running leds, need a regulator

jonwright

surfing and motorcycles.... yup
i feel like this question has been asked a lot but am still a little confused.
i want to run LED turn signals, tail light and gauge lights on my cb360. i have done up my wiring harness from scratch and am using the radio shack rectifier. also using the powersonic 12v 5 amp battery. i know to run leds i am going to need a regulator so i dont fry the leds right??? is there any option out there other than the oregon motorcycle parts one thats like 90 bucks? i really dont want to have to spend that much...
 
Like this?

http://www.dimecitycycles.com/vintage-cafe-racer-caferacer-bobber-brat-chopper-custom-motorcycle-electronic-wiring-parts-in-line-universal-led-resistors-24-0010.html


or this?

http://www.dimecitycycles.com/vintage-cafe-racer-caferacer-bobber-brat-chopper-custom-motorcycle-electronic-wiring-parts-in-line-universal-led-resistors-26-6242.html

Electronics are totally Greek to me, so honestly, I have no idea if this is what you're looking for, but you're question made me think of these.
 
that would be awesome if thats all i needed.. can anybody else chime in here? like hichkrjo, i dont speak the fancy electro-whosa-whats-it language.
 
Those load resisters are used when you're using LED turnsignal lights, but still using an old style (thermal) flasher relay. They simulate the load of a regular incandescent bulb to trigger the relay.

Unless you plan to fabricate your own LED circuit boards, you shouldn't need anything extra at all. If you're going to buy "drop in" style bulbs and/or commercially sold (aftermarket) LED turnsignals and taillight, they will already have the proper resistors installed.
The only thing you will need to add will be a flasher relay that is LED compatable. As mentioned, the old style thermal relays rely on the load of the incandescent bulb to trigger the flash. LED's draw almost no load, so the old thermal relay won't cycle and the turnsignals will just stay on.
 
Also... unless you're rewired your left and right signals to run on completely separate circuits, pull the indicator light. It will cause all four signals to flash at once as it's a cross-over point between the two circuits.
 
Sonreir said:
It will cause all four signals to flash at once as it's a cross-over point between the two circuits.
Only if you have a single turnsignal dash indicator light. If you have two dash indicator lights (one for each side) it won't crossfeed.
Although, if you do have a single indicator light, there's a relay you can buy that makes it easy to keep the light and have it work properly.
 
Not on the CB360, unfortunately. It uses a single indicator light with a two-prong flasher relay that runs in series prior to the signal switch.
 
You can do it with the magic of diodes. I have a writeup somewhere and will find the link. Also, custom dynamics sells the bits to make such a doohickey for about $7, though the diodes themselves are really cheap.

http://hondatwins.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=9632

blogger-image-1149491710.jpg


http://nixonandme.blogspot.com/2012/03/matter-of-distribution.html
 
awesome i knew there was a way around it! if i skip the whole turn signal indicator light completely i should not have any problems right?
 
John, if you pull the bulb from the dash indicator, the signals will work just fine.

If you want to "play" with it a little and have your dash indicator work, you can use the diode method that Flug and Sonreir mentioned. I've done it myself and it works well. Or, you can buy a 3 prong relay that has a "P"(pilot) output on it. You'd wire the other two prongs normally (in series) with the signals, and the "P" prong is for the dash indicator. You'd have to run a wire from it to one side of the dash indicator light, and ground the other side.
 
Yes, I just pulled mine like Redbird said until I got tired of people pointing at me to tell me I left my turn signal on.

They call them idiot lights for a reason. :)
 
Damn, what is it about electrics that doesn't flow into my brain well? I'm reading all this well-explained, good info, and I'm still like, "uh..lost." Thank God for guys like you all that can do this stuff for me.
 
Flugtechnik said:
Yes, I just pulled mine like Redbird said until I got tired of people pointing at me to tell me I left my turn signal on.

They call them idiot lights for a reason. :)

lol
I got mine working because I'm CDO enough that if the light is there... It has to work. If I could possibly remove the dash indicator, it'd be ok. But otherwise ;)

(and just for reference... CDO is alot like OCD, except the letters are in alphabetical order... like they should be:))
 
Back
Top Bottom