Flasher relay

One of my flashers won't come on at all anymore. It's the front right turn signal. I just did some work to the bike and did have everything in the head light apart. But it all went back the same way it came out.

The lights are newer. And the connections are newer. Never had a problem until the other day.

I'm getting power to the light it's just not coming or flashing at all. It did work 2 days ago after I put it all back together then the next day it just stopped.

I've got extra lights that I've tried to hook up. Nothing. Bulbs good. Fuse Box has been upgraded... I don't get it.

Could this be a bad flasher relay. Is there away to test it?

Up next is a good cleaning of the turn signal unit at the handle bars.

Any info would be much appreciated.

Thanks
Jim.

 

be careful when cleaning that turn signal switch....tiny little springs in mine that can go anywhere if fully disassembled.......

 

If only one light won't flash (the other of the pair flashes) and you have power to the socket when that side is turned on, then the only thing it could be is the bulb had burned out or the filament broke from vibration. Clean the socket to make sure the bulb has good contact as well.

 

Will do so five.

Kmoe the socket is new. I've also tried three different lights on that side and none of them work. They all do work on the left side.

 

Are you sure that you have continuity between the positive and the ground? Sounds like a bad connection in the circuit somewhere.

If the bulbs are good, there's 12v to the positive when flashing, and the socket is new, then there has to be a disconnect in the circuit.

 

If the bulbs are good, there is 12V to the socket when flashing, and the socket is new, then the bulb would be flashing.
What is the wattage of the bulbs?

 

I'm getting around 11 volts and the bulb is 21 watt which has worked fine for 6 months.

Sometimes when I when I turn on the right side the relay will not click. Everytime I turn on the left side it clicks and works.

 

Wiggle the wire harness coming out of the left side control switch housing. I had a pinched wire on my 81. If the wires were in front of the bar, the left signal would not work. I moved the wires to the rear of the bar, and now all work.

Worth looking at....

 

Did you look at rear light does it come on and not flash? If the back one is a problem they will not flash

 

hook you meter red lead to positive on battery black lead to socket ground if you get 12 volts ground good.
then hook black lead to battery and test contacts in socket for 12 volts
11 volts? check the bullet connectors see if it is clean and tight. check the good flasher bulb socket. voltage should be 12 volts. is your battery charged?

disconnect your cancelling unit.
is your bulb properly seated in the socket?
the watts is determined by the resistance of the filliment and voltage 11 volts would lower your watts and amp draw which makes your flasher work

 

volts / watts = amps
amps *volts = watts
amps * resistance squared =watts
i think i got that right its been a long time

 

If you are using the stock flasher really it requires 27 watt bulbs to work properly. Are the other three bulbs 21 watt or are they 21 watt?
Again, if that socket has voltage running to it, and the socket is clean, the problem has to lie in the bulb.

 

Thanks for all the replies. My electrical knowledge is very limited. I just retested the socket of the light that doesn't work. It was 11.5 volts. The back light same side does stay on. I walked away for about 3-4 mins and I left the lights on (by accident) and that rear light cover was starting to melt.

I let it cool down and tested the socket. 14.5 volts. Then I tested the rest of the lights there all 14.5 volts.

I keep my year old battery on my .75a tender. So it should be fine.

I do not have stock lights I have 4 of the short stock light. All the same.

Idk.

Thanks again for the replies
Jim

 

These are the lights.

http://www.cyclegear.com/SPEEDMETAL-Short-Stalk-Turn-Signals

 

14.5 volts!? is this with the engine running above 3,000 RPM, or is it at idle, or not running but with the ignition on?

 

Sorry I meant 11.5 volts.

Any ways. I think I have a bad ground cause when I take the ground wire and touch it to metal the lights came on a flashes. So it works. Kinda.

So I cut the connector off the black wire to see if I touch them if the light would work and it doesn't. So I guess I'll be chasing this wire down.

Thanks

Jim

 

what other people say who purchased the lights
Used these as turn signals on a '82 Maxim 550 and they were great. I had to change the flasher relay to a transistorized unit due to their being a lower wattage than the stock units (bulbs wouldn't flash at idle). No biggie, $15 at the auto parts store.

Very bright, easy to install, look good, and inexpensive when on sale. Unfortunately, they simply aren't built very well and two out of the four I installed have already failed in one short ride. In addition, the bulbs are not standard sizes you can get at an auto or motorcycle parts store, and replacement bulbs are not available from CG. I can't recommend these.

lots of complaints about the plastic too

 

Yeah I read all the reviews before I bought them. When there on sale there 10$ for a pair of two. Cheap pos. What's a light bulb cost 3 or 4 bucks. If you can get them. 5$ for a new light whatever. And the biggest thing is there NOT DOT approved. I still have the stock ones if I ever wanna go back.

I think I figured out what I did wrong. Haven't had time to go to the store for what I needed. Tomorrow hopefully. I'll post the results after that.

Can't wait to get back on the road. New tapered steering bearings and progessive springs. Should be fun!!

 

so you missed the comment '82 Maxim 550.... I had to change the flasher relay to a transistorized unit due to their being a lower wattage ..... (bulbs wouldn't flash at idle)

the bulbs are not standard sizes you can get at an auto or motorcycle parts store, and replacement bulbs are not available from CG. I can't recommend these.

and purchased them anyways?

do the lights flash when reved above idle? can you post the part #and photo of the bulb?
if you have to spend 15$ on a relay you could have gotten much better set for what you did or will spend.
also the info from the comments would have helped if you posted them in your question.

 

Lights work. You don't need to change your flasher relay to have these lights work. At least on my bike that is pretty much stock.

What I did do wrong was separate the original the two grounds from the harness that go to the grounds on the flashers. They were all in one clamp connecting them together originally. I separated them that's what was wrong. Hooked them back all together and they are working just fine.

Thanks again
Jim

 

Happy to hear that the problem is solved.