Indicator Relay Gremlins

[MarkTST]

Help!!

It's probably not the first time a topic has started off like this! I have just installed 4 nice new LED indicators to my Raptor 1000, replacing the conventional ones. Having read other posts on here, I followed advice and installed a new relay. Switched on the engine, tested the new indicators and all worked fine - woo hoo, Or so I thought.

On my way to work the next day, I discovered that the indicators don't work once the engine revs above tick over. Replaced relay in case it was duff and still the same. Checked all connections, etc and again still the same.

I am no techie or mechanic so any advice would be greatly appreciated

[Miz]

I would start by checking your charging circuit out. Measure the voltage at the battery, engine off, engine at tickover, engine revving. Let us know what you find.

[shedmonkey]

It may be you will have to fit resistors .

[Aussiejoe]

Have you replaced the original flasher unit with an LED one? It sounds like when you increase the revs the indicators are actually flashing that fast that they look like they're constantly on.

[MarkTST]

I sure have. I bought 2 as I thought the first one was faulty. Once the engine revs go up the indicators go off, not stay on permanently.

I'm putting my battery on trickle charge overnight to see if that makes any difference, I'll let you know the result

[Aussiejoe]

I was thinking after I posted, does flasher unit translated from Aussie to English mean relay
If your bike starts alright it's not your battery, LED's use a lot less electrical power than your standard indicators. The thing with a bike's charging system, is that the voltage output of it increases as the revs increase, so they're getting too much current.

Hey Shedmonkey, what do you know about fitting resistors?

I'm curious how you go Mark, I want to convert from halogen ones to LEDs too.

What happens if you disconnect all your indicator lights except one, does it flash by itself when the revs go up?

[shedmonkey]

Before the days when you could get led specific relays (flasher units) you had to fit a shunt resistor across the led to increase the current so that the flasher unit would flash at the correct speed the likes of heine gerricke(other sppliers are available) used to sell them.

[MarkTST]

Bit of an update for ya'll.
Charged the battery, hasn't made a difference at all. Measured the output of the battery, with ignition off 12v, ticking over it goes up to 14v, then with the engine around 6k rpm, it flickers between 13 and 14v. Does this sound about right Miz?

[dizzyblonde]

May I suggest with readings like that, you check your regulator/rectifier ?. SVs, and indeed Raptors suffer from failed ones, battery outputs appear quite high when revving.
Have a look at your headlight, and see if it dims when you rev your bike. Check also to see if theres no holes in the wiring, and its earthing funny, chaffed wiring might be making things go awry.

I'm rubbish at relaying technical stuff.....so I could be talking utter swoallocks!

However, I've had enough electrical gremlins on my Vtwins to sink a battle ship

[shebee]

Between 13v and 14v when running is fine, most charging systems I have come across run at about 13.8v.

[shedmonkey]

I agree up to but not a lot over 14v is fine.