LED Turn signals on a Vulcan 1600 Classic

[mblairmail]

Hello all,
over the weekend I decided to replace my tail light and all four turn signals with LED's. I purchased the kuryakyn tombstone tail light, red led signals to mount to the tail light, and amber led signals for the front. The mechanical install went great only took about 2 hours for all. The electrical was almost cut and dry. I am not new to wiring lights or anything else for that matter, and while I was sure I needed to use the load equalizer that came with the signals, I was'nt sure if I needed one on the front and one on the rear. So I searched the forum, nothing found. I also had an issue that when I turned on either the left or the right turn signal all four signals flashed like emergency flashers. I searched the forum again, found nothing.

So here are the fixes:

Load Equalizers:
Yes, you do nead a load equalizer for the front and a load equalizer for the rear, for a total of 2 load equalizers.

When using LED turnsignals:
If you only have one turnsignal indicator light on your dash, (like the vulcan 1600 classic), it for some reason will combine the left and the right turn signals. Thus making them emergency flashers. So you have to break that circuit by disabling the indicator light.

It took me several hours just to figure out that last one, I thought I had the signals wired wrong, I read and reread the instructions, I searched and searched the internet. So I am posting this to save the next guy some time.

Thanks and enjoy...

Michael Blair

[GREENISBEST]

Ummm i would not be happy with that fix if it were my bike..
Has out of curiosity your bike got Auto turn signal cancelling ???

[Redbeard]

my 06 1600 classic shuts off after I think 7 seconds.

[mblairmail]

Yes the 1600 auto cancels... I am not happy with the fix but have not had any other feed back about how others have fixed this issue ?

[GREENISBEST]

If you can indulge me Sir as i am intruiged as to why the turn signal Tell Tail light had to be disconnected..

Could you post exactly how you wired in the resistors and to which and what color wires they attached to ..

Thanks

[BIG D]

Was it worth it, to change wiring to get led lights? I sure wouldn't want to mess with it. Just for the signal lights.

[RichLockyer]

my 06 1600 classic shuts off after I think 7 seconds.

8 seconds plus 265 feet, so you can cover nearly 1/4 mile at highway speeds.

Was it worth it, to change wiring to get led lights? I sure wouldn't want to mess with it. Just for the signal lights.

My feeling as well.
Disable the indicator and add load resistors that negate any energy savings from the LEDs, all to install lights that are not as visible in the daylight?

[mblairmail]

My feeling as well.
Disable the indicator and add load resistors that negate any energy savings from the LEDs, all to install lights that are not as visible in the daylight?[/QUOTE]

Actually Rich they are twice as visible at night and at least 1.5 times more visible in the day. They are much brighter, the housing is half the size of those scud missiles that come on there, and they match the tombstone tail light. Yes it was worth it. While I had it all apart I swapped the Headlight and spot lights to silver stars also. It looks so much better.

[GREENISBEST]

I am more than a little as to why you folks are digging at mblairmail as i thought the majority of Cruiser owners modified there bikes before they even got em home ??????????

My only concern with the turn signals is they should work without the need to disable the Tell Tail light in the dash, And to that end i thought i might be able to shed some light on the reason why this is not the case !!

LED light are indeed brighter, More durable than a bulb (This is one of the reasons why the majority of major manufacturers have started fitting LED tail lights as standard especially on sports bikes)

As regards energy savings they are at best negligable and probably not his top reason for the fit

SO hopefully i can carry on with my attempt at solving the problem before he rips them out and fits them SCUDS back on instead

[RichLockyer]

I am more than a little as to why you folks are digging at mblairmail as i thought the majority of Cruiser owners modified there bikes before they even got em home ??????????

And we've all done mods that we've immediately removed... or "lived with" for a short time until we found something that works better.

My only concern with the turn signals is they should work without the need to disable the Tell Tail light in the dash, And to that end i thought i might be able to shed some light on the reason why this is not the case !!

The problem is the way the indicator works. There are two wires leading to it. One connects to the left, one connects to the right.
NORMALLY, current flows to, say the right, and through the indicator. The indicator's ground is actually THROUGH the left turn signal circuit. With a bulb, there is some resistance that allows the circuit to complete, but not enough current to light the lamp.
With LEDs, that is not the case and you end up powering the left side through the indicator lamp.

LED light are indeed brighter, More durable than a bulb (This is one of the reasons why the majority of major manufacturers have started fitting LED tail lights as standard especially on sports bikes)

More durable, absolutely. Brighter? Only in a housing and behind a lens that was designed for them (which it seems mblairmail used).
They are extremely directional, and attempts to replace stock bulbs with LED replacements in the stock housings normally results in a poor indication, simply because they cannot effectively use the stock reflector.

[GREENISBEST]

The problem is the way the indicator works. There are two wires leading to it. One connects to the left, one connects to the right.
NORMALLY, current flows to, say the right, and through the indicator. The indicator's ground is actually THROUGH the left turn signal circuit. With a bulb, there is some resistance that allows the circuit to complete, but not enough current to light the lamp.
With LEDs, that is not the case and you end up powering the left side through the indicator lamp.


Aahhh i see what you mean! So tell me why does the Number Plate light and Stop/Tail light not come on also as the earth circuit runs through them ?

When you say the problem is with the way the indicator works.....Do you mean Generically or Specific Manufacturers / Models ?????

I have fitted many aftermarket Mini LED indicators to bikes and as yet have never found all Signals to operate at once unless i accidently switched on the Hazard flashers !

They will often flash far to fast but the resistors or a load dependant flasher relay fixes this issue..

I have attached a Vulcan VN1600 Classic Rear Light Wiring Diagram...

[RichLockyer]

If the plate lamp is a separate bulb (appears to be), then it should not be affected.
Often, the plate is illuminated by an opening in the top of the housing, but using the actual running lamp, so if the running lamp is changed out, there is no light shining upwards or downwards onto the plate.

"How it works" being situation-specific... seems that everyone does their circuits a little differently, but this problem seems to be something consistent on Kawi.

Two inexpensive reed relays and a little creativity could restore the function...
Wire the coils of the relays in parallel with the lamps. You now have a "switch" on each one. Ground one pin on each relay, and tie the other pin (both relays) to one leg of the indicator lamp. Wire the other leg of the indicator lamp to the instrument lamp circuit (hot with ignition on), and now when the turn signals activate, they will close the relay and make contact for the indicator.

[2 wheels bob]

Can't help with the lights but a question about the tombstone taililght for the vn1600. Some sites say that this taillight does not cover all of the holes left in the guard after replacement of the standard rear light. What holes are left uncovered and how bad does it look? Sounds pretty ordinary, so why would anyone bother?