DIY project Amber Indicators in Givi V35 tech boxes

[fz1uk]

Well I've bought the new v35 tech boxes and am really happy with them, they fit my full face helmet and are a big improvement over my old soft luggage.

They're different from the standard versions primarly because of the clear rear lenses instead of the red. I requested these because its not legal to have turn signals over here behind red lenses. I only want the turn signals and as far as I can tell, the admore lighting guys indicator/brake light/running light combo are white leds so they won't do the job for me either.

I'm willing to give it a go but I haven't had much experience with electrics before so I'll need a little bit of help from people who have a bit of know how! Once I get this working I'll sort it into a how-to though so others can have a smoother ride into getting this done.

So far I've sourced high power amber smd leds (surface mount diodes) that come pre-mounted in strips on ebay here

That'll mean that I have 12 SMD's in each case which is the same number as the admore lighting solution. I'll attach these to the shiney card behind the clear plastic reflector and then route the wires around the case.

Next thing is the weatherproof connector on the back of the box... from what I've seen so far I think I'll be needing a 2 pole weatherproof panel connector (I presume 2 pole just means 2 wire?) and some kind of screwon connector for the other side of the join. Maybe something like this? here

Right, this is where I get really unsure as to the best approach. I presume splicing into the pre-exisiting stock indicators is the way to go? I am keeping the stock indicators for now so with that in mind, will having the LED's plugged in to them at the same time change the flash rate or perhaps just cause them to stop working altogether? According to the ebay blurb, each SMD strip will use about 2.4w's and as far as I can tell that is going to be a tiny amount, so I guess it won't affect the flash rate of the stockers at all and that the leds will flash at the same speed as the stockers? If someone could chime in with some reassuring typing on that it'd be much appreciated and I'll start ordering the parts to put this together!
Cheers!
Jon

 

[BroHay]

Oldschool will be your best source for Q/A for he has done something very similar to his.

As for the flash rate, you may need to also look at a flasher. I have all LEDs up front with coventional bulbs in the back and indicators blinked very rapidly. The lower wattage causes rapid blinking indicating there is a fault with the system. Some live with the increased flash rate, I could not be one of those people.

 

[Oldschool]

Where to start

First off, it sounds like a great idea. Secondly the connectors that you show are exactly what admore uses in their kits. The install is fairly easy. I have my bags in the house so I will shoot some pictures off the inside of them for reference. I'll see if I can find the Admore instruction sheet as it should help explain the installation better than I remember.

The back of the V-35 showing where I drilled in.

This shows the mail connector and where I routed it

More to come.

 

[Oldschool]

More pictures and instructions

I will post the Admore instructions as they are pretty good and are available on line for free.

Rear of V-35 bag showing the female connector, keep it greased with electrical grease.

Interior of bag showing where the wiring comes through, not the rubber washer and plastic nut

I used plastic wire loom zip ties and self adhesive zip tie holders.

Showing the wire following the hinge support.

Shows where the wire goes through into the lens area of the bag

Be careful when removing the small screws that hold on the outside plate on the lid (the section that is sometimes painted) so as not to strip the threads. You have to remove or at least loosen it to remove the lens for the light. Also be sure to tie the wire in a knot inside the lens area before feeding it through to the interior of the bag's lid. This prevents the delicate connection at the LED end from being pulled off by accident. Be sure to fully route the wires and check for clearnce before tying it up inside the bag, to be sure you have enough wire lenght.

I hope the instructions are helpful, as it has been awhile since I did the install myself. The "positap" connectors work great and seem to last. I only had to strip a small piece of cover (not insulation) from each signal wire lead under the seat. I only have a crap picture taken with my old camera for now.

Note the Yellow and Green Wires, ignore the rest as they are for the tail and brake lights.

Good luck with the install!

 

[fz1uk]

Fantastic information and more than I could have hoped for!! I'll order the parts and put it together in the same way that I have seen here. Huge thanks for taking the time to upload and write up that information Oldschool! I will post back if I get anymore queries and upload some pics of my install.
Thanks again,
Jon

 

[Oldschool]

Fantastic information and more than I could have hoped for!! I'll order the parts and put it together in the same way that I have seen here. Huge thanks for taking the time to upload and write up that information Oldschool! I will post back if I get anymore queries and upload some pics of my install.
Thanks again,
Jon

No problem, happy to help. I cleaned up the last photo and reloaded it. It should be a bit easier to see now. The posi-tap connectores are under the electrical tape on the Green and yellow wires. The only draw back with them is they are slightly bulky and sit at 90 degree angles from the wires. If you strip a small section of wire solder and shrink tube it it would be neater, thats all.

Also Note: The signal wire leads for the FZ have grey, round connectors that clip together under the seat where the pilot seat and the passenger seat meet. They run along each side of the tool kit tray. I seem to remember the bikes wiring not being green and yellow wires, but green and brown (I think) BUT each side has 1 wire the same color, those are the ground.Those being black, if I remember correctly.

 

[Oldschool]

Another idea

I camp and travel alot with the FZ. I came up with a solution for digging around in the bags when it was dark. Also note the spare main fuses in waterproof packing tape. Never get stranded because you don't have one.

 

[fz1uk]

ha! thats a good idea for having some light in the boxes

One question though ---> is this an inline fuse or resistor or perhaps the mini controller going to bags lights?

Finally, did it do anything to your flash rate having the LED's running aswell? I presume not but am not 100% sure.

 

[Oldschool]

The unit circled is an inline fuse block for the Admore lights. The Admore have built in "mini controllers" to keep the flash rate the same. They also control the brake vs. tail light function for the lights. They are the size of a stick of gum and shrink tubed to each wire harness in the kit. The nice thing with the way you are planning to install is that you need only tap into the signal leads and might need a simple resistor installed. Test them as the LED may actually work just fine with only getting power when your signal does.

Mini Controller for Admore lights

 

[fz1uk]

Brilliant - thanks, I'll give them a go as they are first of all and add the resistor if needs be once I see how they react. I better start ordering parts!