Turn signal flasher

[Hotblack]

I just purchased a new one, it says it works for Kawasaki and some Suzukis. It is smaller than a stock 'Denso, but the connection is identical. It's two prongs in an L so you can only hook it up one way, and one prong is marked B while the other is marked L. Again this info is identical between the stock unit and the one I bought. There is one difference in the electrical specs, one of the ratings is like 21 watts instead of 23. The new flasher does not work at all, while the stock one (I'm sharing one flasher between two bikes right now) works fine. On the new unit when I turn the directional on there is one click and nothing else. No light of any kind issues from the directionals. I opened the unit up and the click comes from a contact (looks a lot like contact points) being closed by an electro magnet that is allegedly cycled on and off by a capacitor/resistor team. It seems obvious to me that the magnet is working but never being powered off.

My question is: is this a defective unit, as in possibly the capacitor has an internal short? I'm thinking that 12 volts is 12 volts, and as long as the connections are correct ANY such flasher unit should work, even if it came from a Moss Covered Three Handled Family Gradunza.

I'm just looking for feedback before I get on the horn with Cycle-Recycle tomorrow.

Thanks!

[satchmo]

I'm not sure about the electrics of it all, so this may not help any, but it was my vague understanding that flashers require a certain amount of current passing through them to work. You said that the old one and the new one were rated differently. It may be possible that either your lights draw to little current to activate the new one, or too much.

Of course I may just be P!ssing in the wind.

Satch

[Hotblack]

There may be something to that p!ss, I don't know. It's possible, though I think that the directional bulbs are pretty standard in that era of bike, and would draw the same amount of juice.

[earlfor]

Re: Turn signal flasher

The flasher requires a certain power draw/flow through it to operate and cycle/flash. The flasher capacity needs to be matched to the draw of the device....lights in this case. Changing to non stock bulbs can cause a flasher to not work, or using mini stalks with less power draw will also cause it not function. Usually, too little power draw will cause one click and then no flash whereas too much draw will cause faster flashing.
Very excessive power draw will simply burn the flasher out.
The flasher may not be defective, but only mismatched to your bulbs power consumption.

Earl

I just purchased a new one, it says it works for Kawasaki and some Suzukis. It is smaller than a stock 'Denso, but the connection is identical. It's two prongs in an L so you can only hook it up one way, and one prong is marked B while the other is marked L. Again this info is identical between the stock unit and the one I bought. There is one difference in the electrical specs, one of the ratings is like 21 watts instead of 23. The new flasher does not work at all, while the stock one (I'm sharing one flasher between two bikes right now) works fine. On the new unit when I turn the directional on there is one click and nothing else. No light of any kind issues from the directionals. I opened the unit up and the click comes from a contact (looks a lot like contact points) being closed by an electro magnet that is allegedly cycled on and off by a capacitor/resistor team. It seems obvious to me that the magnet is working but never being powered off.

My question is: is this a defective unit, as in possibly the capacitor has an internal short? I'm thinking that 12 volts is 12 volts, and as long as the connections are correct ANY such flasher unit should work, even if it came from a Moss Covered Three Handled Family Gradunza.

I'm just looking for feedback before I get on the horn with Cycle-Recycle tomorrow.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Yep. The power draw is critical. That's why signal lights don't work when one of the bulbs is burned out or not grounded as it should be.

[Hotblack]

Hmmmm sounds like I probably have the wrong flasher then. I guess your p!ss was aimed properly, Satch! Too bad an OE flasher from Bike Bandit is around $40....

Thanks Gents!

[Billy Ricks]

Just get one of the $2 units from any auto parts. That's what I've used for years and it works fine.