Crazy LED Problem

[starspan]

Well, here goes. I recently put LED rear turn signals on the 01 Kat. I did the flasher relay mod. (Thanks KatDan). The signals worked just as they were suppose to work. I then decided to replace my front turn signal bulbs with LED's. Now this is where it gets interesting. The front LED's that I installed will not illuminate (No Light At All). The rear still flash just fine. I thought I might have two bad bulbs. (Highly Unlikely). So, I installed both of them in my truck, both of the LED bulbs work just fine.

Now back to the bike. I try them again in the bike no illumination at all. With the turn signal flashing I remove the LED, and, installed the incandescent bulbs, and, they flash fine. The LED's I installed are from superbrightleds.com, the email they sent me said, " The bulbs that I have are not polarized therefore, polaridity is not a factor". I have put a multimeter on the bulb socket to see my voltages, and, they are correct.

I next installed the stock relay again to see if the problem was with the new flasher relay. Once again the rear turn signals flashed 2X speed and the front LED's would not illuminate. I then installed the incandescent bulbs once again. They illuminated, and, flashed at the 2X speed. I have tried with the bike running as well, as the bike off. There is no difference in the action of the turn signals.

Update: Just went to the local bike shop, and, purchased a LED Flasher Relay. Unfortunately, I am having the same result as with the 2.99 Autozone relay. LED's will not light with the LED Flasher Relay, but, the standard incandescent bulbs will.

Does anyone have an idea, or, suggestion to try and solve this problem, other than doing away with the LED's ,and, going back to the incandescent bulbs?

[starspan]

I actually just solved the crazy LED problem. It seems the lights I got from superbrightleds.com are polarized (They said they weren't) opposite of what the stock Kat wiring is for the front turnsignals. I reversed the polarity on the front turn signals, and, they came to life. Wanted to post what I found incase someone else has the same problem.

[The CyberPoet]

The stock wiring to the front blinkers is backwards as it comes from the factory -- it's not the LED's fault, but the way Suzuki wired the 98+ Kats.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[starspan]

Thanks CP, I eventually found that out the long, frustrating way. It is all set now. I found it by putting the multi-meter on my truck turnsignals. Then a light came on (In my Head) about what the problem was. Thanks for the reply.

[scott73]

Having the same problem now. Did you just wire the switch the wires at the connector pos to neg and neg to pos?

[CavPhoto]

Don't mean to resurrect a dead thread with my first post but I've been lurking for way too long and had to throw a to the OP for providing his solution to this. Saved me hours of frustration trying to chase it down.

and FWIW I simply spliced the wires near the socket. Wiring the black wire from the switch to the black/white wire going to the socket and the black/white wire from the switch to the black wire going to the socket. Did this for both sides.

Worked like a champ.

[JayBell]

I just used a pin to let the contacts slide out of the plug, and switched them.