Read this if you're thinking about LED's or have questions about Load Equalizers
#21
01-22-2009 | 10:50 AM
Thread Starter
|
Club Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,864
Likes: 3
From: Dallas, TX & Santa Fe, NM when I can find the time....
If you think of a standard bulb creating more resistance (the load) than a L.E.D bulb then it will make sense. A load equalizer will create the resistance or load required to balance the system back to previous levels. If you notice a regular bulb emmits light and heat (they get pretty hot to the touch) where as a L.E.D never really get warm. That is due to they lack of resistance. That is why some load equalizers get hot, they create a resistance and create heat.
I am sure a qualified electrician could add more to my $.02
Great explanation, I am sure it will help many.
Adam
I am sure a qualified electrician could add more to my $.02
Great explanation, I am sure it will help many.
Adam
#22
01-22-2009 | 11:00 AM
Thread Starter
|
Club Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,864
Likes: 3
From: Dallas, TX & Santa Fe, NM when I can find the time....
Nice thread. Till I read it I did not know the function of a load equalizer and what it does. From your explanation I now understand their function and reason for existence.
To answer your question a load is a resistance. The load can and is created by LEDs, incandescent lights and motors as well as many other things. In fact every wire has it's own resistance or load thou extremely small. In wire resistance depends on what conductor is used to make the wire as well as length and thickness. Aluminum wire has more resistance than copper wire but gold has even less resistance. (If we could only afford gold wire we would find it on a Harley.
)
Anyway since LEDs have less resistance than the system was designed for one needs to add more resistance so the system will still work. Theoretically you could do that by adding more LEDs to increase the load but more commonly you would add a resister or resister pack to increase the load. Resisters work by restricting the flow of electricity but the power consumed by the resistance needs to go somewhere so it is given off by heat. This is how an electric stove works. It is why a incandescent light gets warm and LEDs do as well but generally so little you can't tell. How well the heat is controlled is determined by the design of the resistance package.
One slip in your original post, "Anything else I need to know about the Load Equalizers?
Yes. Because they add voltage to maintain proper function of the turn signals.." is not correct. Load Equalizers apparently add load not voltage. If they did actually add voltage the load would actually decrease. But to understand that takes a good understanding of Ohms Law.
To answer your question a load is a resistance. The load can and is created by LEDs, incandescent lights and motors as well as many other things. In fact every wire has it's own resistance or load thou extremely small. In wire resistance depends on what conductor is used to make the wire as well as length and thickness. Aluminum wire has more resistance than copper wire but gold has even less resistance. (If we could only afford gold wire we would find it on a Harley.
)Anyway since LEDs have less resistance than the system was designed for one needs to add more resistance so the system will still work. Theoretically you could do that by adding more LEDs to increase the load but more commonly you would add a resister or resister pack to increase the load. Resisters work by restricting the flow of electricity but the power consumed by the resistance needs to go somewhere so it is given off by heat. This is how an electric stove works. It is why a incandescent light gets warm and LEDs do as well but generally so little you can't tell. How well the heat is controlled is determined by the design of the resistance package.
One slip in your original post, "Anything else I need to know about the Load Equalizers?
Yes. Because they add voltage to maintain proper function of the turn signals.." is not correct. Load Equalizers apparently add load not voltage. If they did actually add voltage the load would actually decrease. But to understand that takes a good understanding of Ohms Law.
I'll go back and see if I can edit my original post regarding the use of the word "voltage". Would it be correct to say "Yes. Because they add resistance..."? Anyway, Nice catch! I definitely don't have a good understanding of Ohms Law.
#23
01-22-2009 | 11:13 AM
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,118
Likes: 26
From: OOB, Maine
Adam
#24
01-22-2009 | 11:25 AM
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,282
Likes: 2
From: Broadview Heights, OH
#25
01-22-2009 | 11:33 AM
Thread Starter
|
Club Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,864
Likes: 3
From: Dallas, TX & Santa Fe, NM when I can find the time....
Not offering up and explanation, but if you want it to stop, you need to install an "alarm controller". Isn't this fun?
#26
03-26-2009 | 09:34 PM
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 2,157
Likes: 1
From: Pittsburgh, PA
Thumbs up to Badlands. Down to Custom Dynamics, ignorant techs and crappy replacement parts. Nutural to Radiantz, o.k. if you don't mind waiting 2 weeks for an order & they do not respond to email, personally, I wont tolerate service that poor.
Last edited by ezriderpgh; 03-26-2009 at 09:48 PM.
#28
03-27-2009 | 01:32 AM
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,027
Likes: 27
From: Las Cruces, NM
Thanks for the post. I now understand a little better. I did the harley run/turn/brake conversion with crazybiker red bullets, non LED. Made a lot of difference. I then added the ride time technology run/turn/brake conversion to the tour pack, non LED. WOW what a difference. Then converted the side tour pack lights to ride time technology full on/off turn and run lights, non LED. When the side turn on the tour pack is on the rear turn is off, it is an opposite on and off. I also did yellow bullets on front turn. Just wanted a little more flash in order to be seen from the side. No LED lights yet, but in the near future. Keith at ride time told me he has a new LED light for the rear of the tour pack in the works. It will be a moving turn light as in the old dodge chargers. I had a charger and loved the lights. As soon at this goes on the market I will convert to LEDs.
#29
03-27-2009 | 07:30 AM
Road Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 938
Likes: 0
From: North Central Arkansas
#30
03-27-2009 | 08:28 AM
Cruiser
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 161
Likes: 0
From: Middleburg, FL
I enjoyed your post and you have obviously done your research. That's the best thing about this forum. It's easy to tell that there are informed people here who are anxious to share new found knowledge, and it is appreciated. I do however have some differences of opinion about the whole LED turn signal craze. Here they are in short.
LED Advantages:
Use less power
Last a long time
Brighter light
Things that mitigate the advantages:
You have to put an artificial load on the line to drop enough voltage so that your system doesn't think that you have a bulb out. Mitigates the power saving.
The load overheats because it's just dropping voltage that is not being used for anything. It's kind of like having a turn signal and a little bitty toaster in the circuit. The lights don't burn out, but the load does, and apparently at a higher failure rate than the original tungsten filament bulbs. To me, failure is failure whether it's the bulb or the little toaster. Mitigates the long lasting feature.
In the past year in my part of the country, we have had two firetrucks and three police cruisers envolved in traffic accidents while their lights and sirens were operating. In both cases, the driver of the at-fault vehicle said that they didn't hear or see the emergency vehicle approaching. I am always in favor of anything that increases my visibility when I'm riding, but seriously, we're talking about a couple of little turn signals.
This is obviously just my opinion, and it's probably not even as well informed as yours, but I felt the need to reply.
Thanks for caring enough to share your original post and have a great day.
LED Advantages:
Use less power
Last a long time
Brighter light
Things that mitigate the advantages:
You have to put an artificial load on the line to drop enough voltage so that your system doesn't think that you have a bulb out. Mitigates the power saving.
The load overheats because it's just dropping voltage that is not being used for anything. It's kind of like having a turn signal and a little bitty toaster in the circuit. The lights don't burn out, but the load does, and apparently at a higher failure rate than the original tungsten filament bulbs. To me, failure is failure whether it's the bulb or the little toaster. Mitigates the long lasting feature.
In the past year in my part of the country, we have had two firetrucks and three police cruisers envolved in traffic accidents while their lights and sirens were operating. In both cases, the driver of the at-fault vehicle said that they didn't hear or see the emergency vehicle approaching. I am always in favor of anything that increases my visibility when I'm riding, but seriously, we're talking about a couple of little turn signals.
This is obviously just my opinion, and it's probably not even as well informed as yours, but I felt the need to reply.
Thanks for caring enough to share your original post and have a great day.