LED strip for turn signals - which wires?

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DeanR
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Re: LED strip for turn signals

Yes, that looks like a great job Byron.
Probably just being dense, but I'm not picturing how to do something like this with my connector. Here's a picture of a broken one and the wires I need to access.
 

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Re: LED strip for turn signals

Nice clean way to do it Byron.
A number of ways to get the job done without cutting through the harness.
 
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Re: LED strip for turn signals

Yes, that looks like a great job Byron.
Probably just being dense, but I'm not picturing how to do something like this with my connector. Here's a picture of a broken one and the wires I need to access.
you would crimp two wires to the pin before pushing them into the connector body.
Soldering would be best I would think.
 

okmurdog

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Re: LED strip for turn signals

I don't like to splice into any of the factory wiring because it is so small. Instead I like to create a plug and play connector setup. Using connectors like found here.

<snip>
Thanks for that link. I have been trying to find the OEM dual connectors for a while...now there's no excuse for me adding lights to mine!
 

T_C

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Re: LED strip for turn signals

Soldering would be best I would think.
If it's a high vibration area where the wires would be subject to moving quite a bit and you can get a good solid crimp. Do that.

Soldering locks the wires down and forces the vibration and movement to be taken up by the strands right at it's edge. When you crimp, the individual strands can still move just a fraction back and forth and absorb this stress better. On everything.. unless it is a low voltage connection... try to crimp.

I always insisted that techs carry a ratcheting style crimper, that way it helped ensure the crimp was full press since they don't release till you go through the whole cycle.
 
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DeanR
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Re: LED strip for turn signals

Well I just revisited my 'just jam the wire into the female end and then push the connector together' plan. Working for the time being.

v8-7...... Thanks for that wire color guidance by the way.
 
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Byron

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Re: LED strip for turn signals

Yes, that looks like a great job Byron.
Probably just being dense, but I'm not picturing how to do something like this with my connector. Here's a picture of a broken one and the wires I need to access.
Just for clarification, have you already fixed this connection or are you thinking of tapping in here?
 
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Re: LED strip for turn signals

If it's a high vibration area where the wires would be subject to moving quite a bit and you can get a good solid crimp. Do that.

Soldering locks the wires down and forces the vibration and movement to be taken up by the strands right at it's edge. When you crimp, the individual strands can still move just a fraction back and forth and absorb this stress better. On everything.. unless it is a low voltage connection... try to crimp.

I always insisted that techs carry a ratcheting style crimper, that way it helped ensure the crimp was full press since they don't release till you go through the whole cycle.
I agree with you for the most part for any one that is in the bigger the blob better the job type of soldering.
If have to know what your doing when soldering. Thanks to the Navy I'm in the group that has way more soldering training and experiance than I will ever need again now that I'm retired from that part of my life. I just assume anyone working with wiring or electronics knows how to properly solder, possibly a bad assumption on my part.
I also like the ratcheting crimpers for small pins and happen to have one in my toolbox, the problem with more than one wire in the pin and the crimper is it still crimps like theres only one wire inside the pin and can actually punch through the pin if it's not adjustable for how far you want it to crimp.
Now, back when I was younger I remember just twisting wires together and slappin some electrical tap on it... worked like a charm for the time I had the item. Heck even slipping a wire under the fuse works.
I think we can all agree, many ways to get the job done.
 

Byron

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Re: LED strip for turn signals

Certainly not fixed, but my mirror is flashing. Yes, need to do it properly.
According to this microfiche you can't get the wire by itself, only with the full turn signal. The connector I showed earlier is for the end of the wire where they connect inside the mirror housing. That is where you splice or gain access to the factory wiring. You can buy just the clips if you want to replace the damaged wiring without making a simple butt joint on the broken wires and cover them with heat shrink.
 

Byron

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Re: LED strip for turn signals

1100 Byron.
My bad. In looking at the microfiche here it appears that the turn signal wiring may be part of the main wiring harness which means you going to need to make a repair. If that is the case then you will need to make a physical splice into the factory wiring. That is unless you run wires from the rear tail light connector.
 
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Re: LED strip for turn signals

Picked up 4 LED strip lights for same reason only I've run the front pair along the front fairing right on the edge of the fairing pockets to give a better side illumination. They work fine but the 3 M tape is pathetic. I'm planning on fixing them with silicon. Just had a play tonight with the rear set. Positioning them just under the lid of the Top Box. Main problem now is trying to get a feed to the wires. I can see them but they are tucked behind the control unit under the luggage rack and much too short to get a connection on. My bike is fitted with a data tag unit that feeds into the rear indicators. Can any one see a reason why I couldn't take my feed from these leads? Stripped some insulation from the data tag cable and got a reading from my multimeter. Any opinions guys?
 
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Re: LED strip for turn signals

On a situation like that when you are doing a permananet mod and don't want to cut the factory wiring, I prefer an inline splice.

Strip about 3/8" of insulation off a section of the original wire, but don't cut through, wrap your new wire around and solder. Insulate with some good electrical tape.

To strip the insulation, use your wire strippers to make two cuts through the insulation 3/8" apart. Use a razor knife to shave off a bit of the insulation till you get to bare wire. Then peel off the remainder.
Why do ppl insist on using old school methods when a posilock connection is as simple as a twist of a cap? Especially with the limited amount of wire available from mother Honda.

That being said during the day it's somewhat noticeable however evenings and nite time it lights up wonderfully. My recommendation is a define upgrade.
 
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Re: LED strip for turn signals

Go in under and behind the storage space and tap into ur rear taillights. Extend the wiring w posilocks and tap into that way.
I used this method for my aux brake lights. Works perfectly in tight areas.
 
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DeanR
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Re: LED strip for turn signals

Well I just revisited my 'just jam the wire into the female end and then push the connector together' plan. Working for the time being.
Still works fine a couple years later (just noticed that I started this thread). Never needed to do it properly.
 

ST Gui

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Re: LED strip for turn signals

Still works fine a couple years later (just noticed that I started this thread). Never needed to do it properly.
For light loads like LEDs the Q&D method works just fine for me too. I ordered some crimp-on connectors so the wire to the device (LEDs for the most part) can be slid into the back of connectors and then zip-tied to the OEM wires. If these work as theorized it'll be much easier to work with the thin wire used on some of these imported lights.
 
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Re: LED strip for turn signals

Thanks. Now just need to decide on how I should tap into them.
I had a similar conundrum when I wired in the little LEDs developed by V8-7 Stan to go into the little holes that are just outboard of the mirrors on a 1300. I wanted to be able to easily disconnection the LED assembly from the rest of the bike wiring harness.

I finally settled on model airplane servo connectors. They have 3 different coloured conductors and they're are cheap, reliable and if covered with shrink-wrap, they are watertight and won't come apart - plus they are rated for low voltage/low current applications. I simply bared a little section of the appropriate ST1300 wire and soldered in a little pigtail of servo connector lead with a female connector on the end. Then covered it with a dab of liquid "electrical tape". Then I connected my LED assembly to another pigtail with a male connector and Wah-La! An easily detachable turn signal LED assembly with a small, lightweight but reliable connector.
 

T_C

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Re: LED strip for turn signals

Why do ppl insist on using old school methods when a posilock connection is as simple as a twist of a cap? Especially with the limited amount of wire available from mother Honda.
The simple fact that you can pierce the wire means it has enough iron to eventually corrode. My version keeps copper on copper with just a little tin and lead to seal the connection.

Somethings are great for quick or emergency repairs, long term, old school has the experience. Maybe it's just semantics, but seems simple to me.

If you do it the suggested way, lack of wiring slack is not an issue as you are not cutting and splicing, just tapping off the side of the OEM. I can do this to a VOIP line or computer network, with all its sensitivity, and never be noticed. Fiber optic, harder to hack but can be read by the side. That is why we weld the connections around 'em. TMI I'm sure.
 
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