LED Flasher (automotive or Motorcycle)

By scd in WorkshopMotorcycles

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I replaced the incandescent turn-signal bulbs in my Kawasaki Concours motorcycle with LEDs because 1)
they brighter 2) they last longer and 3) they require less current than incandescent bulbs. Because they require
less current, the standard flasher unit (the little box that makes your turn signals blink) senses the low current
and thinks there is a bad bulb and it therefore won't function properly. So the standard flasher unit needs to be
replaced with one that is compatible with LEDs. You can buy these, but where is the fun in that? I designed a
simple LED-compatible flasher circuit and retrofit it into the original flasher case.

Step 1: Locate and Remove the Flasher Unit

Following
First locate and remove the flasher unit. This will be different for each vehicle. Consult your service manual
for the location (or listen for the clicking noise when the flasher relay is operating).

Step 2: Remove the Old Circuit From the Flasher Unit

Projects
back
Some flasherAll
units
Projects
can be disassembled. If you can disassemble it, then by all means do so. In this case they
had potted the
Circuits
timing circuit, so I used a hacksaw to cut open the flasher case.
back
Step 3: The All Old Circuit
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Here's the old circuit Vehicles
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Step 4: Re-use Home
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Original Connector
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We'll re-use the original connector and solder our new circuit to it.
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Step 5: The Cooking Flasher
Fiber Arts Circuit Schematic
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Here's the new flasher circuit
Snacks
Health schematic. It consists of a 555 timer circuit and a power transistor. The power
& Appetizers
transistor is probably way&Places
Soups
Hiding overkill,
Stews (it is rated at 10A) but it's what I had available. You can vary C1, R1 and
R2 for to vary the flash rate and
Vegetarian
Holidays & duty
Vegancycle. For the R and C values shown, then flash rate is about 1.4 Hz
(which is about 85 Homesteading
flashes per minute). There is a ton of information about the 555 timer on the web,
including programs
Outsidethat will calculate the R and C values for you.
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back
Kitchen
Depending on the type
All
LEGO of components
& K'NEX that you choose, the R and C values can vary by 10% or more, so you
may need to tweakBackyard
someHacks
Life values. C2 should be a ceramic bypass cap, but it does not appear to be essential, my
Frequency=1.4Hz(about85flashesperminute)
circuit worked fine either with or without C2. C1 should be a ceramic cap, but if you decide to use a tantalum
Beach
Music
or electrolytic cap for C1,Supply
Bikes
Office then make sure that you install it in the correct polarity, or it could explode. If you
Hacks
have any doubts about your electronics capabilities, then you should not build this circuit.
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desionae Fire
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wendoes
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All
Paracord MELTOOSAG
Here's the parts list with DigiKey part numbers listed.
o1 ELA
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Step 7: The Micro:bitNew Circuit Retrofitted
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Resources
Grades K-2
Grades 3-5
Gradesthe
I point-to-point soldered 6-8new circuit to the original connector. It's not pretty, but it works. An oscilloscope
can be handy at thisGrades 9-12
stage in case you need to debug the circuit. If everything is working correctly the D1
University+
LED will flash at the desired rate.

Step 8: Button It Up

Contests
Teachers

Once everything was tested and working properly, I used epoxy glue to enclose and seal the new circuit into
the lower half of the original case. When the epoxy was cured, I re-installed the flasher in my Concours and it
has been working well ever since.

Step 9: Voltage Filter Cap Fix for V12V Voltage Ripple Problem
An extra filter cap C3 was needed when this circuit was tried on a 1982 Yamaha XV750 Virago.
The problem was caused by excessive AC ripple voltage on the V12V voltage supply
when the motor was running at over 2000 RPM. The value of C3 is not super critical,
any value around 1000uF should be OK. C3 should be placed as close as possible to U1.

Thanks to Pofarm for testing and verifying this fix.

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40 Comments

admin 15 years ago

This is a great Instructable, but you need to add a main image of the final project to the intro step. Please
This is a great Instructable, but you need to add a main image of the final project to the intro step. Please
do that and leave me a message when you have so that we can publish your work. Thanks!

Reply

2 replies

dew26m 8 years ago

What changes would have to be made to use a circuit such as this with standard bulbs and on a 6V
motorcycle system with a two-prong blinker relay?

Reply

JohnP460 8 years ago

Is this still working long term on your motorcycle? I'm designing a similar circuit, but I was going to use
a voltage regulator, PTC resistor, and TVS diode to protect the 555 against voltage fluctations and static
which can be pretty extreme, especially on an old motorcycle (I have an old BMW airhead). Is the 555
timer robust enough to handle that?

Reply

1 reply

RxE 8 years ago

 RxE 8 years ago

Sorry I should have uploaded details that I have available

Reply

RxE 8 years ago

This is very informative for those with a three pin relay :-)

However, I have a five pin relay on the Vulcan Mean Streak,

Purchased a replacement five pin for LED flashers but cannot workout the correct terminal match. If
that's at all possible?

Anyone who "knows", I appreciate very much :-)

Reply

MarsG1 8 years ago

Hey ! Thanks for the job, great tutorial and very helpfull. I have a few questions to ask you or the
community though since I couldn't find my answer on the web.

I'm working on a old motorcycle which uses 1) a very old school relay with a big inductance (magnetic
I'm working on a old motorcycle which uses 1) a very old school relay with a big inductance (magnetic

force if you see what I'm talking about) and 2) a 6v voltage. My questions are could I use the same kind
of schematic for that bike since I can't modify the current relay and what would I need to change to
operate it in 6v ? I can't put the finger on what makes a relay works on 12v or 6v.

Many thanks to whoever will be able to answer to one or both of my questions.

Reply

5 replies

MarsG1 8 years ago

Hey ! Thanks for the job, great tutorial and very helpfull. I have a few questions to ask you or the
community though since I couldn't find my answer on the web.

I'm working on a old motorcycle which uses 1) a very old school relay with a big inductance (magnetic
force if you see what I'm talking about) and 2) a 6v voltage. My questions are could I use the same kind
of schematic for that bike since I can't modify the current relay and what would I need to change to
operate it in 6v ? I can't put the finger on what makes a relay works on 12v or 6v.

Many thanks to whoever will be able to answer to one or both of my questions.

Reply

Juan PabloI 8 years ago

Very nice and many thanks it really eorked great with a minimal changes in the resistances actually this
never fail and worked so clean in comparison with 2 other I bought from e bay and they last only 2
months. I will attach a final pic.
 Reply

munish4u911ex 9 years ago

My bike flasher unit is having two terminals only. What do you suggest? I had made something like in
the image attached with a 12V relay, but its flashing rate is noticeably dependent on battery voltage. It
also stops flashing at, say, 10V, when rear brake light is activated on low battery voltage.

Reply

michaelleewebb 12 years ago

hmm, seems your circuit pumps out 85 pulses of power per minute into ground when the bike is on and
the turn signal is off. my bike doesn't have the power to spare. could i not place all the 12 volt power
lines on the switch except for the 12 volts going into the transistor ?? also a big problem i have is that i
turn on the blinker but i forget to turn it off. do you know how to add another 555 to the circuit that
would turn off the blinker after 1 minute, even though the switch is still in the on position the blinker
stops and won't start again until i turn off the switch and then turn it back on ???
 Reply

1 reply

cdickinson2 9 years ago

C2 acts as a power filter. It absorbs any power spikes. If there is any fluctuation in your power
generation, and there almost always is in any vehicle, you will want to have a C2 to filter the power.

Reply

anton.beukes.31 9 years ago

trying to make it, when i get to the red led en connect that to gound it flashes great but when i put the
mje2955t and connect no 2 or the collector to a light to test and then the other end to ground nothing.
any advice ? coz i just blew 2 555 timers and im trying my best to get this to work

Reply

1 reply

ben_xman 10 years ago

Are there any good alternatives for the MJE2955T? I'm trying to make this out of spare parts and if I
could find something else that would work alright that would be great!
 Reply

3 replies

kurshiukas 12 years ago

What is the purpose of the power transistor? The original 555 sheet does not include it.

Reply

6 replies

ben_xman 10 years ago

I went ahead and sent you a personal message involving a pretty complicated issue that is fairly time
sensitive. If you could respond that would be great! Thank you!

Reply

lcupu 12 years ago

nice

Reply
 Janno456 12 years ago

I made it, tried it and it worked well, except I couldn't get rid off one problem- when I turn on ignition
and try my turn signal, it blinks very fast, but after some minutes has passed it works great as it should
be. I tryed different capacitors and got some different results: for example using 2.2uF took longer to
gain normal flashing rate than using 1uF. Didn't you had this problem, or can someone explayne me why
this problem occurs?

Reply

tyodz 14 years ago

The instructable is great and would be useful. But it appears that the device will flash continuously even
if the flasher switch is in the neutral position. Please correct me if my analysis was wrong. Thanks

Reply

2 replies

Splinter_Cas 15 years ago

Great instructable... will be doing one of these myself.

Reply

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