Sounds like you did the math correctly, the resistor will step down the voltage from 12 to 2.4. Put a voltmeter on the blinker lead and then on the taillight side of the resistor, make sure one side is around 12 and the other side is around 2.4. The 1/2 watt resistor should work fine for testing but you will need to get at least a ceramic 2 watt so it doesn't melt when the blinker stays on for a while.

 

You may have positive and negative crossed?

 

Ok here's what I know and what happens when tested.
RRear + = Dark Green
RRear - = Black
LRear + = Brown
LRear - = Black

For voltage testing with the taillight section completely removed I put the positive test lead on the dark green (RR) wire and the negative test lead on the black wire. When testing DC volts the voltmeter (a high-end digital type) incrementally rises per click of the blinker to a peak of 10.8 volts with the bike not running. When I start the bike the same test still reacts the same, incrementally rising per click, but the peak is now ~12.7 volts.

In attempting to test the resistor I placed the resistor inline (serial) with the dark green wire (RR+) and connect the positive test lead to the end of the resistor, so to test the voltage after the resistor. I again connect the negative test lead to the black wire and being testing. I recieve the EXACT same results. The voltmeter incrementally rises per blinker click to 10.8 with bike not started and 12.7 with it started.

So questions:
1) Why does the voltmeter show 10.8 and everyone elses shows 5 when not started?
2) Why does it incrementally rise per click versus just do on and off voltage. Is this because the voltmeter doesn't supply a load?
3) How come the resistor does change the peak voltage on the volt meter but when I connect the original blinker th eline doesn't have enough juice to light it anymore?

This shouldn't be this complicated it should be quite simple but it for some reason isn't in my case. please help.

 

Are you connecting the resistor to both + and - leads?...B.

 

Ok... update... Ladies and Gentleman I am an idiot.
While I would like to be able to say my resistors were not packaged right they were I bought the wrong ones. I bought 47k Ohm resistors versus 47 Ohm resisters. Nice huh? It sould work fine now once I get a chance to install.

However I would still like to know why I get a peak voltage of 10.8 versus everyone elses 5 with the engine not on. O-well I will update if it works and post the ten pics on how to do the mod shortly there after.

Bigdaddy.

 

I wouldn't worry too much about what it reads without a current draw. You may be seeing a capacitor charge or something. You will read 12 volts when a load is applied.

 

All...
The mod is complete and I've posted the pics on my site. See th post I made in the mods forum and let me know what you think of the documentation and pics.

 

Good info Big D