Indicator Relay Number 3!

[fry61]

And we still haven't given the first post an answer that works

[Guest HS88]

sorry for time away from here.Thanks for all of the replies and interesting discussion.

 

In the two previously broken relays, upon opening I have found that the trip of metal that comes through the base to the coil is the one which has melted/overheated/distorted and hence snapped breaking the circuit.

 

Since this started, I have put a fuse in inline to try and prevent damage to the £10 relay as opposed to the fuse which is more like pennies.

 

I get the impression all of you are eluding to me having a short somewhere so I had better get the torch out and look under the dash for damaged wires, and also remove all bulbs and try each one one-by-one.

 

Thanks all so far. I hope to investigate this weekend if I can tear myself away from my shiny bike carbs picked up today..

[Guest HS88]

Having now blown a few more fuses I have established that the left (and consequently hazards) blow the fuses. The right side works fine.

 

I am now looking for a short somewhere in the left side.

 

I believe this is backed up in the fact that my alarm fuses for flashing the indicators have only blown for the left side. The right still work.

 

Thanks

[Longboarder]

'The right side works fine'

 

Thats handy because it confirms that the circuits up to and including the column switches are OK. So you only need to check the wire from the L terminal on the column switch out to each of the lights (front left, rear left and repeater left) not forgetting the little loop up to the dash warning light.

 

Nigel

[Guest HS88]

Thanks Nigel. I'll try and locate all of the wiring. Could take some time since whoever put the wires in when built left them in a mess

[Guest HS88]

Seems to be working now although I don't know what I have done to make I work. Im going to have to keep looking for what I can only assume is a loose or damaged wire which is shorting out somewhere...

[Longboarder]

You have probably wiggled the short away from where it was making contact so all is temporarily well. It will wiggle it's way back again so you have to keep searching. But at least it's probably in the area of the bits you wiggled. That might narrow down the search area a bit more.

[Guest HS88]

Thanks. I think that narrows it down to all of the wires under the dash. Nice and easy to get to!! Grrrr.

 

Thanks for the help. I hope I can find it somewhere.

[Guest HS88]

It's still blowing the fuses and I feel I have examined almost every inch if exposed wire. Do I remove the loom to examine further, cut the wires and rewire the left hand side or what????

 

Thanks.

[edbond]

I would either disconnect all indicators bar 1 set (rear, front or side) test and see if it blows...if not, add another etc.

 

Or

 

Replace sections of cable again, just section from rears to switch, run ground back to battery....then keep replacing.....eventually you will either Id fault or replace all wiring!

[Guest HS88]

Thanks. I think from my alarm's two fuses that it's the left side causing the problems.

 

So as you say I need to check the front and rear wire.

 

I suspect that bumps in the road are causing a wire to short somewhere. I think the most likely place is the front loom as it passes into the engine bay since I am able to see almost all of the wires going to the rear and they look okay.

 

Thanks again. I shall try to check the wires to the front again. Failing that I'll be fitting new wires to the left side to see if that fixes it!!

[fry61]

May I suggest you replace the fuse with a lamp (bulb to yanks)use as a high wattage as poss. around 40/50 should do. Then operate your indicators,they won't run at normal speed or brilliance but no worrys. When the fault occurs the indicators won't glow but the test lamp will !!! at full briliance; you have now recreated the fault without blowing more fuses or cooking the wiring.

 

To connect the lamp into the fuseway use a blown fuse with flying leads soldered to each pin, & connect to each side of test lamp.

[Guest HS88]

Ah brilliant. Thanks very much florin! So to find the fault would you suggest I then wriggle the wires in different positions along the lengths to front and back and see which wiggling sets off the lamp/bulb?

 

Cheers

[fry61]

That's about it mate, you MAY find the prob. but for certain you won't blow any more fuses or set fire to your loom.

[Guest HS88]

Thanks. So with a lamp fitted my indicators wont work but it will tell me when the fault occurs?

 

Cheers