After Market indicators......

[Guest]

Hi folks, I started this question on another thread, but was told Id be better posting here.

So here goes.........I have Suzuki GS850 Trike (1980), I bought it with tatty metal mudguards with crappy trailer lights for the rear lights, so changed it to, Fiberglass Mudguards & better new rear lights (runner, brake/tail & indicator), the runner & brake/tail lights work fine, indicators light up but dont flash........,

Now, I have tried every concevable combination with the wires I could, the flasher unit is brand new n works fine (I know this as when I connect the green wire to it the light flashes & the unit ticks as it should),

Now, the green wire I mentioned before, is the only wire that makes bulbs flash, but when connected to the indicator, it doest flash or tick, the indicator is just on.

But, I heard today that there is a unit to help with this in cars, something to do with mixing new wiring with old wiring, does anyone know anything of this? Or anything about my problem really, many thanks in advance.

[eastanglianbiker]

as you have mounted them onto fibreglass mudguards have you run an earth from the bulb units to the battery - terminal or to a good earth on the frame?

[Guest]

As for an earth wire, there are no wires to earth down with, I have tried looping a wire around the shaft that bolts the light to the mudguard & earthed it down to the frame, all that happened was a fuse blew? so Im stumped too

[megawatt]

There are two contacts to each indicator lamp. One is connected to earth or negative, one to positive. Either of these , usually positive will go via flasher relay. If your mudguards do not have an earth/negative connection then the indicators won't work.

[Tango]

Are the new indicators bulb or LED? If they are LED the current draw is not enough to operate the standard flasher relay....and would require a special LED relay.

Bob

[uk190]

if they come on and stay on then you have a negative return path for the current (earth) back to the battery. so that isnt the issue.

as tango said, LED indicators dont always work on standard flasher units. especially older bikes.

i had a similar issue on my '83 gsx400 when i put led tail light/indicator combo on.

[megawatt]

If they are LED, could be wired wrong way around? Diodes only flow in one direction!

[Guest]

Hi folks, been at them all day today & it was an earth issue, that issue being there was no earth wire, but indicators work now I bodged a wire n washer system up to the threaded bolt that holds them to the mudguards.

No way will I ever put LED lights on my bike (unless they stop making real bulbs), as I have found they may be bright at night but virtually impossiable to see in bright sunlight.

Again many thanks for the help, will be booking my trike in for an MOT soon, so might see some of u out n about.

Many thanks, Cam.

[Tango]

Hi folks, been at them all day today & it was an earth issue, that issue being there was no earth wire, but indicators work now I bodged a wire n washer system up to the threaded bolt that holds them to the mudguards.

No way will I ever put LED lights on my bike (unless they stop making real bulbs), as I have found they may be bright at night but virtually impossiable to see in bright sunlight.

Again many thanks for the help, will be booking my trike in for an MOT soon, so might see some of u out n about.

Many thanks, Cam.

 

Glad you got it sorted Cam......it did sound like an earthing issue...but without seeing the bike it's sometimes difficult to diagnose remotely. Lots of guys do have problems with LED indicators which is why I mentioned it. I agree that most LED indicators are fairly cr*p in sunlight....and I personally wouldn't use them for that same reason.

We may see you around....but as you don't have a location I'm not sure where....

Bob

[oslin06]

Agreed not only are they crap in sunlight but they are very dim when standing to left and right of center as well.

Keith