electronic flasher unit woes

[queenmonkey]

After fitting some small bulb indicators and finding whilst they light but don't flash i've gone for an electronic flasher unit. Got the idea are

after being reffered to Basscliff's excellent site. Couldn't get the same flasher unit as suggested as i'm in the uk. I'm using a Durite Flasher/Hazard 0-606-00 12v 2/4 x 21 +5 W.

I wired it up by using spade connections o two of the terminals - light blue on one Orange/ green on the other. I've dispensed with the blue/black wire which i think is for auto cancel. Looking at the wiring diagram for my my new flasher it needs an earth. I took one off the battery for ease. Its a three pin box. Turn it on and nothing. Took the earth off and nothing, I've tried different combinations and nothing - not even the continuous light from the fasher. Measured current off at 11.7 volts across the light blue and orange/green terminals.

Put my original flasher back on just using the light blue and orange/green wires. It doesn't flash but at least i've got continuous light from the indicators.

Anyone got any idea waht happening? Old flasher unit gives light but no flash. New unit does give anything at all!!

QM

 

[GateKeeper]

order them from here

http://dx.com/p/car-led-indicator-flasher-relay-pair-44625

you did install LED lights right ? if not then never mind about the flasher above...

.

 

[Steve]

Just the usual question here ... what bike are we talking about????

Yes, it does really matter.

Some bikes don't have auto-cancel signals. For them, the electronic flasher should work just fine.

Some of the larger '78-'79 bikes had auto-cancel, but it was a rather complicated proprietary system. It is difficult to change that one, but possible.

The '80-and-newer bikes that had auto cancel are easily adapted to electronic flashers, but the key word is ADAPT. You can not simply plug the flasher into the stock socket. The three terminals in the connector to the flasher are 'steady power in', 'intermittant output' and 'control signal'. Virtually all of the electronic flashers are looking for an 'earth' pin, which is not satisfied by the 'control signal'. You need to make some extension wires for the steady in and flashing out wires, then make a jumper wire for the earth connection. Note that you will lose your self-cancel function in the process.

If you wish to retain the self-cancel function, you will have to install some load resistors so the stock flasher unit sees the same amount of current as before, so it will work as designed.

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[salty_monk]

Also check the load rating on the flasher. I bought one electrical one that just wouldn't work.. Turned out it was a heavy duty job meant for lorries or campers and the like and the bike bulbs didn't have enough load to trigger it.

Even electric flashers need some load. When I went 100% LED on my 750 I had to put some resistors inline to get it work (led gauge set as well). Prior to adding the gauge set they worked fine due to the resistance of the tell-tale bulb in the stock gauge set....

 

[queenmonkey]

order them from here

http://dx.com/p/car-led-indicator-flasher-relay-pair-44625

you did install LED lights right ? if not then never mind about the flasher above...

.

No, they're not LED as far as i'm aware - just small bulbs
QM

 

[queenmonkey]

Just the usual question here ... what bike are we talking about????

Yes, it does really matter.

Some bikes don't have auto-cancel signals. For them, the electronic flasher should work just fine.

Some of the larger '78-'79 bikes had auto-cancel, but it was a rather complicated proprietary system. It is difficult to change that one, but possible.

The '80-and-newer bikes that had auto cancel are easily adapted to electronic flashers, but the key word is ADAPT. You can not simply plug the flasher into the stock socket. The three terminals in the connector to the flasher are 'steady power in', 'intermittant output' and 'control signal'. Virtually all of the electronic flashers are looking for an 'earth' pin, which is not satisfied by the 'control signal'. You need to make some extension wires for the steady in and flashing out wires, then make a jumper wire for the earth connection. Note that you will lose your self-cancel function in the process.

If you wish to retain the self-cancel function, you will have to install some load resistors so the stock flasher unit sees the same amount of current as before, so it will work as designed.

.

apologies - GS850GN but a bitsa

 

[salty_monk]

What year wiring does it have one it? 79 or 80/81?

I think the 80/81 have the self cancels, the 79 doesn't.

 

[Steve]

What year wiring does it have one it? 79 or 80/81?

I think the 80/81 have the self cancels, the 79 doesn't.

'79s have self-cancel, but it's the old system that is not easy to re-configure.

Does not matter if the new signals are LEDs or not, your smaller bulbs simply do not draw enough current to trigger the thermal properties of the flasher. Your easiest solution will be to add some resistors in parallel with your new, smaller lights or try to fit bubs with the proper load.


And what the heck is "but a bitsa"???

.

 

[queenmonkey]

'79s have self-cancel, but it's the old system that is not easy to re-configure.

Does not matter if the new signals are LEDs or not, your smaller bulbs simply do not draw enough current to trigger the thermal properties of the flasher. Your easiest solution will be to add some resistors in parallel with your new, smaller lights or try to fit bubs with the proper load.


And what the heck is "but a bitsa"???

.

Hi Steve and thatnks for the advice. I only fitted the small flashers as a replacement for my originals that were in poor condition. Im now going to refit some of similar size!

A bitsa is something made up of lots of different parts - bitsa this and bitsa that. Very little on my bile is original!

thanks for your comment
QM

 

[cowboyup3371]

QueenMonkey, go to UserCP and Edit Signature to add your bike information so you don't have to remember to tell us.

 

[queenmonkey]

QueenMonkey, go to UserCP and Edit Signature to add your bike information so you don't have to remember to tell us.

Thanks cowboyup

Just done it
QM

 

[GateKeeper]

now go back and give us a location as to where you are, roughly as well, fill in the Location option.....

Thanks

 

[850GT_Rider]

What year wiring does it have one it? 79 or 80/81?

...and a word of caution: My early production 1980 GS850GT (build date 11/79) had factory wiring that didn't exactly match wiring diagrams for '79 OR '80.

 

[Steve]

Thanks for the signature, now we need to work on removing some confusion. :-k

1980 GS850 GN

Is it a '79 or an '80?

If it's a '79, it's an "N".

If it's an '80, it's a "T".

We don't usually say the last letter, as it is merely a designation for the model year, and you have already said it's an '80, so there is no need to repeat that by saying " 1080 GS850GT".

Either way, the '80 and the "N" in the signature don't match, which one is correct?

.