electrical issue

[sLoWnStEaDy]

I decided to put this here since I don't think very many people browse the motorcycle section and just may be someone knows what the fuck is going on!! The previous owner of my bike had installed LED signals, both front and rear. He said "I ordered two wire on accident so you can either run them as running lights or as turn signals". That is because the stockers are 3-wire to be used as turn signals AND running lights. Well, I found out that you can use some restrictor diodes to make a 2-wire signal work on a 3-wire bike, so I wired it as I was suppose to.

when I use the turn signals, the "turn" light on the gauge cluster DOES NOT light up as it should...
http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/9553/ledwiring.jpg (http://img20.imageshack.us/i/ledwiring.jpg/)


As it is wired. the front running lights work but when I hit the turn signal, that side goes out and that is it, the rears don't work at all. I checked the voltage of the two wires coming from the fronts. When it is running, they are at 10.2V and are dim as they should be for running lights. Then, when I hit the turn signal, it drops down to about 7.2V constant power and they don't light up at all. It doesn't matter if I try the left or right signal, they drop to 7.2V either way. Obviously, when I hit the turn signal, they should see MORE voltage and get brighter and flash.

Yes, I could easily order the 3-wires signals but that is not the problem...


fuses are good, wiring looks to be good, I tried a new flasher relay and that didn't work either.

[derek072887]

it looks to me as you are still leaving the 3rd wire from the bike completely unhooked? i would assume that the third wire should be hooked up to one of the restrictor diodes instead of both being hooked to the same wire let me see if i can come up with something in paint

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r33/derek072887/ledwiring.jpg

either this or where the "third wire" is hooked to the resistor.. not sure

[sLoWnStEaDy]

it looks to me as you are still leaving the 3rd wire from the bike completely unhooked? i would assume that the third wire should be hooked up to one of the restrictor diodes instead of both being hooked to the same wire let me see if i can come up with something in paint

FUCK... it is wrong in the picture... the resistor is going to the "running light" wire and the other is the turn signal wire...

[derek072887]

does the turn signal wire power up when the turn signal switched to the on position? if not then you have a wiring issue farther up the loom

if it is not getting any power down there at the light then try to get in the loom right at the switch to see if power is going out of there when the switch is turned on.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

Now, to piss me off even more... I found a thing on how to wire a refular automotive flasher to the bike and now that I went to O'reilly and got one, I can't find the fucking thing again!!!

[sLoWnStEaDy]

Derek... there is power...

I unhooked the turn signal flasher and put a jumper wire from the 12v+ to the turn signal wire on the plug. running lights worked perfect and when I hit the turn signal, that side lit up bright and stayed constant. Meaning "bad flasher relay", but I put a new one in and it had the exact same problem with the new one as well.


hhhhmmmm... may be the ground wire there is an issue. I am going to make 100% sure the ground wire is actually a solid ground really quick, that is the last thing I can think of!

[sLoWnStEaDy]

No such luck... I am fucking clueless on this one!!!!

[sparkles]

Not gonna lie, I didn't read the entire sequence of events, but judging by the diagram, if you just have regular old LED turn signal (1 power and 1 ground), I would try to eliminate the diode on the constant side all together. But....that could be the issue also if the flasher, in order to work properly, needs that path. I would call a local bike shop and pick their brain over the phone. I'm sure they've seen this problem before.

[sLoWnStEaDy]

Not gonna lie, I didn't read the entire sequence of events, but judging by the diagram, if you just have regular old LED turn signal (1 power and 1 ground), I would try to eliminate the diode on the constant side all together. But....that could be the issue also if the flasher, in order to work properly, needs that path. I would call a local bike shop and pick their brain over the phone. I'm sure they've seen this problem before.

Well, I went to McGrath Power Sports and talked to a guy in service but in all honesty, it seemed like I knew more about bike than he did. Which is sad because I don't know shit about bikes. Of course I got the 'ole "just bring it in and we will rape the fuck out of you for taking a look at it".

Hell, McGrath charged me $150 to put a damn fuse in my Cadillac...

[Deimos]

Yeah I wasn't impressed with Mcgraths. Time for you to borrow someone's power probe

[sLoWnStEaDy]

Yeah I wasn't impressed with Mcgraths. Time for you to borrow someone's power probe

Well, power is going everywhere it needs to be and the grounds are good. It really seems like it HAS to be the flasher but it just isn't. The flasher plug has 3 wires. a ground, a constant 12v and a "flasher" wire. the ground is good, the 12V is good and when I jump the 12v to the "flasher" wire and turn the signals on, they all light up.

[Deimos]

Ask Chad

[sLoWnStEaDy]

Ask Chad

Does he work at MMPS?

[Deimos]

He is chode or guch on here