Blinker Issue

[Sin_Tiger]

With the ignition on and flasher switch operated, measure between the wife write and your battery negative. If you don't get a reason, pulsing the same rate as the lamp that is operating, then it suggests a fault in the wiring. Have a close look at the connector to make sure the wife has not become disconnected from the terminal.  You can stick a pin through the insulation near the connector and measure from there which will help eliminate a connection fault.

[Bixxer Bob]

Sin,  your predictive text is effing hilarious; so much so I'm not even going to correct it this time 

[Sin_Tiger]

Sin,  your predictive text is effing hilarious; so much so I'm not even going to correct it this time 

I better get to Specsavers soon or see our mate Geof W  I probably make it that amusing if I actually tried

[Bixxer Bob]

Ok, for the sake of the reader, here is the fixed version:

With the ignition on and flasher switch operated, measure between the white wire and your battery negative. If you don't get a reading, pulsing the same rate as the lamp that is operating, then it suggests a fault in the wiring. Have a close look at the connector to make sure the wire has not become disconnected from the terminal. You can stick a pin through the insulation near the connector and measure from there which will help eliminate a connection fault.

[jch]

I am an idiot.  I just realized that when I tested the white wire I did not turn on the indicator.  I did not even have the ignition on. No wonder I got nothing!!  DUH.  I will try again tonight and report back.  If I still get nothing I will try the pin suggestion to see if it is a bad connector.  Thanks,  Jim

[jch]

OK, I tried with the ignition on and the indicator light on and nothing from the left side white wire.  I also sliced thru the white casing to get to the wire to make sure it was not the connector and still nothing. I then tried on the right side white wire and got a reading when flashing. So.. I have a bad left side white wire, now what?  Thanks again for your help. Jim.

[Dutch]

Good idea to repeat the measurement on the right hand side. That way you know your measuring is now correct an the fault is in the wiring. The left front blinks so the fault must be somewhere between the relais and the indicator itself. Just follow the yellow brick road white wire. Somewhere there will be a bad connection or a broken wire (not necessary visable as the plastic can still be intact).

[jch]

I guess I will find the relay and see if I can figure out which wire is the white one going to the rear light.  Can someone explain to me what the white wire does vs the black one.  Also do I know that the black one is OK, based on the previous tests?  If you cannot tell I am an electrical idiot.  Thanks,  Jim

[Bixxer Bob]

I quickly drew up what you're trying to visualise:

The electric comes from the red terminal of the battery to the flasher unit via fuse (not shown) you don't need to know how the flasher works.  It goes to the bulb via a white wire (it may change colour in the loom just to confuse you (and us).  It goes into the bulb then out to the black wire.  The black wire then eventually connects to the bike frame, shown in my drawing by the symbol for ground.  It then goes from the frame to the battery black terminal. 

Now you have established there is no volts at the white connector you need to find the flasher unit.  I don't have my manual to hand so someone else will jump in and say where it is.  If the wire to the indicator isn't white on the flasher unit you need to find out which one it should be.  Do this with your meter just like you did to find volts on the working flasher.  When you find the volts at the flasher, you then have to trace the wiring loom from their to the back of the bike where the white connector is. Where ever you find a connector, check it for volts and so on until you find the fault.

Sorry I can't be more help at the moment, if I had my manual I could tell you all the colours and it would take less time.

[Sin_Tiger]

That man is so talented with the crayons 

If the other side is flashing then your relay is probably OK. So now it's disengagement to the switch or the wiring in between.

Black wires, without any trace or secondary colours, are nearly always earth or 0 volts. They are normally connected to the frame which is used as a common means of return to the battery negative. In some cases the Black will run all the way back to the battery to avoid poor connections to the frame.

Checking to make sure the earth line has continuity, I.e. No breaks or poor connections is easy and a good learning experience. Switch on your meter, switch it to the resistance scale, ohms or might be marked with an infinity symbol. Touch both probes together and you should get a zero reading on the scale. Now put the black probe on the negative battery terminal (actually it doesn't matter which probe but it's good practice) then touch any Black terminal or wire and you should get zero or very near to it, you can also do the same with any point on the chaussures that's not painted or coated just to prove the point.

[Dutch]

That man is so talented with the crayons 

Indeed he is 

Even found a picture of BB at work:

[Bixxer Bob]

     (http://www.cheesebuerger.de/smilie.php)

[Dutch]

   I knew you would appreciate a 'typical' sense of humour   

[jch]

: If the other side is flashing then your relay is probably OK. So now it's disengagement to the switch or the wiring in between

I did check the relay and all is working.  I tried to trace the wire from the front of the back with no luck.  I seems to go into massive bundles and large connections.  Can't imagine how one little wire can go bad.  I guess it is time to go to the dealer to sort out as I do not like riding without one rear blinker. 

Thanks for everyone's help on this, wish we could have solved the problem but I did get a new micrometer and a better understanding of my electrical system out of the pursuit.   

[Mustang]

Thanks for everyone's help on this, wish we could have solved the problem but I did get a new micrometer and a better understanding of my electrical system out of the pursuit.   

what's a micrometer got to do with electrical gremlins ?

and this might be a dumb question but did you try changing the bulb?
and if so did you try unhooking the working blinker and connect the known good lead to the non working blinker .
I'd be willing to wager the fault is at the blinker assembly .