Topic: Blinker Question

[Heyeveryone]

Hey guys!

Can't quite figure out how to wire these front blinkers....I have a 1973.

This is a daymaker headlight with built in blinkers (you can see it ok n Amazon). I tried tk attach pictures but the file sizes were too big.

This headlight came with no wiring diagram at all. It is designed to have blinkers built into it. There are six wires that come off of it. 3 go to the headlight and high beam and are connected in a plastic connector. The other three are for the blinkers.

I just can't figure out why i can't get the blinkers on this headlight to work correctly. When the headlight blinkers are disconnected,  the rear blinkers turn on, but don't blink. However, when I attached the front blinkers, only the right side will turn on, or else all 4 turn on.

This is super confusing to me...and I'm not sure if anyone has had experience with these types of headlights in the past, but any help would be greatly appreciated.

I'm not even totally sure what the 3 wires (going to the blinkers) each do. One appears to be a ground, while the other 2 are meant to receive power, but I can't get it to work right.

Thanks!

[TwoTired]

Does the bike have a stock wire harness for a 73?
Does the bike still have the stock flasher unit?

[pjlogue]

One wire for the blinkers may be the running lights which would normally be on when the turn signal is off.  If the lights are LED then you will need a different blinker.  The LED doesn't have enough current draw to heat up the blinker to make it blink.  (same reason if only the rear lights are hooked up they don't blink, not enough current going through the blinker.)  I don't think the K3 had running lights (I could be wrong) 

-P.

[Heyeveryone]

Thanks guys....that's interesting. Thanks so much guys. Yes this bike has a stock wiring harness. I mean I put aftermarket gauges and switches in, but the wiring harness coming from the bike is totally stock.

I figured it was a current issue as well...however...I have different LED blinkers that I tested.... and they work just fine. I think it has something to do with the 3 wires on this one instead of just the normal positive and negative.

P...do you mean different  blinkers or different flasher relay?

[Bodi]

You must figure out what the unit's wires are for before you can get anywhere.
The actual headlight should have three wires, ground, low beam, and high. I think you have found these OK?
I don't know what you have and there a lot of "daymaker" lamps on amazon and ebay. I did not see one with signals, lots with "fog lights" beside the main lenses... are you trying to use tbe fog lights as signals? I think signals that couldn't be more then 2 inches from a headlight lens would be... well, frigging useless. Are you sure these are signals? Fog light high intensity yellow LEDs will be super bright and so close to centre that others could only guess what direction they mean.
Regardless, test the 3 non headlight wires and see what they do. Connect power to them in all combinations. LEDs won't be damaged by reversed connection but don't light that way. A little 9V "PP3" battery should light LEDs at least enough to see, and it won't melt wires or do major damage if shorted out... a bike or car battery could easily.
If you find connections that light each side LEDs individually then your plan will work. If the sides only liggt together (ie they are a single fog light), you're pooched.
I can't guess why they gave you 3 extra wires.

[Heyeveryone]

I appreciate  the response. They are definitely not fog lights.  They are definitely signal lights. And yes I found the 3 headlight wires just fine and those all work. I've tried connecting in all different combinations... but nothing seems to work...I can't get the left to light up on it's own. It's either all 4 or just the right side... I can't find a wiring diagram anywhere...so I am not really sure what else to do!

[pjlogue]

Thanks guys....that's interesting. Thanks so much guys. Yes this bike has a stock wiring harness. I mean I put aftermarket gauges and switches in, but the wiring harness coming from the bike is totally stock.

I figured it was a current issue as well...however...I have different LED blinkers that I tested.... and they work just fine. I think it has something to do with the 3 wires on this one instead of just the normal positive and negative.

P...do you mean different  blinkers or different flasher relay?

A flasher relay is different than the blinker.  Blinker is a bimetallic contact that is normally closed.  When enough current passes through the contacts it heats up and the bimetallic bends and opens the contacts.  when it cools it closes.  A relay uses a magnetic coil to open and close a contact (or set of contacts) Most older bikes use the bimetallic blinker for the turn signals and no relay is involved.

-P.