Strange wiring issue.

[royhall]

This is a bit of a weird one..... Just took the clocks off my Suzuki GS1000 to fit LED lamps in the idiot panel........ All's gone well except for the indicators...... With indicators 'left' they flash front and back and also on the panel repeater, with indicators 'right' they flash front and back but no panel repeater........ They worked okay with a normal bulb, and the LED's work regardless of polarity........... This ones got me stumped........ Any ideas guys?

[hairygit]

I'm not so sure the led bulb will work on either polarity, so follow the idiot light wires down to the first join, then swap the polarity for the right side and try it again. That is assuming that the led bulb isn't duff of course!

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[Laverda Dave]

Roy, is the indicator relay the original fitment? Just a thought but do you need to buy a compatible relay to work with the LED's and the new current loadings? Only reason I raised this is because I installed LED lamps at home on a dimmer circuit. 3 of the 6 lamps hardly worked and 'buzzed' like crazy. When I called the lamp manufacturer they told me the LED's draw a low current and my dimmer couldn't cope even though it was a 240v unit and some of the new LED's actually worked normally. I had to buy a new dimmer compatible with the LED's.

[mike the bike]

IIRC, it's a different set up onthe GS1000.  Instead of the usual flasher relay, theres a more complicated electronic circuit that does the self cancelling function.  As Hairy suggested, try swapping the polarity of the LEDs, a wrong polarity maybe causing some wierd feedback to the circuit.

[SteveD CB500K0]

Is it possible that the idiot light current flows one way through the bulb for left and the other way for right?
If so, a single led won't work (except in one direction)
I'm sure Ash will know…


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[royhall]

This afternoon I will check to see if the polarity swaps depending on sides......... I have some spare single LED's so will double check that they light either way around.

Just read a piece from a Triumph TR6 owner with the same problem, appears the LED bulbs have a diode in them. I will assume then that the polarity changes between left or right and that's causing the problem....... Bugger, anyone that's changed bulbs on a GS1000 will testify that it's a two hour job, and very tedious and fiddly.... Thanks for the help guys, will go out there and change the indicator lamp back to a standard bulb (if I can be bothered).

[Bryanj]

Some leds are wired to not be polarity conscious (marker lights on HGV trailers) other are like 501 replacements for wing repeaters as I found out on my pickup

[K2-K6]

I've always understood that the D in the name is diode,  light emmiting diode, so they will generally react as a one way gate.

There are different builds that try to get round some characteristics of which I'm not knowledgeable enough to explain,  but sites like this

http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/diode will give more insight as to why they act as they do.

[royhall]

Blimey "light emitting diode" sometimes its so easy to miss the obvious. Thanks guys, bulb back in time. Reading up its possible to use a bridge rectifier to make it work, but as I dont even know what a bridge rectifier is I think I will pass.

[hairygit]

Blimey "light emitting diode" sometimes its so easy to miss the obvious. Thanks guys, bulb back in time. Reading up its possible to use a bridge rectifier to make it work, but as I dont even know what a bridge rectifier is I think I will pass.

Easiest wat is to reverse the polarity of the wires to the bulbholder in question!

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[royhall]

Blimey "light emitting diode" sometimes its so easy to miss the obvious. Thanks guys, bulb back in time. Reading up its possible to use a bridge rectifier to make it work, but as I dont even know what a bridge rectifier is I think I will pass.

Easiest wat is to reverse the polarity of the wires to the bulbholder in question!

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Then it wont work with the opposite indicator as the polarity is reversing between left and right. Easiest fix is to, disconnect and remove the clock binnacle, remove the centre cover and two chrome covers, remove the mounting lugs, remove the mounting bracket, pull out all the wiring, actually change the bulb and then reverse the whole procedure whilst trying to hold the rubber seal in ten places (about 2 hours last time but getting quicker). I will never knock Honda clocks again. Bloody Suzuki.

[K2-K6]

Don't worry Roy I'm not that far ahead of you.

Back when I was an apprentice one of the other lads, commonly known as Greasy Robbo,  was absolutely mad about these things and ran around telling us they where the future of lighting and power saving!  How we all laughed at these dim little lights then.

More recently I was lectured by my 14 year old son as to what they do and circuits designed to incorporate one way features available from these. Then went on to tell me he'd ordered the required resistors to work properly with different voltages. That was me told.

Wish he'd just put my soldering iron back where I expect to find it when needed though.

[Gixxer-18]

You can use an LED for your indicator but as they are polarity sensitive, you'll need two 1N4000 diodes from Maplins or Radio Shack, (pennies) and put one on the orange wire, one on the light blue wire, polarised as in the diagram then your indicator will work properly.
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[royhall]

Cheers Gixer. That looks like a simple enough fix even for a simpleton like me. Thanks, will give it a go.