Todays dumb /5 question

[Unclviny]

1973 R75/5,
Will changing to LED's (1156's right?) make the turn signals stand out more?
If I swap to LED's I need to swap turn signal relay (61 31 1 352 941) too, right?

More light is a GOOD thing in Houston-traffic!

Vince

[Garnet]

Yes you will need an LED flasher.

The /5 flasher is a thermal flasher. It senses the load from the bulbs and breaks the conection to cause the on off of the signal light. That is why the signals do not blink when the bike is idling, the voltage is too low to heat up the flasher. LEDs draw so little power that the flasher will not flash. Later bikes used an electronic flasher that gave a steady flash despite the voltage. But they still need to see some resistance to work, and will not worl with LEDs.

The good news is, the /5 uses an ordinary 2 prong flasher.

[Deleted User 287]

I would buy bulbs with as wide a dispersal as possible. http://www.chromeglow.com/store.asp?pid=28889

Here is a site with relay info. http://www.customled.com/products/load_ ... alizer.htm

[jjwithers]

Or, instead of a LED flasher, you can add resistors to your wiring. I have a /5 with original flasher and wiring.... but added LEDs.
The load on the LEDs that i used as front turn signals was too low so i had to add resistors.
If you are buying new LED turn signals, check and see if they have a resistor built in. Most companies are building them in so they are plug and play (in place of incandescent bulbs).

[Motorhead]

I correnty use LED's with no trouble with my Idot lights High beam, Neutral,oil and turn signel

I use a timed flasher

with the retun to drum and loseing the Pod I needed Idot lights so I as I needed to install in my chromed custom Triumph type headlight bucket

now the system works even with the 8 amp fuse which didn't happen before with the ole lighted system and a time flasher

LEDs rock with low electrical needs and realible service

[Major Softie]

I would stay away from the resistor systems on a /5. You already have a pretty minimal system, so why throw away the lower wattage advantage that LED's give you. On a bike with plenty of extra electrical output (say, my Oilhead), the shortcut of the resistors is reasonable, but, I think, not the way to go on a /5.

[Unclviny]

Hucky's has a Hella Electronic relay that is a direct-replacement for stock but Hans says that it SHOULD work with LED's, for $62.50 I would like to KNOW that it will work. I like this relay because it fits without making any changes to the bike.

My "Dancing" (Road Rocketeer) LED brakelight is "out for delivery" and UPS should be bringing it today, it's a "plug and play" unit requiring NO harness-cutting and that was why I bought it.

Vince

[Garnet]

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/ ... ashers.htm

You have to check the wirring diagram for the bike, but it is either the FL2-Red or CF12ANL-01. $12.95.

[Motorhead]

while out on the road I'd stop at Loves truck stops for the breakfast sawdwich from Subway

last stop in Calif near the California border I took a look at the store MAN what a suprize 1157 LED's and 1056 LEDS in WHITE color man o man

with my timed single flasher the signels flash correctly and evenly and brightly

[RickR90s]

Yes you will need an LED flasher.

The /5 flasher is a thermal flasher. It senses the load from the bulbs and breaks the conection to cause the on off of the signal light. That is why the signals do not blink when the bike is idling, the voltage is too low to heat up the flasher. LEDs draw so little power that the flasher will not flash. Later bikes used an electronic flasher that gave a steady flash despite the voltage. But they still need to see some resistance to work, and will not worl with LEDs.

The good news is, the /5 uses an ordinary 2 prong flasher.

so, because mine do flash at idle as expected, Im lucky?