Question: Front Turn Signal Connection

[Alsoran]

I've installed a set of Non-LED OEM front turn signals on my Tenere. The big change is that the original signals on my bike were 3-wire with the running lights, and now I've installed a 2-wire setup which does not have the running lights.

 

When I installed the rear signals all was good - normal signal flash pattern. Now connecting the front signals and leaving off the running light connection, the indicators have a fast flashing pattern. Funny thing is the emergency has a normal flash pattern. I think the problem is that the running light wire is not connected to anything. However I'm not an electrical person so I would appreciate any guidance here...

 

1. Is the running light wire that is not connected to anything the problem. If so, what to do with it to correct back to a normal flash speed?

2. Or is a different OEM connector / wire needed without the third DRL wire?

3. Do I need a different relay now to slow the flash back to normal speed?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Ray Ride4life]

Sometimes (actually a lot of times) people overthink things, i like to keep it at the base and try to think logical.
That logic says that the draw of the running lights is encountered into the design of the relay.
A blinker relay is designed to go faster when one light is not working as a warning to check your lights, replacement relays are made to have a fixed speed to work with any aftermarket blinker.
In this case there is no draw from the running light so it's very likely that is the cause of the faster blinking pattern.
You can test it by connecting a random 5W bulb to the running light wire or just install a power independent relay.

[Lewie]

I thought all non Oem led’s required a relay swap and I’m in no way a mechanic but my belief was that the led does not draw enough current- I’m probably talking bs 

a relays is only about £5

Edited April 10, 2023 by Lewie

[Ray Ride4life]

OP has installed OEM non LED's but what i understand his bike has standard running lights (USA spec) and he probably has EU OEM blinkers (still don't understand why LED isn't standard).
I guess USA and EU also have different relays because of the extra draw from the running lights.
Independent relays always work but you need to check the blinker bulbs yourself.

[Lewie]

Ahhh I misread that and non oem led’s

[Alsoran]

Thanks for the replies.

 

They are the Clear lensed Yamaha OEM with two wire connection. So now the wire for the running lights is disconnected and goes to nowhere. I suspect that is the problem for the rapid flash rate but I'm not sure how to solve it.

 

Strange that the when I turn on the emergency flasher the rate goes back to normal speed.

[Lewie]

Could it be because your drawing power to 4 indicators and not 2 ?

[Alan M]

I would think the running light circuit is separate from the indicator, if it was connected through the flasher circuit then it would blink along with the indicator which clearly doesn’t happen.

 

Just a shot in the dark but as it’s a combined light and indicator then maybe it has a higher wattage bulb to compensate for the running light. Worth checking to see if the UK bulb wattage is the same as the US. If it is higher and isn’t a direct swap then you can wire in some load resistors in series with the new indicators.

[Ray Ride4life]

5 minutes ago, Alan M said:

which clearly doesn’t happen

Don't they turn of when the blinker flashes to make the signal clearer?

[Ray Ride4life]

1 hour ago, Alsoran said:

but I'm not sure how to solve it

Just install a independent relay.

[Alan M]

21 minutes ago, Ray Ride4life said:

Don't they turn of when the blinker flashes to make the signal clearer?

Haven’t a clue, maybe someone from the US could confirm.

Edited April 10, 2023 by Alan M
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[Alsoran]

39 minutes ago, Ray Ride4life said:

Don't they turn of when the blinker flashes to make the signal clearer?

 

Yes they do. The running light will go off when the turn signal is on.

[Lewie]

I think as Ray has said order a flasher relay they’re only a few £

[Alan M]

49 minutes ago, Alan M said:

Haven’t a clue, maybe someone from the US could confirm.

Sorry, my bad, I thought they were two separate lights, clear and orange.

Probably still a load issue.

 

Have you tried connecting the original indicator back up but only as 2 wire. If this works then it should just be a bulb change to the same spec. 

 

[Alsoran]

I didn't try connecting the original to a 2-wire. However the new OEM 2-wire flashes all indicators normally with the emergency flasher selected so I think the bulbs are fine.

 

I connected my LED on the Super Tenere the same way but installed a relay and it worked fine. I didn't think with non-led OEM flashers that I'd need a relay.

[Alan M]

With the hazards on you now have twice the load compared to just left or right indicators on.

 

Just remove a bulb from each of the different front indicators and check what wattage is printed on it. It could be if the fronts are  designed as a combined daylight running and indicator they have spec’ed a higher wattage bulb.

 

Might be easier than sourcing a UK/Euro flasher unit but fitting one is probably the better option as long as the US wiring/connector is the same.

[Alsoran]

Checked both flasher bulbs and need clarification on the wattage:

 

Euro spec: 12V RY5W (easy explanation)

US spec: W21/5W  E4 20W (confusing as it shows 5 watt and 20 watt?)

 

Probably need a relay?

[Ray Ride4life]

Bulb has 2 glow wires, 1 x 5W for the running light and 1 x 21W for the blinker function.

The same as old brake lights.

[Alan M]

If the bulb is double filament check you have wired to the correct one.

 

If the euro spec is 5W then it would suggest the 21W is the running light but without seeing a wiring diagram I couldn’t say for certain.

Sorry, should read, check which filament the original indicator was wired to, 21 or 5.

Just checked and euro indicator uses a 10W bulb.

 

The online manual doesn’t have the wiring diagram with running lights. Might be worth trying to establish which element is which 5 or 21 for the original indicator and take it from there.

Edited April 12, 2023 by Alan M
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[Alsoran]

Problem solved. I installed a new relay - Custom LED (ELFR-1) and everything works perfect. Normal flash rate for signals and emergency flasher.

 

Thanks again for everyone's input.

[Lewie]

Perfect