Cb400 four indicator wiring

[Dolomite_]

I have a few issues with the wiring that I just cant get my head around so wanted to see if anyone has had any similar problems. The indicators arent working. There is voltage on the black and gray wire going out/in the indicator repeater and im getting a voltage reading on the gray wire at the switch on the bars but when I flick the switch to left and right I lose the voltage. The headlight and brake light turn on so I know the wiring is working.

[Nurse Julie]

Have you got all the wires earthed (green wires) correctly through the earth tabs each side on the inside of the headlamp bowl?

[Dolomite_]

Have you got all the wires earthed (green wires) correctly through the earth tabs each side on the inside of the headlamp bowl?

I'm guessing the indicators are aftermarket as they dont have an earth wire coming out of the indicator housing so they are grounded at the end of the indicator storks where I have took some paint off.

[Nurse Julie]

Have you got all the wires earthed (green wires) correctly through the earth tabs each side on the inside of the headlamp bowl?

I'm guessing the indicators are aftermarket as they dont have an earth wire coming out of the indicator housing so they are grounded at the end of the indicator storks where I have took some paint off.

Ah, OK. I have never had any dealings with aftermarket indicators so I'm no use to you at all then. But, I'm sure they need to be earthed correctly to stand at least half a chance of working.

[PatM]

One wire?- well, they must get their earth return from somewhere. Id put one of the indicators across a 12v supply to find out where. Also, if they are LEDs- that can throw up another conundrum (they only allow current to pass in one direction as they are diodes) . You might have to put your own earth returns in and connect up. Case to frame connection is notoriously troublesome.
I glad Julie knows the wire-colours of the rats-nest in the headlight bowl!

Side comment- Not much bike-riding going on in kent today..just had hailstones...Spring will come, but no sign of it this weekend- bikes to ride, bikes to polish...

[mike the bike]

Connect a 12V supply to an orange wire.  All three LH indicators should light up.
Repeat the experiment with a light blue wire, all three RH indicators should light up.
if they don't, then you have an earth return problem.  They're normally earthed via the frame connections but I have wired in an earth from the lamp holders back to the green in the loom.
It's more reliable.

[Oggers]

Had this recently. Orange bullet connector had come away in the mass of wires in the headlamp shell.

[Dolomite_]

The grounds for the indicators are fine as I managed to get them to light up solid. But the only way I could get them to light up was by crossing the 2 connections on the indicator repeater (aftermarket one with no ground connection). Both connections do have a voltage and I get a reading on the gray wire in the switch on the bars but when I flick it left or right I lose the voltage on the gray wire and nothing shows in the blue/orange wire.

[mike the bike]

Your test proves the lamps are ok and they're earthed correctly. I suggest the flasher relay is faulty.

[Lobo]

..I’d agree with Mike - it sounds as though there’s corrosion / component fault within the repeater unit. Such a fault could well show 12v through a multimeter which typically tests at no load, but when earthed through the indicators .. ie having to carry 4A ... gives up.

The fact that ‘shorting’ out the repeater gives steady orange indicators suggests your loom / bullets / earthings are ok.

Just a thought... is your aftermarket repeater rated at 45W or so? (typical markings would be 2x21W + 3.4W). Some aftermarket (LED types) are rated 8W... ie overload protection might be kicking in?

[TrickyMicky]

This maybe totally irrelevant, but you say that they are aftermarket replacements without an earth wire, if all 4 indicators have been replaced then don't forget that the rear ones are rubber mounted and most definitely require an earth wire.
     The last time I messed around with my rear end, (the bike's, not mine!), I had refitted the rear mudguard, and wanting to get the job finished quickly didn't pay too much attention to the route of the wiring. The consequence of this being that I severed both earth wires in my rush to get things bolted back together, allied to this was the fact that I had also disembowelled the headlamp whilst fitting new handlebars and switchgear, which meant that being a purveyor of doom and gloom I checked all the complicated things first! Maybe stop awhile and recount anything else you may have disturbed that could offer a simple solution. Be Lucky. Mick.

[Dolomite_]

I forgot about the rubber mounting for the rear lights, so thats why they dont work. Well in the end somehow the relay had died, tried a spare one I luckily found and the front ones flash now. Thanks all.