THREE wires to front turn signal???

I have an 82 650 maxim and bought new turn signals. I got the back ones hooked up and went on to the front. One "problem...there are 3 wires for the front ones and only two on my new ones.......suggestions/explanation?? Thanks!

 

My guess is that the front ones are set up to be running lights as well. The new ones that you bought are just made to be signals and are wired to be such. I have the opposite problem with my new signals theyre set up with three wires but my bike only has two, lol.

 

that is correct the third wire is for running lights you dont have to use it

 

So I hooked everything up and I get no light, just a "buzzing" sound from relay. Did I hook them up wrong?? Does someone have a link to a wiring diagram? Thanks!

 

Update with some pics. Please help!! I have no light at all to my signals. Here are some pics of how I have the new lights hooked up. Does anything look out of the ordinary here??
Front right

Front left


rear


What kind of relay do I replace this with???

 

The buzzing of the relay suggests there is a connection from the flashing circuit to earth (Ground). I think the flasher relay uses the load of the turn signals to operate.
If you disconnect the new lamps, do the existing indicators turn on but don't flash?

 

So I probably have a wire hooked up wrong? Any ideas from my pics?

 

Dark Green (Dg) and Black for one side and Dark Brown (Ch) and Black for the other should be all you need to get the ball rolling. Your pics show the correct color matchup. It doesn't really matter which pin goes to which of the two points if these are incandescent bulbs.
One small concern though. If you are using a dual filament bulb, it is possible (and I've seen it too many times) to put the bulb in the socket incorrectly (180 degrees out), sometimes shorting the bulb out. Make certain you have the bayonet pins correctly aligned with the socket with the correct clocking for the high and low pins.

 

Thanks for the pm kcoop99, so here it goes. One you only have to hook up two of the wires on the front as per Robert's info. Remember on that set of after market lights the b/w wire goes to the ground and the black wire goes to the dark green wire or the dark brown wire. I had the same problem with those light to. If you take it apart by pushing on the wires (see pics below) the bulb assembly will come out (after you take the lens out first). Look carefully at the black wire going to the center post. That is the flasher wire that goes to the relay. Make sure it has no exposed wires as mine did and causes a high load on your relay (more on that in a moment).

Another problem you will have with those light is that the bulb is only 23 watts, where the xj's original are 27 watts. There for not enough load on the relay. You see the relay uses a heating element that heats a by metal contact. When that heats up from the heating element it opens up breaking contact and turns the light and element off. When it cools it makes contact and turn the light and element on. That is the clickig sound you here when the flasher is on. So when you have a high load it makes this cycle real fast. With a low load it will flash real slow if at all.
Solution's.... put a bulb in with more watts (which is unavailable in those mini bulbs). or find a 4 watt resistor and put it between the ground wire and the flasher wire. I could not find a 4 watt resistor so I plan on using a spare bulb and hooking it up the same way as the resistor. I have tried this and it works on the bench.

 

Ok, so I got them to work. Turns out the front ones were wired backward!!!! DUH!!!! So now to my next 'issue'. Why cant I just buy a replacement auto flasher relay and replace the one in the last picture? Rather than add resistor and all that as razz suggested? Thanks!

 

Supposedly you will loose the self canceling. But on mine the self canceling is a separate unit. Who knows. Also the car relay relies on high wattage bulbs too, so you wont be getting anywhere.

 

well, the cancelling unit is no big deal to me. Like others have said, it goes too long anyway. I always just push it off anyway. On my 80 650 I replaced the factory relay with one for a car. It worked great. Electricity sucks!! LOL!

 

Ok, so I figured out that the front wires were backwards.....being colorblind doesnt help when wiring. I rode it this weekend after I got the lights to work, no flash, but lighting up. I ended up blowing two fuses...I have a 30 amp in there now and it did not blow. I guess I dont want to melt any wires so I have not driven it for a few days. Could I simply have a short?

 

Yes!