GPZ500 left hand switch gear

[robocog]

Trying to find a left hand switch gear with all the functions
(and seemingly failing)

Choke
Horn
Flash to pass
Indicators with push to cancel
Hazard
Lights Hi and dip

The one currently fitted is a bit scruffy and almost has everything, bar the hazard switch, which I thought would be a nice touch if replacing anyway

Noticed a lot of the switchgear is almost identical so perusing eBay I found a left switchgear that looked absolutely mint from a Kawasaki ER6F
Only spotted my schoolboy error when it arrived, sure enough proper minty has everything switch wise ...but no provision for a choke...DOH!

My bike definitely needs that otherwise I'm going nowhere

Rang the place up and held my hands up that I should have researched it before clicking the buy it now and asked them if they had another left hand switch "fully loaded" in good condition and he said he'd have a look
I called back and he'd found one ...went through my check list of stuff I wanted it to do, he assured me it had everything so gave my card details
It arrived today....bugger
Doesn't have hazard switch , but instead has one labelled "lap" and is none latching from what I can work out, so I'm guessing its not going to work even if I replicate the wires colours on the slightly differing plugs
(I have a soldering iron / heatshrink and am willing to cut and splice the plug ends as long as the unit is in good condition and justifies the extra work)

I may be able to butcher something between the two "wrong ones" but somehow I feel I should just get something that will just plug in and work

Been informed that the following SHOULD be compatible to the point that they will plug straight in and just work and have all the functions I want
Kawasaki '01-'03 ZX9R (or '01-'02 ZX6R) (or '03-'08 ZZR600)

The ones I have found from this list on eBay don't seem to have the hazard switch though

Anyone know of any more models that will just plug in and work ?

(and a more reliable place that is likely to have one in good condition they are willing to sell?)

Pretty peed off with eBay sellers that basically cannot be arsed to answer simple questions like "does it have flash to pass?" "how many plugs does it have?" or take an extra couple of photo's to email across if they cannot be arsed to answer my "dumb" questions so I can judge for myself if its going to be suitable

Regards
Rob
____________________
Needs a bigger garage...

[Kickstart]

Hi

Hazard switches on bikes are not common, and I would be surprised if any with a hazard switch would be plug compatible with the GPZ500.

However other similar switchgear that does have a hazard light switch would be that used on the older Triumphs (new stuff does as well but is more rounded, early stuff is very similar in style to the old Kawasaki switchgear).

All the best

Keith
____________________
Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[truslack]

Imported GPZ500s (EX500) have the hazard light switch - search for Ninja 500 or EX500 (Possibly on ebay USA).

https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/KAWASAKI-EX500-1990-EX-GPX500-GPX-L-H-SWITCHGEAR-SWITCH-/110403787958?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item19b4941cb6

Any good?
____________________
Current: Suzuki RG 125 Gamma, Honda H100, Triumph Tiger 800XC, Suzuki SV650 (minitwin)

[robocog]

Cheers for the replies
I /think/ I have found a solution that could work
Have opened up both the "wrong switch units" and sure enough both sets of internals will swap from one housing to the other

Using my old switchgears loom and switches I'm hoping that everything will just go into the "slightly wrong, because the haz button will be sticking out of the hole labeled lap" switchgears housing and I should be able to solder the red haz switch onto the back of the indicator switch
(looking at the wiring diagram its no more complex than it just shorts all 3 wires that go to the indicator switch)

A quick check with my multimeter has shown this is what the red latching switch in the switchgear without a choke I have does




Only issue is that (according to the wiring diags I have found on the UK models without the haz switch) that the ignition will have to be "on" and keys left in for the hazard lights to work (no feed power to the flasher relay in park position with key out)

So it maybe a bit useless for a breakdown situation where I will have to walk away from the bike...unless I wire the flasher relay directly to the battery (via a fuse) , but then theres the risk of fingers switching them on (or indicators) when the bike is left unattended (or accidental with cover on)

On both the wrong units the indicator switch has a pair of wires that seem to be shorted when the indicators are off (and open circuit with the indicators on)

Same with the haz switch, has the three wires that are open circuit with the switch off (and a pair that are shorted)

With the haz switch on the three are shorted and the pair open circut...off to try and find a diagram for the ER6F and the B1H as I'm sure they can be used for something "logical" maybe involving relays/diodes

Bit more study of the diagrams

I found some on eBay that had the hazard switch...but according to one seller that could be arsed to get back to me - it didn't have the flash to pass function
(I'm sure he insinuated that all the GPZ500 ones with the haz function would come without flash)

I'm on my death bed with man flu, but hoping I'll be feeling a bit better before sundown to see if the internals of the current switchgear will fit into the other housings

Regards
Rob
____________________
Needs a bigger garage...

[robocog]

Everything fits and goes together in the nicer newer casings luverly jubberly

Soldered the hazard switch in..

and the relay cannot handle all bulbs at the same time and goes into spasm
Bugger..

Maybe I need an "american spec" flasher relay?
Do they use lower wattage indicator bulbs over the pond?

More reading up

Regards
Rob
____________________
Needs a bigger garage...

[Kickstart]

Hi

I would expect the indicator relay to play up. Changing the wattage of a bulb causes issues, and using the hazards means double the wattage on the circuit (ignoring the warning light).

My guess would be that the US lights might use a resistor in the wiring for indicating one way or the other which is bypassed when the hazards are used (ie, between the feed for the hazard switch and the feed for the indicator switch, with a suitable relay).

All the best

Keith
____________________
Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[robocog]

Haynes just shows it as just being straight and no resistors or extra relays , just a basic latching switch that joins both left and right indicators to the orange feed from the flasher relay

The only differences I have spotted between all the diagrams is where the feed comes from and whether its a 2 pin or 3 pin relay (the 3rd pin being an earth on the 3 pin jobbies)

My loom has all 3 pins and the relay is a 2 pin...(not that it should make any difference unless the 3 pinners are electronic rather than hotwire...meaning it should be less fussy about the loads?)

Have seen on EX500.com a picture of an "American relay" and it does say 4x 21 (23W)

Will see if it will link OK...

https://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb210/Triple88A/EX500/Lighting/DSCF0003.jpg

Looks like I need a less "fussy" relay then??

Not to worry as at least the controls look like new rather than the scratched, legendless ones that was on there

Regards
Rob
____________________
Needs a bigger garage...

[truslack]

I've seen these digital relays on ebay for using LED indicators / mixing bulb wattages - presumably they will stay at 60-120flashes a minute no matter what the load, so you could try to use one of those?

I've never used one myself though.

It may be worth making a post on https://www.ex-500.com ?

[edit]

https://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1991-Kawasaki-EX500-Ninja-91-EX-Signal-Flasher-Relay-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem3a48150cadQQitemZ250317442221QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Not cheap at all, but that's from America and has hazard warning specified.

[edit2] GPZ500 indicator relays (as opposed to EX500 relays) appear to have 2 wires not 3 - is this correct?
____________________
Current: Suzuki RG 125 Gamma, Honda H100, Triumph Tiger 800XC, Suzuki SV650 (minitwin)

[robocog]

Once again, thanks
Have just bought this bad boy

Looks like its pretty un-fussed by voltage or load

https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150508410170&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Reckons it'll take a max of 150w! (and still flash as low as 0.1w so LEDS will still work if I go that route)

Should be able to wire every bulb on the bike up to the bugger and get them flashing! (ok so the wiring would probably burst into flames in the process)


Regards
Rob
____________________
Needs a bigger garage...

[robocog]

And for completeness in case anyone else does similar

I found in my junk box of parts a Ford flasher relay capable of flashing 85w (according to the writing on the side)
I know I'm probably /slightly/ overloading it by just a few watts (Guessing I'm running at max 4x23w + 2x2.5w ?)

Its a 3 pin flasher relay, and a quick prod with the multimeter showed the pinouts for earth and feed needed swapping in the holder/socket...thankfully its V easy to push out the contacts and swap them round ...plugged in and bingo

Working indiactors and working hazards, flash rate looks completely stable for both so I guess jobs a good un

Feeling dumb that I didn't look through my junk pile before ordering one from eBay...

(just need to splice another relay in there so I can use hazards with key out of the ignition...if required)

Regards
Rob
____________________
Needs a bigger garage...

[truslack]

[robocog]

Yup, tried it and in the ign park position and key out the only power goes to the park light at the front and the rear lamp...nothing else gets power

Got the Haynes and it confirms that the US models have an extra pair on the main ign switch, which solely looks after power to the flasher relay (so it gets power in both ign run and in the park positions)

I /think/ I have a cunning plan involving a relay and running a pair of extra wires to the one of the spare indictor switch's (that just so happen to have an extra pair of contacts that break when indicators are put on)

The plan is to try and rig it up so hazard function works with key in run and will work in park, but flipping the indicator switch to either left or right cuts power to the park lights, so just hazards can be left on (giving more time to toddle off for fuel?? or whatever the reason for hazards involves...LOL)

I have a few changeover relays here in my box o bits and am pretty sure it could be made to work without too much drama

Its a bit of a bother but I have a valid (to me) reason I want it to work...

I re-built the petcock with a kit and despite being V careful putting it back together for some odd reason it unexpectedly went into reserve despite the lever being in the normal position

Wondering if the pickup tube in the tank is leaking or something...just know its going to catch me out sooner or later (and more than likely when its cold, dark and wet)

Luckily it started spluttering then cut out at a very convenient point
(and a quick check in the tank proved it had completely drunk the reserve and literally only had fumes in there ...even moving the lever to reserve and shaking the bike towards the petcock whilst being cranked failed to find enough liquid to fill both float bowls and the see through fuel filter)

Had to fill up to get home so will have to wait for another 190/200 miles before I'll really get a chance to have a good look at it to see why its doing this

I assume its a case of completely remove petcock and see if the plastic tube for "main" has come adrift or has a leak (though don't see how)

Regards
Rob
____________________
Needs a bigger garage...