I have seen your setup, bridge rectifier and all. That seems like a lot of electronics just to get a beep out of a piezo beeper when the left or right side turn signal lights up. So, humor me while I ask what may be a stupid question:

I have a 2006 S40 (LS650)
Why can't I wire a Piezo beeper across the hot and ground wires leading to each of the two rear facing turn signal lights? This would create a parallel, not series, connection. The voltage would be the same across the beeper and the light bulb, but would this sap too much current from the light bulb? I don't know what the Radio Shack beepers pull in the way of current. This would seem like a much simpler solution, if it works. You went with a much more complex solution, so does that indicate that my simple solution does not work?

When I posted on this issue before, respondents said all I had to do was tie the hot side of the turn signal relay to the hot side of the piezo beeper and then ground the other side of the beeper. Call this a hunch, but I get the feeling that grounding the ts relay through the beeper would send the whole circuit to ground, and I would get a continuous beep.

I have also seen a post that recommends installing an old thermal relay. This individual says cut the connector off the old one and solder one of the wires to each post of the relay, doesn't matter which wire to which. First of all, there are four wires (I think) going into my stock relay, not two. And it seems odd to me that you do not have to differentiate between wires before cuttin and solderin and makin a mess.

Thanks for your time, and I would appreciate any help you could give me. Tired of leaving the ts on.

J2

Definitely agree with riding aware. Been riding 40 years. My attention is on the 80 yr old lady in the Buick and the college chickie with the phone in her ear. That's why I may leave the ts on, while dodging traffic. I see a lot of bikes going down the road with the signals flashing. This can kill you, so I consider it important enough to have an audible reminder. My other bikes have some kind of sound connected with the ts. My Kymco 150 scooter (go to the store transport) has a thermal relay that always lets me know its on. I am used to that. It makes a difference.

J2

OK. If you say it works, it works. The way the S40 system is wired, it just looked to me that the ts circuit might be hot and the handle bar switch grounded it to complete the circuit.

So, I would pull the rubber casing from under the tank ... then pull the connector, which leaves me looking at two terminals (spades or prongs). One is hot, the other not. If it is not marked, I will have to test the connector for voltage. Once polarity is established, I would solder the beeper across the terminals. I don't care when it beeps, as long as it beeps.

I could also use my original alternative ... wiring two beepers across the two tail facing signal lights. Have to get the seat off for that, and my fat fingers don't work too well on the inside nuts that secure the bolts holding the seat down. Can't get my fingers in there to hold the nut while I reattach the bolt ... not much of a mechanic, I'm afraid.
(also have a little arthur-itis)

Thanks for the reply.

J2

If it's wired the way you say under the seat ... sure ... anyone could use diodes to keep the pulses flowing the right way. But rather than play with rectification, I would as soon use two beepers. Simpler that way. Maybe I could tweak them to play a tune!

J2

OK on the polarity test. Guess I have always figured it wasn't really connected until it was soldered. That's my old technical degree coming out.
Yep. I thought about the beeeeep in the beeper. That's why my first inclination is to put a pair of them under the seat. Might be a bit more muffled there. Also less H2O affectable. I may be less irritated by the frequency anyhow. I spent 35 years of my life wearing headphones (working radio news), so my ears don't tune in some of those frequencies as well as others do. Of course, the headphones centered on the human voice range, affected that the most, and don't you know sometimes I can't hear a thing my wife says!

I appreciate your time and suggestions.

J2

If you are tired of leaving the turn signals on why not just install a Kisan signalminder which will make those buggers self cancelling like the ones in your car. Just a thought. I did it a couple years ago and it worked prefectly.

J2 wrote on 08/05/12 at 14:49:56:


Yep.. I'm the guy that wired up them electrics and created a maze of impossible wires going every which way so bad that you need a native guide and psychic just to see where ground is.  
Come on.. one relay, one rectifier, one beeper.  The big plus is you can turn the thing OFF by grabbing brake.  Otherwise people start looking around trying to find that big truck that is getting ready to back into them.  (Yep, that is what it sounds like).
Now.. that relay trick might work on the beeper across the flasher, but then you gotta run more wires to places where you may not know where to hook in.
I also put LEDs in parallel with the turn signals as secondary indicators.  The location that worked best for me is on the bolts of the risers.. that is close to where my speedo is.  Easy hookup inside the headlight shell.

Cavi Mike wrote on 08/06/12 at 06:15:31:


Ahhhhh.. but you did not answer it yet in THIS thread.  I know, I just looked..  (pulling yer leg Mike.. not being critical of how you did what you did or why)