turn signal flasher question

[bluesman]

Hello All,
I am new to the site as a member but have been lurking for some time. I have 1979 R100Rs minus the fairing. For some time my signals have been working only intermitently. I have removed the flasher and taken it apart and while plugged in I can get it to work by messing with different relays and such, put it back together, ride for a few days but eventually it quits working. My question is if there is a less expensive alternative to the 90.00 dollar Hella that is stock.

Thank You,

[Ken in Oklahoma]

Welcome to the forum bluesman


Here is some info that I had saved to my computer for future reference. I don't know where it came from nor it's validity. But it just might prove useful.

Flasher Unit
The turn signal flasher unit on older twins is made by Hella. You'll find it in the headlamp, a black box about 1"x1"x1.5", with four terminals which plug into a white plastic block. This fancy relay costs about $75 for the genuine item, which is just silly. In many cases, you can substitute a generic unit.
A common three-terminal flasher unit, which you can buy at any auto parts store, can be used. Disconnect the four wires from the white terminal block at the flasher by inserting a small screwdriver down the wire under the plastic. Tape up the brown wire, and forget it. Put the black/white wire on the center terminal of the three on the new flasher unit, and the other two (green/yellow and green/white) on the two side terminals. Your turn signals should now work! Do the job nicely, and insulate the bare terminal ends with a bit of tape or shrink-fit tubing. Dump the black box, and tape or tie the new flasher relay onto the old relay's tab mount.
This simple modification works with electronic heavy duty flasher units (eg. Tridon electronic HD13) or light-duty bi-metal flasher units. You can also use a two-terminal flasher unit, by installing diodes in certain wires to prevent a back-flow of current. This used to be a fairly common modification -- it was written up some years ago in the MOA -- but the three-terminal flasher route is easier.
NOTE: Don't use an American three-terminal type as a direct substitute for a three-terminal Wehrle - made flasher relay (grey plastic case) used on some BMWs -- the relay will go up in smoke.


And here is another bit of information I had saved. Same disclaimer.

The 4-prong flasher unit on the 78RS is a pretty expensive unit to replace...and, pretty tough to find... But, a standard 3-prong flasher unit can be used...here's how I did it:

First, get a relay socket or a headlight socket...

Then, put male spade connectors on the three wires that the new flasher unit will use (plug it into the socket to see which terminals will be used).

The new flasher will have a "P" an "L" and an "X" ...you want to plug the wires from the new socket into the existing flasher socket...match the "P" to the black/white wire (your dash light indicator)...match the "L" to the green/yellow wire (the "load"...i.e. the turn signals)...and, the "X" to the green/black wire (+12V supply). The fourth prong (that the new flasher won't have) is brown...for ground...the new flasher doesn't need a ground.

By using a relay or headlight socket, you can always revert to stock in moments. In fact, a relay socket is one of those things I carry with me when I'm on the road...lots of things it can be used for.



Ken

[2valve]

$90.0 for a flasher can , is that the oem one ? go to your nearest auto electrician , im pretty sure some cars also use this style of relay , well thats how i remember where i got mine from but it was a long time ago when i built the bike.

[Kurt in S.A.]

Lots of good info here:

http://www.airheads.org/content/view/159/98/

Kurt in S.A.

[bluesman]

Thanks everyone, I kind of figured someone here had an answer for an alternate.

[moosehead]

I've used the Tridon 550 flasher on 3 different bikes when OEM unit went tits up. Work great.

HOWEVER, these substitute units do not indicte a bulb outage as does the OEM unit. With the OEM units your indicator light on idiot light cluster flashes at faster rate when a bulb burns out or disconnects. The substitute Tridon 550 units just keep flashing at same rate so you have no indication of any bulb failure. Just thought you should know.

Its not a big deal to me but you may have other concerns that would justify the OEM unit.

I've tried other brands to see if flash rate changes when remove a bulb and havn't found one that does have that feature.

If any one finds such a unit for under $20 let us know

[bluesman]

OK, so I replaced the orginal flasher with one from NAPA PN ND550, $4.99, Everything works well except now I have no indicator light on the dash, and no I didn't check to see if there was voltage from the B/W wire befor I buttoned it all up. I didn't notice until I went to start it up for a ride. Probably a bulb? Anyway thanks for all the info, I figure I probably saved at least $65-75.00 or should I say you all saved me the money.

Thanks

[Airbear]

Good to hear that you have had success and saved some dollars. Do yourself a favour and sort out the idiot light on the dash - it is very easy to forget that the indicators are on, and somebody might think you are turning, when you are really going straight ahead. Not a nice outcome for a bike.

[bbelk]

Welcome to the forum bluesman


Here is some info that I had saved to my computer for future reference. I don't know where it came from nor it's validity. But it just might prove useful.

Flasher Unit
The turn signal flasher unit on older twins is made by Hella. You'll find it in the headlamp, a black box about 1"x1"x1.5", with four terminals which plug into a white plastic block. This fancy relay costs about $75 for the genuine item, which is just silly. In many cases, you can substitute a generic unit.
A common three-terminal flasher unit, which you can buy at any auto parts store, can be used. Disconnect the four wires from the white terminal block at the flasher by inserting a small screwdriver down the wire under the plastic. Tape up the brown wire, and forget it. Put the black/white wire on the center terminal of the three on the new flasher unit, and the other two (green/yellow and green/white) on the two side terminals. Your turn signals should now work! Do the job nicely, and insulate the bare terminal ends with a bit of tape or shrink-fit tubing. Dump the black box, and tape or tie the new flasher relay onto the old relay's tab mount.
This simple modification works with electronic heavy duty flasher units (eg. Tridon electronic HD13) or light-duty bi-metal flasher units. You can also use a two-terminal flasher unit, by installing diodes in certain wires to prevent a back-flow of current. This used to be a fairly common modification -- it was written up some years ago in the MOA -- but the three-terminal flasher route is easier.
NOTE: Don't use an American three-terminal type as a direct substitute for a three-terminal Wehrle - made flasher relay (grey plastic case) used on some BMWs -- the relay will go up in smoke.


And here is another bit of information I had saved. Same disclaimer.

The 4-prong flasher unit on the 78RS is a pretty expensive unit to replace...and, pretty tough to find... But, a standard 3-prong flasher unit can be used...here's how I did it:

First, get a relay socket or a headlight socket...

Then, put male spade connectors on the three wires that the new flasher unit will use (plug it into the socket to see which terminals will be used).

The new flasher will have a "P" an "L" and an "X" ...you want to plug the wires from the new socket into the existing flasher socket...match the "P" to the black/white wire (your dash light indicator)...match the "L" to the green/yellow wire (the "load"...i.e. the turn signals)...and, the "X" to the green/black wire (+12V supply). The fourth prong (that the new flasher won't have) is brown...for ground...the new flasher doesn't need a ground.

By using a relay or headlight socket, you can always revert to stock in moments. In fact, a relay socket is one of those things I carry with me when I'm on the road...lots of things it can be used for.



Ken

I went and bought a three prong electronic flasher and fashioned an adapter to plug it into the white plastic four prong female in the headlight bucket. My first attempt connected the single indicator bulb to the same line that goes to the turn signal switch on the handlebar. The signals work fine, but the indicator light flashes anytime the key is on. I just compared the terminal labels on the new relay to the ones in Ken's post above and they don't match. He mentions the P, L and X terminals and mine has B, E and L terminals.

A lot of folks have mentioned on other posts that they were able to get the three prong relay to work. I wonder if they had a single dash indicator like the R90/6 does or duel (left and right) dash indicators like my R65 has. I can see how the duel indicator system would work just fine with the relay I have, but it is not working on my single indicator R90.

[ME 109]

.....and mine has B, E and L terminals.

You prolly wrote your name on it and the K rubbed off?