LED Indicator bulbs on TS250/1

[rightsideup]

I've just fitted a set of LED bulbs and flasher unit to my 6V TS250/1 - I'm amazed at how much brighter they are than the standard ones so that's all good but...
With the ignition on engine off they flash as they should, with the engine running but the headlight off they just stay on. Engine running, headlight on they flash as they should but when the brake light comes on they slow down a bit. Battery is good and charging well - any ideas what is causing this?

[Puffs]

What you describe sounds like a mismatch between the load of the bulbs and the flasher. I suppose it's a dedicated flasher relay, but these LEDs draw very little current, yet still voltage dependent. So maybe the flasher circuit is too sensitive. I don't really know. Maybe if you can find a LED brake light, the effect of that light coming on would become less / vanish.

As it works well with the lights on, it doesn't seem a big problem. On the continent it's mandatory for bikes to drive with your headlight on, always, and on modern bikes you can't even switch the lights off.

[DAVID THOMPSON]

in usa 1 thing that causes confusion is on some bikes there is a relay that shuts off the headlamp when the starter is cranking the motor
to improve voltage to the motor

[rightsideup]

I suppose it's a dedicated flasher relay, but these LEDs draw very little current, yet still voltage dependent. So maybe the flasher circuit is too sensitive. I don't really know. Maybe if you can find a LED brake light, the effect of that light coming on would become less / vanish.

I think you're probably right, it is a flasher unit specifically designed for 6V negative earth use, I'm going to get LED stop/tail lights and see if that helps.

[Puffs]

Yes, 6V -'ve earth, but that's not what I meant. I don't know how all the existing flasher circuits works, but I understand that in at least some designs the current drawn by the lights influences the rate of blinking. For instance, when 1 bulb is blown, it blinks faster, or just the opposite: it may stay on all the time.

Now these LEDs draw far less current than the conventional bulbs (typically just 10%), so that's why I figured you would have a dedicated flasher relay, aimed at use w/ LED bulbs, like this one: https://www.ledlight.com/flasher-cf13-6 ... -watt.aspx. That one's flashing rate appears to be independent of the load.

Anyway, what you have seems to be working almost fine (with the lights on), except when you brake: then the 21W extra load (on the battery/charge system, not on the flasher relay) causes the voltage to drop a bit, and the blinking to become a bit slower. So either stop braking, or reduce the load of the braking light, by changing that one to a LED too.
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Sorry, I said "On the continent ...", while I should have said "In western Europe ...". And I guess the even more modern bikes with LED headlights don't actually need a relay to switch the headlights off while starting, as it draws just some 6W.

[Blurredman]

Solid state type relay is best I think?



My American import car, the indicators slow down considerbaly when the brake lights are applied at idle.. All incandescent bulbs ofc.

[MichaelTorre]

When the alternator light shares a function with the blinker light it will mess up your plans rewire it so the alternator doesn't flash to indicate the blinkers flashing.

M.