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Author Topic: Tapping into turn signals to add additional lights  (Read 3752 times)
Houdini
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VRCC #28458 - VRCCDS#144

Allen, TX


« on: March 15, 2015, 09:17:27 AM »

OK, so I pulled the headlight bucket and find two wires going to each turn signal so I think "piece o' cake", I'll tap into both wires and the magic of electricity will light my lashes.   cooldude
 
No such luck, with the key on the runners turn on but not my lashes, when I hit the turn signals the lashes start to blink.  Not cool!   tickedoff

How do I wire these guys so the lashes stay on as markers and blink when the turn signals do too?

TYIA
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big poppa pump
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San Antonio, TX


« Reply #1 on: March 15, 2015, 10:01:22 AM »

I bet your lashes are 2 wire. Your front turn signals are 3 wire. You will need to add a diode kit to the wiring.

https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/motorcycle-accessories/metric-bike-diode-kit/1190/2805/
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Red Diamond
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Beaumont, Texas


« Reply #2 on: March 15, 2015, 10:08:25 AM »

3 wires like Poppa said, but I was thinking one of those wires was continuous on for running lights. Think maybe you tapped into the signal side rather than the running light side. LED's shouldn't be much of an added draw.
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Houdini
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VRCC #28458 - VRCCDS#144

Allen, TX


« Reply #3 on: March 15, 2015, 10:25:50 AM »

I don't know how I missed the third wire last night ... when I tap into the newly found one instead of the one last night I have marker lashes but they shut off when I turn on the blinkers.

I'm thinking this issue is over my pay grade, is it even possible to  have a two wire setup work as a running light and blinker?
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RainMaker
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Arlington, TX


« Reply #4 on: March 15, 2015, 11:34:46 AM »

I don't know how I missed the third wire last night ... when I tap into the newly found one instead of the one last night I have marker lashes but they shut off when I turn on the blinkers.

I'm thinking this issue is over my pay grade, is it even possible to  have a two wire setup work as a running light and blinker?

You need Godfire to jump in the conversation. 
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big poppa pump
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San Antonio, TX


« Reply #5 on: March 15, 2015, 12:42:51 PM »

I don't know how I missed the third wire last night ... when I tap into the newly found one instead of the one last night I have marker lashes but they shut off when I turn on the blinkers.

I'm thinking this issue is over my pay grade, is it even possible to  have a two wire setup work as a running light and blinker?

The front running lights are wired to turn off when you switch on the blinkers. The only way you will have running light/blinker with a 2 wire setup is by using diodes.
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Houdini
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VRCC #28458 - VRCCDS#144

Allen, TX


« Reply #6 on: March 15, 2015, 01:10:39 PM »

Quote
The only way you will have running light/blinker with a 2 wire setup is by using diodes.

Got it, above my pay grade, maybe at one of the up and coming wrench parties I can get this completed.
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big poppa pump
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San Antonio, TX


« Reply #7 on: March 15, 2015, 01:20:04 PM »

Quote
The only way you will have running light/blinker with a 2 wire setup is by using diodes.

Got it, above my pay grade, maybe at one of the up and coming wrench parties I can get this completed.

Actually it's pretty straightforward. Get 2 of those metric diode kits from the link I posted. The side with the single wire (blue wire) is hooked up to the positive of the bat lashes. The side with 2 wires (red wires), one connects to the running light and the other connects to the turn signal wire. And that's all to it.
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michaelyoung254
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Huntsville, Texas


« Reply #8 on: March 15, 2015, 02:32:43 PM »

I'm really not familiar with the so called lashes you are talking about, and how exactly they work, but from what I see with your other post about your new Bat Lashes, it looks to me as though they are supposed to remain "on" as with driving lights. If that's the case, you would be better to tap into the headlight feed circuit instead of the blinker circuit. If my memory serves me correctly, it is blue with a white strip, and it's in the headlight bucket as well. It remains hot as long as the key is on, and turns off when you press the starter button. If you go this route, I wouldn't recommend wiring anything whereas the lights are directly powered by this circuit, but rather to activate a relay which can power the lights.
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Houdini
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VRCC #28458 - VRCCDS#144

Allen, TX


« Reply #9 on: March 16, 2015, 06:45:41 AM »

Quote
The side with the single wire (blue wire) is hooked up to the positive of the bat lashes. The side with 2 wires (red wires), one connects to the running light and the other connects to the turn signal wire. And that's all to it.

OK, I ordered two of the diodes.  I can do mechanical and fabrication work but electrical has always been like magic to me; maybe it's time to learn how to do this also.

Let me ask one more question, thinking about what Michael said, can I tap into the blue/white wire for running light power and tap into the blinker wire to get blinkage?  I think getting these guys to blink will be a huge safety improvement.
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big poppa pump
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San Antonio, TX


« Reply #10 on: March 16, 2015, 07:01:57 AM »

You can tap into any wire for running light power. Either the blue/white or the orange & blue turn signal wires should work the same.
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HayHauler
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Pearland, TX


« Reply #11 on: March 16, 2015, 09:42:41 AM »

But, I believe if you tap the headlight wire, the lights will never "dim" to give you the blinking you are looking for.  I think the diodes tapped into the front turn signals/running lights will give you the look you desire.

Hay  Cool
Jimmyt
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Dred
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Houston, Texas


« Reply #12 on: March 16, 2015, 03:11:21 PM »

No such luck, with the key on the runners turn on but not my lashes, when I hit the turn signals the lashes start to blink.  Not cool!   tickedoff

How do I wire these guys so the lashes stay on as markers and blink when the turn signals do too?

TYIA

Big Edit:

Houdini ... Brew1Brew's insights below change my solutions.  I'll need to pay better attention to how Honda engineered the systems before I can offer canned solutions.
« Last Edit: March 16, 2015, 05:05:11 PM by Dred » Logged
brew1brew
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Plano, TX


« Reply #13 on: March 16, 2015, 03:55:37 PM »

Chuck, The way honda makes the running lights/blinkers work is as follows

when blinkers are off, through the blinkder switch 12 volts is supplied to both running lights on orange-white (left) and lightblue-white (right), when you turn on a blinder that side breaks the connection to running light lead and applies blinker (intermittent) voltage on ether orange or lightblue depending on what way you push the button. one thing that makes using LED's with the OEM blinkers is that when a blinker is turned on, the turn signal indicator bulb intermittent voltage applied to it, and it gets it's ground through the other side blinker, when when you turn on the right blinker the turn signal indicator gets applies current through the left blinker bulbs, So when you add LEDs  packs they can have problems because they detect the current flow coming through the indicator bulb.

but if the lashes have 3 leads, you can try to tap orange-white/lightblue-white for running lights and orange/lightblue for blinkers. if they don't work properly or you only have 2 leads then the diodes from custom dynamics will help.
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Les
2014 Valkyrie GL1800 C Blue
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Dublin, Texas


« Reply #14 on: March 17, 2015, 05:03:33 PM »

Chuck, The way honda makes the running lights/blinkers work is as follows

when blinkers are off, through the blinkder switch 12 volts is supplied to both running lights on orange-white (left) and lightblue-white (right), when you turn on a blinder that side breaks the connection to running light lead and applies blinker (intermittent) voltage on ether orange or lightblue depending on what way you push the button. one thing that makes using LED's with the OEM blinkers is that when a blinker is turned on, the turn signal indicator bulb intermittent voltage applied to it, and it gets it's ground through the other side blinker, when when you turn on the right blinker the turn signal indicator gets applies current through the left blinker bulbs, So when you add LEDs  packs they can have problems because they detect the current flow coming through the indicator bulb.

but if the lashes have 3 leads, you can try to tap orange-white/lightblue-white for running lights and orange/lightblue for blinkers. if they don't work properly or you only have 2 leads then the diodes from custom dynamics will help.



http://www.rattlebars.com/valkfaq/circuits.html

The turn signal with additional lights is explained really good on Chet's site. If the additional lights that you are installing are low current LED lights and have regular filament turn signal lights you don't need Diodes at all!!

Tie your led light to the orange/white and orange on the left and Lblue and LB/white on the right. what will happen is the led will be grounded thru the fillament in the bulb. When the turn signal comes on the Led light goes out and visa versus. I ran that setup for years without any problem.
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godfire
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« Reply #15 on: March 20, 2015, 07:13:16 PM »

Hey bro... do you have things working? 
Grounding through the filament... good stuff.... they do that just to make us crazy... 
« Last Edit: March 20, 2015, 07:17:19 PM by godfire » Logged

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Houdini
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VRCC #28458 - VRCCDS#144

Allen, TX


« Reply #16 on: March 21, 2015, 12:43:55 PM »

Quote
Hey bro... do you have things working?

Not yet Jim, I put the headlight back in so my fellow commuters could admire my new accent lights last week, maybe I'll pull it back apart this weekend since my diodes arrived a few days ago.
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RainMaker
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VRCC#24130 - VRCCDS#0117 - IBA#48473

Arlington, TX


« Reply #17 on: March 21, 2015, 01:44:16 PM »

Hey bro... do you have things working? 
Grounding through the filament... good stuff.... they do that just to make us crazy... 


Draw him a diagram. Then we'll all know how to do it!
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2005 BMW R1200 GS
2000 Valkyrie Interstate
1998 Valkyrie Tourer
1981 GL1100I GoldWing
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