Hey there HDF. It's been a while since I've posted but I've been lurking around frequently. Anyways, I have a dilemma. I ordered some cheap led turn signal mirrors that only have 1 WIRE! Ugh. I'm having trouble getting them to work properly (no surprise). I know what most of you are going to say: search online!, use diodes!, get a relay!, save your money for the HD ones!!!

Believe me I have searched. I installed Diodes on both the running light wire, and the blinker wire, and attached both to the single wire coming off the mirror. Didn't work. So I started thinking about how electricity works and remembered to check the ground. Well obviously this mirror is internally grounded, so I just grabbed the original ground wire and stuck it between a washer and the nut that mounts the mirror. IT LIT UP! What a f***cking novel concept! Don't worry, I'll figure out a much more secure way to ground that price of s**t. So that issue is figured out.

But the thing is just stuck on running. When I disconnect the running light wire from the diode, it turns off the running light (again obvious) but now it will blink when the signal is turned on. So, basically, EVEN WITH THE DIODES, IT ONLY RUNS ONE OR THE OTHER! F************ck!!!!

So, I thought I'd better reach out to the inter webs community and see if anyone can help. I'll even buy you a beer if your ever around my neck of the woods. Here's some photos:

What the running light looks like, it's a piece of crap Chinese amazon score.
Diodes installed in the right direction
Cheesy ground I'm gonna have to figure out
I dunno what I want to show here, just all the stupid wires.

 

These are setup for just the turn signals not the running light, thus only 1 wire. This is a common config for the international versions as their running light is a little bulb in the bottom of the headlight bucket.

 

yeah I understand but I have seen and heard of many cases where people were able to get the turn signal only lights to run as running lights as well with a couple of diodes.

 

It could work with an incandessant light but not LED.

 

Well somehow this guy got it to work

 

I think this may be the answer:

This shows a 560-ohm 1/2 watt resistor in line after the running light resistor

 

I get what you are seeing, so the diodes are only allowing current to go one direction as long as they are pointing the right direction. Your diodes are pointing in the right direction, have you tried smaller diodes? Maybe your diodes are the wrong size for the application. I cannot read your diode size from the pictures, but when you connect both wires does the diode get hot? If so you may want to go with a larger diode like a 5A. Also ensure that those aren't Zener diodes as they would be backward of what you want. The resistor would dim the light in a incandescent bulb but LED would just go out if there is too low of a voltage.

 

they are 5A diodes. I ordered some resistors on amazon so I will give that a try. The diodes are the correct type for sure. If all else fails, I will break down and either buy a control module or reinstall the old lights and mirrors.

 

If the resistors from Amazon do not bring joy, you might try this product https://www.customdynamics.com/eclipze2-module I am a Custom Dynamics fan because they are very helpful with questions. Good luck with the mirrors

 

On my old bike I bought the harley mirrors with the turn signals in them that only functioned as auxilary running lights and wouldn't blink.

I ended up using this which solved the problem and made the mirrors "blink": https://www.customled.com/products/blinker-genie

I'm not sure if it will work but it is worth exploring.