Author Topic: My Super 8 headlights are P!$$ING me off!!!  (Read 13250 times)

DMblues01

  • 2012 Kymco Super 8 150
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Re: My Super 8 headlights are P!$$ING me off!!!
« Reply #30 on: September 11, 2014, 02:14:50 PM »
Where do I connect the multimeter to check voltage?
Let me know for sure so I can check it on my day off Monday.

So far, I haven't had a problem, but it's only been one day. I'll see how it goes after riding to work and back for the next few nights.

Duke- 8)
Roxana, IL

Yoda is my spiritual leader.
Vader is my anger management coach!

Chris0381

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Re: My Super 8 headlights are P!$$ING me off!!!
« Reply #31 on: September 11, 2014, 02:50:55 PM »
DM, if its like a car, shouldn't you be able to check the voltage straight across the battery while the bike is running to determine if the voltage regulator/altenator is putting out the proper voltage ?
2013 Super 8 50cc 2T Air Cooled Mfg'd 2012
Stock pipe derestriction
Smooth Boss
6.5gm Dr Pulley sliders
Malossi Torsion Controller
Malossi Fly Clutch- yellow springs
Polini Variator
#95 Main Jet
Purple Malossi Contra Spring
42 MPH on the flats with the wind

zombie

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Re: My Super 8 headlights are P!$$ING me off!!!
« Reply #32 on: September 11, 2014, 03:12:40 PM »
Maybe Axy has a spare room! ;D

He's the one that called the cops on her the last time. I think he's done too.
"They have nothing in their whole imperial arsenal that can break the spirit of one Irishman who doesn't want to be broken."   Bobby Sands...

zombie

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Re: My Super 8 headlights are P!$$ING me off!!!
« Reply #33 on: September 11, 2014, 03:15:57 PM »
DM, if its like a car, shouldn't you be able to check the voltage straight across the battery while the bike is running to determine if the voltage regulator/altenator is putting out the proper voltage ?

It's better to check anywhere else but the battery. I usually check on one of the running lights. Reason is you don't want a false high reading from the batteries power.
"They have nothing in their whole imperial arsenal that can break the spirit of one Irishman who doesn't want to be broken."   Bobby Sands...

Chris0381

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Re: My Super 8 headlights are P!$$ING me off!!!
« Reply #34 on: September 11, 2014, 03:35:15 PM »
I see whats going on as is voltage to the lights and system as whole thats more of a concern than charging the battery.

Just some FYI on LED conversions, not sure its been posted but Im copying this from Ebay. And according to the Super 8 service manual schematic, a 3 wire LED flasher relay. Just looking for a source now preferably Ebay.

LED Turn Signal Bulbs - Flashing Problems?
memotronics_llc
Published by
memotronics_llc
January 28, 2013 . 19K Views . 2 Votes

When converting a vehicle for use with LED Turn Signal bulbs, it is often not enough to simply replace the regular incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs.  In many cases, you will have to either replace the car's flasher module, or trick the flasher module into thinking that there are "regular" bulbs in your car...

...and here is why:

An LED bulb only consumes a very small amount of electrical current.  The turn signal flasher (if it's a regular "thermal" flasher) was designed for bulbs that consume a lot of power:  The power consumed by the bulb runs through the flasher and heats up a bimetal switch.  When the bimetal deforms from the heat, it breaks the circuit (causing your lamp to go off), this causes the switch to cool down and go back to it's original shape (it will close the circuit again, the lights come on, the switch heats up, and the cycle begins again).

If the amount of power going though the switch is very little, not enough heat is generated in the flasher to cause the bimetal to bend.  The most common symptom is that your turn signal lights simply stay on.  If you run a MIX of regular and LED bulbs (say regular in the front, LED in the back), you may not notice it but if your incandescent bulb breaks, you're back to nothing-flashing.

Other symptoms are fast flasher, slow flashing or not coming on at all.

 

There are usually two solutions:

Install Load Resistors: these resistors basically a resistor that consumes enough power to cause the stock flasher module to kick in.  Your flasher basically doesn't know that you're running LED bulbs. This is usually the more expensive solution, creates a lot more work and just generally undesirable.  However, this may be what you have to do if you cannot find an LED-compatible flasher.

LED-Compatible Flasher:  This will work on most cars (and the older the car, the more likely), and usually means ripping out the stock flasher and putting in an LED-compatible replacement.  Sometimes you may have to flip some wires (and you can find harnesses to make that really easy).  There are various different models of LED compatible flashers, and there are also different types.

Getting the right MODEL: Simple enough, the LED-compatible flasher should have the same number of prongs, pin-out and size/shape (square vs round) as your existing flasher.  Sometimes, LED compatible flashers have an additional wire coming out of the top of the flasher, that just needs to be attached to the car's ground.

Getting the right TYPE:  Some LED flashers will work ONLY WITH LEDs and will go up in smoke when you put incandescent bulbs (or a mix of LED and incandescent) into your lights.  Those flashers should be stayed-away from.  There are also SOLID STATE flashers, those don't use a relay, have an extremely long life (because they don't have any mechanical parts), are more expensive and usually do NOT make a clicking noise.

Hazard Flasher: Some cars have two flashers, one for hazard lights, another for turn signals.   They may or may not be different models, but you will have to replace both.

Flasher Lookup: CEC Industries has a  flasher replacement guide (Google: CEC Flasher Guide), you enter the year, make and model of your car, and it will tell you which flasher fits. The flashers it shows may NOT be LED compatible, but you can enter the model numbers of the recommended flasher in their search, and it will tell you if it's LED compatible.  If the recommended flasher is NOT LED-compatible, try the search again, adding the letter L or the letters RL.  If that still doesn't bring up a result, and if your existing flasher is two-prong, you could try the generic round 2-prong LED compatible flasher, which is the EF32RL.  If your flasher is 3-prong (and one of the prongs is the pilot light in your dash), then you could try the generic 3-prong variant, aka EF33RL

A number of other LED flashers is available from Memotronics here on ebay, click here for a list

We also carry mounting brackets for the flashers we sell, and a 2 prong and 3 prong harness for remote-mounting (or for swapping leads if the prongs aren't in the correct position).
« Last Edit: September 12, 2014, 12:27:41 PM by Chris0381 »
2013 Super 8 50cc 2T Air Cooled Mfg'd 2012
Stock pipe derestriction
Smooth Boss
6.5gm Dr Pulley sliders
Malossi Torsion Controller
Malossi Fly Clutch- yellow springs
Polini Variator
#95 Main Jet
Purple Malossi Contra Spring
42 MPH on the flats with the wind

Chris0381

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Re: My Super 8 headlights are P!$$ING me off!!!
« Reply #35 on: September 11, 2014, 05:14:26 PM »
The ELFR-1 is a highly recommended flasher relay but is 2 pin, what can someone recommend that is 3 pin. I see many 3 pin out there but they dont come with the wiring harness. If I can get the harness then I can go to any parts store to get the flasher relay as its quite standard.

I think a EFL-3 http://www.vleds.com/3-pin-electronic-led-flasher-blinker-fix-1157-3157-7443.html I'm looking for a variation of ot now but can also pull the spade connectors out of the plug if needed.

1- pin to battery
1 - pin to ground
1-pin to lights

« Last Edit: September 12, 2014, 01:16:25 PM by Chris0381 »
2013 Super 8 50cc 2T Air Cooled Mfg'd 2012
Stock pipe derestriction
Smooth Boss
6.5gm Dr Pulley sliders
Malossi Torsion Controller
Malossi Fly Clutch- yellow springs
Polini Variator
#95 Main Jet
Purple Malossi Contra Spring
42 MPH on the flats with the wind

zombie

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Re: My Super 8 headlights are P!$$ING me off!!!
« Reply #36 on: September 13, 2014, 12:05:35 AM »
I bought a Molex kit a few years ago for making all my own connectors.
The kit is expensive but you can also buy individual parts to make what you need

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sumitomo-HM-090-Waterproof-Connector-Kit-High-Quality-with-Removal-Tool-/221387469325?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item338bb8b20d
"They have nothing in their whole imperial arsenal that can break the spirit of one Irishman who doesn't want to be broken."   Bobby Sands...

DMblues01

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Re: My Super 8 headlights are P!$$ING me off!!!
« Reply #37 on: September 16, 2014, 03:16:40 PM »
Do you have a multimeter ? Check charging voltage at idle to make sure it's over 13v or at VERY minimum no lower than static battery voltage. I'm not a fan of how kymco solved that issue, that cheaped out and made the lights dim instead of giving the bike a better stator.

I got out the old multimeter this morning, to check the charging with the LCM bypassed.
Checked the battery first, with the scoot off. It read 12.68 volts. (after sitting for about 24 hours in 50 degree temps)
With the scoot warmed up and idling, the system reads 14.48 volts.

I don't have much experience with the electrical systems on vehicles, so I'm just guessing that since it's higher than the minimum you stated, I am in OK shape so far?

Duke- 8)

EDIT: After running some errands this morning, I re-tested the battery just after parking it. This time it read 12.98 volts, which is closer to the 13.1 that the service manual on cyclepedia states as fully charged. so even on short 5-10 minute hops, it IS still producing enough to charge the battery without the auto-dim set up.  ;D
« Last Edit: September 16, 2014, 06:43:43 PM by DMblues01 »
Roxana, IL

Yoda is my spiritual leader.
Vader is my anger management coach!

zombie

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Re: My Super 8 headlights are P!$$ING me off!!!
« Reply #38 on: September 16, 2014, 07:42:16 PM »
Bully for you. Glad to hear it.
Those numbers sound exactly right.
"They have nothing in their whole imperial arsenal that can break the spirit of one Irishman who doesn't want to be broken."   Bobby Sands...

DMblues01

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Re: My Super 8 headlights are P!$$ING me off!!!
« Reply #39 on: September 17, 2014, 11:09:26 AM »
Bully for you. Glad to hear it.
Those numbers sound exactly right.

Cool! Thanks to all who have been helping me out with the shared info on this.
Now I'll get started with the things I need to order for starting the LED swap to save some extra draw on the system.

Duke- 8)
Roxana, IL

Yoda is my spiritual leader.
Vader is my anger management coach!

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