Indicator misbehaviour

Yesterday on the return leg of a run after a 5-week hibernation (my 1993
Trident 900, not me) I discovered that the indicators had stopped working.
The switch and canceller operated OK, but nothing was forthcoming from the
indicators or their associated idiot lights. All other lights were
working normally. After several fruitless goes, I assumed the relay had
packed up, said "****" and resigned myself to hand signals for the
remainder of my journey home.

Once home and after a few more fruitless goes at the switch, I had the
bright ands slightly desperate idea of trying the hazard button instead.
Voila! All four indicators leapt into life. Then I tried the indicator
switch. Yippee! They worked. I put the bike away happy but puzzled, and
slightly concerned that the problem would recur.

Anyone any ideas as to what this apparently transient fault might have
been?

 

Well... having cursed the wiring on a Trident of that age in the past
(luverly plugs+sockets, IIRC), ISTR it was a very low-tech flasher, of
the hot bi-metallic strip persuasion.

They do have a nasty habit of getting lazy. When you put hazards on,
it's probably getting twice the current, thus 4x (I^2) its normal
heating applied, thus kicking it into life. Any damp, causing corrosion
causing poor switch contact up at the bars might cause problems, but I
can't remember if there's a relay in there somewhere (and low current at
the bars end)

I think the 5-week hibernation might be a clue also. If you're getting
the same behaviour frequently, there just might be a battery or charging
issue, but it's less likely than the flasher unit* itself if it started
OK, etc.

I think we'll have to be doing this in five cent increments soon...

Cheers,

S.

PS: The fix, if its easily un-pluggable might be just to warm it on a
radiator overnight - too long ago, but I've a folk memory that
everything about their wiring is horrid.

*snot a relay really.

 

Sticky flasher relay.

 

wrote:

Wotcha.

You didn't park anywhere near an MZ did you ? ;-)

 

Thus spake SpamTrapSeeSig () unto the assembled multitudes:

Interesting. Thanks for that tip (same to TOG).

Never had this problem before, and it's often laid up for weeks at a time
in winter (in a garage that's normally dry but cold). In fact this is the
first 'leccy problem I've ever had *apart* from corroded starter relay
terminals a few years aback, and I've owned the bike since August 1996.
Also, I keep the battery plugged in to an Optimate, so it's always fully
charged before a run, and the battery is less than 2 years old.

Like I said, never had any 'leccy issues before, but I guess now that it's
in its 16th year maybe some signs of electrical senility might be starting
to appear. Still love it, though.