Odd turnsignal problem

[pgman]

This just started yesterday. 2001 Suzuki VZ800 with generic electronic flasher unit replacing OEM (to fix fast-flash on LED signals). Everything has been working perfectly since I did the LED conversion and all my connections are soldered and sealed (with heat shrink tubing).

The left turn signal works perfectly but the right turn signal flashes BOTH fronts and the right rear - also the yellow indicator on the speedo doesn't work when the right TS is on but it works normally with the left TS (this bike only has one TS indicator for the rider). It seems to me that my ground is not good for the right TS circuit (and thus there is no Voltage drop across the speedometer lamp - it just back feeds through the left TS stalk) but I am not sure why this would be. I have a schematic and I suppose I need to get into it and figure out where the problem is likely to be, but my first thought is a bad switch. I say this because this bike sat outside some before I bought it and the starter switch is also corroded and sometimes won't work (you have to press on it and wiggle it a bit). I wonder if anyone here knows if this symptom is a classic sign of a bad switch?

[Aussie Steve]

Well the bad switches certaily will cloud the issue. I would check the ground wires for the offending idicators when you use the RH. The righ rear should flash when you switch the RH side on yes??? so I reckon the front LH is shorting out when you use the RH side OK???

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by pgman

I wonder if anyone here knows if this symptom is a classic sign of a bad switch?

Well, no, it is a classic sign of a bad ground..........like you mentioned farther up in your message.

Now, the question IS: What goes through the switch? +12V or ground?
With some things, Suzuki is strange but if the switch does the "hot" lead, then you have an earth/frame ground problem.

I'm thinking the effects will be even more wierd and confusing with the LEDs.

I don't remember the exact symptoms but I had an old Honda once that I had to put a ground strap from the steering head to the frame to make the lights work right.

[pgman]

Thanks for the input, folks. I am going to go out and have a look at it in a little while. When I was doing the LED conversion, I remember that the circuit layout for the turn signals was really odd (so, in this case, Suzuki is off their rocker). I am not sure why they designed the circuit the way they did, but the switch is a two-pole design and it feeds current through the speedometer lamp one way for left and the opposite way for right (which complicates the conversion fo the speedometer indicator lamp to LED). My guess is that one of the poles of the switch has failed internally, although I plan to look at ALL my grounds first.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by pgman

I am not sure why they designed the circuit the way they did, but the switch is a two-pole design and it feeds current through the speedometer lamp one way for left and the opposite way for right (which complicates the conversion fo the speedometer indicator lamp to LED).

It also complicates adding a Pizo buzzer to the signals........which would be duck-soup simple, if it wasn't for the polarity difference. I have one at the base of the light on the dash-board (different model) and haven't finished the project yet so I have a beep on left turns but not right!!

It was during that "simple" 20 minute project that took 3 hours (and still isn't done) that I became intimately familiar with the puny battery and charging system on my GZ250.

[pgman]

Well, its fixed and I am not going to try to make sound more complicated than it was. The left rear lamp had failed.

I still haven't studied the wiring diagram but, if memory serves, this makes sense because the circuit design uses the opposite-side lamp to complete the circuit to the speedometer indicator. In any event, all is well once again. Its a good thing I didn't take the headlight out and remove the left side cover to look at all the wiring before I thought to double-check the lamps

I swear, officer, I thought that light was working...

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by pgman

the circuit design uses the opposite-side lamp to complete the circuit to the speedometer indicator. .

I'm not gonna look at my manual 'cause I don't want to know.........but I will remember what you said for future reference !!! Thanks.