Hitchcocks Forum

In the process of changing my whole lighting setup to LED, and discovered my indicator bulbs are rated at 23W, which has 'sparked' some questions... (Apologies if they seem a bit simple. Electrics are not my strong point)

1. One of the first things I did when I bought the bike (2012 B5) was to remove the after-market audible flasher relay which the previous owner had put on, and replace it with the factory one. Am I correct in thinking that the factory relay is rated for 10W?

And if so...

2. What would be the repercussions of using 23W bulbs on a 10W flasher relay? Should I notice anything? Dimmer lights, slower flash rate...

Obviously, as I'm moving it all to LED - with the appropriate relay - the point is rather moot... But would be good to know regardless.

If you run a higher load than the relay is designed for, it'll flash more slowly. Might even melt something inside it.



Yes, using a good electronic relay is the way to go. Even if you're not using LEDs. This is a good one: https://www.classiccarleds.co.uk/collec ... king-sound

Thanks for the replies.

ericpode - Think I've read somewhere else that you recommended the cheaper versions, so that's what I've gone for. Arrived today, will be fitting tomorrow.

stinkwheel - if the cheap versions don't work, I'll be following that link. Many thanks

I long since gave up using indicators. Nobody pays a blind bit of notice to them anyway. If I think my signalling may benefit another road user, I give them a hand signal, otherwise I just go when I decide it's safe to do so. I just put the flashers on my bullet for the MOT then take them off again. I installed flush mount jack sockets on the side of the numberplate bracket so I can just do up the two nuts and plug them in. Nobody has ever queried it.



I think modern life has enough electronic devices that beep at me when they think I should be doing something. I don't think machines should be bossing me about so I tend to ignore beeps now, even if this means not turning something off/on that I was going to do anyway. If I do more than three things that would make my citroen work van beep at me, the nag display goes into tantrum mode and resets to factory default (French, km, litres). So like if you exceed 30mph with a door open, traction control off and no seatbelt on.



I certainly don't want beepy things on my motorbike too.

Not really. I hold a certificate of motor insurance for the bike. The liability for those payouts could potentially be argued about after the fact but only if an undeclared modification could be shown to have been a contributary factor in the accident.



A beeper is also a modification.

Neither carrying nor holding a certificate of motor insurance absolves the holder from complying with legal requirememts, to think otherwise is ...........

Correct Bryan, removing the indicators renders the bike "not road legal", the insurance company would love that. No better get out.

I'm willing to bet not a single bike owned by a user on this forum isn't in some way modified from standard and that the majority of those modifications have not been declared to the insurance company.



Again, the lack of indicators on my bike couldn't be used to weedle out of an insurance claim unless they could be shown to have contributed to the accident. I could almost certainly argue the toss on construction and use in that it only has a single seat and I've fitted slightly longer than standard shocks, so it could be said to have been modified for off road use and therefore doesn't need flashers. It's just easier to put it through the MOT with flashers fitted and not have to argue the toss.