relay and there is somewhere obvious for the earth to go it should be the one you need.
I did one on a Suzuki which was just your standard square relay with prongs that was a direct and easy pull out push in replacement.
The Honda set up is confusing as those look a bit like in line resistors but I'm pretty sure they aren't.
Ok cool thanks If the connectors look the same as your current relay and there is somewhere obvious for the earth to go it should be the one you need.
I did one on a Suzuki which was just your standard square relay with prongs that was a direct and easy pull out push in replacement.
The Honda set up is confusing as those look a bit like in line resistors but I'm pretty sure they aren't.
hopefully they shall fix the problem. Currently they are dim and flash too fast.Should definitely fix the fast flashing but the dim problem may be something else.
In case you don't know the fast flashing is because the original relay is designed to detect when a bulb has failed (change in current drawn) and let you know. The LEDs draw much less than filament bulbs making it think a bulb has gone.
You can fix that with a relay or inline resistors making the LED look like its drawing more current than it is.
The relay is definitely the better option but make sure you don't also have resistors already which could be your dim issue.
Definitely go with the relay first and see as its by far the easier option.
In case you don't know the fast flashing is because the original relay is designed to detect when a bulb has failed (change in current drawn) and let you know. The LEDs draw much less than filament bulbs making it think a bulb has gone.
You can fix that with a relay or inline resistors making the LED look like its drawing more current than it is.
The relay is definitely the better option but make sure you don't also have resistors already which could be your dim issue.
Definitely go with the relay first and see as its by far the easier option.
Biker 1 said:
Sounds a bit weird. If resistors were fitted, the flash would not be too fast 
. If there are resistors, they may well be soldered in, with heat wrap around them - could be a bugger to sort out....
Hopefully then there are no resistors and the new relays that come tomorrow fix the problem and its a plug and play fix . If there are resistors, they may well be soldered in, with heat wrap around them - could be a bugger to sort out....Flasher relays are fairly straightforward, there are three connections+
B - Battery in
E - Earth
L - Lamps out
On low load they are designed to flash double time to highlight a bulb blown.
An LED compatible one will work at the right speed for LED bulbs which are a much lower load.
However LED bulbs are not always rated at 14.2V or whatever a fully charged bike loom runs at and they'll last longest at 12V, so it can be an idea to buy a voltage regulator like this:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LM2596-DC-DC-Switching-...
They come preset at max, so hook up a multimeter, feed in 13-15V in the input and use a small screwdriver to regulate the output to 12V (or 12.2, 12.4 etc if you want) - and put it between the B input for the flasher relay and the B on the relay, so the output will only be 12V for the LEDs.
You may get away with over-driving flasher LEDs as they only spend half the time on, but if you do find them blowing you may have to go for the regulator. The only hassle is the soldering, leads and general faff but it will keep any LEDs happy.
B - Battery in
E - Earth
L - Lamps out
On low load they are designed to flash double time to highlight a bulb blown.
An LED compatible one will work at the right speed for LED bulbs which are a much lower load.
However LED bulbs are not always rated at 14.2V or whatever a fully charged bike loom runs at and they'll last longest at 12V, so it can be an idea to buy a voltage regulator like this:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LM2596-DC-DC-Switching-...
They come preset at max, so hook up a multimeter, feed in 13-15V in the input and use a small screwdriver to regulate the output to 12V (or 12.2, 12.4 etc if you want) - and put it between the B input for the flasher relay and the B on the relay, so the output will only be 12V for the LEDs.
You may get away with over-driving flasher LEDs as they only spend half the time on, but if you do find them blowing you may have to go for the regulator. The only hassle is the soldering, leads and general faff but it will keep any LEDs happy.
I had an issue with one of my bikes when fitting led indicators and a lower wattage relay, what was happening was all four indicators were lighting up at the same time, the problem was on mine was down to the fact that there was only one dash bulb for the direction indicators not one for either left or right, so the current was back feeding the opposite side through the dash bulb. So I had two options, either remove the bulb from the dash to stop to back feeding which obviously isn't ideal or fitting two diodes' into the circuit and running a new earth behind the dash, eg fit diode inline on both wires feeding the bulbs, then join both wires to one side of the bulb then ground the other side of the bulb behind the dash somewhere on a earthing point. I have attached a dodgey picture so you get the idea 
orangefzr said:
I had an issue with one of my bikes when fitting led indicators and a lower wattage relay, what was happening was all four indicators were lighting up at the same time, the problem was on mine was down to the fact that there was only one dash bulb for the direction indicators not one for either left or right, so the current was back feeding the opposite side through the dash bulb. So I had two options, either remove the bulb from the dash to stop to back feeding which obviously isn't ideal or fitting two diodes' into the circuit and running a new earth behind the dash, eg fit diode inline on both wires feeding the bulbs, then join both wires to one side of the bulb then ground the other side of the bulb behind the dash somewhere on a earthing point. I have attached a dodgey picture so you get the idea
Clever stuff. I had similar issues (IIRC) fitting LED bulbs but I took the low road and gave up. I know bugger all though, trying to learn a bit more these days.
Prof Prolapse said:
orangefzr said:
I had an issue with one of my bikes when fitting led indicators and a lower wattage relay, what was happening was all four indicators were lighting up at the same time, the problem was on mine was down to the fact that there was only one dash bulb for the direction indicators not one for either left or right, so the current was back feeding the opposite side through the dash bulb. So I had two options, either remove the bulb from the dash to stop to back feeding which obviously isn't ideal or fitting two diodes' into the circuit and running a new earth behind the dash, eg fit diode inline on both wires feeding the bulbs, then join both wires to one side of the bulb then ground the other side of the bulb behind the dash somewhere on a earthing point. I have attached a dodgey picture so you get the idea
Clever stuff. I had similar issues (IIRC) fitting LED bulbs but I took the low road and gave up. I know bugger all though, trying to learn a bit more these days.
k of bodged wiring, the diodes cost about five pence each and now the bike will work with either the standard relay and indicators or led and variable wattage relay.On reflection the led ones fitted have not improved the bike as they have changed colour from orange to pink for some reason when flashing (micro cat eye indicators) from eBay. But they were China's finest quality ebay specials
https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/RYDE-BLACK-LED-MOTORCYCLE...
Edited by orangefzr on Tuesday 27th February 10:02
And fair play to you admitting you aren't confident in your understanding with technical issues, I'm a firm believer that you never stop learning from the day you are born. The people who say different are clearly the ones unreceptive to a new opinion or to learn something new
Edited by orangefzr on Tuesday 27th February 10:25
Think i've fixed it, the relay did the job and then i had a bit of a dodgy ground for the relay.
After some tweaking all is well and is fixed, the only problem i did have was that the right side was fie but hte left was slow at coming on/wouldn't come on at all, I cleaned up the contacts in the switch and put the bike on charge and it appears to be ok... hopefully! As theres a lot of threads on similar things with no clear answer really.
After some tweaking all is well and is fixed, the only problem i did have was that the right side was fie but hte left was slow at coming on/wouldn't come on at all, I cleaned up the contacts in the switch and put the bike on charge and it appears to be ok... hopefully! As theres a lot of threads on similar things with no clear answer really.
orangefzr said:
I had an issue with one of my bikes when fitting led indicators and a lower wattage relay, what was happening was all four indicators were lighting up at the same time, the problem was on mine was down to the fact that there was only one dash bulb for the direction indicators not one for either left or right, so the current was back feeding the opposite side through the dash bulb. So I had two options, either remove the bulb from the dash to stop to back feeding which obviously isn't ideal or fitting two diodes' into the circuit and running a new earth behind the dash, eg fit diode inline on both wires feeding the bulbs, then join both wires to one side of the bulb then ground the other side of the bulb behind the dash somewhere on a earthing point. I have attached a dodgey picture so you get the idea
Good info thanks ,Have exact same thing on my Suzuki AP50 (I know, its not really a motorbike) . Fitted a new flasher ,(only 2 wires on mine tho), and some 21w led bulbs. The correct indicator pair flash brightly but the other pair flash dimly .
I couldn't think what was going on, was considering changing the indicator switch incase power was leaking through that somehow but now it all makes sense. sort of !.
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