You're all invited along on my journey

[profane]

Originally Posted by TrOjAnUK

All the LED`s in the speedo cowel are 3mm 12volt except the BLUE one, I had to solder in a small resistor to that one to drop voltage down from 12 to 3.4 but its easy enough.

They are held in place by 1) fitting very snugly in the 3mm hole and 2) a couple of blobs of glue from a hot glue gun.

I used the hot glue idea as it makes it very easy for me to take the cowel off and pick the glue off the led if I need to change them.

I tried to think ahead for when / if the led`s ever burn out... it should take me around 20 minutes to change one so no grief there.

Fitted the alarm now and thats all working so all I need to do is fit the engine illuminating led`s, a couple of switches and wait for my tank to return, it should be done soon, then a final clean up and hopefully I will be able to grab some video of all the lights working.

TrOjAn (roll on summer)

I wonder how the hot glue will hold up over time/weather? I tend to end up in the rain alot, sometimes on purpose sometimes not.

Its a very good idea and one of the few homemade ideas that I've seen that was not only a good idea but looks nice as well.

I had taken the cowel off the tank the other trying to get a few idea's on what I will eventually do. So Im very much looking forward to seeing your tank without the tabs and all.

Are you sticking with the stock gas cap set up?

I noticed it looks like it would be an even better result with a flush cap set up. Which obviously would require cutting out the stock one and welding in a new one similar to the ones on Harleys.

The tank looks very nice without it though. But I think instead of going through all that trouble (cause if I were to go cowelless on the tank, I would definantly modify the cap area) I am going to go ahead with making a smaller cowel for the tank that will hopefully be more complimenting as well. Though this in itself will be a task.

It's nice to see real mods. It does get a little old when people put on accesories and call it modification.

[TrOjAnUK]

Hi, glad you like it so far.... the glue issue??

It has been known to get wet here sunny England LOL anyway, the cowel design should stop 90% of water ever getting underneath it so I see no problems, hot glue is waterproof and insulating and damn sticky so if it dont hold I will be VERY surprised.

I will of course post any issues I get over the next few months.

The stock filler cap is staying, I rather like its prominence sticking up a bit... who knows though once Im finished, it may get changed.

TrOjAn

[profane]

Originally Posted by TrOjAnUK

Hi, glad you like it so far.... the glue issue??

It has been known to get wet here sunny England LOL anyway, the cowel design should stop 90% of water ever getting underneath it so I see no problems, hot glue is waterproof and insulating and damn sticky so if it dont hold I will be VERY surprised.

I've never used it before, so yeah it sounds like it should hold up.

Europe has rain? ! ha.

[/quote]
The stock filler cap is staying, I rather like its prominence sticking up a bit... who knows though once Im finished, it may get changed.

TrOjAn[/quote]

Im basing my judgement without seeing the finished piece. Looking at mine with the brackets still attached makes a little hard to visualize. But it sure does look promising either way.

[Oldgoat]

TrOjAnUK

I like your led warning light mod. I use a tank bag which hides the leds on the tank.
I have bought 5mm red, green & blue ones & will put them above the speedo as you have done. I know yours are 3mm.

Thanks for the idea!!

[TrOjAnUK]

Originally Posted by Oldgoat

TrOjAnUK

I like your led warning light mod. I use a tank bag which hides the leds on the tank.
I have bought 5mm red, green & blue ones & will put them above the speedo as you have done. I know yours are 3mm.

Thanks for the idea!!

Why thank you be warned with 5mm it is going to be VERY tight, you will get them in but make sure the back wiring connectors are well insulated, the chrome outer covering on the plastic cowel MAY conduct electric.

Make sure you post a picture for us to see.

TrOjAn

[Oldgoat]

Will only post pic if it looks ok !!

[TrOjAnUK]

Originally Posted by Oldgoat

Will only post pic if it looks ok !!

Hahahahaa, post anyway, it may help others in the future.. a couple of pointers you may wish to note!

Firstly, when you drill the holes in the cowel no matter what you do the chrome finish will chip!, in hindsight I think it may have been better to have drilled a very small hole then opened it out with a hot solder tip, not sure which would work out best.

To make mine look OK after tearing the chrome I painted JUST the front edge of the cowel, IMO it looks pretty smart and makes the LED`s stand out more.

If you need help with the wiring let me know, the Fuel warning light and one other are wired with a positive earth (cant remember the other but have it written down). I played arounf with a 9volt battery and some wire for a bit to work them out.

Good luck... TrOjAn

[Oldgoat]

Originally Posted by TrOjAnUK

If you need help with the wiring let me know, the Fuel warning light and one other are wired with a positive earth (cant remember the other but have it written down). I played arounf with a 9volt battery and some wire for a bit to work them out.

Good luck... TrOjAn

Yes please.

I have identified the following wires that lead to the sealed LEDs on the tank:
rhs turn - green
lhs turn - black
high beam - black/yellow
ground - black/white
12V supply to fuel & neutral leds - orange/green
fuel - yellow (-ve)
neutral - blue (-ve)

Could you tell me what you found.

The wires change colour depending on which plug half you are looking at. The colours I have given above are on the pigtail attached to the LEDs.

Did you wire the LED negatives together (high beam, turn signal ones).

I would think that the fuel & neutral LEDs have the orange/green wire going to their red leads & their black leads going to the fuel gauge & neutral switch. I think this is the way to do it as the LEDs only light if the red lead is attached to a +ve & the black leads run to earth.

Lots of questions for you

[TrOjAnUK]

Ok, Ill dig out my bit of paper with the colours on it Meanwhile....

Heres an update on what Im doing now.

I have fitted the Blue engine LED`s, only used 6 and when they are on theres a subtle blue glow over the engine, I will review if I need more when I get the tank back.

Theres a picture of my "homemade" led mounting kit (lol) basically plastic cable ties but hey, they work great. Also a picture of the switches I used to turn on / off the LED`s and the front driving lights.

Wahay the new tyre just arrived so theres a picture of that any excuse LOL.

TrOjAn

[TrOjAnUK]

Heres my IDEA?? for the indicators,

Theres a picture showing the 2 indicators, I have removed the threaded part from one, I plan on bending the silver tube so the indicators are on the front of the forks with the silver bar being fixed to the lower part of the UPPER triple tree.

Once I get it bent Ill insert the indicators and fix in place with a dab of super glue, they fit really snug so I dont think they will move.

TrOjAn

[Don M50limited]

Wow, that's a lot of wiring they stash inside the headlight bucket...That should make my headlight project interesting.
Those turn signals should look great when you're done.

[TrOjAnUK]

Not all that wire is Suzukis, some of it is mine I put an extra relay in there, I didnt like th thought of running 2 x 55watt halogen bulbs off the switch.

Anyway, looked at my pipe just now, I have a feeling its going to work well.. hopefully start bending it tomorow.

TrOjAn

[TrOjAnUK]

Huston "We have a problem" AGAIN!!

All has been going so well I knew it would have to stop, just spent an hour or so soldering the indicator wiring up, resisters etc the same as I did for the rear light / indicators. It dont bloody work! they flash really fast even with the 20 watt resistors on the line. Use a 20 watt bulb and it works.

I need to have a think on this... so its all stop here for a bit until this is solved.

TrOjAn

[Oldgoat]

I completed the installation of the warning LEDs. I kept the tank ones & wired the LEDs into the feeds to the tank ones.
I'm happy with the result. I will be able to be "warned" when I have my tank bag on now.

Thanks to Trojan for the original idea. He seems to work like a Trojan & is a font of ideas for mods

[TrOjAnUK]

Yep.. thats the kiddy... looks great dont it, I see like me you went for the RED led for the fuel, getting a true orange is damn hard.

Looks well neat, I hope to get my tank back next week so final assembly in 2 to 3 weeks then a good clean up and some proper photos.

I am going to load up a website with all the mods and photos so people can reference it for later use.

TrOjAn

[TrOjAnUK]

Quick update :: Decided I was not happy with those indicator resistors for the back light so ripped the lot back down again and removed them, I have gone for an LED specific Flasher Unit.

Photos to follow with wiring info as this one by passes the Suzuki flasher unit.

Photos of NEW TrOjAn designed indicator mount to follow too, IMO a neat quick and damn cheap solution to mounting new LED indicators.. watch this space

TrOjAn

[geoffsimpson]

That's a handy mod TrOjAn. I know that I'm always looking down to the control panel because my full face helmet blocks it, so I sometimes ride with the signal on....and feel like a tool when I catch it.

"I'll be turning left....eventually!"

[TrOjAnUK]

Here is the MOD for the new LED indicators FRONT.

I used that wire bracket that normally holds the cables to fix the tube to the underside of the triple.

Its pretty solid if I say so myself the indicators themselves are glued to the pipe by their rubbers so they are bendy rubber mounted. Worked out great.

TrOjAn

[TrOjAnUK]

Playing with the indicators yet again tonight, its 11pm and Im sitting out there in the cold on me own, kids and mrs are in bed.

I now have, 8 x 10 watt resistors on the floor, a Flash-It 2 wire module and a LED 2 pin Flasher Unit and I still was unable to get the damn indicators to flash correctly.

During the day I had been in contact with Flash-It people and the company that sold me the 2 pin unit.

On the Flash-It theres 2 wires, Black and a Red. According to the makers Black goes to the positive feed to the Suzuki Relay, (brown) and the red goes to the disconnected Blue wire from the relay.

Wired like that the indicators stayed on, I called them, emailed them and basically they were lost.

The people that sold me the 2 pin unit said, pin marked B = Bulb and pin marked L = Live. Tried it and NOTHING.

So, here I am with like $60 worth of flasher units and nothing works.. in sheer desperation I got the two wire unit and swapped the wires round, blow e the indicators flashed fine.

I thinks to myself, if ones wrong lets try the other, swapped the B to Battery ans L to Lights and that works to.

Just shows what a bunch of n0bs we have in our shops dont it.

All good.. Bike only needs the tanbk back and on and Im back on the road.. ALL mods done for this winter

TrOjAn

[Oldgoat]

Often getting yourself into a pickle & then puzzling at it for a while will find find the solution.

When I was a tiddler I had a wooden plaque over my bed that said:
"Try, try & try again, it's often the last key in the bunch that opens the lock"

Bet you went up the stairs to bed two at a time.