Hazard lights

[ScottyUK]

If I break down then I can press some buttons on my keb fob (from my alarm) and activate hazards (aka 4 way flashers). Handy.

However I'd like to have hazards due to my daily commute into London and lots of filtering. Everyday on the M11 it can be anything from 1/4 mile to 4 miles plus often on the A12 coming home etc etc

I've seen it mentioned elsewhere that linking the left hand indicators to the right hand ones would mean they all come on when you indicate. So obviously putting a small switch in line would mean you can turn this functionality on and off as needed.

It seems a really simple and easy mod .... but am I risking anything?

If I bridge them, have the switch on and then, for example, push the indicator switch to the left, then to my mind all four indicators will be pulling the power through the left hand circuitry. Is the wiring sufficient? Am I likely to cause any issues?

I can't believe this is a new thing to do so I'm guess one of your old farts, errm I mean experienced bikers :-0) can pass on some advice. :dunno:

Cheers

 

[ianrobbo1]

Stupid question here but why would you want "hazard" warning lights flashing all the time, and when your moving and decide to change lanes exit at a junction etc, how do you tell anyone else what you intend doing?? :dunno:

 

[Centaur]

Just a thought Scotty.

As load will be doubled lights may flash at half-speed. :-0)

 

[Centaur]

This would seem a better solution Scotty.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Motorcycle-Hazard-Warning-Lights-Four-Way-Flashers-/220543354232

 

[ScottyUK]

Stupid question here but why would you want "hazard" warning lights flashing all the time, and when your moving and decide to change lanes exit at a junction etc, how do you tell anyone else what you intend doing?? :dunno:

That's why you'd use a switch so you do not have that all the time 8rfl@

 

[ScottyUK]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Motorcycle-Hazard-Warning-Lights-Four-Way-Flashers-/220543354232

That appears to be an expensive way of doing something very similar.

If there's issues with the linking them technique that I posted then I may look at an alternative but I wouldn't throw money away if a bit of wire and a cheap switch does the same job @tu*

 

[Centaur]

Tight Jock.

I'll look at the wiring diagram Scotty. I'm sure the flash would be half speed though. If one switches to leds then a new flasher is needed as they flash too quickly due to the smaller electrical load. What year bike is it?

 

[ScottyUK]

Cheers @tu*

Mine's 2007

I that they flash quick due to reduced load.....but I'd be increasing the load.

I've seen it on a US forum as a favoured solution so I haven't come up with this.

I'm just seeking the wisdom on BIRD in case it could cause failures/melting etc

 

[Rheumatoid]

Stupid question here but why would you want "hazard" warning lights flashing all the time, and when your moving and decide to change lanes exit at a junction etc, how do you tell anyone else what you intend doing?? :dunno:

It seems quite popular amongst bikers on the continent who seem to think it gives them the right to filter like a maniac!

 

[Centaur]

Cheers @tu*

Mine's 2007

I that they flash quick due to reduced load.....but I'd be increasing the load.I've seen it on a US forum as a favoured solution so I haven't come up with this.

I'm just seeking the wisdom on BIRD in case it could cause failures/melting etc

That's why I said they would flash at half-speed Scotty. I'll try to find a wiring diagram for an 07.

 

[bmwdumptruck]

Very easy to test, just use a piece of wire to link right and left rear lamps. Should be easy to find the connectors inside the tail unit. You'll soon see what the result would be:dunno:

 

[ScottyUK]

That's why I said they would flash at half-speed Scotty. I'll try to find a wiring diagram for an 07.

Oops! Sorry :blush:

 

[Centaur]

Very easy to test, just use a piece of wire to link right and left rear lamps. Should be easy to find the connectors inside the tail unit. You'll soon see what the result would be:dunno:

Too easy!8rfl@

 

[Centaur]

Thinking head on.

Two obvious places to connect via a switch Scotty. One is where the wires come out from the indicator switch on the handlebars. The other I'm not so sure of as I can only find a diagram for a 2002. It would appear that there is a diode block next to(or inside) the dash with 7 diodes including two for the indicators. An easy place if so, is to short across the indicator inputs as they head into the dash with a switch. The switch would best be somewhere you can easily reach without running long wires.
On reflection as the two sets of bulbs would be in parallel the net resistance would be halved so they would in fact flash quicker!!! Doh.
Anyway I would take BMWDTs suggestion and try it first at the easiest point of access which is probably at the rear. I don't see any issues with wiring or fuses as no "leg" will be carrying increased current.

Stop being a tightwad and buy the ebay solution. ?32 for the switch, fuse, relay and wiring is not robbery.8rfl@

 

[Centaur]

Wondered where you were.

make a simple circuit using a 4 x 21w flasher relay and wire in a separate switch and some diodes. Simples. I use hazards most of the time while filtering, illegal yes, but whatever it takes. Also useful for protecting stranded bikes when you stop to assist. Forget trying to use the standard kit and go bespole. If you are lazy, kits are available on ebay, worth every penny

Do try to keep up Lumps.:wank:

 

[Jaws]

I think what everyone has missed is the load on the battery.

If you have broken down and sat for any length of time you are going to kill the battery..
The maths

4 x 21w = 84w / 12 = 7amps

Bulbs are on 50% of the time but there is approx 30% current drawn when bulbs are off ( they never actually go right off although it is incredibly hard to see.. they drop to a much lower voltage but keep the element glowing otherwise the bulbs would last 5 minutes, then there is the current being drawn by the control box and the 5w bulb in the dash making up the 30%

So....................

You stop for one hour with hazards on
7amp / 2 (50% of the time ) =3.5 + 30% of 7amp / 2 = 1.2 amps giving a total drawn in one hour of hazards 4.7 amp hours.
The battery on a bird is 10ah
Characteristically, a standard lead acid battery once below 40% charge will drop off REALLY quickly.

Ok, so you have not reached that critical point after an hour but you are getting pretty darned close to say the least..


So what would I do ?

A bike is a single track vehicle... So really only ONE side ( the off side ) of the bike needs to be lit and flashing.

Simple answer for me would be to hit the kill switch, turn on the ignition and leave the indicator on

If you have a digi dash Bird you cannot do that as the headlight would be on, soooooo

Two choices
Fit a right hand handlebar switch from an earlier bike on ( simple plug and play swap out )

If I was that concerned though, I think I would go the rather more elegant way.. put LED strips inside the indicators and run them completely separately to another indicator box ( LED type.. about ?7.00 I think ) and to a switch.
Current draw minimal ( and I mean minimal ! ).

One thing, remember also no matter what way you go, you MUST have an idiot light on the dash which lights up and blinks indicating what is going on with the lights.

 

[ScottyUK]

(edit) Posted before I'd seen Jaw's post above (/edit)

Very easy to test, just use a piece of wire to link right and left rear lamps. Should be easy to find the connectors inside the tail unit. You'll soon see what the result would be:dunno:

I know it's very simple but I'd feel a bit if a twat if I just went and did it, caused issues and then people said "why didn't you ask first"

Two obvious places to connect via a switch Scotty. One is where the wires come out from the indicator switch on the handlebars. The other I'm not so sure of as I can only find a diagram for a 2002. It would appear that there is a diode block next to(or inside) the dash with 7 diodes including two for the indicators. An easy place if so, is to short across the indicator inputs as they head into the dash with a switch. The switch would best be somewhere you can easily reach without running long wires.
On reflection as the two sets of bulbs would be in parallel the net resistance would be halved so they would in fact flash quicker!!! Doh.
Anyway I would take BMWDTs suggestion and try it first at the easiest point of access which is probably at the rear. I don't see any issues with wiring or fuses as no "leg" will be carrying increased current.

Stop being a tightwad and buy the ebay solution. £32 for the switch, fuse, relay and wiring is not robbery.8rfl@

I'm not worried about fitting it. I've no issue getting a switch like this for less than £2 :

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Motorcycl...&rkt=10&sd=281123046400&_trksid=e100084.m1843

and then running a wire to a point on each indicator circuit. It's just whether the loom and relay would support it.

make a simple circuit using a 4 x 21w flasher relay and wire in a separate switch and some diodes. Simples. I use hazards most of the time while filtering, illegal yes, but whatever it takes. Also useful for protecting stranded bikes when you stop to assist. Forget trying to use the standard kit and go bespole. If you are lazy, kits are available on ebay, worth every penny

A replacement relay sound sensible. I guess it still works fine in normal 2 indicator modes too. Why are the diodes needed?

The kits look fine and £32 isn't the end of the world but it seems steep for what seems like a fivers what of bits. I've no prob making my own .... I'm just lacking the full details .... plus it seems others have done it without issue, at least in the short term.

I'm kinda surprised no one else has done something similar on BIRD.

 

[ScottyUK]

So what would I do ?

A bike is a single track vehicle... So really only ONE side ( the off side ) of the bike needs to be lit and flashing.

Simple answer for me would be to hit the kill switch, turn on the ignition and leave the indicator on

If you have a digi dash Bird you cannot do that as the headlight would be on, soooooo

Two choices
Fit a right hand handlebar switch from an earlier bike on ( simple plug and play swap out )

If I was that concerned though, I think I would go the rather more elegant way.. put LED strips inside the indicators and run them completely separately to another indicator box ( LED type.. about ?7.00 I think ) and to a switch.
Current draw minimal ( and I mean minimal ! ).

One thing, remember also no matter what way you go, you MUST have an idiot light on the dash which lights up and blinks indicating what is going on with the lights.

Thanks for your post Jaws.

It's hazards for filtering that I need. The alarm system turns them on if I need them whilst stationary and turns them off after a period. I'm not sure if that's due to voltage sensing (as it does that too) or on a clock.

Is my suggest quick fix unlikely to work or cause issues?

 

[Tinytim]

Thanks for your post Jaws.

It's hazards for filtering that I need. The alarm system turns them on if I need them whilst stationary and turns them off after a period. I'm not sure if that's due to voltage sensing (as it does that too) or on a clock.

Is my suggest quick fix unlikely to work or cause issues?

Hard work aint it Scotty. :bang:


Reading between the lines, I think you are intimating that when ya riding ya bike, with the engine ON and the wheels TURNING, you would like to be able to have ALL ya indicators working at the same time, when moving between and amongst HEAVY, SLOW MOVING traffic, otherwise known as FILTERING, the all round indicators, in effect HAZARD WARNING lights, giving you better and hopefully safer visibility to the coonts all around you
Basically, what a lot of other bikes have. For example the GS has it and it's something I will use when filtering for any length of time...you know they are more effective at making yourself noticeable to myopic twats in cars than just ya headlight irrespective of what the pedantic , holier than thou retards sya about legality or otherwise of using hazards in motion.

So yes Scotty, I think I know what ya want but I can't do the math so can't help you sozz.

:dunno:

 

[Jaws]

Yep, just joining them together should work fine..
However.............

You are risking 3 points.. Using hazards whilst moving is a pretty massive no no !!