Ducati Monster Forum

Moto Board => Tech => Topic started by: Skyshadow on January 18, 2012, 10:32:55 AM



Title: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: Skyshadow on January 18, 2012, 10:32:55 AM
I know in the car world you can swap your stock flasher relay with one built for LED blinkers so they wont flash super fast. do they have those for our Monsters?


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: Nomad on January 18, 2012, 10:42:11 AM
you probably have to install a couple resistors.  With one LED on the back I was fine, but when I put two up front two I had to do that.  It isn't that hard, just attach them to the frame under the seat.


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: Howie on January 18, 2012, 03:31:18 PM
You can try an electronic flasher like the one sold by Ca Cycleworks:

http://www.ca-cycleworks.com/products/electrical/ca-cycleworks-badlands-flasher-relay-recommended-use-with-ca-integrated-taillight-turn-signals-and-lighting (http://www.ca-cycleworks.com/products/electrical/ca-cycleworks-badlands-flasher-relay-recommended-use-with-ca-integrated-taillight-turn-signals-and-lighting)
may or may not work with your lights or you can pick up one similar at a local auto parts store or add 5 watt resisters in parallel.


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: Skyshadow on January 18, 2012, 03:36:02 PM
You can try an electronic flasher like the one sold by Ca Cycleworks:

http://www.ca-cycleworks.com/products/electrical/ca-cycleworks-badlands-flasher-relay-recommended-use-with-ca-integrated-taillight-turn-signals-and-lighting (http://www.ca-cycleworks.com/products/electrical/ca-cycleworks-badlands-flasher-relay-recommended-use-with-ca-integrated-taillight-turn-signals-and-lighting)
may or may not work with your lights or you can pick up one similar at a local auto parts store or add 5 watt resisters in parallel.

Damn, thats a expensive flasher. any clue why it's so pricey?


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: Howie on January 18, 2012, 08:20:32 PM
Damn, thats a expensive flasher. any clue why it's so pricey?

The flasher your bike came with is a bi metallic spring,the spring gets hot, the points open, open circuit, no light.  Spring cools, points close, light.  Wash, rinse, repeat.  Result?  Blinking light.  Electronic flasher?  Solid state board consisting of at least a transistor and capacitor.  Does this justify the price?  I don't think so, but if they make it and you want it...


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: Skyshadow on January 19, 2012, 09:48:01 AM
That's pretty cool to learn. I dont think it's worth the cost but I need a new flasher and the stock one is $35. So even if i just got that one I would still have to buy resistors which i dont want and the cost would be just the same.


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: ducatiz on January 19, 2012, 09:52:14 AM
Shop around for the resistors.  I put LED rear blinkers on my bike and the resistors came for $10/pair.


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: Ddan on January 20, 2012, 02:20:12 AM
Or search around for options on the flasher; that isn't the only one made.


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: Skyshadow on January 20, 2012, 11:04:37 AM
Or search around for options on the flasher; that isn't the only one made.

Have been, too bad our bikes dont run 12v. I found ones for cars for like $15


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: ducatiz on January 20, 2012, 11:33:52 AM
Have been, too bad our bikes dont run 12v. I found ones for cars for like $15

my bike runs 12v.   what model do you have?


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: Skyshadow on January 20, 2012, 01:26:50 PM
2001 Ducati Monster 750.. says it under everything i post.


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: Cloner on January 20, 2012, 03:26:36 PM
I believe I'm accurate in saying that every twin engined motorcycle Ducati has ever made in a production capacity operates with a 12v (nominal) electrical system.  Even the early '70s Sports and GTs are 12v.

Your 12v car flasher may require a different socket, but it should work as long as it's correct schematically.


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: Raux on January 21, 2012, 01:49:58 AM
really need to look at the watt rating of the stock bulbs.
12v is the standard voltage.

too low a watt rating on the replacement and you'll have fast blinking
too high a watt rating and it will blink slower and eventually stop blinking at all if left on

suppose if you replace the actual relay with the appropriate wattage for a low watt LED setup, then it would work. but have to find one that plugs into the stock wiring of the bike?

http://www.customled.com/ (http://www.customled.com/)


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: J-Speed Inc. on February 07, 2012, 10:44:33 AM
For my 99 M900, I used a Tridon EL12 when my stock signal flasher died shortly after installing LED signals on all four corners.  I also had to install diodes into the turn signal light in the dashboard to prevent voltage bleedover, but that shouldn't be a problem with your bike.


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: Skyshadow on February 07, 2012, 04:35:15 PM
Does the Tridon EL12 work good with LED blinkers?


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: xsephirot on February 07, 2012, 04:45:29 PM
Just buy a flasher relay off fleabay for 20 bucks. It works perfectly well. I'm going to say 99% of bikes out there are 12v so no compatibility issues.


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: mangeldbug on March 24, 2012, 05:19:22 PM
I got LED blinkers for Christmas and am just getting around to installing.  I have a relay for LEDs.  But where the heck is my stock relay unit located so I can replace it???  (I have a 2002 M750S.)  We've been looking around everywhere.  We found the power relay for the blinker/brake/head lights (by the battery) but not the flasher relay.  My husband tried installing some 1000 ohm resistors instead of a relay, which stopped them all from blinking at the same time, but they were blinking much faster than normal.  

Help!   [bang]

Edit: I think I may have found the answer here (http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=52079.0).  The flasher is integrated in the instrument cluster, so resistors are much easier.  I think the resistors we tried already were too low.  We will try some 5W ones and see what happens.


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: Skyshadow on March 26, 2012, 12:31:26 PM
I dont know about your bike but on mine its right next to the ignition relay.


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: mangeldbug on March 26, 2012, 12:46:05 PM
OK.  Where is the ignition relay?  The only thing we found resembling some sort of relay was a double plug attached to the battery box.  One was the flashers, brake, and headlight.  We determined this to be the power relay for all the lights, not the flasher relay just for the turn signals.  I cant remember what the other was for in that plug, but it was not the signals.

I dont know about your bike but on mine its right next to the ignition relay.


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: Slide Panda on March 26, 2012, 02:58:21 PM
You all might be talking apples and oranges - Bug what year is your bike?


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: Skyshadow on March 26, 2012, 04:38:42 PM
02 750 Si.e., its in her Signature


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: Slide Panda on March 26, 2012, 04:50:09 PM
Ah, which will have an electronic flasher in and part of the dash which can't be replaced like one does on the older, pre electronic dash monsters.


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: Skyshadow on March 26, 2012, 04:55:56 PM
Sucky... what is she eliminates the stock, direct wires around it and puts in a after market on?


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: Slide Panda on March 26, 2012, 05:18:20 PM
Not so easy. It's an integral part of the dash.. tamper at your own peril.

Resistors are the way to go and it seems she's on that track.


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: mangeldbug on March 26, 2012, 07:59:28 PM
Not so easy. It's an integral part of the dash.. tamper at your own peril.

Resistors are the way to go and it seems she's on that track.

OK, I figured the 01 M750 Dk (carbie) and my 02 M750S (fuel injected) would probably be different in more than a few ways.
We definitely did not want to crack the dash, especially after the warnings to not go down that path in the other thread, so we got some resistors at the auto parts store (they are ginormous!) and managed to tuck them in behind the headlight bucket.  It fixed all issues.  Only one side blinks at a time now and at the normal slow rate.   [thumbsup]  
I just have to keep an eye on their placement as we zip tied the resistors to the headlight bracket.  
Its really tough hiding things on a Monster...

Thanks  :)


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: Ddan on March 27, 2012, 01:23:13 AM
OK, I figured the 01 M750 Dk (carbie) and my 02 M750S (fuel injected) would probably be different in more than a few ways.
We definitely did not want to crack the dash, especially after the warnings to not go down that path in the other thread, so we got some resistors at the auto parts store (they are ginormous!) and managed to tuck them in behind the headlight bucket.  It fixed all issues.  Only one side blinks at a time now and at the normal slow rate.   [thumbsup]  
I just have to keep an eye on their placement as we zip tied the resistors to the headlight bracket.  
Its really tough hiding things on a Monster...

Thanks  :)

Don't forget they get hot


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: mangeldbug on March 27, 2012, 06:11:41 AM
Don't forget they get hot

Yup!  That's why we zip tied to the metal bracket and didnt bundle with any other wires.  Hopefully the zip ties dont melt.  A better solution (maybe I can source smaller resistors?) may be in my future, but this will at least allow my bike to pass inspection, which is coming up.  These were automotive resistors for LED - Im not sure about the wattage, but it might be more than I need.

Im slightly annoyed however.  I got LED bulbs to conserve the battery, and then I had to add back possibly more wattage than I reduced due to the resistors!  I replaced all the bulbs on my KLR250 with LED (itty bitty battery) and believe me it made a world of difference.  Ive now done the same LED swap on my XT225.  Of course, the difference is much more noticeable on those little bikes than my Duc, but still.  Annoying.


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: NAKID on March 27, 2012, 06:22:05 AM
Why did you get them to conserve the battery? I would imagine most of the time the blinkers are on is when the bike is running.


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: mangeldbug on March 27, 2012, 06:30:34 AM
True, but I have other stuff hooked up to the battery drawing on it.  Heated grips, hookup for heated vest, GPS, other little things.  I figure every little bit that I conserve helps in the long run.  I like doing longer rides, sometimes multiday, where I dont have access to a charger.  

On my KLR, switching over to LED bulbs (blinkers, brakes, dash) made it so that I could actually use my heated grips in cold weather.  Otherwise I was literally killing the battery while I was riding - the charging system couldnt keep up with the draw I was putting on the battery.  The Duc has a larger battery and better charging system, so the give and take is more balanced, but I do notice my battery dropping down a volt or so while sitting at a long light (I have a volt meter) when I have everything turned on, and especially if I have both my heated grips and vest on High.  

I doubt its really necessary on the Duc, but because of the huge power savings I was seeing when I swapped to LED on my KLR and XT, I figured why not


Title: Re: Got LED blinkers, is there a flasher for them?
Post by: NAKID on March 27, 2012, 06:44:34 AM
Gotcha....


I'm of the simpler is better mindset. That and I don't need heated grips which I'm sure draw quite a bit of power....


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