Solid State Blinker Mystery

XJers,

Here's the mystery -- all explained below. I purchased this flasher relay: http://napaonline.com/Catalog/CatalogIt ... 0325403458

It is driving the AM blinkeys you see below...

Here's the issue: The unit has a small hole through which the ground wire (black) protrudes (it is grounded to the frame by the bolt on the coils) and that hole allows water in...

Now, I power wahsed the bike (self-wash car wash style) and this hole allowed minute water drops to accumulate inside the unit, and, as a result, it flashed inconsistently, or would "hang on" -- and sorta flash, but then after a few hours of driving, the heat from the engine drove the moisture out and it operated properly.

As a result, I tried to seal the hole with a dab of clear silicone caulk... drove for a while with no issues -- then washed the bike again the other week and somehow, more water was driven in (I believe the connector prongs ar not fully sealed) -- well, no wories, I thought, it will dry out again... Now several days later it did indeed dry out, but the unit was not the same... here is what it would do:

Operaing it motor off -- just off battery -- and the unit snaps away and produces a perfect flash (both sides), but on starting the bike, the flash would be inconsistent, or it would hang... So I thought "well you messed up the solid state circuitry wetting it twice, I guess it blew the unit..." -- (by the way, I double checked my 2,000rpm battery terminal voltage -- 14.27V -- perfect)

OK well -- you need e new one So, I ordered a second, brand new one, installed it AND IT BEHAVES THE SAME WAY (now this unit has NEVER been wet), but. when the motor is off and running on battery-only it operates perfectly, but start the bike, and the flasher "jumps" and works intermittently...

What is also strange is that when decelerating (i.e. come off the throttle, and engine-brake for a long stretch) -- And THE FLASHER SUDDENLY WORKS - come back on the throttle and it becomes intermittent again and does not flash and "hangs on"...

So, is there any relationship to wetting the bike while washing? Why under battery-only does it flash normally? Why when the motor is decelerating and the motor is engine-braking does the flash suddennly work?

It's a mystery to me...

p.s. I have tried grounding the unit to other locations (the horn bolt, etc.) and get the same result.
p.p.s. ALSO, I have put the OEM, stock flasher unit back on and today I put on 140 miles and it operates PERFECTLY -- so why are these newer units misbehaving -- wehn they (at least one of them) WORKED prior to two power washes?


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it's grounded to the coils. so it must be close to the coils. the same electromagnetic field that builds and collapses around the coil is probably freaking out the flasher, move it or shield it

 

I'm thinking that the hole that was sealed may have been a drain or at least allowed water to drain. Now that it is sealed, the water had nowhere to go and corroded the connections in the socket.

 

Thank you but please read the post... I bought a second, brand new unit, and it behaves the same way -- now unless by some freak occurrence during manufacture, the second unit has never been wet.

RE: Magnetic field by coils, this is a good theory, and I will retest -- HOWEVER, I have allowed the new unit to "dangle" down (nearly touching the motor) and garage tested it and I get the same result. Thinking I had electrical noise coming through the coils, I also moved the ground wire to several spots away from the coils -- and these changes made no difference?

Thank you for the ideas

 

what else changes? maybe check the AC (ripple) at the battery

 

Thought about while drinking coffee this morning... sudden AHA!! -- Made a change -- Fixed it!


Thanks all

 

What did you change?

 

It is sooo simple... come on, the electrical noise is the key -- what happened, what might water affect, and what is easy to change?

I was literally sipping coffee on my deck this morning at 7:00am, and it hit me -- ONE OF THE PLUGS MUST BE CRACKED??

Yup - PLUGS!!!!!!

Now, I removed all four and can not SEE any issues nor hairline cracks and they all are paper brown, so I believe all are firing OK, but ONE of them must have been thermally shocked by the water at the car wash -- and perhaps has an "internal" crack...

There is no doubt -- here's why:

Changed the plugs out by 7:15am (brand new set this morning) -- fired it up by 7:30am -- Ta Da -- NO ISSUE (for the solid state - new - relay while the motor is running) -- road tested today and all is rock solid.

OEM unit (and auto cancel) out -- new solid state unit back in...

This is a lesson I suppose -- watch the use of water if the motor is hot when you pull unto a car wash -- or if you're caught out in a rain deluge.

A damaged plug has no effect on the old, OEM non-solid-state, reistance-based unit -- but noise from a bad plug raises issues with modern circuits.

Thanks again

 

delete duplicate

 

Just something I noticed as well. This is an electro-MECHANICAL flasher. It still has a mechanical side to it.

Not a 100% solid state electronic flasher.

 

Good point -- so what does that mean?

 

It means. Stop taking that bike to the car wash, and using high pressure water on it. You have far to much work into that bike to mistreat it like that.

Ghost

 

Amen.

Garden hose, fine spray. No pressure washing.

And don't use dish soap at home--- you'll strip all of your wax and protectants. Get a jug of "car wash" soap at the auto parts; you'll be able to wash the bike and NOT have to re-polish and re-wax to keep it looking nice.

 

Great advice gentlemen - Thanks