magic blinkers\blinker genie issue

[gado]

Hi I bought the Customled blinker genie and when I wired them up to the indicators and tested it on a 12v battery the indicators only run dim. When I plug the indicator directly to the battery I get full brightness. Has anyone had this problem?

 

[aburnett]

When you say you connected them to a 12V battery, do you mean one you had laying around the house?

 

[gado]

Yes, I have a smaller non automotive battery that I use for testing electrical equipment.

 

[aburnett]

So depending on the charge of the one you have laying around, it is going to be less bright. Another factor will be the amount of current the battery is able to discharge, some have what is called an ESR. Equivalent Series Resistance. For automotive batteries, they have a very low ESR or close to none so it can discharge a large amount of current to turn over the vehicle. After that, the vehicle runs off the alternator.

Hook up your lights to your bike, i am sure you will be happy.

 

[aburnett]

Oh and another thing! Be carefully hooking up those lights straight to the bike's battery. Since LEDs have a very low resistance rating, the battery send a large current to the lights, burning them out. I am pretty sure they come with a load resistor in line with the LED, but be careful.

 

[dart1963]

how did you wire them?

If I had to guess, I'd say they have a FET in there and it's not turned on fully if you float the "+ signal wire". They are relying on it being ground when the signal is off and to pulse +12Volts (which, in this case, turns the blinkers off instead of supplying power to them).

EDIT: and the "optional load equalizer" (catchy name for a resistor) is probably just a 1Mohm resistor to ensure the line isn't floating...

 

[gado]

So depending on the charge of the one you have laying around, it is going to be less bright. Another factor will be the amount of current the battery is able to discharge, some have what is called an ESR. Equivalent Series Resistance. For automotive batteries, they have a very low ESR or close to none so it can discharge a large amount of current to turn over the vehicle. After that, the vehicle runs off the alternator.

Hook up your lights to your bike, i am sure you will be happy.

I hooked them up to the bike and got the same thing. It works its just very dim. It turns off like it is supposed to. Thank you for your reply!

how did you wire them?

If I had to guess, I'd say they have a FET in there and it's not turned on fully if you float the "+ signal wire". They are relying on it being ground when the signal is off and to pulse +12Volts (which, in this case, turns the blinkers off instead of supplying power to them).

EDIT: and the "optional load equalizer" (catchy name for a resistor) is probably just a 1Mohm resistor to ensure the line isn't floating...

I have it wired like that picture except I do not have the "Load equalizer".

The white wire is at .85v, I guess I need that "Load equalizer" to get it lower. I don't have any resistors laying around. Thanks!

 

[aburnett]

Do you have LEDs or the stock turn signals?

 

[gado]

I bought the bike used with unknown brand of led lights. I plugged in a 12v halogen bulb and it does not even light up.

 

[Scott_Thomas]

I have them On my bike with no issues. Have had them on there for a year or 2 now.

 

[gado]

I've got a 1M Ohm resistor and it does nothing to pull down the white wire to 0v.

What it looks like as instructed. Top left box is my power supply set at 13v.

Here is how the signal looks connected directly to the power supply.

The led lights have resistors built into the unit.