[How To] Turn Signal Canceller Kisan SM3-R Installation and Review

[NoNTnow]

Copied With Editing From The Old Site

All,

I spoke with Sales at Kisan and the model we need is the SM-3R "newer Honda model" with the 9 -pin connector.

While I had them on the line we discussed the "club discount" on their website and they quickly agreed to a 10% discount for the NT-Owners forum. That discount puts their OEM pricing in line with the resellers at $107.97 plus shipping. If anyone else orders one direct from Kisan make sure you include the NT-Owners forum name and the 10% "club discount" in the comments section.

SM-3R Specifications

Installation Part One

The SM-3R is the correct model as it comes with the nine pin connector used on European Honda's like the NT. It is also pretty much ?plug and play? as far as wiring if you do not install the Brake Light Time Out and Vectra Light options. More on that ?pretty much? later...

Kisan makes a lot of claims about what this unit can do, and all of them are true. What isn't so clear is what you get with the additional features and how they can conflict, based on interactions with Honda?s wiring, and with each other...

Turn Signal Cancellation ? Yes, and you can set it for 10, 20 or seconds by flipping DIP switches on the unit. It comes preset for 10 seconds using DIP One, which also turns on the Running Lights option. DIP Two is 20 seconds, and DIP Three thirty seconds. I went with 20 seconds?

4 Way Emergency Flash Mode - This feature is preconfigured in the unit. They can be a bit annoying to turn on! You "Flick the turn signal switch four times to the right - about once a second". A second version of this feature "Escort Flash Mode" is also included. Activating it requires "flicking" to the left instead of the right. I can't tell much difference between "Emergency" and "Escort" modes....

Running Lights ? Yes, you get constant on Running Lights that power all your Turn Signal bulbs at about half power. They add visibility and look good on the NT. When the Turn Signal is in engaged the bulbs that are flashing are at full power, while the other side remains at half power.

But, you will also get the Turn Signal indicators on the dash being lighted constantly with the Running Lights. So if having the two Turn Indicators lit constantly bothers you you?ll need to turn off the running lights. This ?feature? is a ?Note? on the bottom of Page 25 of the installation manual. As the Note states the Indicators are wired in parallel with the Turn Signals so they will stay lit. I can live with the ?Green? lights glowing so this is not a big issue for me... Edit: I couldn't live with it and turned the Running Lights off...

Brake Input Option ? This option is used to suspend the Turn Signal Timer when the brakes are applied. With the long lights in metro Atlanta it seemed like a good idea so I hooked it up. It does suspend the Turn Signal Timer for as long as you apply the brakes.

Physical mounting: The SM-3R is not quite the same size as the factory unit but it will just fit in the original rubber mount. If you are adding any options like the Brake Input option or the Vectra lights both end must be accessible so you will need to open the bottom up.

About that ?pretty much plug and play? wiring comment. The SM-3R comes with a separate ground wire. Rather than extending the wire to reach the battery or an existing ground I added a ?ground stud? to the frame using an unused hole. This will allow me to ground other ?farkles? in the future. This was the longest part of the exercise as I had to run out to ACE Hardware for a couple of hardware parts...

I did not purchase the optional ?Return Springs to modify my Turn Signal switch for ?automatic cancellation and return to center?. I don't mind hitting the switch before the next use if I forget to cancel manually. I also did not purchase the Vectra mirror lights...

I took a few photos during the install to show how I installed the unit...


What You Get http://www.flickr.com/people/wecnwise/



Factory Turn Signal Flasher Location http://www.flickr.com/people/wecnwise/


Factory Unit and Mount Off The Frame Mounting Blade http://www.flickr.com/people/wecnwise/


Before You Start Installing Remove The Blue Connector http://www.flickr.com/people/wecnwise/

Next the Ground Stud....

Part Two

As I mentioned I added a new Ground Stud during this install. I did not want to extend the SM-3R ground wire and I also will use this for other farkles.... There was a handy hole near by so I grabbed the Dremel to remove some of the paint then installed the stud...


New Ground Stud Locationhttp://www.flickr.com/people/wecnwise/


Ground Stud Installed http://www.flickr.com/people/wecnwise/

There is still plenty of room to get to the rear brake system...

If you are going to use the Brake Input Option you can tap in, with the supplied connector, in the wiring tray just in front of the tail lights... Use the Green / Yellow brake wire as shown...


Brake Input Option Connection http://www.flickr.com/people/wecnwise/


Installation Complete Top View http://www.flickr.com/people/wecnwise/

Use a sharp knife to cut the bottom partially out of the OEM rubber holder so you can run the Brake Input wire...

Part Three

When you opt to use the Running Light Option this is how it looks:


Cluster with Running Lights Only, No Turn Signal Activation http://www.flickr.com/people/wecnwise/

With the Left Turn Signal Activated:


Cluster with Left Turn Signal Flashing Off Cycle http://www.flickr.com/people/wecnwise/

Left Turn From the Rear...


Left Turn Flashing, Off Flash Cycle, Right Rear Running Light http://www.flickr.com/people/wecnwise/


Left Turn On Flash Cycle, Right Rear Running Lighthttp://www.flickr.com/people/wecnwise/

Part Four

Now Rear Running Lights Only:


Rear Running Lights http://www.flickr.com/people/wecnwise/


Rear Running Lights Offset View in Daylighthttp://www.flickr.com/people/wecnwise/

Now Front Running Lights:


Left Front Running Light http://www.flickr.com/people/wecnwise/


Right Front Running Light http://www.flickr.com/people/wecnwise/

Overall a nice farkle that adds some additional visibility and safety to the NT...

 

[NoNTnow]

After I wrote my Review several folks had questions about the install. Since I can't edit other members posts on the other site I can only cut and paste the questions and response...

Some Answers and Observations....

Quote Originally Posted by David
Since the original front running lights use an independent filament within the light bulb (separate from the turn signal) and are on a separate circuit, if you disable the running light option in the signal minder, do the front running lights still work?

Reply: No, the front turn signals do not function as Running Lights if you turn the Running Light feature off. The front turn signal lights are single filament bulbs and do not act as running lights with the stock Turn Signal Position Relay...as least mine didn't. The only "Running Light" I had before installing the SM-3R was the "Position Light" in the lower headlight assembly...

Quote Originally Posted by David
Kisan claims that the feature that allows all the turn signals to flash when the brakes are applied is a "programmable" feature. This can be de-activated so that your brake input wire will only "suspend" your cancellation. Take a peek in the installation manual on page 32;

PROGRAMMING BRAKE FLASH FEATURE:
�� Apply & Hold brakes first, then turn ignition on.
�� Immediately begin pumping the brakes at least 6 to 8 times
�� This is a toggle function – it activates it on or off upon each execution

Reply: Good catch, I just reconnected everything and after a few attempts I got this to work. The trick is do not start the engine, just turn the ignition to ON, and then pump the front brake lever 6 - 8 times... I could not get this to work using the rear brake pedal, but the front lever did the trick after a couple attempts... I now "suspend" the flasher timer for the duration of the brake engagement and do not have flashing turn signals or dash indicators...

Quote Originally Posted by David
Oh yeah... one more thing. Kisan told me in an email that the flasher unit comes with the spring kit for the handlebar. Is this not true???

Reply: My kit did not come with the springs or the newer foam plugs. I was told that is an option. I really don't care about a "return to center" as long as the turn signal lights cancel. I have no desire to play around with little springs in the switch assembly...

Additional Modification

The wire that connects to the rear brake light for the "Suspend Feature" is on the bottom of the Kisan unit... To connect it I used an X-Acto knife and cut open the bottom of the factory rubber mount. Now I can reach all the connections on the rear and the DIPs on the front... You would need to do this modification to install the optional "Vectra Lights" as well...

Additional Note

When testing the the unit you need to actually start your bike. If you only set the ignition to ON, but don't start it, weird things happen with the dash lights... As soon as I started the bike those gremlins go away...


Quote Originally Posted by David
Hmm… let me get this straight. The turn signals will still cancel without modification to the handlebar switch? That is a relief! Is there any hitch? What is the benefit of tampering with the springs then?
David,

Reply: This one may be a bit tricky for me to explain so please bear with me...

First, the turn signal switch on my NT already has "return to center" button springs in it from Honda. If I turn on the left turn signal the turn signal button automatically moves back to the physical center position as soon as I take my thumb off. However, the electrical connection inside the switch remain connected or in the "latched" state until I cancel it by pressing the switch button "In". The SM-3R overrides the physical connection, or "latched" state, and interrupts the circuit turning off the signal based on your selected timer value.

To validate this I turned off my ignition while the left turn signal was "On" and flashing. When I restarted my NT the left turn signal immediately came on, ran for about 20 seconds and then went off. Since the turn signal switch was still physically "latched" in the left turn position when the bike was shut off it will still be latched when restarted. With the SM-3R installed after the timer value expires the SM-3R interrupts the signal regardless of the switches "latched" position.

Installing Kisan's additional springs, or foam plugs, is supposed to allow the turn signal switch to function as a momentary or pulse type switch that applies a voltage signal to the SM-3R when the switch is pressed. This voltage signal activates the SM-3R to initiate a turn signal without physically latching the switch in the "On" position. Since the modified switch no longer "latches" you don't need to do a "push to cancel" to release the "latch". The SM-3R unit now controls the turn signal completely...

This same momentary signal detection technology is used to activate the 4 - Way Emergency Flashers and Escort mode features, there is no switch to "latch" for those features...at least on US specification NTs...

Edit: I apologize if I left out any ones responses or questions while moving this post. Please feel free to ask any questions and I'll try to answer them....

 

[BillyDoc]

Re: Kisan SM3-R Installation and Review

Thanks Wayne, for the howtoo. I just installed mine using your directions and am very pleased so far. One additional comment, when installing the ground wire "lug" there is a second hole to the right and lower from the one you used that has a threaded nut welded on the backside . . . at least on my 2011 ABS model. I think it's a five mm size, but I'm not sure, I had the right bolt in my "misc." box of metric stuff and used that with a 1/4" lock washer on both sides of the ground lug.

Bill