I need a bike sparky in auckland!

[Badcat]

hey all.
i need some electrical help.
i have an indicator that won't go out, and i want a quick release fitting installed for the tail light and indicators.
anyone in auckland that can help out?
i live in northcote and work in onehunga if that's close to anyone.

ken

[skidMark]

are you saying your indicator is always on and you also want to put a connector plug fitted so you can easily disconnect the wires to take the light's on and off???

[Milky]

the indicator not going out is a flasher unit problem if it applies to both sides of the bike, or a bulb wattage/poor connection if it is only on one side. I may well have a plug that will work downstairs somewhere, and can lend a hand if you want to come over to my place in hillsborough after work one day/on the weekend. Give me a PM if you are keen.

[Badcat]

the indicator not going out is a flasher unit problem if it applies to both sides of the bike, or a bulb wattage/poor connection if it is only on one side. I may well have a plug that will work downstairs somewhere, and can lend a hand if you want to come over to my place in hillsborough after work one day/on the weekend. Give me a PM if you are keen.

yep - it's only one side, bulbs stay on - rather than flash.
i'll check the lamps and connections and PM you if i need help.
thanks for the response!
k

[Ixion]

One side staying on means not enough bulbage. ie the wattage is too low, or one bulb is gone (ie no watts at all!). Check for high resistance to earth (enough current to light the bulb, but not to flash). Try changing items, one by one from one side to other

[Badcat]

One side staying on means not enough bulbage. ie the wattage is too low, or one bulb is gone (ie no watts at all!). Check for high resistance to earth (enough current to light the bulb, but not to flash). Try changing items, one by one from one side to other

thanks for all the suggestions.
here's a more accurate view of the problem.

if my ignition is on, my left front indicator remains on - no matter if the indicators are on or off.
if i try my left indicator, the rear one flashes quickly, but the front stays on.
id i try my right indicator , they both flash perfectly of course -but the left sill stays on.
my bike has a hazard indicator setting - all indicators flashing - the front left stays lit - all others flash.
i've tried removing the whole offending indicator and replacing it with a fresh one - same prob.
all bulbs are good - and i've swapped them all around to no avail..
i tried removing the flasher - and the indicator still remains on...
any ideas?

[imdying]

Check that the indicator is actually plugged into the indicator circuit, and not some other random wire. Then check the wires it is plugged into, are still indicator wires futher up the circuit. And defintely check for bad earths in the circuit.

[bugjuice]

does the bike have the indicators set as running lights too..??
don't mind having a look, fwiw after work..

[Motu]

You've got something plugged in the wrong hole.Don't just go by colour coding,for some reason the Japanese can change colour halfway down a loom and think it's perfectly normal,sometimes I've seen earths on one side of the bike different colours to the other.You'll have to check continuity of each wire,what you think goes where actualy does go where.

[Ixion]

If the indicator is on regardless of switch position (but presumably, not flashing) you definately have some wires crossed.

Trace it from first principles.

At the flasher unit, usually three wires. One will make its way back to the ignition switch or a fuse block. One will be earth, and the other will go to the flasher switch.

From the switch, one to the flasher unit as as above. One for each side of the bike, dividing in two on each side, for front and rear. And maybe another one to the warning light in the instrument cluster (that just might come from teh flasher unit instead).

They'll snake arund a bit, but just follow them back. I think maybe you've got teh wires at the switch crossed, and have the wire from the flasher unit plugged directly into the indicator light. Wire from the flasher unit should go to the cntral connection in the switch (you may have to open the switch up to see what's what)

[imdying]

sometimes I've seen earths on one side of the bike different colours to the other.I KNOW!!! What the hell is up with that???! What possible reason could one bike have for having THREE different earth colours?!?!

[Badcat]

You've got something plugged in the wrong hole.Don't just go by colour coding,for some reason the Japanese can change colour halfway down a loom and think it's perfectly normal,sometimes I've seen earths on one side of the bike different colours to the other.You'll have to check continuity of each wire,what you think goes where actualy does go where.

good point motu.
i'll pull it all out and retrace it back.
K

[Badcat]

If the indicator is on regardless of switch position (but presumably, not flashing) you definately have some wires crossed.

Trace it from first principles.

At the flasher unit, usually three wires. One will make its way back to the ignition switch or a fuse block. One will be earth, and the other will go to the flasher switch.

From the switch, one to the flasher unit as as above. One for each side of the bike, dividing in two on each side, for front and rear. And maybe another one to the warning light in the instrument cluster (that just might come from teh flasher unit instead).

They'll snake arund a bit, but just follow them back. I think maybe you've got teh wires at the switch crossed, and have the wire from the flasher unit plugged directly into the indicator light. Wire from the flasher unit should go to the cntral connection in the switch (you may have to open the switch up to see what's what)

thanks ixion.
i appreciate your time in the explaination.

ken

[Ixion]

Actually, rereading your description (carefully this time) it seems to me that you only have a problem with one indicator , the one which stays on. It's counterpart at the rear flashes quickly, but that is just because the front one is not in the indicator circuit. An indicator flashing too quickly means that one bulb is not in circuit.

So the problem is with the wire plugged into that front left indicator. That wire is the wrong wire. Look around for another wire (bear in mind that the correct wire may be plugged into something else)

[Motu]

I KNOW!!! What the hell is up with that???! What possible reason could one bike have for having THREE different earth colours?!?!

I was brought up on the good old Joe Lucas wiring codes - black for earth,simple,it's a done deal...red was ''hot'',these were live wires...green were switched,they came on with the key....brown was charging...etc.I still get confused when the black wire has power and the green goes to earth....today,tomorrow it may be different.The Japs are almost French in some of their thinking (Peugeot push down door buttons to unlock),like their sparkplug heat codes go backwards to the rest of the world.You can't trust Japanese wiring to make sence.

[Pixie]

Front left circuit is shorted to ground between the bulb and the flasher unit

[Ixion]

Yes, that would have the bulb on on some circuits. There are usually two wires from each flasher, are they reversed ?

[Badcat]

Yes, that would have the bulb on on some circuits. There are usually two wires from each flasher, are they reversed ?
the flasher plug only goes on one way - and the problem stays (indicator lit) when the flasher is removed.

k

[Ixion]

Sorry "flasher" I meant indicator - the orange lighty thing, not the flasher unit thingy. Long and short is that the left front indicator has the wrong wire plugged in (or maybe the wire is pinched and shorted but that's less likely) . Hunt around in the headlamp area and see if you can find the right wire and all will come right. Everything is correct EXCEPT that front left indicator.

[Badcat]

Sorry "flasher" I meant indicator - the orange lighty thing, not the flasher unit thingy. Long and short is that the left front indicator has the wrong wire plugged in (or maybe the wire is pinched and shorted but that's less likely) . Hunt around in the headlamp area and see if you can find the right wire and all will come right. Everything is correct EXCEPT that front left indicator.

yep - that sounds like the most likely.
i'll strip it all down this evening.
thanks so much guys.

k

[Ixion]

Quick release fitting (I presume you mean a plug that you can unplug), you can get them from Repco, couple of bucks. Just cut the wires and reconnect to each side of the plug. Or if you want something fancy, a trailer plug set.

[Badcat]

yep - the whole seat unit comes off with tail light and indicators etc with 2 bolts. F1 did a great job of that, but the wires are a pain.
it would be nice to just unplug one cable.

k

[Motu]

I have here in front of me a classic Japanese colour code wiring plug,off a Mazda cooling fan.Black to black...blue to yellow...green to blue...yellow to red.

Words fail me - if you were given the 8 bare wires,how would you connect them up? You wouldn't have a hope in hell.

[Badcat]

well - i stripped it down and found the culprit.
the indicator was connected to a pink wire (which looked identical to the brown one under indcandescant light). as i only get time to work on the bike after the kids are in bed i don't get the luxury of daylight repairs.
so - i changed the torch i was using to an LED one with a whiter light and found the right brown one and presto - it all worked.
thanks for all the help guys, you saved me a lot of time and cash.

K