Indicator help...

InkedMuttley · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 01 Dec 2015 Karma :

I've got the bike back together and taking it for MOT tomorrow (Wednesday) and I've got a small problem, the bike came fitted with poxy LED indicators which I didn't like (they was tiny) and one of them didn't work at all anyway. But I bought some 'Bike-It' jobbies that are the old square style ones with smoked lenses, look quite tidy on the bike too.

But I've plumbed them in properly and have noticed that one flashes quite slow and the other one doesn't flash at all...anybody any idea what I should be checking?

Muchas Gracias!

Taught2BCauti... · World Chat Champion Joined: 12 Jan 2012 Karma :

Check the wattage rating of the bulbs first, then the rating on the flasher relay.

Some flasher relays can work with LED's and Filament bulbs (or a mix) but some need a minimum load to work properly.

A multi-meter set to a 20vDC range, will help test continuity of the wiring.
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Rogerborg · nimbA Joined: 26 Oct 2010 Karma :

That's surprising as a relay that works with LEDs should be independent of the load.

Unless the previous owner left a load-based relay in there and put ballast resistors in to make the indicators work. Brick Wall

So:

Find and remove any ballast resistors.
Check that the remaining load from the indicators matches what the relay is designed to work with.

AND/OR

Replace the relay with a load-independent one (but I'd still bin any ballast resistors)

AND/OR

If there's a single indicator idiot-light on the dash, see if there's any shenanigans going on there. Because LEDs are polarity specific, you can't run them both to a single indicator light because of reasons.
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pdg · World Chat Champion Joined: 15 Sep 2012 Karma :

Yes you can run LED indicators to a single warning lamp.

Because diodes.

(They probably didn't though)
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InkedMuttley · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 01 Dec 2015 Karma :

Still can't find anything wrong, I've run my hands along the wiring to see if I can feel any resistors or owt but can't find anything the left indicator seems to have sorted itself out but the right one refuses to work.

Both front indicators flash the right amount, the rear left one works fine now but the right just doesn't want to flash at all I've tried the wires both ways round, even tried attaching the indicator stem to a bare part of the frame to see if it's an earth but nada...not a fucking bean out of it.

Hahadumball · World Chat Champion Joined: 07 Oct 2015 Karma :

V2 · Nearly there... Joined: 06 Feb 2006 Karma :

Sure its not the bulb?

pdg · World Chat Champion Joined: 15 Sep 2012 Karma :

Hahadumball · World Chat Champion Joined: 07 Oct 2015 Karma :

InkedMuttley · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 01 Dec 2015 Karma :

Nah it's not even illuminating on the rear right stem, the only ones illuminating are the fronts and the left rear...getting a bit peed off with hand signals!

MOT at 3pm just got to try and sweet talk the MOT tester to either have a look at it or turn a blind eye

Burnzy1989 · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 06 Apr 2009 Karma :

Ok have you checked that you have power from the plug from the wiring loom of the bike and check the earth as well. Plug the indecatore in to the front to check it works as you could be chasing your tail here. And if it doesn't work you know that the problem lies with the indecatore and more than likely it's the bulb or a dirty contact inside where the bulb sits

InkedMuttley · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 01 Dec 2015 Karma :

[quote="Burnzy1989"]Ok have you checked that you have power from the plug from the wiring loom of the bike and check the earth as well. Plug the indecatore in to the front to check it works as you could be chasing your tail here. And if it doesn't work you know that the problem lies with the indecatore and more than likely it's the bulb or a dirty contact inside where the bulb sits[/quote]

Funny you should say that, when I first attempted to get the indicators working (I'm assuming I originally plugged the now right indicator into the left) it wasn't working on the left either...bugger. Best way to remedy this?

The indicators are these ones but with a smoked lens and black stem.

Burnzy1989 · Nitrous Nuisance Joined: 06 Apr 2009 Karma :

They arnt sided apart from a drain hole in the lense. You may have wiring fault hard to say without being there Im afraid I'm more hands on see and do lol. But check the power at the leeds to see if your bike is putting power to the indecatore first and let us know what u get . It won't be constant it will Flickr voltage

Rogerborg · nimbA Joined: 26 Oct 2010 Karma :

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

You have more than one problem. <sic>

Front and back on the same side should always light together. If they don't, it's either a wiring fault or a blown bulb.

Slow flashing usually means too much current draw.

The type of flasher you've fitted are generally ~~pretty~~ very poor quality. I know because I've had several and they required replacing at least once a year.

They also come with a mini 21W bulb which are not the most reliable at the best of times and the ones they come fitted with are the cheapest of the cheap. Usually lasts less than a week.

So.

1) I suspect they are drawing too much current for your flasher relay.

2) I suspect you have either installed them improperly or the units themselves are of poor/intermittant construction.

3) You may have one or more blown bulbs.

The best fix would be to put the original ones back on. Those units you've fitted are NOT an upgrade. They are of questionable value and the only time I'd even think of fitting them is to temporarily fix a crash-damaged bike until funds allow a better solution.

5W dash lights will fit in those housings and should get around the problem of excess current draw (may even make them flash too fast, you can have up to 120 flashes/min), they have got me through MOTs before.

HOWEVER. I would strongly recommend you chuck them in the bin and refit the originals. They are NOT an upgrade and when you come to sell it, anyone who knows bikes will look at those and think "Crashed, fixed on the cheap, probably chopped about the electrics."
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InkedMuttley · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 01 Dec 2015 Karma :

It's no problem anymore...got an early cancellation at the MOT centre 9 miles from here...it didn't even manage half a mile before it hydro locked once more :(

Hahadumball · World Chat Champion Joined: 07 Oct 2015 Karma :

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MCN · Super Spammer Joined: 22 Jul 2015 Karma :

InkedMuttley · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 01 Dec 2015 Karma :

[quote="MCN"][quote="Paul Fzs"]:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:[/quote]

Do you think you are funny? :roll:[/quote]

Clearly takes the piss out of others misfortunes, never mind I'll wait until I read that his bike is fucked and then get the boot in.

pdg · World Chat Champion Joined: 15 Sep 2012 Karma :

bikenut · World Chat Champion Joined: 21 Nov 2011 Karma :

it didn't even manage half a mile before it hydro locked once more :(

my winter hack passed mot yesterday for the nth time.......so got a ride for xmas day :D

hydro locked again!

brakes locked on??

check the tiny hole in the master cyl, the re couperating port, the port that allows fluid to flow thru the m/cyl when the nipple is undone, by gravity or syphon, cos if this is blocked, then brakes tend to lock on and don't release, also makes bleed the bleed brakes a real pita.

you don't say what bike or which brake :karma:

as to indicators, is the bulb ok, presuming you changed all the led inds to bulb type, get a wiring diagram, a multi meter would be a good thing to get from santa, but you have a "test lamp", 4 in fact, wel 3 that work and one that don't.
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pdg · World Chat Champion Joined: 15 Sep 2012 Karma :

bikenut · World Chat Champion Joined: 21 Nov 2011 Karma :

ok, then perhaps this dude should not attempt to "fix his bike"......

lost oil to the cam or did the oil to the cam enter the cylinder, assuming its a 4 stroke, but the "blue haze" would have warned him surely??
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pdg · World Chat Champion Joined: 15 Sep 2012 Karma :

InkedMuttley · Renault 5 Driver Joined: 01 Dec 2015 Karma :

[quote="pdg"][quote="bikenut"]it didn't even manage half a mile before it hydro locked once more :(
[/quote]

I think you'll find it's the engine that locked up.

That's what happens when you use a split headgasket.[/quote]

It was a new headgasket...it arrived a few days ago when I rebuilt it the last time it was fitted with a new cylinder base gasket, new headgasket, new O rings for the cylinder head, and a new cylinder head outer cover gasket, torqued down to the correct settings and in the correct pattern (figure of 8) then the coolant was renewed, bled, engine warmed, bled again and checked for leaks, topped up to the correct level etc...I'd paid a lot of attention to what I was doing and to make sure or try to make sure that I didn't have to rebuild it again. Still wasn't enough.

And as for cars, they do go wrong...but the fact of the matter is that I'm confident with cars when they go wrong.