turn signal mod

[jimmyenglish]

Hello. I have a 93' k75. I would like to modify the turn signals so that they are always on and then flash when signaling. Has anyone done this? Seems like it should be a simple patch.

[cjack]

Hello. I have a 93' k75. I would like to modify the turn signals so that they are always on and then flash when signaling. Has anyone done this? Seems like it should be a simple patch.

Interesting way of putting it. Except with hardware, it's more than changing some code.
Kisan has done it with a replacement turn signal module. It can be programmed on the fly with the cancel button to perform different displays. About $125 or something like that.
Another approach is to replace the single filament bulbs with dual filament ones. There are some companies that do this with replacement sockets. The company that comes to mind on this is Run N Lites. They also have red led add on modules that perform the tail light function for the rear which shows red thru the amber lenses. The red leds are pretty narrow as to color frequency and only red is available...so only red is transmitted thru the lens.
You can also solder a wire onto the dual fil tail light side and wire it to the parking light circuit. It requires snipping a nib off the dual bulb, and twisting the hot side of the present connector in the reflector over so that it just rests on the turnsignal fil side.
It is not strictly legal most places to have steady lighted amber bulbs in the rear, but in decades of running the lights this way, I have yet to hear of a traffic stop for it. The red leds are a better way to do this though.

[BuddingGeezer]

Hello. I have a 93' k75. I would like to modify the turn signals so that they are always on and then flash when signaling. Has anyone done this? Seems like it should be a simple patch.

I have a K100LT and I modified the front turn signals to be running lights. I went to O'rileys Auto Parts and bought 2 GM 1157 bulb sockets for $3 each. They will fit into the LT/RT turn signals with no modification. I wired the running wire to the parking light and the turn signal to the original wire. I drilled a hole and soldered the ground wire.

You can buy the same thing, but I made mine for less.

Ralph Sims

[Gilly]

I did this on my S a long time ago. Not sure if that company is around, but there are resources for buying kits if you'd rather not do the socket-searching yourself. The ones I have I think were called "Runnin' Lights", and now they still seem to be generically referred to as "running lights". I just did the turn sigs in my fairing because I thought it looked better that way and because of the fairing design they really act as side markers. They had a kit for the rear sigs as well, which I passed on, and a kit to convert the brake light bulb into a tail light/brake light. I like this feature too, but for some reason the filament for the tail light on that bulb always blows, which just leaves me with the stock amount of rear lighting and a functioning brake light, just like stock.
Gilly

[GregFeeler]

Hello. I have a 93' k75. I would like to modify the turn signals so that they are always on and then flash when signaling. Has anyone done this? Seems like it should be a simple patch.

Check out this site: http://www.run-n-lites.com/. They make a conversion kit to do what it sounds like you'd like to do. I have a K75S that came converted with their product and I like the additional visibility I get from the always-on turn signal lights. However, you need the two filament bulbs to achieve this.

[NateVentura]

I added their “Lite-Buddies” LED kit to my front turn signals. You keep the same incandescent bulb for the turn signals, and the LED elements are added to the “reflector” of the unit. They’re much brighter than regular bulbs when viewed directly from the front (not so much when viewed off to the side).

[jimmyenglish]

Thanks for all the great info everybody. I really don't want to "add" anything. Just invert the current status of the turn signal circuit.

[Gilly]

I think I know what you are trying to say.
Normally the bulb is off, and activating the signal = on-off-on-off.
You want normally on, and signal = off-on-off-on.
I don't know if this is doable or not. The usual way is adding dual filiment bulbs so the parking light filament is always on, and the signal works the other filament in the normal way.
To do it your way would require a turn signal relay where the circuit that provides power to the signal bulb is normally closed instead of normally open.
Gilly

[BuddingGeezer]

With the flasher light always on you are going to have very bright running lights and very short bulb life and quite a bit of heat on the plastic. The US bulb for the K75/k100 blinker light is 1156 with 26 watts. You also just added 52 continuous watts to your electrical load.
The dual filament 1157 is 6/26 watts.

Ralph Sims

[jimmyenglish]

I think I know what you are trying to say.
Normally the bulb is off, and activating the signal = on-off-on-off.
You want normally on, and signal = off-on-off-on.

Yeah Gilly that's exactly what I want to do! It seems like all you'd need to do is wire the flasher thing backwards. Although I'm sure there's more to it than that.

[ptero]

Check out this site: http://www.run-n-lites.com/. They make a conversion kit to do what it sounds like you'd like to do. I have a K75S that came converted with their product and I like the additional visibility I get from the always-on turn signal lights. However, you need the two filament bulbs to achieve this.

I have these and love them. It gets around the less than legal running amber issue. Now he makes them with red LEDs (the stock lamp stays and these are added.) They burn red always, and blink out when the turn signal blinks on. So the pod is always bright red - and blinks to amber when in use for turning.

The strong red LEDs completely overpower the amber lens and read as a solid red. The LEDs also create no heat or load issues of any consequence.

Run-n-lites also has an addition to the main rear lens that adds to the less than 50% area that is lit by the running and brake light. AND there is also a blinking plate holder that pulses when braking.

I've had the main lens enhancement for over 100,000 miles on this bike with no issues. The other items are in the neighborhood of 20,000 miles 'old'. I'll take all the help I can get to get cagers to see me. This is great stuff.

[jimmyenglish]

With the flasher light always on you are going to have very bright running lights and very short bulb life and quite a bit of heat on the plastic. The US bulb for the K75/k100 blinker light is 1156 with 26 watts. You also just added 52 continuous watts to your electrical load.
The dual filament 1157 is 6/26 watts.

Yeah I didn't even think about that. Being a fan of LED's I think I'll go that route and save the 100 watts for something else. Thanks everyone!

[BuddingGeezer]

Yeah I didn't even think about that. Being a fan of LED's I think I'll go that route and save the 100 watts for something else. Thanks everyone!

I might be wrong but I think that LEDs used as flashers takes a different flasher than regular bulbs. LEDs no problem for tail or brake or running lights.

I believe that's why I just changed the bulb type and socket.

Ralph Sims

[Burnszilla]

I had a Signal Minder on my k75s that allowed me to leave the signals on as running lights. http://www.kisantech.com/view_product.php?product=SM-6

[jimmyenglish]

I have these and love them. It gets around the less than legal running amber issue. Now he makes them with red LEDs (the stock lamp stays and these are added.) They burn red always, and blink out when the turn signal blinks on. So the pod is always bright red - and blinks to amber when in use for turning.

Ptero,

Do you have the light buddy's or the runnin lights? The light buddy's are used in conjunction with the existing turn sigs correct? So you wouldn't have the weird flasher load issues like Ralph mentioned?

That Kisan unit looks really cool but that's too much dough for me.

Thanks everyone!

[Gilly]

I think the runnin lites are your easy/cheap solution. You could probably DIY the whole thing, but the kits are cheap and good German sockets and saves you alot of lookin around. ONLY diff is you have the low watt filament on all the time, and the signals are the brighter filament, easy. I've had mine, sheesh must be 15 yrs, no problems.
Gilly

[ptero]

Ptero,

Do you have the light buddy's or the runnin lights? The light buddy's are used in conjunction with the existing turn sigs correct? So you wouldn't have the weird flasher load issues like Ralph mentioned?

That Kisan unit looks really cool but that's too much dough for me.

Thanks everyone!

I have the Lite Buddy's. They convert the turn signals to red running lights. The signal then appears to blink back and forth between yellow and red when signalling for a turn. And you're correct - no funky load issues.

The Lite Buddy's consist of a LED unit that mounts in each turn signal body.

The red LED overpowers the amber lens and looks plenty red when on as a running light.

The clear turn signal lamp (stock - no change) is strong enough to make the lens appear the normal yellow - even though the red LED is still on.

When I got the Buddy's, I also added the Lite Blazer which adds running red LEDs below the license plate. When the brakes are applied the LEDs blink for a few seconds then become solid bright. The Lite Buddy's can tie into the Blazer unit so the red turn signal blinks, along with the blazer, with brake application. Both of these products have been mounted for about 15,000 miles.

About 110,000 miles ago, I started with the K-Tail-2 enhancement. This adds two lamps to existing (but unlit) compartments in the main tail lens. They double the area of the lens that is lit - both for the running tail light and when brakes are applied.

No, I have no connection with Klaus or Run-n-lites. I just really like how much these products improve the lighting. I figure my rear running lights are at least tripled between the adds to the main lens, under the plate, plus the turn signals. Plus the braking action is well enhanced.

Any of these would be a good addition. :thumb