Turn signal troubles

[Punisher]

The turn signals on my bike will not flash at idle. They work fine at running speed but when I stop at signs and lights they will not flash. I have removed and replaced the relay, cleaned the contacts in the relay, cleaned the contacts on the switch, replaced the rectifier / regulator, and cleaned lots of connections to eliminate any voltage drops. I recently tried a solid state relay that will not do anything. Can someone please help with solution?

[natemoen]

The electrical system isn't up to snuff. You need to go through all your electrical connectors and glean and grease them. Then go through and clean all the grounds on the bike. You are loosing voltage and or have bad ground contacts and the system can't get enough voltage through at idle.

Common problem.

[BA80]

What is your Idle speed? If the idle is below about 1100 the voltage drops below what's needed for the flasher to flash.

Also, I've noticed with a few bikes that have sat for an extended time that just use will help the flasher to work better.

[GLoweVA]

+1 on the grounds.
the front signals ground thru the forks so there's a lot more path for the current to get back to the battery.
One thing you can check is: pull a bulb out and use the voltmeter and see what voltage you get at the light socket. If it's good (like about 12V) then it's your ground path that needs work. If it's low (like <11.5) then look at the connections from the battery thru the switch, back to the flasher (including the canceling unit) all the way up to the light socket.

Those of us with fairings have even more wires/conections to go thru like the fairing harness.

Another idea is that the flasher is getting old. These stock flashers require a certain amount of load to work properly. (that's why we've got to use the correct bulb wattage)

Some have had good luck taking their flasher apart and cleaning up the components in there. I may have to do this sometime this year.

Another idea is that the battery may be getting a little old, or just low on water.

[fredintoon]

The turn signals on my bike will not flash at idle. They work fine at running speed but when I stop at signs and lights they will not flash. I have removed and replaced the relay, cleaned the contacts in the relay, cleaned the contacts on the switch, replaced the rectifier / regulator, and cleaned lots of connections to eliminate any voltage drops. I recently tried a solid state relay that will not do anything. Can someone please help with solution?

Hi John,
yeah, mine too when the revs go real low. Like they said, clean everything. Again. DeOxit contact cleaner is supposed to work wonders.
About the solid state relay; most folks fit them because they don't want to pony up ~$80 for a new stock flasher.
Well, me too but also because, before it burned out, the stocker sped up faster than the legal rate when flashing the extra signals on my sidecar rig.
If you used an automotive 3-prong it won't work because it's wired wrong inside.
Try a 2-prong. It'll plug into the bike's 3-prong connector 2 ways. 1 way does nothing, t'other way works the flashers but you lose the self-cancelling function.

[motoman]

Hi Punisher,
Likely suspect high on the list would be kill switch contacts. Next would be ignition switch contacts. BTDT, and found a missing 1.5V. 3Phase, while here found the other missing 1.5V at the kill switch.
A bit of missing of the all important smoke can subtract quickly through just a couple of conections. Made enough difference corrected, that lights don't fluxuate brightness with engine revs from idle, and signals cycle the same and bright whether at 500rpm or 1100rpm.

[jetmechmarty]

Well MOTOMAN, you just convinced to take the ignition switch apart. My signals stop flashing with the brake applied at idle. Otherwise, electrics seem fine.

[crazy steve]

This will help..... http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35339

[jetmechmarty]

As luck would have it my right turn signals quit on my way home today. The connector under the fuel tank was the culprit. While I was busy making a mess, I took the ignition switch apart and cleaned it. The bike is back together with functioning turn signals....almost. At idle, brake on, flash stops.

I guess I'll have to take the whole thing apart and clean every connector....on a different day.

[Punisher]

Turn signal problems

Thanks for all the information. It seems as though the possibilities are endless. I will continue cleaning connections in hopes of eliminating the problems. I did not consider the kill switch or the ignition. This will give me something to do this weekend.

[Jeffintampa]

Mine does that also, but I idle at 900-1000 if I give it a tad of rev they flash,

[motoman]

As luck would have it my right turn signals quit on my way home today. The connector under the fuel tank was the culprit. While I was busy making a mess, I took the ignition switch apart and cleaned it. The bike is back together with functioning turn signals....almost. At idle, brake on, flash stops.

I guess I'll have to take the whole thing apart and clean every connector....on a different day.

Might wanna pull the right side controls, remove the two phillips screws for the stop switch, take everything out(spring ball and contacts), soak in capful of EvapoRust(switch too so it looks new). Then a tad of dielectric grease for easy function and prevents corrosion coming back.......if you haven't already cleaned it. As I'm sure you already know, all current for bikes operation passes through that switch.

[Punisher]

Turn Signal Problems

Turn signal issues were resolved by installing a two prong automotive flasher. With the new flasher I dont have the auto canceling function but the flashers work. Thanks to all the folks that took time to help

[fredintoon]

Turn signal issues were resolved by installing a two prong automotive flasher. With the new flasher I dont have the auto canceling function but the flashers work. Thanks to all the folks that took time to help

Hi John,
if you cheaped out and bought the $5 flasher you will find the flashing speed gets faster as you hook up more powerful bulbs and slows if you use smaller ones.
My stock flasher wouldn't flash the 2 x 22W signals on my sidecar at all, the signal lights just came on and stayed on.
Adding another signal light to give a 3 x 22W total load made them flash real fast. For a week or so. Then the flasher unit burned out.
Switched to an expensive ($10 !) electronic 2 prong car flasher and it kept the same cadence regardless of load.
Even when Mr Stupid mistook a black wire for a dark brown one to give a dead short the flasher unit kept the same pace.
For 5 clicks before the fuse blew. Only took me 3 fuse replacements to work out what was wrong.

[natemoen]

Just because you switched to a more forgiving flasher does not mean you resolved your issue.

If the other flasher was not doing it it could still very likely, and still most likely is, a voltage issue.