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I have recently changed my motorcycle front blinkers from OEM to LED ones. I did not add resistors: I just plugged the new blinkers into the on-board computer.

The right blinker is blinking correctly, by correctly I mean the same speed as with the OEM blinkers.

OTOH, the left blinker is blinking too fast when I don't speed up. As soon as I speed up, the left blinker is blinking correctly.

I have checked and it did not seems to be a faulty contact since it works with OEMs.

Could you see any reason for this to happen?

Thanks, .x

EDIT: the left blinker is blinking normally as soon as I speed up, it is not related to the current speed.

EDIT2: captain obvious: there are the same blinkers on the right and left sides.

dotixx
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2 Answers2

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As far as I know, automotive-class "blinkers" work as self-timed "multi-vibrator", where the blink time is (somehow) determined by impedance of light bulb. It is very frequent to see on a car when one of its turn bulb (front or rear) is broken, the blinker goes about twice as fast. Your observation also indicates that the blinking speed likely depends on battery voltage, when the bike idles, battery likely goes to 15V. So the LED replacement must provide the same impedance characteristics as the OEM bulb if you want blinkers to operate as before.

Ale..chenski
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Bulb resistance is your problem, but physics aside, you have a few options:

1) Purchase an LED specific blinker relay. Google will help.

2) Wire a resistor in parallel with your LED.

3) Purchase LEDs or LED blinker assembly that is labeled as "error free" or CANBUS compatible. These come packaged as the same resistance as a typical bulb.

Edit: My 2c... #1 is easy, but your bike won't be stock. #2 is a PITA, but cheap. #3 is just starting over again.

justinm410
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