LED turn signals are becoming increasingly common in motorcycles, but they need to be wired correctly to ensure they work properly. One of the most common mistakes riders make is not installing load resistors, also known as equalizers, to prevent unnecessary hyper flashing of their LED turn signal lights. This can be a very ugly and dangerous issue to have on your bike, so it’s important that you know how to install them.

Using Load Resistors

The first thing you need to do is purchase the correct size load resistor. These are available at your local auto parts store or online from any reputable supplier. They come in various wattage ratings, but you will need to calculate which one is the right size for your application.

To do this, simply take the wattage of your existing filament light bulb (if you can find it) and multiply by its ohms rating. The result is the wattage that your new LED light bulb needs to be able to dissipate the heat it generates.

Now that you have the proper wattage, it’s time to get down to wiring. Once you have all the wires, you’ll want to connect them to your load resistor in parallel to each LED light bulb in your turn signal circuit.

If your turn signal bulbs are double filament you will need to use a different combination of wires for each side of the equalizer than you would with single-filament bulbs. This is because the wire color on your stock turn signal sockets will differ on each side, so you’ll need to match up the colors on your load equalizers with the socket wires for each turn signal lamp.

Once you have all of your wires, it’s time to tap each one between the negative and positive wires on your load resistor. This is very easy to do with a trailer splice tool as you’ll be splicing the load resistor wire to both the negative and positive turn signal wires.

Next, you’ll need to drill and screw the load resistor to a flat metal surface on your vehicle. This will allow it to dissipate the heat generated by the LED turn signal lights as well as help prevent damage to your new load resistor.

Finally, test your new LED turn signals to make sure they’re working as expected. If not, it’s time to purchase another load resistor!

Choosing the Right Resistor for Your Applications

When choosing your new load resistor, it’s important to remember that it will be generating a lot of heat. This can be dangerous to the LED turn signal lights, so you should choose a resistor that has a higher wattage than what your current lamps have and that can dissipate the heat it generates.

You should also try to choose a resistor with an appropriate wattage for your application, as too small of a resistor can lead to fading and other problems due to overheating. If you’re not sure what the wattage of your current turn signal bulbs are, look in your owner’s manual or on the bulb that you’re replacing for a rough idea.