Obviously I am not bright enough for LED's

[dc112675]

Well, it looks like I might not be the sharpest tool in the shed.  This mechanical business has got me thrown for a loop.  Maybe that is why I always liked wood working better.

At any rate, my lights came in this weekend.  I ordered 4 new LED turn lights, 2 relays, and a LED fat bob tail light.  I knew it wouldn't be easy, but cmon.

After an hour of work, this is where I got (see picture below)

Sadly enough, I never made it any further.  It was at this point (with the rear fender, seat, tank, battery and lights removed) that I knew I was in over my head.  Luckily I got it all re-assembled and it is working like new.  The bad news is, my LEDs and tail light are still in the box . . .

Has anyone done the LED conversion?  Where exactly do the relays go?  There are wires at the front and back, and I don't want to mess up the bike!  If it weren't for the relays I would have forged ahead, but I had no idea where to put them.  

Can anyone help?  Thanks, dc

[Ed Mackessy]

I put LED rear blinkers on my bike and had to use a load equilizer to get them to work properly. I tucked the load equilizer under the rubber strap that holds in the battery. On the rear fender is a ball of wires inside a plastic sheath. By use of a wireing diagram you can tell what color wirers control what (or you can open the light fixture and see what color is hooked up. Because the LED's don't draw as much current as the regular lights, you need to attach the leads from the load equilizer to the wire that contols the light. I picked up the wire, and made the connection in that ball of wires under the seat.( attached to the rear fender)

I should add that this is on a 3rd generation.

I used the existing wiring harness and tagged on the new light fixture wires to the old harness. Be sure to use sodder on all connections and you should cover them with a heat shrink tubing.

[dc112675]

I don't know if my relays (2 little boxes, one for the left blinkers and one for the right blinkers) are the same as equalizers.  For that reason I am not sure where they go.  When I disassembled my magna (it is also a 3rd gen, though it is hard to tell from all the parts missing) I found the "ball of wires" you were referring to.  I even traced back to find which ones went where.  

However, with only one relay for each side, I didn't know where it would go.  My guess is that the left front blinker is "daisy-chained" to the left rear blinker (read: they are on the same circuit with the front being the first and the rear being on the end).   The deal is, I just don't know enough about the wiring to plunge in.  I also wanted to use new wire, so that I could keep all the old wiring intact just in case it was ever put back to original form.  No need to go and butcher all that wiring.

Also, all four of my new lights have 3 wires coming out of them.  I think I read that the front ones will need all three (because they have running lights) but the back will only need two (they only light up with the blinkers).  BTW, do the rear blinkers light up with the break?  Man I am confused!!!

At any rate, thanks for the help.  The good news is that I just got it inspected so I have a little while before things have to be working again.  I'm not saying that I would ride around without blinkers, just that . . . oh I don't know what I am saying.  Scratch that last line.  Thanks, dc

[TLRam1]

I also have load equalizers that I have yet to install but have to secure the large LED's as I do not like the small size you can pickup at your local parts store.

I want the size of LED's about the same size as the lens for a good light output.

I have not done this yet but the general idea is......With the load equalizers you wire into both wires to the blinker. Example, you have 2 wires to the rear blinker, 1 wire would splice into one wire and the other to splice into the other wire. As if you ran a jumper wire between the 2 wires to short them out but the load equalizer has a resister inside to prevent that from happening (you could use the resister w/o the fancy case).  The equalizers could be put anywhere you can store them and yes I would say the front and back are daisy-chained so you would need one per side.

I have also seen relays that replace your stock relay to perform the same function (must draw more load or have a load equalizer build in). You could splice your wire and add the "motorcycle style connectors male/female ends to install your relays so you could chg back to stock with no problems and have a neat reconnect.

Locate where the blinkers make a connection, disconnect and put this relay between the 2 wires, see what happens. If nothing, remove your stock relay for the blinkers and rig this one in place, see what happens. Be ready to turn off quickly.

The issue you have is what you actually have in terms of relays/load equalizers. You can locate them wherever you have room.

Remember the load equalizer will be wired between the 2 wires as if shorting them out and a relay might be wired in general, one side to ground and the other just a break in the Hot side. I would have to research the relay info to be certain or someone could chime in and correct me.  

Shouldn't be too hard just jump in and go for it!

Now when you sizzle all your wires.....I didn't write this. lol