another blinker question

[zcphoto]

i have a 2000 600 with what i believe are aftermarket rear turn signals. the left side functions normally but the right side starts flashing normally about 4 or 5 times then flashes really fast (as if a bulb were out) then goes back to normal speed and then back to really fast etc. i replaced the bulbs and also switched them to see if that made any difference. i assume but don't know that if the left side works correctly then it isn't a bad flasher. does anyone have any ideas about what is causing this? also, this only happens when the bike is running.

thanks in advance for any ideas.

[rexazz2]

I would guess that if one side works ok its not the flasher

I assume that the rears are the ones you think are aftermarket
Take a look at the splices under the seat
I have scene some bad stuff, some people think masking tape is a acceptable wire tape

[zcphoto]

thanks, i'll check in the am.

[zcphoto]

i checked the wiring and appears to be ok to me. just for kicks i tried an 1156 bulb in place of the one that actually fits under the lens and it worked fine. do i need to use signals that use that specific bulb? i was under the impression that all sorts of different lights could be used.

[rexazz2]

if you where fast enough you seen the wrong post LOL


I would keep both sides the same
other wise one may be brighter than the other
Should have a number stamped into base other than that go to a napa or carquest and they should be able to hook you up with new bulbs for a couple bucks take old one as a sample

[zcphoto]

i put the 1156 in the turn signal. it had 1 nipple on the bottom. my tail and brake lights are fine.

[rexazz2]

i put the 1156 in the turn signal. it had 1 nipple on the bottom. my tail and brake lights are fine.

sorry buddy wrong post above ,since changed LMAO

[Black_peter]

You can use any bulb that fits. But the turn signal relay uses current to switch on and off. It has a tab that heats up from the current and opens, shutting off the power, cools turning on the power etc, etc.. The speed of the heating is related to the current. More current the faster it heats and turns off the power.

Now I = V/r, this is Ohm's law.. I is the current, V is voltage, r is resistance.

With 12 volts a 5 ohm bulb will create 2.4 amp of current. But a 3 ohm bulb will create 4 amps.. Faster flashing..
Another arrangement of Ohm's law is P= V * I. Or P=Watts V= Voltage I=Current. Or
W/V= I. If you have a 27 Watt bulb, at 12 volts you have 2.25 amp. A 20 watt bulb is 1.6 amp.. So small differences in the bulbs can make significant differences in the current and thus how fast the bulbs flash.

You have something interesting.. 4 or 5 normal flashes, then fast then normal?
What I think is happening is that something is heating up and changing the resistance (lowering it) increasing the current and making the fast flash. Then the fast flashing actually cools (or somehow changes something) to increase the resistance again and lower the current.. I would first install all matching bulbs, then remove bulbs to isolate the problem front/rear/side/side. (you never know, a left bulb could be crossed into the right circuit. Effecting the resistance but not lighting!
Then remove one bulb. It should fast flash.. If you get it to flash oddly then the one still plugged in is the weird circuit. Next isolate by unplugging the connectors.

FYI the other type of flashing relay works just the opposite. The tab is heated by current flowing through a heater wire, once it heats up it makes contact with the turn signal. The turn signal turns on, bypassing the heater wire and the tab cools. This type is not dependent on the resistance of the system and is a good fix for LED or after market units..

[zcphoto]

thanks Black_peter

i will try what you suggested. another question, if i can't locate the problem do you think it could fixed by going to led's?

[Black_peter]

Well then maybe all of them will blink fast!

This blinker is like $2.50 .. I would try it temporarily to see what the result is..

http://katriders.com/vb/showthread.php?t=61161

[JHILDE]

i have a 2000 600 with what i believe are aftermarket rear turn signals. the left side functions normally but the right side starts flashing normally about 4 or 5 times then flashes really fast (as if a bulb were out) then goes back to normal speed and then back to really fast etc. i replaced the bulbs and also switched them to see if that made any difference. i assume but don't know that if the left side works correctly then it isn't a bad flasher. does anyone have any ideas about what is causing this? also, this only happens when the bike is running.

thanks in advance for any ideas.

Did you get the bike new or is it used? I have a blinker that has different patterns. [ame]http://s124.photobucket.com/albums/p16/Vetteman1979/?action=view&current=102_3302.flv[/ame] Crappy camera is not fast enough to catch all the blinks but you should get the idea.

JHILDE

[zcphoto]

mine looks something like that but it blinks at normal speed for a little longer. i bought it used and i don't think it is supposed to do it b/c it only does it on 1 side.

JHILDE did you make yours do that on purpose?

[Wild-Bill]

Try looking at your wiring harness again. You said everything looks fine but do you have any splices? Lots of times intermittent issues are the result of twisting wires together and wrapping with electrical tape or using one of those stupid crimp-on connectors. That's not good enough for a motorcycle which doesn't protect everything from the weather like a car does. Make sure any splices are properly soldered (Edges of the solder should be concave, not rounded over. 'The bigger the blob the better the job' is BS.) and in-line connectors need to be clean. (Twist up some sandpaper to get the insides of the female connectors clean, sand the outsides of the male connectors and use a dab of dielectric grease to keep things from corroding.)

[zcphoto]

TURN SIGNALS WORKING!

thanks for everyone's input. Black_peter was on the right track with replacing all the bulbs as i had only replaced the rears. the strange thing was at first i put the left front in the right front (which was the side not working properly) and it only blinked really fast. then i put in a brand new bulb in the right front and now it works. so now i have all new bulbs and life is good... for now.

[DumbLuck]

weird flashing or no flashing is the signal flasher's way of telling you a bulb is bad/burnt out