cowpuc Posted July 22, 2014 Share #26 Posted July 22, 2014 And the trailer is totally disconnected? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowpuc Posted July 22, 2014 Share #27 Posted July 22, 2014 Sarge, with the emergency flashers off, try your blinkers and see if you can determine whether or not the dim/bright condition happens only with one of the positions of the blinker switch,, only when right or left blinker is turned on.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarges46 Posted July 22, 2014 Author Share #28 Posted July 22, 2014 Both left or right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyinfool Posted July 22, 2014 Share #29 Posted July 22, 2014 Does applying the brake have any effect on the turn signals? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowpuc Posted July 22, 2014 Share #30 Posted July 22, 2014 That probably eleminates a short or bad ground out on the blinkers themselves and leads me to point in the area of the flasher unit itself or before the flasher in the circuitry.. As mentioned earlier, have you checked the harness where it might rub or get pinched in the neck area - look closely at the harness itself for evidence of pinching.. Also check the harness on the bike that leads to the trailer for the same thing.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarges46 Posted July 22, 2014 Author Share #31 Posted July 22, 2014 Didn't try that. We are having a bite to eat and I will have a look. We are going to roll with no signal lights for now. Going to try and get 300 miles closer! Got 400 yesterday. Heading for rain though. This stuff makes me nuts! And I sure appreciate the help. Can't really call as we only have 40 minutes of call time with our plan. Text we can do. Once we leave here I will lose internet on the tablet until the next hot spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowpuc Posted July 22, 2014 Share #32 Posted July 22, 2014 Hey Sarge You mentioned bad weather happening at the time all this began.. Had you by any chance been operating your 4 ways for a period while riding in the rain? It is possible between the bike and the trailer light draw that you burned out a flasher unit.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarges46 Posted July 22, 2014 Author Share #33 Posted July 22, 2014 Nope we had a smidgen at the start of the day. We beat everything else by 15 minutes or so. So we didn't get caught at all really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowpuc Posted July 22, 2014 Share #34 Posted July 22, 2014 Didn't try that. We are having a bite to eat and I will have a look. We are going to roll with no signal lights for now. Going to try and get 300 miles closer! Got 400 yesterday. Heading for rain though. This stuff makes me nuts! And I sure appreciate the help. Can't really call as we only have 40 minutes of call time with our plan. Text we can do. Once we leave here I will lose internet on the tablet until the next hot spot. Sounds good! Be careful out there and dont be shy with those hand signals my friend!!! Will be watching for an update as the day progresses! Puc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarges46 Posted July 22, 2014 Author Share #35 Posted July 22, 2014 Thanks Scott. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowpuc Posted July 22, 2014 Share #36 Posted July 22, 2014 Your welcome Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarges46 Posted July 22, 2014 Author Share #37 Posted July 22, 2014 OK I retryed the signal. I do have good right signal but not left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarges46 Posted July 22, 2014 Author Share #38 Posted July 22, 2014 We are gone one the road again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowpuc Posted July 22, 2014 Share #39 Posted July 22, 2014 (edited) OK I retryed the signal. I do have good right signal but not left. Ok,, now we are getting somewhere.. That probably (never underestimate the sneakyness of an electrical system - always leave room for the unexpected) means the problem is somewhere within the wiring leading to one of the lights that flash on the left side.. With electrical systems, narrowing the issue down is half the battle.. Again Sarge, I am assuming that the problem is happening WITHOUT the trailer wiring attached.. It is possible that you have something as simple as a filment in a light bulb that has found ground somehow. Take the lense covers off on your blinkers on the left side, remove the bulbs and check em carefully and make sure the filamints in them are still attached to the posts as they should be.. If you happen to have an ohm meter with you - bike key off, blinker selector switch in neutral (neither on for left or right), turn on the meter, put it on Ohms, touch the test leads together to make sure the meter is working - you will see a change on the meter reading when you touch em together.. With the bulbs removed from the left blinkers, look into a socket that one of the bulbs set in, notice the contact spot in the center of the base where the bulb sets.. Place one of the test leads from the meter against that little spot of lead - make sure your not touching the wall around the spot with the meter lead. Touch the other meter lead against a clean from paint spot on either the frame or the engine. If the meter shows a change in its reading you probably have a fray of wire touching somewhere - this is called a short or a closed circuit.. If the meter does not change, this is good - the circuit is "open".. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU REMOVE ALL THE BULBS THAT SERVE AS BLINKERS WHEN TESTING - any bulbs left in service will cause a faults reading.. Now put the test lead that you had on the center of the socket onto the edge of the socket and no longer touching the center spot, against the wall where the base of the light bulb would make contact and keep the frame/engine test lead touching the frame/engine.. The socket that the bulbs set in are wired as ground for the light bulbs.. Testing here you should get LOW ohms (infinitly) and your meter should ring if it has an audible.. If this test "open" (or no change in your meter reading) you have probably got a ground wire at the base of the blinker bulb socket that has broken loose.. Depending on how its wired, a loss of this ground could easily cause voltage to pass back thru the system and cause exactly what your describing.. Bad grounding (or that ground wire coming loose) doesnt always result in a "short" and its usually some form of shorting that will cause a fuse to go.. BUT,,, a ground wire - like the one attached internally to the base of a light bulb socket, that has come loose and is causing a low/dim scenario like your experiencing WILL cause a "short" if it happens to bump against a positive wire causing the positive to go to ground (thats what a short is).. Hope this helps somehow Sarge and isnt to confusing.. Remember I mentioned to leave room for other possibilies? There are lots of other area's that the problem could be coming from, handle bar switch, terminal area (might be inside the headlight on the 2nd Gen), a relay ect... If it were mine I would start where I suggested as it seems like those extended blinkers get a lot of movement and exaggurate viberations and thats what usually causes wires to break and such.. (THIS IS AN EDITED VERSION AND SUBJECT TO MORE EDITING AS OTHERS CHIME IN WITH SUGGESTIONS) Edited July 22, 2014 by cowpuc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyinfool Posted July 22, 2014 Share #40 Posted July 22, 2014 Ok,, now we are getting somewhere. Now put the test lead that you had on the center of the socket onto the edge of the socket and no longer touching the center spot, against the wall where the base of the light bulb would make contact and keep the frame/engine test lead touching the frame/engine.. The socket that the bulbs set in are wired as ground for the light bulbs.. Testing here you should get high ohms (infinitly) and your meter should ring if it has an audible.. If this test "open" (or no change in your meter reading) you have probably a wire to the base of the blinker bulb socket .. Depending on how its wired, a loss of this ground could easily cause voltage to pass back thru the system and cause exactly what your describing.. Um......... I know what you meant but,,,,, should this not be LOW ohms (near zero)? And a high or open reading would mean that the ground wire to that bulb is broken or has a bad connection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowpuc Posted July 22, 2014 Share #41 Posted July 22, 2014 Um......... I know what you meant but,,,,, should this not be LOW ohms (near zero)? And a high or open reading would mean that the ground wire to that bulb is broken or has a bad connection. Oppss,, my bad,, indeed Fool,, gotta go back now and edit that,, anyone else wanna join in here with corrections or thoughts PLEASE feel free to do so!!!! Thanks Jeff for your assistance! Puc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brake Pad Posted July 22, 2014 Share #42 Posted July 22, 2014 Would water in a bulb housing do this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowpuc Posted July 22, 2014 Share #43 Posted July 22, 2014 Would water in a bulb housing do this? IMHO, water in the bulb housing would have to cause enough resistance between the bulb base and the wall of the socket it is grounding to in order to cause voltage to seek another path thru the system (the result being that notorious condition of dim/bright).. Also, it would be very difficult for the water itself to cause an actual short - the type needed to blow a fuse - water is a conductor but not a very good one, I doubt water could carry enough amperage at 12 volts to actually over come the natural resistance of the water and pop a fuse.. Again, IMHO... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarges46 Posted July 23, 2014 Author Share #44 Posted July 23, 2014 Lmao while saying huh! I will check those by eye in the morning! Actually managed to hook up with Tom and Terry. Fed watered and camp set up! Having an adult beverage now! OK maybe more than one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ragtop69gs Posted July 23, 2014 Share #45 Posted July 23, 2014 Lmao while saying huh! I will check those by eye in the morning! Actually managed to hook up with Tom and Terry. Fed watered and camp set up! Having an adult beverage now! OK maybe more than one. Uh-O.... Now that you've hooked up with Tom & Teri you may find it hard to get any work done! He is an excellent windshield mechanic though, just ask him. Say hi to those two from Jay & Jeannie. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monty Posted July 23, 2014 Share #46 Posted July 23, 2014 I've been out of town all week, and just saw this. Did you get it worked out yet? Still headed this way? If you make it to here, wiring is my strong point. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Owl Posted July 23, 2014 Share #47 Posted July 23, 2014 Just had an opportunity to read this thread. Where are you? If you are around the cities, I know a guy who knows a guy who knows etc etc. We could try and get you hooked up with Big John, the electrical engineer to see if he could help figure it out. You folks know him. He sponsors the breakfast at the Pork in the Pines. Call if you need anything....Parts, a ride, etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubber Posted July 23, 2014 Share #48 Posted July 23, 2014 Just had an opportunity to read this thread. Where are you? If you are around the cities, I know a guy who knows a guy who knows etc etc. We could try and get you hooked up with Big John, the electrical engineer to see if he could help figure it out. You folks know him. He sponsors the breakfast at the Pork in the Pines. Call if you need anything....Parts, a ride, etc A day late and a dollar short.......Again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowdy7 Posted July 23, 2014 Share #49 Posted July 23, 2014 Sarge, I had a similar problem a few months back and found the problem was a bad wire under the seat just behind the battery where my modulator for the tail lights is hooked up. Repaired the wire and good to go. Hope yours is that simple. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarges46 Posted July 24, 2014 Author Share #50 Posted July 24, 2014 Again we stopped and set up went to eat and came back in the dark! I promise to check those bulbs in the morning! Long day today after abusing my body last night! By the time I got done my shower Marilyn had the camper down and hooked up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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