Turn Signals / Flasher

[The Lorax]

A Question for the electrical Gurus...I Recently fabricated and installed this
and I am having difficulties getting my flashers to flash. when I turn on the turn signal (either one) the lights come on and stay on. now for the question...is the flasher load dependant? if I'm using a different bulb that may be of a different wattage or have some discreet difference from the stock bulbs would this cause the flashers not to flash or am I about to tear my bike apart looking for some elecrtical gremlin, or is my flasher just gone bad? on a side note, does anyone have a schemaitc of the flasher? I haven't actually looked for one in my clymer manual, but if I can come up with one, I can repair the existing one or perhaps make another. I am an electronics guy by trade, but not in an automotive (or motorcycle) way. Thnks in advance for the input.

[planedick]

Flasher

Flasher works with a load. The current going through a peice of wire wrapped around a peice of bimetal which gets hot and bends which breaks the contact and turns off the lights, then it cools because there is no load and makes contact again and repeats. You need the right size bulbs to make it work right.

[fvincent]

Signals

The standard bulbs used in the flashers are #1156. Lighter will not flash, more current draw will make them race.


Floyd

[Dennyz]

Here is a couple of things that I have done that might help.

1) use a flasher from a '70 GM vehicle. They work with a wider range of bulbs, BUT "auto cancel" will not work. I have been able to find flashers that plug right in.

2) tweak the stock flasher. I have been able to take it a part and play around with the flasher contact spacing to adjust the flasher rate. I remove the flasher guts and mess with it while flashing. FYI, the flasher unit needs to be in contact with the case so some jumper wires need to be rigged up.

[Snow]

Wouldn't an electronic 2 prong flasher work? It would also disabled the auto-canceling.

[dwain61]

Check your grounds too. A loose ground will cause the lights to do that. I had the same thing happen to me a while back.

[xschop]

leds

use l.e.d bulbs in the back if you keep filament bulbs up front, or go all led and use a digital flasher.....

[midnight1980]

my wiring shows one turn signal , say the front left is grounded and the other right side is not the back ones are the same one is grounded the other is not

[TADracer]

I think there is a resister available for use with these lighter draw bulbs that will make them the same resistance as an 1156.

[Jerry]

Wouldn't an electronic 2 prong flasher work? It would also disabled the auto-canceling.

Either the electronic or conventional 2-prong unit will work to replace the OEM ($70+) unit and you will loose the auto cancel. For going with LED or custom lights I would suggest the electronic, with does not depend on load (heat) to flash and it draws less current to boot. Price will be around $10.00.

If the replacement 2-prong flasher does not work when you first plug it in, try plugging it into the other way, you won't hurt anything if you plug it in wrong and there are only 2 position it will fit: center + left or center + right.

I use a heavy-duty 2-prong conventional when I am pulling my trailer just to make sure it can handle the extra load from the trailer lights.

[Lamric]

[HobbyMan]

What if we rigged up an LED unit that drew the same amount of current as the 156 bulb but was MUCH brighter? In theory, shouldn't that work with the stock flasher? I was thinking about doing this with a pack of leds sitting around.

[goldcoastguy001]

Quick and easy step is to go to the auto shop and ask for a multi voltage flasher can 3 pin type....thats all i did when i swapped from the stock flashers to custom ones...