Turn Signal upgrade help

[jtcNinja]

I have a 93' zx7r and though I like the bike.... the turn signals gotta go. So I ordered some flush mount LED ones figuring I just take out the old ones, splice in the new... bada bing... im done..

Well as you can see im on here asking for help so im sure you can guess by now it didn't work. I turn the left signal on and the light blinks but my turn signal indicator doesn't come on. I turn the right signal on (the one with LEDs) and they just light solid and the turn signal indicator turns on.

In a panic I popped back in the bulbs just to make sure I didn't ruin anything which I didn't so that was relief.

Not sure what to do I did some googling. Found someone mentioning they put a 100 ohm resistor on both lights and it worked fine. I went out for an entire $2 got me 2 10 ohm resistors since a friend of mine said thats what worked for him on a trailor setup. That did nothing more without it.

Then I was thinking does a bulb use more than an LED or other way around? So would I need something else to boost the power or maybe a stronger ohm resistor? Another person mentioned in the forum post (not this forum) that he bought an electronic LED flasher and it worked fine.

So saying all that here are the LEDs that I bought. If you need more info please let me know.

eBay Motors: KAWASAKI Ninja ZX6 ZX7 ZX9 ZX10 CLEAR LED TURN SIGNALS (item 180288208021 end time Sep-14-08 09:24:03 PDT)

[Alizard]

A standard bulb draws roughly 1.5A when it runs, two turn signals are in parallel on each side = 3A draw using standard bulbs. The flasher needs the current to make it flash. The LED lamps draw roughly 0.3A whch is nowhere near enough to make a standard flasher work. They sell solid state flashers that will work with LEDs. I know superbrightleds.com sells them.

A ten Ohm resistor added will draw about 1.2A and might make the flasher work, but it will also burn about 20W in normal running which will make it very hot. It's a bad fix.

[jtcNinja]

so should I just buy a new LED flasher? It seems like it would fix my issue according to others.

[knkt]

so should I just buy a new LED flasher? It seems like it would fix my issue according to others.

Yes, an electronic flasher from Autozone will fix the problem. It did with mine when I added LEDs.

Not sure which one you would need, but I needed the two prong electronic flasher unit located in the light / electronic section at autozone. It was something like $8.

[jtcNinja]

hmm I checked autozone and didn't find any electronic flashers.. I was lookin for one when I went but grabbed a load balancer instead. apparently that didn't work so I'll go back and ask if they have one... maybe out back not sure. If not I'll just order one online

[knkt]

hmm I checked autozone and didn't find any electronic flashers.. I was lookin for one when I went but grabbed a load balancer instead. apparently that didn't work so I'll go back and ask if they have one... maybe out back not sure. If not I'll just order one online

I'm not sure how your store is layed out, but I found mine in the section where you would get the replacement bulbs for your standard headlights/turnsignals/etc. The fuses and electrical connection pieces were in this isle as well. I will see if I can find one online for you to reference and post a link.

[knkt]

Replacement Turn Signal Flasher Unit

Something like this should work. I got one with two prongs..... I'd print this and take it with you.... I hope that helps.

[jtcNinja]

sweet I'll give that a shot. I looked at the store and found that but it didn't mention LED anywhere on it. So I'll just ask when I get there

[WeBeToyz]

It wouldn't necessarily mention LED anywhere on the flasher. I believe what you are basically doing is switching to an electronic flasher vs. a mechanical one.

The part mentioned should do the trick. I installed the same one (Tridon EL-12) on my bike - a '94 - to "help" with the problem. The reason I say "help" is because after installing the flasher, the rears worked fine but the fronts just stayed on. I had to install the load balancing resistors that came with the kit to make them work correctly.

Good Luck.

[jtcNinja]

well I bought the flasher and when I turn the right signal on they dont do anything, but when I turn the left on.. they all blink. Though I saw progress because before they didn't light up much. I think my problem is I dont have all the LEDs plugged in... only the right side. So im going to wire those up right now and see what happens.

[jtcNinja]

ok well I put all the lights on with the new flasher and all the lights light up solid without blinking. I have 2 load balancers I put on but that didn't seem to work any. so I put one on the front right and rear right. Then I put a resistor on the front left and rear left... still all solid. I'm going to try just the load balancers on the rear only. But I think what it comes down to is I need an electronic flasher. The one I have looks like it works just like the old one but this one seems to be brighter. So I'm assuming this isn't an electronic flasher since it has a coil in it and some big capacitor... just like the posted in the link by knkt. So maybe I can make some calls or I'll just order one online and hope that works. But I do think its most likely the flasher now thats my issue.

[jtcNinja]

now that I look at the picture more it does say electronic on it, I'll double check the one I got. It looks just like it but possibly different.

[jtcNinja]

well I put a load equalizer on all the lights and still they just light up all 4 of them. I even took out the flasher and jumped it and they all light up so it makes me really wonder if its the flasher that isn't heating up. Or the LEDs need some modifying.

[Alizard]

well I put a load equalizer on all the lights and still they just light up all 4 of them. I even took out the flasher and jumped it and they all light up so it makes me really wonder if its the flasher that isn't heating up. Or the LEDs need some modifying.

The electronic flashers won't work with the extra load resistors. They draw too much current.

[jtcNinja]

this sucks I feel like a sitting duck at hunting season.. I tried the flasher mentioned above and the original flasher and even jumping the flasher I get the same effects. My google skills are seeming to be very rusty today.

[Alizard]

this sucks I feel like a sitting duck at hunting season.. I tried the flasher mentioned above and the original flasher and even jumping the flasher I get the same effects. My google skills are seeming to be very rusty today.

If you have four lights flashing at once, they sound like they are all shorted together. I don't think the connections are right.

[jtcNinja]

they aren't blinking at all. I turn on the left or right signal and they just light solid. I haven't cut any wires. My bike came with bulbs, so I connected the black wire from the LED to the black wire grounded to the bulb holder and I connected the yellow wire on the LED to the inside positive wire that is spring loaded for when you push in the bulb. Maybe by some random chance yellow is really negative and black is positive but highly doubt it. Maybe I should find a different ground location.

[knkt]

So, when you turn the left on, all of your indicator lights blink including the right?

Do you know if your bike is equiped with two flashers? Some of the older models do (not at all sure about streetbikes though).

When I did mine, all I had to do was add the "electronic" flasher and all my blinkers worked correctly. I do not know what the issue is for you?

When you installed the flasher, did you have the resistors and / or the load balancers installed as well? Or was it just the flasher?

[knkt]

The LED lights for the front, are they 2 wire or three wire? They need to be dual level lights or you'll need to get a module for it. Your front indicator lights should come on when you start the bike or turn the key on. If they aren't dual level (can't remember what the technical term is) this may be causing the issue....

[knkt]

The LED lights for the front, are they 2 wire or three wire? They need to be dual level lights or you'll need to get a module for it. Your front indicator lights should come on when you start the bike or turn the key on. If they aren't dual level (can't remember what the technical term is) this may be causing the issue....

To test this, you could revert the front back to your standard bulb lights and keep the rear with the LEDs. If it works, then it would be safe to say that the front is causing the issue.