Today I went to the garage with:
-2 R1 pod light sockets
-2 amber LED marker lights
-an extra lenght of black wire,
-a box of crimp on connectors
-some heat shrink tubing
-2 - 5 pin relays
-wiring diagram that I printed from another forum on the subject
I started on the left side. I hooked up my test light to determine which wire was the marker - which was the turn signal wire. I then went to verify that the black was hooked to ground, it was - but I also found that the flasher wire was also hooked to ground when it was inactive. So the flasher wire was switching between 12 volt and ground as it flashed. This gave me an idea. I hooked my test light between the turn signal wire - and the marker light wire. When I turned on the key - the marker light and the test light came on. When I turned on the turn signal - the stock blinker flashed alternated by the test light flashing. It is exactly the behavior people were using relay's for.
The concept is simple - if you put 12 volts on each lead of the pod light (Turn signal flashing) - pod light turns off. If you think of it in other terms - if you put exactly the same amount of water pressure on each end of a water pipe - the water can't flow. The same applies to electricity. When the turn signal wasn't flashing is was connected to ground - and the pod light came on again.
So - I pulled the stock R1 contacts out of the plastic connector. I then cut and extended the stock R1 contacts so they would reach the back side of the stock FZ6 turn/marker connector. I used the shrink tubing to insulate the exposed R1 connector - leaving some of the contact sticking out. I then simply slid the exposed end of the R1 terminal into the back side of the FZ6 connector. Zip tied the connections in place. Done! Works like a charm. Don't need to modify the stock wiring at all - don't even need to disconnect the stock wiring for that matter. Couldn't be easier.
Now all I have to do is bring my relays, and the crimp connectors back to the store and get my money back!
-2 R1 pod light sockets
-2 amber LED marker lights
-an extra lenght of black wire,
-a box of crimp on connectors
-some heat shrink tubing
-2 - 5 pin relays
-wiring diagram that I printed from another forum on the subject
I started on the left side. I hooked up my test light to determine which wire was the marker - which was the turn signal wire. I then went to verify that the black was hooked to ground, it was - but I also found that the flasher wire was also hooked to ground when it was inactive. So the flasher wire was switching between 12 volt and ground as it flashed. This gave me an idea. I hooked my test light between the turn signal wire - and the marker light wire. When I turned on the key - the marker light and the test light came on. When I turned on the turn signal - the stock blinker flashed alternated by the test light flashing. It is exactly the behavior people were using relay's for.
The concept is simple - if you put 12 volts on each lead of the pod light (Turn signal flashing) - pod light turns off. If you think of it in other terms - if you put exactly the same amount of water pressure on each end of a water pipe - the water can't flow. The same applies to electricity. When the turn signal wasn't flashing is was connected to ground - and the pod light came on again.
So - I pulled the stock R1 contacts out of the plastic connector. I then cut and extended the stock R1 contacts so they would reach the back side of the stock FZ6 turn/marker connector. I used the shrink tubing to insulate the exposed R1 connector - leaving some of the contact sticking out. I then simply slid the exposed end of the R1 terminal into the back side of the FZ6 connector. Zip tied the connections in place. Done! Works like a charm. Don't need to modify the stock wiring at all - don't even need to disconnect the stock wiring for that matter. Couldn't be easier.
Now all I have to do is bring my relays, and the crimp connectors back to the store and get my money back!