making side lights into indicators.
 

ok now i've got your attention, i'm looking at replacing my sidelights with orange LED's and wiring them to my turn signals, the reason for this is i have fitted flush mount LED's and am feeling a little underseen (if thats even a word) basically i want my side lights to still stay on all the time but flash when i activate the indicator, can this actually be done, i'm hoping a few electrical guys read this as i am so electrical dumb. sorry for the double post just trying to reach more folk.....cheers guys..
lee...

Re: making side lights into indicators...
 

I bought some flush mounts from america that had three wires so you could run the indicators as side lights also . I imagine that the same can be done with the side lights running as indicators . I have turned my side lights into indicators for the same reason only I used amber filament bulbs and was not bothered about them running as side lights aswell . They are now solely just front facing indicators and work a bloody treat . Its reasonably easy and cheap to do . Do you realise that if you use front facing LEDs you will also have to put another resistor in for each one of them .
My advice would be to stick with amber filament bulbs . They are bright enough and a hell of a lot less hassle and cheaper to do .
If you want any more advice on doing it just PM me and I'll be happy to help where I can .

Re: making side lights into indicators...
 

i swapped all my indicators to led's already. so i bought a new relay from motrax for 19.99 (gbp) pulled one out popped one in simple. now they flash fine....
also did you say that your lights stay on constant. then flash when you indicate coz i like the fact that theres four lights on the front. or do you know what i would have to do to achieve this.

Re: making side lights into indicators...
 

That would be illegal as you are not allowed to have any flashing lights unless they are orange indicators

You would get done for imitating an emergency services vehicle.

Not to say it hasnt been done - your call if you want to go there.

You would probably need to run it through something that is the reverse of a relay so which would then mean that when your indicator was off the sidelight would be on.

Dont know enough about electronics to name parts.

To be honest I wouldnt bother as its too much hassle.

I would just learn to ride so that I dont depend on others seeing my indicators.

Re: making side lights into indicators...
 

i did say above that i wanted to fit orange LED's in the side lights.
so i wouldn't be imitating coz they would just be normal turn signals.
im deffo gonna do it just need the know how..

Re: making side lights into indicators...
 

2 Sets of forwards facing indicators are illegal

And if the sidelights are orange - also illegal to have them on all the time.

Unless when you say London as your location you mean the one in Canada, where I dont know about but I do know that in the US they DO have orange running light.

Re: making side lights into indicators...
 

firstly in a car you have front, side, and rear indicators....
on my bike i would have front (new LED's) side flush mounts that don't face forwards, and rear. so what is illegal with that.... your comments aren't making sense to me.also in london (england)lots of vehicles have orange sidelights on all the time..

Re: making side lights into indicators...
 

Go google the construction and use laws.....

I looked at all the mods you are looking at about a year or so ago.

All seemed to be VERY sensible to me (and still do) but Mr Plod the Policeman and Mr Crown Prosecution service see it differently

A bike is not a car and there are different rules for each.

But as I also said - do what you want - I know I do, just done bitch and moan if Mr Plod has a word and issues a recitification notice/fine/points.

Still waiting for him to have a go about my shrunken plate :)

Re: making side lights into indicators...
 

well i have shrunk my plate also and i ride without a baffle all day long.
but i think i will take my chances.....
thanx for the advice though....
i think i'll just connect the lights together and just have them flash rather than stay on......
it sounds like it's gonna be too much aggro.

Re: making side lights into indicators...
 

Right to do it like you want you could use a normally closed relay but put the open side of the relay to the indicators, so when powers fed to the indicator timer the sidelights are acting as indicators.

It may be complcated, though there is a circuit diagram in my head. ish.