Aftermarket turn signals don't blink

[Anonymous]

I purchased some aftermarket short stalk turn signal/marker lights from Dennis Kirk for my 80 GS850. I hooked them but they don't blink... they light up, but they don't blink. My stock light worked fine before. I e-mailed DK to ask if the was a difference between marker lights and turn signals....... apparently not. The girl said I may need a LOAD EQUALIZER. Never heard of such a thing. Any ideas????

Thanks
Curt

[Anonymous]

Do the new signals use LED's or incandescent bulbs? If LED's, you'll either need a load balancer (basically, some resistors) or an electronic flasher.

[Anonymous]

All they state are single filament bulbs. So that tells me they are incadescent.

[earlfor]

Re: Aftermarket turn signals don't blink

Were you stock lights dual element or single element? I the stock lights were dual element, then they were a three wire connection as opposed to the two wire connection you need for the marker lights. On the three wire connection, one wire is ground, one wire is always on, and one wire is the turn signal. you may have inadvertantly hooked up the always on/running light lead instead of the turn signal lead.

Earl

I purchased some aftermarket short stalk turn signal/marker lights from Dennis Kirk for my 80 GS850. I hooked them but they don't blink... they light up, but they don't blink. My stock light worked fine before. I e-mailed DK to ask if the was a difference between marker lights and turn signals....... apparently not. The girl said I may need a LOAD EQUALIZER. Never heard of such a thing. Any ideas????

Thanks
Curt

[Anonymous]

Stock are also single element.

[earlfor]

Are you connecting the new lights to the same wires the old ones were connected to in the harness? Are the new lights/bulbs the same wattage/size as the old lights?

Earl

Stock are also single element.

[Anonymous]

Same wires yes..... wattage I am not sure about. I will check that out.

[saaz]

The load on the flasher needs to be the same as original, so either fit the same wattage bulbs or put something in the circuit to increase the load

[Anonymous]

You could also try a solid state flasher - most automotive stores carry them.

[Anonymous]

Do the old bulbs fit in the new signal lights??

[Planecrazy]

A quick primer on standard flasher modules... basically there is a piece of "spring wire" inside that "springs" away from the contact when it heats up ... when it cools down (in a fraction of a second) it "springs" back and completes the circuit again. This cycle is what makes your lights flash. If your new bulbs are of lower wattage than the originals, you may not be creating enough resistance to heat up the flasher module and cause it to cycle. That's why you would need a resistor module.

An alternative would be to buy a new flasher that works at a lower wattage (or an electronic one that works regardless of wattage).

Good Luck!

Steve 8)

[Anonymous]

Turn signals

Your origional bulbs are rated at 23 watts(#1073bulb). If your replacements were of a higher wattage the lights would flash faster, more current drawn thru the bi-metalic arm of the flasher contacts due to the lower internal resistance of the bulbs. If they are of lower wattage they would flash slower or not at all, less current drawn thru the flasher, due to the higher internal resistance of the bulbs. Adding resistance to the circuit will only compound your problem. Adding a shunt resistance to draw more current would solve your problem but can get involved. Can you find a 23 watt replacement bulb for the new turn signal units? Easiest way out. Now for the obvious, turn signal assemblies are plastic. They require a ground connection to the bulb "socket". Not just to the housing. Check this out first. Jumper a wire from the socket to the frame to eliminate this possibility.

[earlfor]

A simple, no cost solution is to take the bulb sockets and bulbs from your old turn signals and install them in your new marker light shells. You already have all the parts.

Earl

[Clone]

It could also be as simple as the signal is not grounding well enough to produce the load. One of my signals on the Yammie does it occasionally, i give it a slap and then it flashes.

[earlfor]

So, can you control the flashing rate by increasing or decreasing your slapping rate? :-) Is that one slap for right, two slaps for left and a clap to turn the headlight on?

Earl :-)

It could also be as simple as the signal is not grounding well enough to produce the load. One of my signals on the Yammie does it occasionally, i give it a slap and then it flashes.