turn signal

[galkin]

hey everybody, just bought a used vmax 1200 1st gen and whenever i turn on the left turn signal both right and left are flashing.
dont really sure what to do, could it be a bad relay?

 

[02GF74]

I don't think so. The Handlebar switch takes the "flash" signal and routes it to the appropriate side.

As the bike is new to you, I take it it has it always done this?

OK, so when you move switch to the left, do you have all 4 indicators flashing?

If moved to the right, is it only both right indicators flashing?

Are aftermarket indicators fitted?

If not, then have LED bulbs been fitted?

Does the self-cancelation work, if not, you may have non standard relay fitted usually for LED bulbs.

Has the loom been hacked about?

Is only the original flasher relay fitted? It lives under the left hand scoop and has 5 pins.

 

[one2dmax]

LED's for sure will cause that or very very small signals with low resistance

 

[hogfiddles]

I’d check the wiring to see if they got hooked up incorrectly

 

[V4max]

I'd say it has led signals. Take the small signal light out of the instrument cluster if it stops its the leds

 

[V4max]

I'd put money on it that it stops when removing that small light

 

[galkin]

i'll have check it but i know its not LED *but* the last owner did change to a smaller signal lights, when i turn the switch to the right it works but to the left all 4 start flashing.

 

[norcalAF]

The previous owner just hooked up the left side incorrectly, I saw the same effect when I was fiddling with the rats nest of wiring under the passenger seat from the previous owner of my bike. That is next on my list of things to clean up on the bike when I go to wire and install a set of fatmax bags that are on the way from Morley's!

 

[02GF74]

^^^ how is that possible?
There are 3 bullet connector sockets, same at front and rear
1.left
2. Right
3. Double for ground

It may be possible to fit 1. and 2 wrong way round but still only one of the indicators will flash at any one time.

Anyways tidying up a loom is never a bad thing.

 

[Chillin Dylan]

My blinkers worked fine before. Aftermarket led indicators up front, stock lollipops and tail light in the back. I’m trying to swap the tail light to a much nicer looking led unit that has the turn signals built in too, and removed the rear lollipops. Now all four of my blinkers flash when I hit the turn signal switch either direction. Why would this be?

 

[one2dmax]

Not enough resistance. The signals share power wires from each side using the resistance of the unused side as a temporary ground. You can either remove the indicator light on the dash, install a diode kit to isolate the sides and prevent crossflow, add resistors, or wire in the original bulbs hidden somewhere in parallel. Once you have the hazard type blinking resolved you may experience rapid flashing which then requires a digital relay to get that fixed. This in turn eliminates the factory self canceling feature.

 

[02GF74]

Just to add the indicator light on the instrument console is wired between the positive of both pairs of indicators. When one side is powered, it is earthed via the bulbs on the non powered side and because the resistance of 2 filament bulbs is much lower than the instrument bulb, nearly all the voltage is across it so the non powered indicator bulbs do not light up.

Replacing the filament bulbs by LED, the small current going through the non powered indicators is sufficient to light up the LEDs whereas previously it was not enough to light up the filament bulbs.

Solution is as above.

 

[Chillin Dylan]

So I can simply wire in some of those LED resistor things you can buy at AutoZone for eliminating rapid flashing on cars, and that will work for my situation as well?

 

[gb.carson]

So I can simply wire in some of those LED resistor things you can buy at AutoZone for eliminating rapid flashing on cars, and that will work for my situation as well?

You can but a better solution is to get a replacement relay which simply plugs in in place of the old one under the left side air scoop. was about £17 on fleabay if I remember correctly.

 

[Chillin Dylan]

You can but a better solution is to get a replacement relay which simply plugs in in place of the old one under the left side air scoop. was about £17 on fleabay if I remember correctly.

The relay will allow the dash indicator light to work and the turn signals to work correctly all by itself?

 

[02GF74]

In response to first question, yes, wiring a high power resistor in each side would do it

I'm not aware of a relay to replace the Vmax unit which in addition does the self cancelation feature.

There have been posts in the past that use an electronic relay which maintain constant flash rate by minor modifications to the loom but the self cancelation feature is lost.

 

[Chillin Dylan]

In response to first question, yes, wiring a high power resistor in each side would do it

I'm not aware of a relay to replace the Vmax unit which in addition does the self cancelation feature.

There have been posts in the past that use an electronic relay which maintain constant flash rate by minor modifications to the loom but the self cancelation feature is lost.

Self cancellation? So it does have that! I couldn’t figure out what it was because my left turn signal would randomly turn off and I couldn’t pinpoint what was doing it, lean angle, bar turn, whatever. The right one never did it though.

I’m not concerned about losing that feature, I always cancel my turn signals manually out of habit

 

[02GF74]

hmmmmm... it should work exactly the same on both sides. There is one wire from the flasher unit that is connected to either the left or right side by the handlebar switch.

 

[Chillin Dylan]

hmmmmm... it should work exactly the same on both sides. There is one wire from the flasher unit that is connected to either the left or right side by the handlebar switch.

View attachment 76382

I just ordered the “custom led” brand plug and play flasher relay that was recommended on another thread

 

[02GF74]

I'm curious, can you please post picture or link?

I'm not aware of there being a direct replacement. i. e. 5 pin relay that does sel cancel.