Heated Grips ... Can My Bike Handle Them?

robindean said:
My heated grips are active and working nicely :) thanks to some friends at ChiVinMoto.com

As for the LED bulbs, I'm considering this resource: http://www.superbrightleds.com/

Has anyone used them before? Are they any good?
Click to expand...

I am aware of that company but have never done business with them. Glad your grips are functioning. Would be real nice on a day like today if your are having weather like ours!
 
::: smiling face about grips instantly turns to stone-cold flat/non-expressive face :::

We live in Chicago. The bike is under a cover.

;)
 
Superbright is great to work with. Thier led flasher is about the best out there.
Search Ebay for LED H-4 replacements. You will find them in a wide range of prices. The difference is the amount of LED's on the bulb.
They sell an LED headlight for around $400. Harley has been using it for a year or two.
Leo
 
Very cool.

I found the bulbs that I'll likely be buying. They also offer a resister but I'm not certain as to whether or not that's necessary.

Anyone have any experience with that?

Ahhh, then there's the headlamp issue. They told me via email that there aren't any out there that are safe. Meanwhile, I've read in this thread about the $400 models (wow).

Are there any affordable LED headlamps which fit the 9003-H4 connection housings?
 
On your turn signals, the LED's draw very little current. This makes the flasher not work because the draw is to low. Putting resisters in to make the flasher works by increasing the draw back up to the regular 27 watt bulbs. Kinda the wrong thing don't you think.
Superbright has flashers that will flash LED's without resisters. It will flash just one LED bulb or up to 150 watts of any light bulbs. It's item LF1-S- Flat. It comes with the leads ina plastic plug. Remove the wires from the plug. Now it plugs right into the stock flasher socket.
The bikes socket has a brown wire, a brown/white wire, any other wires get ignored, not used.
The flasher has a red or grey wire and a black wire. The red or grey wire plugs in the socket where the brown wire is, the black to the brown/white wire.
If your bike has self canceler, it won't work with anything but the stock flasher.
This works very well. One thing, if you have a very high output coil it makes the flasher work funny. Just keep them a foot or so apart. I hung mine on the front of the battery box.
Search Ebay for LED H-4 replacements. Lots on there. Low price few LED's, higher the price more the LED's.
Leo
 
$100 for two 45-LED red bulbs and two 45-LED amber bulbs ... sweet!

I also like the concept of only replacing two turn signals so as to keep the blinkers working. Although, that leaves me wondering if I can find a standard blinker bulb with the lowest possible draw that will still work. I'd love to know more about that.

As for the headlight bulb, it seems to me that the tech just isn't quite there yet. The prices are either extremely high or the bulb isn't bright enough for safe use. I'm okay with that. It's getting better all the time and I'm sure something will develop in (echo with 60's movie reverb) ::: THE FUUUUTUUUURRRRE :::

So, my current headlamp bulb is a Phillips halogen standard 9003 H4, 12V, 67/60W. This leads me to my next question within this thread pertaining to heated grips, power draw and compatibility ...

If I'm looking to lower the power draw of my headlamp while maintaining a safe and solid brightness ... all on a budget that is sensible but perhaps a little more pricey than the norm ... what other options are out there? :umm:
 
robindean said:
I also like the concept of only replacing two turn signals so as to keep the blinkers working. Although, that leaves me wondering if I can find a standard blinker bulb with the lowest possible draw that will still work. I'd love to know more about that.
Click to expand...

By using just one LED blinker bulb on each side you are cutting the amp draw 50% - quite a good drop! You may find a lower wattage filament style bulb but you don't want your blinker to be dim. I have seen some of the aftermarket replacement LED blinker assemblies available and I would never use them because they just aren't very bright. Safety should be foremost in your choice of bulb!
 
As i mentioned in post #28 if you get the flasher from superbright you can change all four turn bulbs for LED's. The 1156 is what the turns use. The tail/brake light uses the 1157. The tail/brake light saves amps all the time, the turns only when used.
Using LED's in on one end of the bike and regular bulbs on the other will save some amps but you will need to use a different flasher, the stock flasher only works with two 27 watt tirn lights and a 3 watt indicator light. Any less and no flash.
Leo
 
@XSLeo ... I'll read #28 again. If I replace all four, do I need any extra hardware in addition to the bulbs or will the stock setup work with them as-is? You mention that if I only replace two I would need a different flasher, hence my question about all four.

Edit: In reading #28 repeatedly, I think what I'll do is order four signals and two brakes of their 45 LED replacements. I'll then TRY them and see what I see. First, I'll replace all four signals and if/when that doesn't work, I'll try two and if/when THAT doesn't work I'll swap the bulbs out for the more complex options your mentioning.
 
Any time you use lights that draw less current than the stock 27 watt bulbs the stock flasher will NOT work. You either replace the flasher or add resistance to the circuit. Adding resistance is a bad choice. Why put on lights that draw less current than add resistance to bring the draw back to stock. Not a smart move.
Whewn you order the new bulbs get the LED's for all the turns and brake lights and the flasher.
Then every thing will work fine.
Leo
 
Okay, so I'll replace the blinker. With that in mind, I have a question: is the blinker part of the switch that I use to activate my signals?

If so, I might be in some trouble there. My clutch controls, high beam switch and signal switch are all part of the same housing. My fingers are crossed that the blinker is located somewhere else.
 
The "blinker" is more accurately called a "flasher", and no it is not part of the turn signal switch or housing. It is probably under the tank or by the battery box.
Ok a basic run down of the wiring of the turn signals. Power comes from after the key switch on a brown wire to the turn signal flasher, from there it goes out on a brown/white wire. This brown/white wire goes up to the turn signasl switch. The swicth sends power to the left or right signals.
Some bikes have a self canceler on them that works off a third wire on the flasher. A green/yellow wire that runs from the flasher to the self canceler unit. The SCU uses a signal from a reed switch in the speedo to tell distance. The SCU has an internal clock to teel time. Depending on speed the SCU flashes the turns a certain time. Higher speeds are shorter times. This worked ok when new, but after 30+ years the SCU gets flaky, shuts of at irregular intervals heedless of speed. Often at inoportune times, like making a left turn in traffic.
A good thing to delete and learn to turn them on and off when you want them, not when the SCU does.
Leo
 
Yeah, I've taken note of the SCU. Mine has that.

So, I'll search around for my flasher (that's what she said).

Do you know of any sources for flashers that will work with LED signals?

Edit: Should I start a new topic?
 

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