LED Indicator Indicators

[Shiney]

*This mod was passed on to me by Abe, so all credit goes to him *

Have you ever had difficulty seeing the lights on the dash that indicate when the indicators are on?
If the answer is YES (Or if you just want a cool farkle ) then this mod is for you!




First get a ten little LED’s from the shop (5 for each side, this is the max that should be used) and a bit of electrical wire (enough to make four lengths 20cm long)

Cut the wire into four lengths 20cm long.
Solder five LED’s together and then 20cm of wire to each end (repeat this step with the remaining five LED’s and the remaining lengths of wire)
EDIT

If you make this your self, you will need to know the polarity of the leads on the LEDs themselves. If you connect one the wrong way around, they wont work. Also, if you connect the wires the wrong way around they wont work, no damage tho just swap the wires.

Each LED is polarity sensitive. That is one side is + the other - so when connecting them in series connect then so you have:

Lead to indicator positive
  +
LED
  -
  +
LED
  -
  +
LED
  -
  +
LED
  -
  +
LED
  -
Lead to Indicator negative or ground.

*This is one of the ones that Abe made for me.*

Knock the plastic mirror covers off to expose the back of the mirrors.
*To remove the cover, hold the cover in one hand and tap the outer edge with the palm of your other hand*

   


On the outer edge of the mirror you will see a number of holes, this is where the LED’s will be installed.




Next get a drill and a drill bit about the same size as the LED bulbs, and drill out the back of five of the holes
** BE CAREFUL NOT TO DRILL ALL THE WAY THROUGH**
This way the holes will retain the nice oval shape on the mirror side



Now place the LED’s into the holes, with the negitave wire to the top, and silicane them in place, or as Brock suggests:

For speed when fitting the LEDs, use a hotglue gun. the whole project can be done in minutes, instead of hours waitng for the silicone to go off.

   



*I waited a while before taking this step so the silicane had a chance to dry*
Now earth the top wire. I did this by running it to where the mirror is attached to the bike.



Then attach the positive to the powered indicator wire (Blue on one side, Orange on the other)
**MAKE SURE YOU DO THIS ON THE BIKE SIDE OF THE PLUG** (This way the mirror cover can be removed without dismantling the farkle.)

You can attach the wire however you like, cut and solder, as I did use a wire joining clip or as Brock suggests:

Use a two pin plug n socket, the same as the indicator leads and just plug them in. Easy to disconnect then and fit o another bike.

And that’s it give it a test then replace the mirror covers.
*The mirror cover is replaced by lining up the clips on the bike with the three metal legs on the cover and tapping the cover with the palm of your hand towards the bike*

   


   







As a final note I would like to give a BIG thanks to ABE for this mod, and to BROCK and GADGET for the extra advice on the electrics, Thanks guys you’re a legends : : :

Cheers
Shiney

[Gavo]

Good work Shiney yet to carry that one out myself

[Brock]

If you make this your self, you will need to know the polarity of the leads on the LEDs themselves. If you connect one the wrong way around, they wont work. Also, if you connect the wires the wrong way around they wont work, no damage tho just swap the wires. I would also fit a resistor ( would need to calculate the right one){ about 47 ohm 1 watt should do the trick} in series with the LEDs, to act as a voltage dropper and current limiter.

Please dont use Scotch locks, they damage the wires. I prefer to use a two pin plug n socket, the same as the indicator leads and just plug them in. Easy to disconnect then and fit o another bike.

For speed when fitting the LEDs, use a hotglue gun. the whole project can be done n minutes, instead of hours waitng for the silicone to go off.

[Abe]

Good work there Shiney.

I did get the idea of the www.stowner.com forum.

It's not hard to do folks (I did it and I'm an alleged idiot)

[Gadget]

If you make this your self, you will need to know the polarity of the leads on the LEDs themselves. If you connect one the wrong way around, they wont work. Also, if you connect the wires the wrong way around they wont work, no damage tho just swap the wires. I would also fit a resistor ( would need to calculate the right one){ about 47 ohm 1 watt should do the trick} in series with the LEDs, to act as a voltage dropper and current limiter.

Please dont use Scotch locks, they damage the wires. I prefer to use a two pin plug n socket, the same as the indicator leads and just plug them in. Easy to disconnect then and fit o another bike.

For speed when fitting the LEDs, use a hotglue gun. the whole project can be done n minutes, instead of hours waitng for the silicone to go off.

Beat me to it Brock. 


What he said.  Each LED is polarity sensitive. That is one side is + the other - so when connecting them in series connect then so you have:

Lead to indicator positive
  +
LED
  -
  +
LED
  -
  +
LED
  -
  +
LED
  -
  +
LED
  -
Lead to Indicator negative or ground.



By the way, well done again Shiney. 


I have other easons to visit Jaycar tomorrow, so I'll make sure I pick some LED's up. 

[Brock]

P.S.

5 LEDs can be used directly with 12V, but fitting the 47 ohm resistor would allow them to have a longer life.

[Abe]

Use this and you will have no trouble:-

http://www.hebeiltd.com.cn/?p=zz.led.resistor.calculator

You just need to know some info. first.

[Shiney]

Thanks guys

Brock, Gadget,
Thanks for the extra advice guys, I have modified the guide to reflect your advice

[bluehonda]

When you buy your led's get the diffused type, not the "focused" type.
Diffused can be seen easily when the led is not directly facing you.

Brad

[Gadget]

I should have added a link to this diagram for the pinouts for LED's.


http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4UTjCH4vk2M/T4u-WT_oTiI/AAAAAAAAAyo/Adic7XfwaQM/s1600/LED%2Bpinout.jpg&imgrefurl=http://roda2roda.blogspot.com/2012/04/leds-and-connector.html&h=550&w=1000&sz=208&tbnid=bV8enGgHDDMW9M:&tbnh=90&tbnw=164&zoom=1&usg=__eB6p6gGavehnp5zNVCuBYYYfqJg=&docid=FZtB-FJrdWhyYM&sa=X&ei=tB5hUqmoFIqiiAf29ICADA&ved=0CDUQ9QEwBA

[Shiney]

I should have added a link to this diagram for the pinouts for LED's.


http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4UTjCH4vk2M/T4u-WT_oTiI/AAAAAAAAAyo/Adic7XfwaQM/s1600/LED%2Bpinout.jpg&imgrefurl=http://roda2roda.blogspot.com/2012/04/leds-and-connector.html&h=550&w=1000&sz=208&tbnid=bV8enGgHDDMW9M:&tbnh=90&tbnw=164&zoom=1&usg=__eB6p6gGavehnp5zNVCuBYYYfqJg=&docid=FZtB-FJrdWhyYM&sa=X&ei=tB5hUqmoFIqiiAf29ICADA&ved=0CDUQ9QEwBA

Thanks mate, it's been added to the guide

Cheers
Shiney

[Gavo]

I bought a set ready made and delivered $15 from that great shopping destination called the US

[Shiney]

Good call Gavo

That'll make it a lot easier

[Gavo]

Just got to get a round tuit

[Shiney]

Just got to get a round tuit

Good luck, a round tuit isn't easy to find

[tj189]

Shiney, another nicely put together "how to" well done

[StinkyPete]

I bought a set ready made and delivered $15 from that great shopping destination called the US

Where'd you get them from Gavo?

[Gadget]

I did this mod to my ST1300 today and here is what I learnt:


Lesson 1: 

DON'T use a dropping resistor  (*edit* if using 5 LEDs) .  Theory says I should but practice says NO! *Edit* (By way of explanation, the LEDs were so dim I could barley see them glowing.) [Any fewer than 5 LEDs would require a dropping resistor]


DON'T use 6 LEDs, 5 is the magic number.  Each one is dropping 1.7 V so time 5 that is around 8.5 V.  *edit* (with 6 LEDs they were glowing very weakly. Barely visible in daylight in the Garage.) 


After it didn't work with the dropping resistor I did a bit of thinking.  My guess is that because the 5 LEDs are in parallel with a light bulb in the indicator and the bulb is hogging the current.


Of So I thought what happens if the Bulb blows?  So I disconnected the indicator at the plug.  The LEDs flash faster, but no brighter. 


Lesson 2:  If you use Silastic, a trick of the trade from Glaziers is to keep your fingers wet with soapy water and this stops the Silastic sticking to your fingers.  This allows you to use your fingers to smooth the Silastic in place.


Lesson 3: Also to hold the LEDs into place until the Silastic sets use a couple of clothes pegs.


Lesson 4:  After drilling out the holes there was plastic burrs in the holes.  I used a much smaller drill bit in a filing motion to de-burr the holes.


Apart from that, it kept me busy this afternoon. 

[Shiney]

I did this mod to my ST1300 today and here is what I learnt:

Lesson 1: 

DON'T use a dropping resistor.  Theory says I should but practice says NO!

DON'T use 6 LED's, 5 is the magic number.  Each one is dropping 1.7 V so time 5 that is around 8.5 V. 

After it didn't work with the dropping resistor I did a bit of thinking.  My guess is that because the 5 LED's are in parallel with a light bulb in the indicator and the bulb is hogging the current.

Of So I thought what happens if the Bulb blows?  So I disconnected the indicator at the plug.  The LED's flash faster, but no brighter. 


Lesson 2:  If you use Silastic, a trick of the trade from Glaziers is to keep your fingers wet with soapy water and this stops the Silastic sticking to your fingers.  This allows you to use your fingers to smooth the Silastic in place.


Lesson 3: Also to hold the LED's into place until the Silastic sets use a couple of clothes pegs.


Lesson 4:  After drilling out the holes there was plastic burrs in the holes.  I used a much smaller drill bit in a filing motion to de-burr the holes.


Apart from that, it kept me busy this afternoon. 

Thanks for the update Gadget

The guide has been edited

[HunterTodd]

Hi Blokes,

Thanks for the inspiration, I have just spent a few happy hours farkling away in the sanctity of the shed and Chika (my name for my ST) now has 5 led's happily blnking away behind each mirror.  (BTW Chika is a Japanese female name)

Just an observation born of experience. I work for a company which makes diesel engine management systems for the mining industry and 90% of the problems we have with our gear are caused by unsupported or poorly supported cables. They flex with the vibration and cause  soldered joints to fail. I attached some photos of what I did.

Now I am onto to my next job which is insulating the gloveboxes (if that is what you call them).  My Harley mate reckons that is where I put my hankies.

Does insulation reduce the heat at all. I cooked my mobile last week and I hope it is sorted before my south coast trip next week.

Take care,
Todd

[StinkyPete]

Now I am onto to my next job which is insulating the gloveboxes (if that is what you call them). 

They are known as the ST "Pie Warmers", and note the cup shaped cut-out in the left side storage locker.   That's for a coffee cup.   

I'm afraid I won't store anything electronic or critical in there, as the heat buildup inside is quite excessive.  Let us know how you get on with the insulation.

[HunterTodd]

Will do. Have a great christmas.

[Shiney]

Great idea with the cable support Todd
Where did you get them and what are they called?

[HunterTodd]

G'day Shiney,

I got them from Jaycar. I don't know what they are called but they have self adhesive pads which stick like poo to the proverbial. They really locate the cable well. I used a flat 2 core.

[Lionel]

I'm afraid I won't store anything electronic or critical in there, as the heat buildup inside is quite excessive.

I was tossing up between installing a GME 80 ch UHF or a commercial Radio in the left-hand pocket. Thanks for the advice StinkyPete. I'll look elsewhere.