Resistor strength required for indicators in integrated LED taillight?

[Grug]

Hey Guys,

I have a Motodynamic Integrated LED taillight on the back of my monster, which needs some resistors for the indicators (they're flashing way too fast), however I don't know what sort of strength resistor I need.

I've been told a 25 watt 8 ohm resistor will do the trick - but I can't find a resistor with stats even close to that anywhere (only either 8 ohm with much lower wattage, or 25 watt with much higher ohmage). Does anyone what will work?

I just want to pick them up from the electronics store and get it all wired up without having to run back and forth trying different options.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Cheers,

Mark

[Charlief]

I just wired up an LED tail light with signals on a friends bike and we had the same problem.  I had him order the Rizoma resistors thru PJs Parts.  Wired them in and everything worked perfectly.  I'm not sure what the rating is on them but for the 20 bux or so they might be worth it. 

Hope this helps a little.

[Grug]

I just wired up an LED tail light with signals on a friends bike and we had the same problem.  I had him order the Rizoma resistors thru PJs Parts.  Wired them in and everything worked perfectly.  I'm not sure what the rating is on them but for the 20 bux or so they might be worth it. 

Hope this helps a little.

Cheers, I've looked at the resistors from PJ's Parts and a couple of other US companies. But with shipping I'd end up paying close to $30 for a couple of resistors that should only set me back about $1.30 (tops) from an electronics store here.

[Drunken Monkey]

Radio Shack (it's about  the only thing they're good for   )

Alternatively, go for an aftermarket flasher unit like Kisan.

Solid state flashers don't care what you connect them to and can give you nifty features like running lights and signal flashes when you brake (but it runs about $100)

[4DoorSi]

You won't find anything at radio shack....

You need something that will take a lot of heat and be able to dissipate it.  8 Ohm, 25 Watt sounds about right.  You aren't talking about some tiny resistor that you could put on a circuit board, you need one with heat sinks and such.

Sorry, you will most likely have to put up with the fast flashes until you order something.

[Drunken Monkey]

You won't find anything at radio shack....

Maybe at yours. I was just in there last week and they had big-ass ceramic 25w resistors in several ohms values (from 6 up to 12)

[4DoorSi]

Ok, guess my radio shack sucks....

Every time I go in there looking for something, they don't have it.

[Bones]

Ok, guess my radio shack sucks....

Every time I go in there looking for something, they don't have it.

No, radio shack does have the right resistors b/c I've bought several for my bike and cars when I converted to LEDs. I don't have the part number but can post it when I get home tonight.

[jfisher2]

+1 on getting electronic flasher...$12 at auto zone to replace your flasher unit (simple unplug and plug in new one) rather than having to wire in resistors.  This is definitely the way to go.

[Drunken Monkey]

+1 on getting electronic flasher...$12 at auto zone to replace your flasher unit (simple unplug and plug in new one) rather than having to wire in resistors.  This is definitely the way to go.

Damn. I had no idea they were that cheap. You'll probably have to wire in a grounding wire, but that's easy.

[greenohawk69]

+1 on getting electronic flasher...$12 at auto zone to replace your flasher unit (simple unplug and plug in new one) rather than having to wire in resistors.  This is definitely the way to go.

Does this apply to all bikes or are there certain years this will or will not work?  I have a '97 M900. 

[Grug]

Damn, wish I'd heard about the "flashers" earlier - they're not too hard to find down here apparently  I've gone and bought some resistors off ebay, but when I go to pay for them I keep getting directed to a non-ebay site, and that's not a risk I'm going to take - which means that now I have to faff around with the seller to sort something out.

Patience, when will I learn patience?! 

[JEFF_H]

on 02+ bikes the flasher is controlled by the computer not an external box.

[Charlief]

on 02+ bikes the flasher is controlled by the computer not an external box.

Yup... or in the case of my S2R its in the gauges cluster with no user access.

[Bones]

for those interested, this is the Radio Shack part no:
#271-0132   (13-ohm   10 watt 10% tolerance)  wirewound resistors.

This is what I've been using for all my LED applications to put a load on the circuit. works just fine.

One end to ground the other to hot (install in parallel, not in series)