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turn signals and relay

  • Thread starter Thread starter Anonymous
  • Start date Start date
A

Anonymous

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Ok, the dumb question out of the way first....does the engine have to be running for the turn signals to operate? I see nothing in the schematics to indicate this but my signals aren't working (and my engine is currently in the works) so I was hoping for an easy answer. If not,

Assuming my wiring is in the proper orientation (which I'm currently verifying) and my switch is good (it "appears" to be) I'm left with the relay....SO, how do I check to see if my relay is good. Can I read across the terminals to check it? And if bad, is this a standard parts store relay or a special suzuki relay that requires ebay hopping?

Thanks.
jcurt2005
 
You can use a $2 automotive relay. The signals should work without the engine running. Either the relay is bad or you don't have enough current to make them work.
 
Car Parts store signal relay

Car Parts store signal relay

Are you serious about the generic relay? I just spent $40.00 on a OEM. for my 80' GS850. Maybe they will give me store credit or a refund?
 
I've been using the same round metal relay for a good 10 years.
 
We are talking about the little flasher unit here aren't we?
 
Ok, sorry I broke the cardinal rule.....my bike is a 82 550L. It has the two prong relay. And currently I get nothing on the signal lights...they will not light up or blink (umm, if the don't light I guess it would be hard for them to blink), but anyways.

I need to check the feed side of the relay to see if any juice is getting out and then trace the wiring on the lights.....how often are the handlebar switches the problem?

thanks
jcurt2005
 
My handlebar switch has never given me any trouble. The auto flasher unit I'm using is the two prong type. You either don't have enough current to make the signals work or the flasher is bad.
 
Bill is right!! I posted a similar question yesterday. I bought a automotive flasher because I wanted to run 1156 bulbs and it works!!!
Thanks Bill 8)
 
So, looking at the schematics.....it is possible that depending on the position in which the relay failed that the lights could either be on solid, or not on at all? I guess that will be the first thing to check is whether I'm getting juice to the relay (which I assume I am b/c the rest of the items fed off that fuse are working) and then to see if any juice is leaving the relay.

And if there is power on the supply side of the relay i should be able to jump out the terminals on the relay and make the lights activate solid.

Now, next question....is the relay energized at all times or only when the switch closes the circuit?

thanks for help folks.
jcurt2005
 
jcurt2005 said:
Ok, sorry I broke the cardinal rule.....
Click to expand...

I broke another cardinal rule, a couple of weeks ago, when I was testing a relay that didn't work. I took it apart, measured the coil, checked the wiring inside, etc.
Couldn't find anything wrong with it, but couldn't get it working either.... until I decided to clean the connector..... :oops: :oops:

GS rule #1: if it doesn't work, clean the connections first!
 
Rather than F### with the wiring go spend $3 for an auto flasher an then recheck to see if they work
 
I had directional problems with my 83 GS750, found the answer to my problem here, a 2 prong solid state relay at Advance Auto Parts. $8.00. Although It is round, it fit in the space of the OEM, fastened with tywraps. The 2.00 unit will work fine, I wanted the solid state version.
 
Ok folks......went by autozone, picked up the flasher....popped it in and they came alive!! I jumped off the relay connector prior to going to the store and the lights came on solid so I knew it was the relay. Also had a bad ground on one of the lights but using a wire touching to the bulb housing and then to the frame which indicated I hade a bad ground...

good luck guys

jcurt2005
 
Three prong flasher!

Three prong flasher!

My 80 GS850 has a three prong flasher. I picked up the 3 dollar job at Advanced Autoparts and got nothiing. (The stock one gives me solid lights on for each direction, definently bad.) It looked like there were about 6 other versions of the 3 pronger that had a diferent schematics for the pins, but the same pattern. |_| (in-out-ground) I dont remember exactly, only that they were diferent. Some had letters stamped by each of the three posts. Rather than buying them all and returning the bad ones, does anyone know which standard flasher will fit? Or, what the stock postes go to. (No help from manual)
 
Pat, it should be easy to tell. The ground of course is black with a white tracer. Then with anything to check for current use your switch to turn on one side of the signals. See which of the other two wires is hot. That's in and the other wire will be out.
 
mine worked out so that the wiring harness plugged straight up to the flasher, you may have to break the harness and attach the wires individually to the get the proper wire on the correct flasher terminal.
 
Pat,
Just a thought here, the three prong flasher may not be what you need at all. My flasher connector actually is the three prong type but still uses the two terminal flasher. If you stick it in the connector one way the signals either don't work right or not at all, I don't remember which. Turn it the other way though and all is fine. Worth a shot for what a cheap flasher cost.
 
That is a weird problem, it is tough to trouble shoot without the schematic. My best guess is that It could be the lamps are not drawing enough current to activate the flasher. The old flasher is probably stuck on, thats what my 83 was doing, lights stayed on. I think flashers are rated in watts. If you know the bulb type, you can calulate the power the two lamps draw.
Power = voltage X current, so for example if the lamps draw 1.5 amps ea the total power for the directionals would be 12x 3 = 36 watts. See if the flasher you purchased is at or around the calculated wattage, if it is much higher, that could be the problem. Another thing I found I had to do was, remove the bulbs in the lens, spray a circuit cleaner in the lamp assy and reinstall the bulb, and the connections from the lamp assy to the wiring harness, sometimes corossion sets in, and you get a bad connection or high resistance in the circuit. If you can find a deoxidizing electronic circuit cleaner such as Cramolin (Caig Lab's), TV tuner cleaner, etc. use that on all of the connections that plug together. Disconnect the connections, spay both connectors, and plug, unplug several times to clean the connections.
This is going to be routine preventitive maintenance on these older bikes.

Hope this helps.
 
Two prong in a Three prong flasher

Two prong in a Three prong flasher

Well you can put a square peg in a round hole. The two prong cheap flasher works fine in the three prong plug on my 80 gs850. The lights flash kind of slow, and a beter quality flasher might fix that. (I pulled the flasher out of my truck to do this test.) I figured I would get a refund when I go to pick up my special order from the dealer, However, the fine print on my reciept from the dealer says, "No refund on electrical parts and a 15% fee on all returns.:evil:" But, not all is lost. I think I know the reason for the third prong. This bike suposedly has self cancling turn signals. I bet some of that logic is tied up i the $40.00 three prong flasher from the dealer. Self cancling turn signals might be a good idea for this newbie rider.
Now I know. ALWAYS ask The GS Resource Forum about a problem BEFORE you go to the dealer!
 
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