FAQ

If you don’t find the answer to your question here or you would like a more detailed answer, send us an email and we will be happy to help you out.

Q: I want to install Betelgeuse or Thor in my Car / Truck / RV / Trailer.  Can this be done or is Betelgeuse for Motorcycles only?

A: Betelgeuse or Thor can be installed in all kinds of vehicles or trailers – even custom cars and trucks, you are not limited to motorcycles.

Q: I have burned out bulb indicators on my vehicle, will the installation of Betelgeuse cause them to activate?

A: The installation of Betelgeuse can cause some types of burned out bulb indicators to turn on.  A load balancing resistor should solve this problem.

Q: Do any of your products work on 6 Volt systems?

A: Currently, Lakeside Electronics only manufactures products for 12 Volt, Negative Ground systems.

Q: What does ” 12 volt, negative ground ” mean?

A: This means that your vehicle battery is a nominal 12 volts and that the negative side of your vehicles battery is connected to the chassis.  This is true for the majority of cars, trucks and motorcycles.  However, some older British bikes use positive ground systems and some scooters have 6 volt batteries.  These would not work with Betelgeuse.

Q: How do I find the specific wires on my harness that I need to splice Thor into?

Generally speaking the wires you need to tap into are located under your motorcycle seat.  You should be able to see them running to your tail light.  Using the table in the image below you can get an idea of what color scheme your bike manufacturer uses.  Be warned though, this data should be confirmed with a multimeter or automotive circuit tester before installation.  If you find a correction that needs to be made or you have information for a bike not listed, please Contact Us to let us know and we will update this list.

Q: My tail light housing requires bulb installation from the rear.  Will Betelgeuse fit thru the opening?

A: The large end of Betelgeuse is approximately 1/16″ larger diameter than a standard bulb which means it’s outside diameter is 1.05 inches.  You will want to measure your housing to ensure the opening is larger than this.

Q: How many light bulbs can my Thor Programmable Brake Light Modulator handle?

A: Thor is designed to handle up to 15 Amps of current or 210 Watts of power.  Add up the Wattage or Amperage of the bulbs you want to control and make sure it is less than these maximums.

If you are using P21/5 lamps which use 21 Watts for the brake, then Thor can control 210Watts/21Watts=10, so 10 brake lamps.  If you are using type 1157 which are 27 Watt bulbs, then Thor can control 210Watts/27Watts=7.7, since you cant have a fraction of a bulb the maximum is 7 brake lamps.

LED bulbs use much less current, but load balancing resistors must be taken into consideration too.  For reference, recall Ohms Law: Amps=Volts/Resistance.  So, a 10 Ohm load balancing resistor will draw 13.8V/10Ohms=1.38Amps.  If you are in doubt, set your Multimeter to read Amps and measure the current with your brake lights on.

Q: Where can I find a copy of the owners manual for my product?

A: All of our Owners Manuals can be found on our Downloads Page.

Q: I am a member of a club, do you offer a group discount?

A: Yes, Contact Us to register your club or organization with Lakeside Electronics, LLC for a club discount.  Usually, we can combine shipping to one location also, saving you even more.

Q: I own a motorcycle shop, do you sell to dealers/distributors?

A: Yes, we are happy to partner with top quality retailers.  For more information Contact Us.

Q: Do you offer a warranty on your products?

A: All of our products are covered by a warranty against manufacturing defects.  The full details of this warranty are listed in the user manual for the product. The user manuals are available on the downloads page.

Contact Us for an RMA number if you need to make a warranty claim.