Need some electrical engineering help (simple stuff)

[blackjackel]

I bought this cheap-o piece of crap for $7 shipped off amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JGN4PBW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I knew it was going to have crap LEDs, so i ordered some of these guys: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004UZCMRK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I took apart the control module and disconnected the annoying speaker, I soldered out the old LEDs and put the new ones in, and they didn't work so I noticed some resistors on the board connected to the LED wiring so I soldered those and bypassed them completely, now the new LEDs are working. Also, Instead of using 2 AA batteries, I will be using 3 AA batteries so upping the voltage from 3V to 4.5V, the LEDs are much brighter with the extra battery, the old LED lights worked on 3 just fine and so I figure the new ones (which are rated up till i think 12v? should work great with 3 batteries too)

The problem is with the actual "Blinker" LEDs, they don't seem to be attached to any resistors and I'm guessing the same parts that make them blink are the ones that are limiting their voltage... this is where I need help. I have almost no electrical engineering knowledge.

I found two parts on the motherboard that are round orange things labeled C1=104 and C2=103 I believe these are the capacitors.

The resistors i bypassed are R1=51 and R5=51

The other components are:

R2=390k (the R's look like resistors)

R3=560

R4=18

Q1=9013

Q2=9012

Q3=9012

S1,S2,S3 (irrelevant switches).

The Q things each have 3 legs, i think these cause the lights to blink?

My question is, which parts do i swap out to make the LEDs for the turn signal work and still blink like the old LEDs? And which parts do i need? (I don't know how to ramp those parts up)

My guess (just for fun) is that i need to change the orange capacitor things and possibly one or two of the 3 legged switch things.

 

[trents]

I'm not an electronics wizard either but is the effort necessary to modify this apparatus in keeping with what you paid for it. Or are you doing this for the challenge and the learning experience? If you took a pic of the circuit board up close and attached it with a post (use the God Advanced button and the paperclip tool found on the next screen) some of our techie guys here might be able to help you better.

 

[blackjackel]

I'm not an electronics wizard either but is the effort necessary to modify this apparatus in keeping with what you paid for it. Or are you doing this for the challenge and the learning experience? If you took a pic of the circuit board up close and attached it with a post (use the God Advanced button and the paperclip tool found on the next screen) some of our techie guys here might be able to help you better.

I tried looking for battery operated bicycle signals that work during the day for any price, there are none for a reasonable price, they are all like 70-100 dollars, plus i do like tinkering with things

 

[bob4933]

R= resistor and Q = transistor. The transistors operate like tiny switches, and unless theres a timer switch in there, it would be how your lights would blink. V = I*R -> Amps = Voltage/Resistance. Since you removed resistors (smaller R), and raised voltage (more V), that makes a higher A (amperage).

Entirely likely you damaged your transistors (the little 3 legged things) with over current. Unlikely you damaged your capacitors, as the lights would dim out and you would notice that.

 

[Itachiii]

R= resistor and Q = transistor. The transistors operate like tiny switches, and unless theres a timer switch in there, it would be how your lights would blink. V = I*R -> Amps = Voltage/Resistance. Since you removed resistors (smaller R), and raised voltage (more V), that makes a higher A (amperage).

Entirely likely you damaged your transistors (the little 3 legged things) with over current. Unlikely you damaged your capacitors, as the lights would dim out and you would notice that.

+1. Just take measurements of the old resistors you bypassed and see if they match the ones that the package of your new LEDs had in. Then you need to find which transistor is "fried" and replace with a new one. You can do that with a polymeter. It's worth the experience, but if it costs more repairing than buying a new one, then simply buy a new one

 

[blackjackel]

+1. Just take measurements of the old resistors you bypassed and see if they match the ones that the package of your new LEDs had in. Then you need to find which transistor is "fried" and replace with a new one. You can do that with a polymeter. It's worth the experience, but if it costs more repairing than buying a new one, then simply buy a new one

R= resistor and Q = transistor. The transistors operate like tiny switches, and unless theres a timer switch in there, it would be how your lights would blink. V = I*R -> Amps = Voltage/Resistance. Since you removed resistors (smaller R), and raised voltage (more V), that makes a higher A (amperage).

Entirely likely you damaged your transistors (the little 3 legged things) with over current. Unlikely you damaged your capacitors, as the lights would dim out and you would notice that.

The lights still blink so the transistors aren't fried, the problem is that the new LEDs wont work in the spots where the LED's blink, the old LEDs do still blink, but they're still the old dimness, I need to up the current on the LED spots that blink so that the new LEDs work... so I likely need new transistor and new capacitor, right?

or will i only need a new capacitor?

 

[bob4933]

The lights still blink so the transistors aren't fried, the problem is that the new LEDs wont work in the spots where the LED's blink, the old LEDs do still blink, but they're still the old dimness, I need to up the current on the LED spots that blink so that the new LEDs work... so I likely need new transistor and new capacitor, right?

or will i only need a new capacitor?

Honestly mate, as I said, you're better off doing everything from scratch to suit your needs and make it fit the housing you like. Theres no way to tell what you need without physically verifying each component. That said, blown capacitors have a distinct look. Either a bulging, leaking, or general burning.