Electronic Flasher Mods??? Anyone... Anyone... Beuhler?? ;)

[jagered]

I hear ya!!! Jersey actually discontinued the inspection requirement for scoots... but individual counties have the right to do spot checks and can do full inspections to see if you are street legal?!?  friggin' eff'd up if you ask me.  I would think noise would be the biggest culprit... who knows!?!

[Troll]

I just went to the AMA web site and you are right, N.J. doesn't require turn signals...I can't believe it. Federal law, FMVSS 108 does require them, and gives very specific sizes and distance between, so maybe they N.J. people are just relying on federal law to cover the requirement. I did a little more poking around, and it's no wonder people get confused by what's required to be street legal and what isn't...Federal law requires lots of different things that states seem to ignore. We went through this crap a bout 15 years ago trying to get blue dots made legal...Enough to give you a major headache.

[jagered]

... you are going WAY above and beyond on explaining this?!?    ... I have the load equalizers on my Custom, bought two sets because the manufacturer said it was needed... dum-basses!!!  only one equalizer is required per circuit, I even figured that out after wiring everything because I did it with only two first, then read their stupid comments for installation?!?  D'OH!!!

I realize the 'need' for an idiot indication to show you there is a blown bulb in your circuit... but the fact also remains that turn signals on motorcycles are option in many states!!  ... including NJ.  Any good operator will do a self check periodically to make sure their bike/car/trailer/etc. is functioning properly so these idiot indications are for the people that have no clue and would take it into a mechanic and say "why is my turn signal blinking like that???"... cha-ching!!! 

thanks though... I do appreciate the responses. 

[Troll]

I see what you are saying, but there is one flaw in your logic. The turn signal control unit is electronic, and has several logic circuits in it to sense both speed, distance, and load. Federal law requires that turn signals act other than normally when one or more bulbs are out. Most signals quit working, and stay on, but some strobe. The idea is to alert the operator to a failed condition. A simple bi-metallic thermal flasher can be made to heat the element based on load (like a 2 pin 323) or based on voltage (like a 2 pin 555). The voltage based flasher works even if there is no load, as long as there is a path to ground, so if the indicator bulb on the dash were the only bulb working, the flash rate would remain normal. The load based flasher will either flash very fast if too many bulbs are connected (like with a trailer) or come on steady if there are not enough. The load balancer is really a misnomer. It should be called a dummy load, as all it is is a resistor to take the place of the bulb. They sell them on eBay for about $7 a pair for exactly what you are doing. Example: http://www.ebay.com/itm/LED-bulb-Turn-Signal-Light-3156-3157-3057-Load-Resistor-50W-6OHM-Fix-Error-Flash-/140824677018?hash=item20c9ce0a9a&item=140824677018&pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr

[jagered]

nope...
I understand the loading perfectly well!  The load equalizer "simulates" a regular bulb and allows the thermal load flasher to work properly... but it keeps the same resistance, hence "load" on the system.  installing LED's dramatically reduce the load in the electrical system and therefore either reduce the stator load or open up power/load that can be utilized elsewhere.

Our electrical systems do have a limit... installing LED lights with load equalizers does nothing to help push you further from that limit.  That's why I want an electronic flasher installed, but can't do it AND keep the self-canceling feature unless I modify the system.

[Troll]

I think you are missing the point of the load balancer. The electronic flasher in the Drifter needs a specific ampere load to flash at the correct rate, and to actuate the turn signal cancel feature. The LED lights you installed do not draw enough current to make the flasher even notice they are connected. The load balancer device takes the place of the normal bulb current draw so the electronics can do their job.

[jagered]

Ok... so I did the LED upgrade for the rear and it looks amazing!!!  Super bright!!!  ... yes, the flash rate is faster and I knew it would be (did same mod on my Custom all the way around)...

Now the ultimate goal here is THREE FOLD:
1.  Fix the blink rate (obviously)
2.  Maintain the self-canceling feature (love it!)
3.  NOT add load equalizers to fix the problem (this will not reduce the load on the system, which would ideally open up more loading elsewhere)

I have found the Flasher Relay... also did some research on it... It is a 5-Prong unit and has an input from the ECU/Speedometer (for the self-canceling feature).  So where are the fix-it's for this?  . I searched and only found 1 thread from 2011 that never got an answer?!?

Gonna research a little more before I do this but here is my "idea"... unless someone out there already did something?!?
... I want to bypass the flasher portion of this relay and install an electronic one.  My thought is to have the new relay triggered from the OEM relay and have it send the signal to the turn signals instead of the OEM one, then when the self-canceling feature cuts the signal off to the new relay it will shut off... hence now I have normal blink rate AND self-canceling turn signals?!?

Possible??  I know just enough about electronics to be dangerous so I am hesitant to start splicing!!! 

thanks in advance!!!