Sigal lights not flashing after replacing them.

[lisk]

Hi guys I need your help on this. I've had this in the past years ago and I know I found a solution to it but can't remember what I did. I replaced the old signal lights front and back but the bulbs are smaller and now they won't flash when I turn them on. They come on but no flashing. It seems to me I used a load resistor or something before but can't remember.

I appreciate any advice you can offer to solve this problem.

Thanks Cam

[cajun31]

obivous question

did they flash before you replaced the bulbs? I would start by cleaning all electrical connections. Then the flasher relay switch could be suspect. Try revving the bike to push more voltage and see if they flash. If they do then it is probably just dirty connections. I had that problem and once I cleaned everything they flashed without revving the engine. get some caig deoxit to use for the cleaning.

[natemoen]

The stock flasher in the xs11 is designed to use heavy duty motorcycle bulbs which are 27 watt. If don't meet the necessary wattage the thermal contact in the flasher does not heat up enough to trigger the flashing. You can either use load simulator resistors, use the correct bulbs, or switch to a no load flasher.

[lisk]

Thanks for the replies guys i appreciate it. They did work before I replaced them so I'm sure it's the load issue I'm dealing with.

Can I buy a no load flasher at a local bike shop ? Seems like the easier way to go otherwise I'll buy the load resistors. I've seen 25 w and 50 w resistors. Will either work do you know?
.thanks again for your advice!

Cam

[bikerphil]

You can get a 2 prong electronic no load flasher at auto parts store. Note that a 3 prong will not work and also you will lose the self cancelling feature.

[lisk]

Thanks for all of your replies. I looked at my current flasher and it has 3 prongs and all 3 have wires running to them? So not sure if a two prong one will work? I spoke to a guy in parts at a bike shop and he said i shouldn't need the load resistors unless I've switched to LED lights. But the bulbs that are in the new signal lights even though they aren't LED are much smaller than the original ones. So I think that maybe the issue ?

Thanks again

[HalfCentury]

Thanks for all of your replies. I looked at my current flasher and it has 3 prongs and all 3 have wires running to them? So not sure if a two prong one will work? I spoke to a guy in parts at a bike shop and he said i shouldn't need the load resistors unless I've switched to LED lights. But the bulbs that are in the new signal lights even though they aren't LED are much smaller than the original ones. So I think that maybe the issue ?

Thanks again

The correct bulbs are cheaper than a new relay. Why did you use a different bulb than stock?

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Lisk,

YES....the 2 prong flasher is what works, because the 2 prongs are standard types. No body else makes the special 3 prong flasher that works with the self canceller on our bikes EXCEPT Yamaha, and IIRC, it's not available anymore!? Or, it's ridiculously expensive, like $100.00 or so!!!

SO...we found out a 2 prong flasher will work, but you loose the self cancel feature. Trying to user higher watt bulbs could possibly lead to melting things in the smaller socket/fixture.
Using load resistors is kind of defeating using the other lights even though they are NOT LEDS, but putting a bigger load on the system isn't a good thing, resistors create heat, another "FIRE" source!!

So..use a NO LOAD ELECTRONIC 2 prong flasher, keep the smaller lights fixtures/bulbs, and just push the turn signal switch in to cancel them manually! You may have to try the flasher 1 of 2 ways that it will plug into the 3 prong socket before you get it to work.

T.C.

[lisk]

Thanks TC I really appreciate this info. I appreciated all the other replies but I was confused. Your info makes perfect sense. I'll do that and it should work.

Thanks again for your input.

[clcorbin]

I don't even remember how many times I fought the battle of the blinkers either not working at all or only working most of the time. I have replaced the connectors, cleaned the sockets, cleaned all the grounds, etc. Nothing permanently fixed the issue with my bike.

Eventually, I said to hell with it and stuffed in the electric 2 prong flasher and have never had the problem again.

Before anyone chimes in on how I lost the self-cancelling flashers, well, they never worked anyway. I bought the bike used in 1988 and had it for 10 years before I found out that they SHOULD be self-cancelling. That is another system I have dug into multiple times (but never 100% from one end to the other as I normally got bored with fighting it...) and never found the problem.

Not really an issue as I am very accustomed to turning them off myself at this point.

[lisk]

Hi all !!

Good news! I plugged in a no load two prong flasher and everything is working fine. No self cancelling though but it hadn't worked for a while so I was in the habit of cancelling them myself anyway!!

Thanks for all the replies I appreciate it.

[motoman]

Hi all !!

Good news! I plugged in a no load two prong flasher and everything is working fine. No self cancelling though but it hadn't worked for a while so I was in the habit of cancelling them myself anyway!!

Thanks for all the replies I appreciate it.

Believe if you could locate another rectangle shaped self-canceler that is at the top cross rail under seat it may just work.