LED

I'm in the process of rebuilding my sidecar and am using all LEDs. I'm also replacing bulbs on the tug with LEDs where practical. You may want to swap out your turn signal relay with an electronic unit which is not so sensitive to voltage drops.

Check your wiring connections for any corrosion. A dirty connector adds resistance to the circuit which can slow down your flasher also.

comet66 - 5/18/2011 12:43 PM

My 1990 Ultra has several lights on the back and when I hit the brakes my volt meter takes a dive down to about 6-8 volts. When the lights on, it will actually drop out the turn signal flasher.

I was told at the dealer this condition is normal for the year.

My thought is to replace the bulbs with LED's. Have any of you made this transition, and if so do you have any suggestions?

Thanks
John

That's a very good idea. It might also be a good idea to check out your charging system. It could be failing.

Test:
Remove the plug from the stator in the left hand crankcase and examing it for corrosion. While you have the plug out, test for AC voltage at the two holes in the socket where the plug comes out of. You should get approxinately 20 VAC for each 1000 rpm. There are other tests for resistance and such but the voltage test will tell you what's going on immediately.

If you have sufficient AC voltage at the stator outlet, then plug the cable back in and access the battery. At any rpm over an idle you should be getting 13-5-14.0 volts at the battery posts. If all is well, that's the best you can do with the existing system. Some of the earlier systems were only 22 amps. Later units ( stator, rotor, regulator) were sized up to 32 and some even 40. The newer Ultras are 45 amps with three phase. These tests are in the service manual. Since your original system is now going on 22 years old, you might consider an upgrade.

Otherwise, it would be a good idea to consider changing to LED's. Each LED will only draw about 30 milliamps so they will cut down on current unless you install lots of them and then it can stat to add up.

a 90 still has, i think, a 32 amp alternator - works fine at speed but dubious at idle

there have been two upgrades since then - my 2000 alternator failed completely - the primary smelled burnt - burnt bits of electrical windings everywhere took quite a bit of work to clean it all up... ick.

the newer units bolt right in and make 50 amps at much lower rpm

leds may mess with the turn signal unit so make sure you get the right parts - leds can lower the power requirements a lot - im really quite interested in leds just to lower the load on the wiring and increase the electrical life of the bike

to

The Mechanic at the dealership told me this condition is normal for the 1990 model.

From what I've read LED turn signals will probably require an electronic flasher unit. I plan to change all the other lamps first (a couple at a time as they are kinda pricey) and leave the signals for last. Maybe the load will lighten up enough that the sigs will work OK and I can deal with them later.

Thanks for your input guys!
John

I installed the Kuryakyn Panacea LED taillight system on my '98 FLHT about five years ago. I works great. Kuryakyn techs were very helpful in explaining how to set up the wires when I added the TLE sidecar.

Added benefits of this system are when you first brake the brake lights flash three times. Also the outer lights are now turn signals and brake lights and the center tail light now also has an amber arrow turn signal.

Terry

check for battery condition, current leeks or low charger output.
I use LEDs where they fit and can use 1 led per flashlight circuit without having to change to electronic timer flash relay.
The generator of my 350 Jawa is designed for only barely fire the lights as a solo bike. Those few watt more drawn by the sidecar lighting are already too much.
Since I installed several LEDs I may tell you that it made a big positive change. I can go now some 2 hours at night ad after that the light stays still with pulled throttle.
Before with all conventional bulbs the light was DROPPING in front of the fender after less then half an hour night riding.
Sven

The bike sat for 6 years before I bought it so the battery and tires were the first to go.

Comet, don't laugh.
A friend pulled in 1982 out of the junk yard a Victoria 1952 that sat there since 1972, He just had to reload that Cadmium batery and eventually still might use it. (as I know him)
Things were done a different way in those days.
O as my Gran-granfather used to say:
"The best obtainable quality is just barely good enough".
Here we go on screwing on family's control stuff somewhere in the middle of nowhere. 10 deg.N,84 deg.W
Sven

Peter Pan - 6/16/2011 9:36 AM

Comet, don't laugh.
A friend pulled in 1982 out of the junk yard a Victoria 1952 that sat there since 1972, He just had to reload that Cadmium batery and eventually still might use it. (as I know him)
Things were done a different way in those days.
O as my Gran-granfather used to say:
"The best obtainable quality is just barely good enough".
Here we go on screwing on family's control stuff somewhere in the middle of nowhere. 10 deg.N,84 deg.W
Sven

Four sayings by which I live:

1. The best is the enemy of the good.

2. If some is good, more is bettter and too much is just right.

3. We have seen the enemy and he is us.

4. If it isn't broken, work on iit until it is broken.

🙂

I finally got around to replacing two of the six lamps with led's. They didn't work well at all. When I put the brake on they would all but go out. After scratching my head a bit I realized that with four still in place when the brake was applied the voltage still dropped dramatically. I pulled the other lamps out and the led's worked fine. They need near full voltage to function properly.

So, now with all six replaced, my volt meter just barely sees the load when the brakes are applied. I'd call the exercise a success. They are even brighter than the 1157s. However you don't need to spend the big dollar to buy them. I payed about eight bucks apiece at my local parts store.

Now to find an electronic flasher unit so I can replace my turnsignal lamps.

This place understands the issue and apparently has it all figured out. http://www.ledlight.com/electronic-led-flasher-ep29.aspx . I got mine from a local auto parts store but the first one didn't work and you've seen the sign, "NO RETURNS ON ELECTRICAL PARTS".

John,
I am tired of special parts so in my van I installed for many different uses (door opener, diesel cut off, pepper gas, high voltage burgler trap, 120VAC inverter, and so on) a so called intelligent relay.
The one I use is from Siemens type Logo 12/24VDC. Its in my job THE "save the day" part. it has 8 digital inputs and 4 relays, from the inputs 4 can be used as analogue inputs 0-10V that are even good for to use them for batery regulating. The unit can be extended up to 24 inputs and 16 outputs. and the software is quite complete (over 23 different operational blocks) pretty confortable to work on for such a cheap and little bugger.
There are others on the market, that in my eyes are good, but not so handy.
The day my rig gets its electrical overhaul and engine change, be sure a Logo will surprise more then one guy:"Good day, please type in your password for to start me..."
(about 110$ for the initinal unit) Might sound expensive, but after the 3rd use its cheaper then buying separate special flashers or timer.
I use it after saving a day as timer replacement for to automize the whole machine. There are quite a few out in the local industry I relived with a Logo.
Just an 2 cent idea take it for what its worth.
Sven
a crazy hands on engineer

I have a L shaped room, lets say 6m long and 4m wide with three ceiling lighting points in it, at each point of an L. Now my question is how can I get the most light for thsi space. Should i use led or fluorescent lighting, or something else. Which is brighter, cheaper to run etc. Is there a third option? Any views welcomed.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
LED Tubes led bulbs lights LED Tube