Hi all, As a newb to the forum and the bike (1985 Rebel 250) and mechanical/electrical work I have been having trouble finding exactly the info I need although I have found a ton of info here that has helped me get to this point. This is about my flashers not working. I think I wired with too big of wire 18gage. I think maybe I need 22? The wiring harness is intact up through the fender but it looks like maybe it was dragged into the rear wheel and torn out at some point. So everything that connects in the fender is a mess.... the rear indicators were removed and the rest is bodged up work with multiple small pieces of twisted together no electrical tape or anything. I have now rewired what was ripped or pieced together and added new rear indicators. License plate light doesn't light. (I'm assuming that's likely the bulb) The indicators go on but will not flash when I turn them on. The left front indicator does not light but I am hoping that's a bulb since I don't think anything I did on the back end would affect that. On high revs the right side will flash but left rear will not. From what I have read here, with lower voltage the flasher unit won't work. I think this is my issue. Also, my sister just texted that I should check the new bulb wattage too. Lastly, I have read about electric flasher units here and will that help me out do you think? If so, do I have to do additional wiring for an electric flasher unit? While I wasn't worried about diving into this terrible wiring job on the back, I'm pretty intimidated to bust into a perfectly good wiring harness. Thanks for any and all help.
Wunu
Flashers don't blink, is my wire too thick??
1 reading
If the turn signal indicator light comes on, but does not blink, it's usually an indication that one of the bulbs, or the circuit to it, is bad. That pretty much sums up my Rebel electrical knowledge, and I'll let someone else respond to your other issues.
Larger size wires won't affect the turn signals. Rebels come with old style "heater" type blinkers. The drawn amperage heats up an element that makes it "blink", not voltage. If you don't have enough amperage (watts) to make the "blink" the lights just stay on. Think of voltage as how hard you push a cart, and amperage as volume of water coming out of a hose.
For the blinker lights to go to ground, the blinker indicator light must be good. If it burns out, no lights will even light up, no less blink.
All of this is for stock wiring. Once it gets modified, your on your own...
For the blinker lights to go to ground, the blinker indicator light must be good. If it burns out, no lights will even light up, no less blink.
All of this is for stock wiring. Once it gets modified, your on your own...
I'll get there.
Normally blink-relays need the correct wattage bulbs to function, and both (on one side) has to work. If you change bulb-type/size (LED), you will have problems. And will have to swap the relay with a "LED" compatible relay. Wiring size will not do any difference, as long as it works...
Update** I have working flashers!! I'm not sure what the real issue was but I removed the front bulbs and cleaned out the sockets for the front indicators with a baking soda paste (one was very corroded). I did a ton of swapping around bulbs to see what worked where with bulbs I knew to be good. I also pulled the relay out mostly because I wanted to know where it was and how to get it out. I put grease on all the connections and put everything back together. I had a lot of trouble getting both of the front bulbs to twist in properly. When I started the bike the relay was buzzing! So... unplugged it and plugged it back in and monkeyed with the bulbs again. This time success. My idle is high and if it wasn't the bulbs would not flash. I'm still going to have to get that worked out but my first wiring job is complete and seems to at least be connected properly. Thanks again for the replies.
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
