LED side lights

[Colinfrance]

Just wondering has anyone else tried replacing the two side light bulbs (501) with LED's ? I replaced mine today and here's what happened, when I reconnected the clocks and turned on the ignition I had no side lights, no warning lights, no gauges, no indicators, brake and tail light, as you probably know all these run off the 15amp indicator fuse, this and the next one blew while the LED bulbs where fitted, these work fine in the cars and in my Honda transalp, so I'm wondering is it because all these things run off one fuse ? Dare I up rate it, the bikes a 2010 abs 650, your thoughts and comments would be appreciated

[greywolf]

Did you check to see if one of the bulbs was shorted? Make sure the bulbs work off the bike and the fuse stays whole without the bulbs in place.

[tallpaul]

I had them fitted to mine with no issues at all. My brother's vee has them too.

[Rusty Nuts]

Me too. No issues . Are yours the ones with slightly loose wire terminals that could get across the connections in the holder?

[Colinfrance]

Hi, the bulbs are a solid build no loose wires, they're all formed in one piece, the fuse is fine until I fit these bulbs, I tried the two bulbs in the car first and they worked fine, as soon as I put them in the bike the fuse blew, I've checked the bulb holders, wires and the connectors, it's a bit of a mystery

[Hugh Mungus]

LED bulbs use less power than standard filament bulbs so upping the fuse rating shouldn't be necessary.
Have you tried them one at a time? Wondering if one of them is duff (I know you've tried them in your car but the wiring circuit will be different.)

[Colinfrance]

OK, so I've just taken one out of the car so I know it works and I've fitted it in the number plate light, so far the fuse hasn't blown, so I think the next step as suggested is to replace the two side lights but one at a time, but this is a next week job !

[Fat Rat]

I can't help with your electrical problem and fuse blowing, but remember LEDs only work one way round 

[Hugh Mungus]

I've not touched my sidelights, are they a type you can fit only one way or are they reversible?

[tallpaul]

They are a capless bulb, they can be fitted in one of two positions. No problem with a filament bulb but led bulbs must be oriented for the correct polarity. Getting the polarity wrong shouldn't blow the fuse though.

[Colinfrance]

I take on board what you're all saying about the wrong way round and it makes a lot of sense, in my earlier reply I said I took one out of my car knowing it worked to fit in the number plate on the bike, when I replaced the one in the car it didn't work, but when I turned it round it did, now the problem is both sides of the bulb is identical and there is nothing on them to indicate any polarity, maybe the bike circuit is a little more sensitive and that's why the fuse keeps blowing

[Hugh Mungus]

now the problem is both sides of the bulb is identical and there is nothing on them to indicate any polarity

That is the problem with LED's. You need to make sure they're working before putting the bike back together.

[greywolf]

The wrong polarity will cause the bulb not to work but it won't blow a fuse. That would be an open circuit while a fuse will blow for a short circuit, the very opposite condition.

[Colinfrance]

OK so latest update, with everything removed to gain access the the bulbs this time I took the two out of the car so I know they are working, instead of fitting them both at the same time I fitted one then switched on the ignition, that one worked, looking good I thought, I then Switched off the ignition and fitted the second one, turned the ignition back on but it didn't work, but the first one still did, so no problem with the fuse, so, ignition back off, bulb removed and turned round, ignition back on, both bulbs now working fine, so, what kept blowing the bulbs in the first place is still a mystery, as even if the bulbs didn't work or were the wrong way round it shouldn't of blown the fuse, I'm don't know about all the LED bulbs but these certainly do not have any + or - markings on them, so it try it and see, now I'm a happy chap as these are extremely white and bright, so these along with the two H4's being changed to LED's and a set of LED daytime running lights fitted I should be visible to all on the road, lesson learned never take it for granted that things will work, check before sticking it all back together

[Hugh Mungus]

I found out the hard way too.
And recently I fitted two LED number plate lights. One worked and one didn't. They came supplied with a fitted red and black wire but what they didn't tell me was one was wired up correctly and the other one was reversed... I had to one-solder and re-solder the join.

Can't figure out why your fuse blew, unless you disturbed a wire and it touched the frame...?