How to install turn signals on your vintage Vespa?

vespamiami · Post by **vespamiami** » Mon Jul 15, 2013 12:04 am

How did you install your signals on your vintage Vespa? Where do you get the electricity from? Do you get it from the head / taillight wire?

az_slynch · Post by **az_slynch** » Mon Jul 15, 2013 1:01 am

The VBB (assuming yours is stone-stock with the original engine) is a 6V AC system that is only energized when the motor is running. There is no factory-fitted battery in a VBB. the lights dim out pretty badly as-is at idle, so I don't believe it will drive signals very well.

If the engine has been swapped with a later-model Vespa or LML engine, it might be easier to run signals, as the later flywheel magnetos made additional power to run ancilliaries and charge batteries.

You would want to run signals through a battery system to provide steady DC power to charge the flasher relay and drive the signal lamps. It's a whole separate system, as a 12V signal system generally draws 42 watts (3.5A) each time it flashes the signal lights.

If you're dead-set on signals, other possible solutions include bar-end flashers ( only need one bulb to signal a turn to the front and rear) or web-sourced system for a bicycle or moped, e.g. the old Cat Eye sets that clamp to the bike bars and run on 4 AA batteries.

vespamiami · Post by **vespamiami** » Tue Jul 16, 2013 12:14 am

You are awesome! Thanks!

It has a LML engine. No batteries though. I guess installing batteries is a totally different question....

az_slynch · Post by **az_slynch** » Tue Jul 16, 2013 3:43 am

The LML engine is a good start, especially if it has 12V electricals. The next thing to determine is if the engine's stator is wired strictly for 12V AC current or if it provides 12V DC current as well. If you have 12V DC (like a standard Stella motor), you could stash a regulator/rectifier and at least a 5A battery in the left-side glove box. That would give you the foundation needed for running a turn signal set.

BuddyRaton's gonna kill me for aiding in the installation of turn signals on a vintage bike.

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Tue Jul 16, 2013 11:21 am

az_slynch wrote:The LML engine is a good start, especially if it has 12V electricals. The next thing to determine is if the engine's stator is wired strictly for 12V AC current or if it provides 12V DC current as well. If you have 12V DC (like a standard Stella motor), you could stash a regulator/rectifier and at least a 5A battery in the left-side glove box. That would give you the foundation needed for running a turn signal set.

BuddyRaton's gonna kill me for aiding in the installation of turn signals on a vintage bike.

Nope...everyone should do what they want to with their scooter. 12v will offer more options.