Funny Blinker Issue

[IanDMacDonald]

Lol, I remember as a kid my dad teaching us hand signals when I was riding around our subdivision on a 1965 Honda Cub 50 that had no turn signals. Good times! Funny thing is, I still see quite a few chopper and cruiser riders that use hand signals when turning. I'm curious to know if they are just too lazy to use their signals, or they just do not work.

[b.walker5]

As Nate said, they're only 23 watts, not the needed 27. Any motorcycle dealer should have the correct lamps...

Struggling with this a little Steve. All my lamps are standard old Auto lamps (23 watts) and everything works fine, even auto cancel. Apart from the lamps, nothing else is different from a stock SG so im not sure where the belief that the flasher wont work with anything other than 27 watt lamps comes from..

[natemoen]

The only hand signals I ever see anymore is the rider (motorcycle or bicycle) pointing in.the direction they are going.

[crazy steve]

Struggling with this a little Steve. All my lamps are standard old Auto lamps (23 watts) and everything works fine, even auto cancel. Apart from the lamps, nothing else is different from a stock SG so im not sure where the belief that the flasher wont work with anything other than 27 watt lamps comes from..

Some OEM flashers will work with auto lamps, some won't; there's apparently enough electrical value tolerance variation in some lamps/flashers that it doesn't matter to that specific flasher. But remember that while 'only' 4 watts difference doesn't seem like much, if both lamps were changed the current difference is almost .6 amp in the circuit (assuming voltage at 14V), or 15% less. That much variation in electronics is a lot, so depending on how close the stock flasher is in hitting it's design 'range' you could go under it's 'threshold' value for operation easily.

[CaptonZap]

I saw some 1157LL and 1156 bulbs at Pep Boys that said they were rated at 27/6 watts, and 27 watts respectively.
I assume that the LL means long life, and also assume that they thickened up filament to make it last longer, thereby upping the watt draw.
Since my lights work, I won't buy any, but if anybody does, let us know if they work.
$4.99 for a 2 pack.
Thanks, CZ

[restorganize]

Bulbs

Well, with the whole wattage talk, I am not sure if that is the problem. The reason I say this, and I can be wrong, is that the right side blinkers work, with the same bulbs, it is just the left. That leads me to believe that the wattage of the bulbs is not the issue. Of course I am no motorcycle electrician, so I don't know. I'm just trowing it out there.

John, I don't mind using the hand signals, but when I went down to the place to get the antique license, they told me to wait until March when all antique plates are renewed. I don't know, I just didn't want to fight it. If I have to wait until March to get the plates, I'll wait. In the mean time, I am going to try and resolve this issue so I can ride this bike.

Thanks all, I will try and keep you updated in a more timely fashion.

[motoman]

Well, with the whole wattage talk, I am not sure if that is the problem. The reason I say this, and I can be wrong, is that the right side blinkers work, with the same bulbs, it is just the left. That leads me to believe that the wattage of the bulbs is not the issue. Of course I am no motorcycle electrician, so I don't know. I'm just trowing it out there.

John, I don't mind using the hand signals, but when I went down to the place to get the antique license, they told me to wait until March when all antique plates are renewed. I don't know, I just didn't want to fight it. If I have to wait until March to get the plates, I'll wait. In the mean time, I am going to try and resolve this issue so I can ride this bike.

Thanks all, I will try and keep you updated in a more timely fashion.

Self cancel relay under the seat may be the issue. Had the exact issue come about and had an extra one, so replaced it and issue resolved.....JAT.

[restorganize]

FIXED!!! Thanks Y'all

Ok, so the issue is a non issue now. I have fixed the problem. Thank you to everybody who gave solutions and trouble shooting. I thought I would start with the easiest suggestion and work my way from there. Fortunately, it didn't take long. I unplugged the blinker cancel. That wasn't it. Next, I got my Dremmel tool back from my brother and cleaned the ground straps and the socket of all the corrosion. THAT was it. It is working with the bulbs I purchased from Autozone, the old ones read 23w, so I am assuming these do too. I don't know why this works, but it does, and that is all that matters.

Thanks again for all the suggestions and help. This is really a great group, like most motorcycle forums.

It's good to have my nekked bike back!