3-Wire OEM to 2 LED: How To Keep Your Running Light/Blinker Combo

[Aced It]

Trying to upgrade from dual filament incandescent turning lamps to LED on your motorcycle can be trying. Trying to incorporate your running lights into left/right flashers can reserve you a table at the Devil’s diner! So I’m going to lay this out for you so as to make it simple and cost effective. What? Cost effective? Don’t I have to purchase load equalizers and ‘magic’ blinkers, etc.??? ….. No. I experimented and researched it for you so you can save-Save-SAVE!

The secrets the industry doesn't want you to know:
. 1 each of Tridon Electronic Flasher EP-35 (Autozone, Advance Auto, etc. … be certain it states “LED 2-4 lamps”)
. 2 each of Rectifier Diodes 3 amps 200P/V (Radioshack p/n 276-1143, 2 to a pack)
. 4 each of Rectifier Diodes 3 amps 50P/V (Radioshack p/n 276-1141, 2 to a pack)

This will all cost you under $20, provided you already have the tools, wire and spare fuses. I have lots of spare stuff all the time, so I just crack into my storage bins and have at it.

My bike is a 2003 Honda Shadow ACE VT750. As for other Honda models and brands I am assuming that if you have the 3-2-1 set-up, this will work for you (3-wire set-up for front turning lamps, 2-wire set-up for rears, and a 1-single turn indicator lamp on your speedo/triple-tree). Try at your own risk.

In these next steps, please do NOT finalize your wiring as shown in my pics! This was a work in progress with some experimenting, so I’m working with bare connections. Always solder your connections, use electrical connectors and heat wrap/electrical tape.

I’ll attempt finalize the “how-to” and post pics of the cleaned up wiring later. Feel free to ask questions, or PM me.

But, to put it simple without great detail:
1. With the bike turned completely off, access your flasher relay, in my case inside the headlamp assembly and switch it out for the Tridon EP-35. The EP-35 is a three prong relay. Basically if you hold the relay as shown in my pic, the left side is Ground, the middle is 12V+ power and the right is Load. Make the connections as shown here. I had no gray wire, so mine is blue coming from the relay.


2. Take two of the 3amp-50P/V rectifier diodes (276-1141) and twist the ‘striped’ ends together. Attach some extra wire at both ends and repeat for a total of two assemblies.


3. Attach the single wire ends to the positive ends of the front left and right LED wires respectively. The other wire(s) from your LED(s) attaches to ground. (Sorry, no pic but it's pretty straight forward.)

4. Attach the double wire ends of your assembly to the bike harness where the stock running lamp and turning lamp units wired to. Repeat for the other side. Note: One side is blue and blue/white wire, the other is orange and orange/white (green is ground).


5. Now take the two 3amp-200P/V and twist the ‘striped’ ends together like you did in step two. Attach some extra wire to the ends for a single assembly.

6. Splice the two wires coming from the single turn indicator on the dash/triple-tree. Attach one wire to the single end of the 200P/V assembly. The other wire from the turn indicator goes to ground.


7. Attach the double ends of the 200P/V assembly to the two wires you spliced at the turn indicator leading back to the harness.


8. Clean it all up and you’re done! You now will have LED front running lights and turning lamps just like stock, albeit cooler and brighter! It should work like this (click the pic for video):


WHAT A MESS, RIGHT?

Maybe this diagram will help:


If you find any errors or have input, please don't hesitate to comment.

As a final note: Props to board member elfnyc who assisted with my fried brain during some of my stupid moments.

[elfnyc]

Great write up. This should be a sticky Alot of people ask how to do this!!!
And pix we like pix. Well done.

[razor78016]

+1.
Great write up.

[Jerryrigged]

Nice write-up. Clear, concise, very user-friendly. I agree to make it a sticky, also.

[Aced It]

Thanks guys, those are some nice things to say. Guess we'll see what the forum gods say . I had no time with the bike tonight, but looking forward to re-assembly tomorrow night and posting up some clean(er) pics.

Sent from my DROID2 using Motorcycle App

[cl65ame]

My only comment is that I did part of this modification (the diodes to the indicator lamp on the tree) and I have running and signal LEDS ont he front with no issues. The lamps I used are 1157 replacements dual filament and work fine. the diodes mentioned above are a necessary part due to the single indicator lamp. Kuryakyn make a kit for it.
kit cost $8

[Aced It]

Originally Posted by cl65ame

My only comment is that I did part of this modification (the diodes to the indicator lamp on the tree) and I have running and signal LEDS ont he front with no issues. The lamps I used are 1157 replacements dual filament and work fine. the diodes mentioned above are a necessary part due to the single indicator lamp. Kuryakyn make a kit for it.
kit cost $8

Sure enough, but my point would be you can make that 'kit' for less than half of that. My loads were all thrown off due to all four corners going LED, plus I really REALLY wanted to keep those fronts acting as dual filament and all flashing at the stock rate. When I factored in the cost of buying the electronics "built specifically for motorcycles", I couldn't resist setting off on my own.

Here's the answer I got back from Custom Dynamics:
"... you need the Metric Signal Stabilizer. Do you have a single turn signal indicator, ie the bulb that tell you the turn signals are on? If so, you will also need our Metric Diode Kit part GEN-MDK."

Metric Signal Stabilizer, $59.95
Metric Diode Kit, $6.95 (actually cheaper than Kuryakyn)
Total = $66.90 + shipping

Here's the answer from Custom LED:
"... our ELFR-1 will get you blinking again at the normal rate. You need one pair of our Magic Blinkers to allow you front two-wire LEDs to work as both running light AND blinker."

ELFR-1 Flasher Relay, $19.98
Magic Blinkers, $29.99
Total = $49.97 + shipping

... The names have been withheld to protect the innocent! ...

And in the end, I can say I did it myself and saved a bundle. Tinkering is fun!

[elfnyc]

you learn how to wire your bike, how it works , and how to find problems and fix them yourself
not just depend on some plug an play walk away gizmo -
then when it fails or breaks your lost
and spend more money to fix - at least diy you can redo it yourself and find the problem

[cl65ame]

I had no issues, I used an electronic flasher from the auto parts store $4
LED 1157 $3 each x4
diode kit $8
just over $20 for the same job. I have NO IDEA what a signal stabilizer is or what it does but you don't need one nor do you need resistors.
What you have done is fine and works perfect but for someone who is not as wiring savy you can accomplist the same feat for the same price with off the shelf kits with a little digging.

An electronic flasher by design does not care what it is connected to and will flash at the appropriate rate. The flash rate is set by an internal timer not by current flow.

REsistors in the circuit defeat the purpose of the LED lights by pulling the same current as an incandecent light and converting that to heat. The idea of using LEDs is long life and low power requirements.

The diodes are there because most metric bike manufacturers wired the bikes to save money and wiring. Thats why the indicator light is right in the middle of the circuit and power feeds back through the lamp to cause issues on the other side of the bike. Thats why so many people have issues getting LEDs to work at all.

You have done a great tutorial and a good job on the wiring I cannot fault that at all. Time wise I invested about 1 1/2 hours on the upgrade in total. I would thing you took a little longer.

[elfnyc]

so cl65
you replaced all the bulbs with led bulbs ?
and just did the tree indicator diode mod?
and led flasher?
and everything worked normal for you?
running and blink in the front ?

but you just replaced stock bulbs in your scoot
your scoot had stock 3 wire flashers in front to start
here he is replacing stock flashers with new 2 wire led