Turn signals don't light

[Incubus]

I'm thinking that the only solution to this problem is to keep looking, but I am hoping someone has a useful suggestion.

I am getting Succubus, my second XS1100F, running. The bike starts and runs now, headlight, taillight and horn all work. So do the running lights. The last remaining issue before I try running it around is the turn signals.

This is Texas. I can take the signals off and still pass inspection. I like signals, though.

So anyway, the signals do not light up. They used to. They don't now. For some reason I have no juice on any of them. I have cleaned the left hand switch. There is power going to it and I can see no reason why there wouldn't be power coming out. I have juice over the r/y wire and juice through the fuse. I have traced the wires (stripped off about two miles of electrical tape to do it) and I cannot find any breaks of shorts.

Can any of the components in the signal system (flasher, self canceler) go bad and make the system not light up at all? I can deal with lights that don't flash, but the lack of any juice at all for no reason I can see is vexing. I hate to start buying parts until I have some idea what the issue is.

Patrick

[brcree]

Lights

Hey Bus.........well I know you probably have made sure all the lights are ok, I had one that crud had built up in the socket and it wouldn't come on. I cleaned the lead bumps good on the bulbs themselves as well. Make sure your light switch contacts are clean....I use denatured alcohol and a Q-Tip myself. It could be a bad relay...but you say you are getten juice up at the lights.....hummm.

[Rasputin]

While I am far from an expert on elec-trickery, I have a couple of thoughts you may want to check out. First thought is do you have a ground at the switch, as in no paint etc on the bars. If you have power going out of the switch then it may be the Flasher self cancelling unit. This is found above the battery under the seat to the left side of the bike as I am sure you probably know. If you have a bad fuse it also may be playing havoc with things. Is the flasher itself any good? You can use one from your truck or car for a quick check on that. IIRC there is a common ground for the front signals in the headlight and if it is not working then that may also be affecting the rears as well. Sorry I am not much help but maybe this will jog some thoughts of your own on the matter.

[Incubus]

I don't believe it is the lights or sockets. These signals until a couple weeks ago were on Incubus, my other XS11F. I only took them off because I put on a Pacifico fairing and Vetter saddlebags, so I couldn't use the stock signals anymore. They worked fine on that bike.

[Incubus]

OK, update. This is weird.

So I figured it might be that the new electronic flasher I bought is not compatible with my 31-year-old electrical system. So I pulled the stock flasher from my running XS11F and put it in. I turned on the right signal and it worked, except I had the wires switched so turning on the right turn signals actually lit up the left flashers. When I switched to the left, the right flashers flashed twice, then stopped. I switched the wires around and now when I turn on the right turn signal the right side flashers work correctly. Turning on the left signal, however, does nothing. Bulbs don't light up, dash signal light doesn't light up, no flashes.

It would seem to point to the switch, except it flashed twice before the left side quit. That also seems to eliminate the wiring. It's not the bulbs or fixtures, because both sides work with the right hand signal position. It's not the flasher, since I put it back in my other bike and it works fine there.

It a new problem, but I don't know I'm any closer to a solution. Could it be the self-canceling thing? Does that have different channels for each side?

Suggestions?

Patrick

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Patrick,

You say you cleaned the left hand turn signal switch!

Did you check the position of the reed switch tangs? I've heard that they can get bent, and so don't make/keep good enough contact when you throw it and release it. So...I would suggest taking it back apart, and check it, and you may need to tweak the reed to have it keep making contact after the signal lever is released after it's pushed to the left side!? Also double check the wires, they can corrode and come partly unsoldered from the contact switch plate!?

T.C.

[Incubus]

I have to admit, TC, those tangs have me a bit confused. I polished them up, but I haven't figured out how they fit into the whole turn-on-the-blinkers equation. I cleaned off the contacts on the little white switch box, I polished up the copper plate and I polished every bit of metal that comes in contact with other metal, but the tangs just seem to hang in space and don't seem to stay in contact with anything.

If they are part of it, then clearly I have one side working. I'll look again at the other and hope for enlightenment.

Patrick

[newc4]

My turn signal problems related to either the LH switch - broken solder connection, flasher relay or poorly ground signal light.

Took me the longest time to figue out the poor ground.

[fredintoon]

I have to admit, TC, those tangs have me a bit confused. I polished them up, but I haven't figured out how they fit into the whole turn-on-the-blinkers equation. I cleaned off the contacts on the little white switch box, I polished up the copper plate and I polished every bit of metal that comes in contact with other metal, but the tangs just seem to hang in space and don't seem to stay in contact with anything.

If they are part of it, then clearly I have one side working. I'll look again at the other and hope for enlightenment.

Patrick

Hi Patrick,
the signal control is what should be a simple on/off/on switch that has far too many parts in it.
I had mine apart last month as it was acting up. A total dismantle, clean & dab of grease got it working again.
While I'm not totally sure, the tangs seem to be a combination of contacts and positioning springs. And yeah, one of the solder joints where the wires attach had lifted off. Looked fine but only intermittent contact.
While the switch is apart, how about bypassing the switch mechanism with a jumper wire between the solder joints where the wires attach from the power in wire to each of the power out wires in turn?
If the blinkers blink when you do that, it's the switch for sure.

[cywelchjr]

Hi Patrick,
the signal control is what should be a simple on/off/on switch that has far too many parts in it.
I had mine apart last month as it was acting up. A total dismantle, clean & dab of grease got it working again.
While I'm not totally sure, the tangs seem to be a combination of contacts and positioning springs. And yeah, one of the solder joints where the wires attach had lifted off. Looked fine but only intermittent contact.
While the switch is apart, how about bypassing the switch mechanism with a jumper wire between the solder joints where the wires attach from the power in wire to each of the power out wires in turn?
If the blinkers blink when you do that, it's the switch for sure.

Part of that complexity is because of the auto cancel circuit. There are really two sets of switches in there. One set are a momentary connect that connects only while you hold the switch to the right or left, that signals the cancel unit to enable the flasher. The other works off the moving plastic piece in there, and is enabled as long as the piece is to one side (it gets moved by the switch but only goes back to the middle if you press in on the switch) and is what applies power and direction to the flashers, and is the only part that needs to work with a 2 prong flasher. But, if you have the 4 way switch, I have found there to be lots of troubles with that stupid switch. Resoldering ALL the connections involved with those switches is your starting point, and getting all of that right, with nothing touching anything it's not supposed to, is key. My old honda wasn't any simpler, other than no auto cancel, but the switch was about the same (only not as aged since it was much newer when I had it). Electrically, these are about the same as a car, but the mechanicals are a bit more complex because you don't have a handle you move, just a little switch.