No indicators or tail light??

20-07-2012, 02:10 PM

I've been rebuilding my 95 M600, Wednesday was the day when we tried to start it and check the electrics.

Apart from not having ether cylinder firing as we got the coils mixed up we now have discovered that the nice new LED indicators arn't working at all and nether is the tail light, the only light that works is the headlight.

We have changed the dash and wired it in correctly but I can't see how wiring that in could effect the function of the tail light or the blinkers?

Help

slob · 20-07-2012, 02:56 PM

are they all LED? is the polarity correct?

20-07-2012, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slob

are they all LED? is the polarity correct?

Tail/brake light is standard bulb and the 4 blinkers are all LED. How do you check Polarity?

As you can guess, I'm a beginner at this bike building thing.

slob · 20-07-2012, 03:09 PM

LEDs only work one way so have a definite +ve and -ve, bulbs are more forgiving.
'ie' bikes have the flasher relay built into the clocks, not sure where the relay lives on older bikes.
Do you have a multimeter to check you're actualy getting 12v at the back of the bike and what is +/- at the indicators. Also did you get any instructions with the indicators? LEDs often need ballast resistors to sort out the flash rate.

gary tompkins · 20-07-2012, 04:06 PM

Check the fuses

Nickj · 20-07-2012, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slob

'ie' bikes have the flasher relay built into the clocks, not sure where the relay lives on older bikes.

Down under the left butt cheek... depending of course on year of production, previous modifications and if you're sitting on the bike and not the comfy chair.

Comfy chairs usually don't have indicators, thought I'd better add that for clarity

Nickj · 20-07-2012, 07:26 PM

Adding LEDs will need a different relay that's designed to cope with the much lower resistances. With a bulb your heating up a bit of tungsten wire to white hot, hence the wattage rating. The LEDS eat a miniscule current in comparison which means a standard relay may flash really fast or it might not flash at all.
You either add a big resistor to fool the standard relay or a different relay that is designed to switch at much lower current levels

slob · 20-07-2012, 07:58 PM

I like Gary's 'check the fuses', easy wins first...

21-07-2012, 04:08 AM

We checked the fuses, but I'll be double checking them today. I know which is the indi relay and that has definitely got power going to it. If I swapped the relay to a LED one will it make my tail light suddenly work as well?

uksurfer · 21-07-2012, 05:17 AM

Bad earth connection, or rear tail light bulb has blown?

gary tompkins · 21-07-2012, 10:20 AM

If the indicators and tail light are both out this suggests a loom wire or connector fault. Use a multi meter on the wiring and trace the fault back to it's source. Make sure the fuses are ok, you are getting 12V to the loom, and the earth return is ok which could be shared for both circuits.

Nickj · 21-07-2012, 01:44 PM

All of the negatives join up into the loom about 3cms into the wrap.
Disconnect the earth/negative on the tail light and see if you get 12v when the lights are on if you do then hold it onto the frame somewhere, the seat latch mechanism would do nicely and see if you get lights.
The wiring does get a bit fragile after a few years and the earth/negative wires are prone to corrosion (green fluffy crap) if the damp gets in, wires like this will break really easily.

01-09-2012, 02:33 PM

OK so my indicators have gone today as well!!

I put some Oxford nano LED ones on the back and I think (from what I have been told) it just overloaded the relay.

Any thoughts guys?

01-09-2012, 03:27 PM

I found the LED relay needed replacing as the indicators sort of blinked so fast that they didn't light at all. I found some one selling them on amazon I think.

01-09-2012, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reaperman

I found the LED relay needed replacing as the indicators sort of blinked so fast that they didn't light at all. I found some one selling them on amazon I think.

Thanks, I did a search on amazon and just ordered one (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...ls_o01_s00_i00). Lets hope it does the job

20-07-2012, 02:10 PM	#1
Reaperman Guest Posts: n/a	No indicators or tail light?? I've been rebuilding my 95 M600, Wednesday was the day when we tried to start it and check the electrics. Apart from not having ether cylinder firing as we got the coils mixed up we now have discovered that the nice new LED indicators arn't working at all and nether is the tail light, the only light that works is the headlight. We have changed the dash and wired it in correctly but I can't see how wiring that in could effect the function of the tail light or the blinkers? Help

20-07-2012, 04:06 PM	#5
gary tompkins 1/2 man - 1/2 pogo-stick Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Dartford, Kent Bike: M900ie Posts: 7,241	Check the fuses __________________ GT Fully paid up member of the S.A.S. (Scottoiler Appreciation Society) 27,000 miles on original chain - and still going strong!

20-07-2012, 07:26 PM	#7
Nickj Too much time on my hands member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Forest Of Dean Bike: S2r Posts: 3,196	Adding LEDs will need a different relay that's designed to cope with the much lower resistances. With a bulb your heating up a bit of tungsten wire to white hot, hence the wattage rating. The LEDS eat a miniscule current in comparison which means a standard relay may flash really fast or it might not flash at all. You either add a big resistor to fool the standard relay or a different relay that is designed to switch at much lower current levels __________________ "The final measure of any rider's skill is the inverse ratio of his preferred Traveling Speed to the number of bad scars on his body." Song of the sausage creature

21-07-2012, 05:17 AM	#10
uksurfer Its all grey now Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: southampton Bike: M1200s Posts: 2,940	Bad earth connection, or rear tail light bulb has blown? __________________ Evolution - M600 - S4 - M796 - M1100evo - M1200s

21-07-2012, 10:20 AM	#11
gary tompkins 1/2 man - 1/2 pogo-stick Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Dartford, Kent Bike: M900ie Posts: 7,241	If the indicators and tail light are both out this suggests a loom wire or connector fault. Use a multi meter on the wiring and trace the fault back to it's source. Make sure the fuses are ok, you are getting 12V to the loom, and the earth return is ok which could be shared for both circuits. __________________ GT Fully paid up member of the S.A.S. (Scottoiler Appreciation Society) 27,000 miles on original chain - and still going strong!

20-07-2012, 02:56 PM	#2
slob . Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: East London Bike: Multiple Monsters Posts: 9,714	are they all LED? is the polarity correct?

20-07-2012, 03:09 PM	#4
slob . Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: East London Bike: Multiple Monsters Posts: 9,714	LEDs only work one way so have a definite +ve and -ve, bulbs are more forgiving. 'ie' bikes have the flasher relay built into the clocks, not sure where the relay lives on older bikes. Do you have a multimeter to check you're actualy getting 12v at the back of the bike and what is +/- at the indicators. Also did you get any instructions with the indicators? LEDs often need ballast resistors to sort out the flash rate.

20-07-2012, 07:58 PM	#8
slob . Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: East London Bike: Multiple Monsters Posts: 9,714	I like Gary's 'check the fuses', easy wins first...

21-07-2012, 04:08 AM	#9
Reaperman Guest Posts: n/a	We checked the fuses, but I'll be double checking them today. I know which is the indi relay and that has definitely got power going to it. If I swapped the relay to a LED one will it make my tail light suddenly work as well?

21-07-2012, 01:44 PM	#12
Nickj Too much time on my hands member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Forest Of Dean Bike: S2r Posts: 3,196	All of the negatives join up into the loom about 3cms into the wrap. Disconnect the earth/negative on the tail light and see if you get 12v when the lights are on if you do then hold it onto the frame somewhere, the seat latch mechanism would do nicely and see if you get lights. The wiring does get a bit fragile after a few years and the earth/negative wires are prone to corrosion (green fluffy crap) if the damp gets in, wires like this will break really easily. __________________ "The final measure of any rider's skill is the inverse ratio of his preferred Traveling Speed to the number of bad scars on his body." Song of the sausage creature

01-09-2012, 02:33 PM	#13
northantsrich Guest Posts: n/a	lol OK so my indicators have gone today as well!! I put some Oxford nano LED ones on the back and I think (from what I have been told) it just overloaded the relay. Any thoughts guys?

01-09-2012, 03:27 PM	#14
Reaperman Guest Posts: n/a	I found the LED relay needed replacing as the indicators sort of blinked so fast that they didn't light at all. I found some one selling them on amazon I think.