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Blinker Buddy (Read 1466 times)
J2
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Blinker Buddy
09/29/10 at 08:00:16
 
I am used to turn signals that emit a ticking, clicking or sometimes even a beeping noise when you activate them. The turn signal on the S40 is absolutely silent, and I don't go down the road with my eyes focused on the tank (turn signal indicators). So, I would like a little noise, please, to remind me that my turn signal is blinking. I have heard of a couple of mods, ie a "Blinker Buddy," and just hooking a Radio Shack Piezo beeper from one of the flasher relay wires to ground. I don't know if that's a good idea, but more importantly, to begin with, I don't know where the flasher relay is. Any comment on the Blinker Buddy, soldering a beeper from one flasher lead to ground or where the flasher relay is?
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« Last Edit: 12/04/12 at 12:20:04 by Oldfeller--FSO »  
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youzguyz
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Re: Blinker Buddy
Reply #1 - 09/29/10 at 08:29:34
 
The relay is under the tank.  Front right side.  You can see it and change it without pulling the tank off.

As far as the beeping, here is the way I did it:

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?board=tech;action=display;num=1189100000

Mine shuts up when the brake light is on.
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Most motorcycle problems are caused by the nut between the seat and the handlebars. Make sure yours isn't too tight or too loose.
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Re: Blinker Buddy
Reply #2 - 09/30/10 at 07:06:51
 
I see what you have done and why (I have an educational background in engineering), but I think there is probably a simpler way ... without involving the brake light circuit. I would just want to add an oscillator/transducer (Piezo beeper) to the turn signal light circuit. I don't care if it goes off when the brake is activated. If the flasher relay is under the tank, that means the additional beeper element would probably have to be mounted outside. I believe you put it on a frame piece. This makes it vulnerable to moisture and other things, so that element, which would be part of the circuit, has to be carefully sealed. A local Suzuki technician is raising all kinds of worry flags about the harness cross connections to the bike's computer (ECM). The best, safest thing to do would be to simply replace the existing Suzuki flasher (relay) with one that makes noise ... click or beep or something ... rather than add to the circuit anything that might fail and produce unintended results. I think the tech is being overly cautious with regard to any spikes that might get to the computer, but that's what they get paid for. I think I will explore to see if there is a simple, replacement turn signal flasher relay that makes noise. The old relays used to really SNAP when they closed. Anybody know of a replacement for the stock Suzuki turn signal flasher (other than all those now being used for LEDs)?
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Re: Blinker Buddy
Reply #3 - 09/30/10 at 09:38:19
 
Good luck finding ANY stock flasher that will be loud enough to be heard.

Other people have done the direct wire to the flasher.  Do a search on the message forum for more ideas.


I installed that stuff 3 years ago.

I ride in rain, through dirt, and I even wash the bike once in a while.  Yeah, if the beeper gets wet inside sounds a bit sick until it dries out, but never had any electrical issue with that or any other component.

Spikes going back to the CDI?? get real.  That mechanical flasher is inducing more "spikes" than any of my "electronics"  ever will.   Grin
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2002 - Silver (Thumper)
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Most motorcycle problems are caused by the nut between the seat and the handlebars. Make sure yours isn't too tight or too loose.
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J2
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Re: Blinker Buddy
Reply #4 - 09/30/10 at 10:49:04
 
Well ... good to hear, and thanks for the info. I don't come down too hard on the Suzuki techs. They are trained to resist mods. I assume that modifying your idea to eliminate the brake circuit will still work.
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Re: Blinker Buddy
Reply #5 - 09/30/10 at 11:13:50
 
Yes, it will work fine without the brake circuit.

However, you need to remember that my circuit gets power AFTER the turn signal switch (it is wired to the lights, not the flasher)

If you wire into the flasher, that is BEFORE the switch.  I'm not sure that will even work.  One side is always hot (orange), the other side (lt Blue) goes to the switch.  
If you put the beeper on the switch side and ground to the frame, it could pass enough current to activate the flasher when the switch is not even on.
If you put the beeper in series on the switch side, there won't be enough current to run the lights.

I also read that someone wired the beeper across the flasher, but not on a Savage.  That wouldn't work on the Savage.  Beeper would get power all the time.  It would only shut up if the switch was on and the lights were blinking on. I never tried it any of those ways, so I don't know.
(I stand corrected.  Routy did it, and it works great!  Don't know where my brain was..  It will beep when the blinker light is off)

If you wire your beeper into the lights, you either need to use the rectifier to isolate the left lights from the right (like I did), or just use two beepers, one for each side.

If any of that is obvious, ignore it.  Cheesy
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« Last Edit: 06/27/13 at 05:10:51 by youzguyz »  

2002 - Silver (Thumper)
2000 - Green (Mad Hamish)
Most motorcycle problems are caused by the nut between the seat and the handlebars. Make sure yours isn't too tight or too loose.
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Re: Blinker Buddy
Reply #6 - 09/30/10 at 12:20:37
 
Of course, I would never ignore helpful suggestions. Yes, I saw what you did, going to the lights directly instead of wiring across the flasher. Very astute. That is why I was hoping I could just replace the flasher with one that makes noise. If I decide to play around with this (that will be dictated by how much time I have to play), I will do what you did, minus the brake light circuit. I don't have the diagram in front of me, but I think you must have routed negative ground from the beeper to the relay that opens and closes the ground based on the brake circuit state. I will just find a handy ground instead.

Thanks again.
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Re: Blinker Buddy
Reply #7 - 09/30/10 at 14:02:53
 
If you are doing it that way, the easiest place to hook in would be inside the headlight.  All the turn signal wires have bullet connectors in there.  Any wire that is black with a white stripe is chassis ground.
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2002 - Silver (Thumper)
2000 - Green (Mad Hamish)
Most motorcycle problems are caused by the nut between the seat and the handlebars. Make sure yours isn't too tight or too loose.
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J2
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Re: Blinker Buddy
Reply #8 - 10/01/10 at 05:25:15
 
Great convenience. I am a big fan of "easy." Thanks again.
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thumperclone
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Re: Blinker Buddy
Reply #9 - 10/05/10 at 16:54:11
 
jc whitney has a  turn signal beeper  sku#  1JA014425
rated @ 86 db
they use to carry a 2 prong beeper relay but i cant seem to find it any more..
also try:
retrobikes.com
part # 102-068


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Re: Blinker Buddy
Reply #10 - 10/07/10 at 14:03:43
 
Now, that may be the easiest solution yet. It would appear to be exactly what I am looking for ... a relay that also beeps. The best possible solution would be for me to be able to pull the stock flasher relay on the Suzy and substitute one that beeps. This one, from retrobikes.com, costs 11 bucks and beeps. The info on the site says this relay fits a "Retro Trail 70, Monkey, and others." Never heard of those. I have no idea if this relay, which is 12V and two-prong, would work on the S40. For 11 bucks, I would be willing to find out ... hopefully, without blowing any fuses. I don't know how difficult it is to access the turn signal relay, which is supposed to be under the tank, right side. If I could get hold of it, I could measure the resistance through it and see how well that stacks up against the resistance through the relay from retrobikes.

Thanks for the tip.

EDIT: I would need to measure the current through each relay to compare them. Relays are normally open, so resistance would be infinite in each case. "Resistance is futile!"
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« Last Edit: 10/08/10 at 07:20:56 by J2 »  
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Re: Blinker Buddy
Reply #11 - 07/21/12 at 08:16:52
 
Don't know if I ever seen more ideas on a signal beeper.

But there are 2 very simple ways to make it work,......w/o any parts except a beeper,

One is to use a beeper on each side connected in parallel to the bulbs

The other...(thanks to others on the forum) and simplest way (shown below, is to use 1 piezo beeper wired accross (in parallel w/) the flasher.
(I know the pic is not very detailed)

Don't even think it won't work cuz it does !

I used 20 ga solid doorbell wire, bare'd the ends 3/8", then pushed them into the back side of the flasher plug,.....never even unplugged the flasher ! A little zip tie to secure the wire from ever coming out.



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Re: Blinker Buddy
Reply #12 - 07/21/12 at 16:33:34
 
I took a 50 mile ride w/ the signal beeper, and it works great,.....too great is the problem ! I don't know the db of that piezo, but its used on a commercial Walker mower to let you know when the grass catcher is full, and is heard above the sound of a 20 hp Kohler engine running balls out. In short, its much too loud,....even hurts my ears !

But I have 2 80-100 db piezos coming,....ordered when I was going to use 1 on each side. So I'm hoping 1 of those will be a bit quieter. If not. I'll quiet it down some way. Otherwise it works great, no more blinkers left on.
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Rich
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Re: Blinker Buddy
Reply #13 - 08/24/12 at 06:23:23
 
Just an up date here,.....
A month ago I installed the single new 85 db piezo inside the headlite, connected in parallel w/ the flasher (under the RS front of the tank) Everything incl the volume is just perfect.

If you ignore all the stuff above, this is just about the simpliest and most useful mod there is ! Just connect across the flasher (in parallel with)
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Rich
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Re: Blinker Buddy
Reply #14 - 09/26/12 at 23:05:46
 
Here's a picture of a Radio Shack Piezoelectric buzzer attached to my turn signal relay. This buzzer is polarized so the black buzzer wire must attach to the blue relay wire and the red buzzer wire must attach to the brown (or red) relay wire.

http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b527/jaytoddpics/Buzzer%20Install/Web3116...


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