Hi !
It is related to my installation to my motor bike, but i have a "specific question".
I bought mirrors with integrated LED indicators for my bike. I wanted to mount them while keeping the original turn signals. To carry out the test, I plugged into the existing turn signals in the back.
When the engine is off, everything works perfectly. But once the engine is on, there is a flickering effect, and I can't clearly identify the root cause.
Usually, there are problems when changing the bulbs to the LED (Need new Blinker RELAY). But for me, my bike is full original led, so theoretically the RELAY is supposed to be OK.

Observed points :
- OK engine off (warnings and normal)
- Engine ON : flicker on
- Connected directly to the battery (engine off and on) : Does not flash (because not connected with the RELAY) but shows that they do not flicker when the engine is on.
- Voltage is a bit more when engine is ON (from 12V to 14V apporximatively)
Here is small video i did to illustrate :

You can notice the blinkering time is OK with OEM Led signals of the bike


Direct mode :

The manufacturer asked me to test a resistor: 10 W, 10 Ohm, and i have exactly the same effect (and heats up very quickly).
I'm completely lost, and the local garages don't have time to look at the trouble...

Do you have any idea of the issue? I cannot understand why only when the engine is on with turn signal i have Flickering issue, not when engine is off, or when i connect directly to battery (on and off)
I tried to measure voltage, resistance, but the voltmeter is going crazy when turn lights are on
Thank you !

 

The flickering may have something to do with the controlling circuit, the flasher. The extra LED's may be putting more of a load than it can handle, but not so much more a load that it has failed outright. If you keep trying to make it flicker then chances are you could damage the flasher control module.

LED's operate based on current. The amount of current they draw through the appropriate circuit (resistors). When your flasher tries to turn the LED's on it may be seeing more current than a filter capacitor can handle, and you get the flashing. But keep in mind this is purely a guess at what is causing the problem. It's the best I can offer.

Your DVM (meter) will have a hard time measuring and displaying the voltage of a constantly changing level (on - off - on - off).

And welcome to AAC.

 

Hi, thank you for your response!
So if i well understood, there is too much power for the additionnal LED , when the engine is on?
It means the new LEDs of the mirrors do not absorb as much as the original flashers?
Because I tried a resistor (10 w 10ohm that the supplier told me to test), this doesn't change anything. And if I plug the 2 mirrors led with 2 resistors in the circuit, all turn signals don't light up anymore (weak sizzling).

Also as i said , if i plug the new LEDS mirros directly to the battery , it will not blink, but also not flickering : engine ON or OFF. It means it accepting 12v and 14v i think

So i think the issue will be the RELAY at the end

 

What I was saying is that if your blinker is designed to run two LED modules and you add an additional LED module you could be over-taxing the module driver, causing the flickering. But let me also say "I DON'T KNOW THAT FOR A FACT!" It's just guesswork on my part. But I wouldn't offer this unless I thought there might be reasonable merit to what I said. Remember, I could be wrong.

 

Yes yes, and I'm really happy to have a return! This allows for reflection, and better understanding!
I do not think to install them in addition, I have a fear indeed that there is an overload at term and could damage the blinker relay.

I had tried anyway by disconnecting the 2 turn signals at the rear (so only mirrors + front), and this produced the same result unfortunately

 

Well that must mean my assumptions are wrong. I can't help you. Sorry.

'av'a g'day mate.

 

My thoughts...

Faulty relay
Relay chatter from engine vibration
LED drivers do not like being turned on and off

 

Turn signals which use what is commonly called a "flasher" rely on the resistance of the load side to derive a flash rate. Most just use a bi metallic thermal switch so based on load resistance the load current heats the bi metallic switch until it opens removing the load and it cools till it makes contact again and the process repeats. When a turn signal lamp filament burns out the load changes and the remaining lamp usually blinks at a much faster rate. The high side (bright) filament is a turn signal lamp draws about two amps. Everything worked that way for years.

Today's vehicles, including motorcycles use all sorts of different methods including electronic switch systems. If you have a basic flasher as mentioned above any load change will effect the flash rate. Less knowing what the normal load is and how much load the added mirrors add it becomes really hard to diagnose. I tried going to LED front and rear turn signal lamps on my bike. I even added the compensating load resistors. The bike is a 92 Harley Electro-Glide which uses a "turn signal module". I never did get it working right and eventually just gave up. The turn signal module in itself is a nightmare and an expensive nightmare at that.

Ron