Why don't my indicators like the cold?

[lordlucan998]

I thought I had sorted this with the fitting of a new relay but I still have the problem i've had for a couple of winters now. As soon as we start getting a bit of a frost my indicators start reacting slower than me getting outta my pit in the morning. After I switch the indicator(left or right) the lights can take upto 5 mins before they begin to flash which ain't much use. Once the bikes had the day in the nice warm underground car park at work things seem to warm up and work fine.

As I say, I changed the relay last week but that hasn't sorted it. I'm guessing the switch would be the next thing to replace, thoughts?

[lordlucan998]

Standard Storm with standard indicators BTW

[tony.mon]

Check the earth connections on the indicators.
If the connection's a bit loose you won't get full resistance across the relay, and as there's not enough load it won't work properly.
After you ride it for a while, the heat warms things up and changes clearances, tightness of bolts, etc.

Try running a temporary lead form the indicator earth side direct to battery neg, and from the relay, too.

If it's the same both sides (what you described) then it'll be the earth lead to the relay, or of course the power side lead.

If not that, strip and clean the indicator switch.
You can check for the switch being at fault by finding the connectors going to the switch and shorting them together, simulating the switch working.

If you do this on a cold morning, either the problem will not be there, so it's the switch, or the problem will be there, in which case it's the electrical connections to the relay.
If it's just LH side or RH side, then it's a connection to that side's indicators.

[benny hedges]

are they full of water by any chance?
i just had a non flashing indicator on my kwak which turned out to be a wet & corroded bulb.
i cleaned the bulbholder with bog roll & wd40 and sandpapered the oxide off the bulb & it works ok now

[SWAGGER]

Check the earth connections on the indicators.
If the connection's a bit loose you won't get full resistance across the relay, and as there's not enough load it won't work properly.
After you ride it for a while, the heat warms things up and changes clearances, tightness of bolts, etc.

Try running a temporary lead form the indicator earth side direct to battery neg, and from the relay, too.

If it's the same both sides (what you described) then it'll be the earth lead to the relay, or of course the power side lead.

If not that, strip and clean the indicator switch.
You can check for the switch being at fault by finding the connectors going to the switch and shorting them together, simulating the switch working.

If you do this on a cold morning, either the problem will not be there, so it's the switch, or the problem will be there, in which case it's the electrical connections to the relay.
If it's just LH side or RH side, then it's a connection to that side's indicators.

All great stuff from TM as usual. If none of that works .... it's 'Hammertime'

[teal-twin]

Hi there, i had excactly the same problem with mine traced it to dirty contacts in the indicator switch. a quick strip down and clean up fixed it only took 20 minutes and it's all good. i know the o.p. was 2 weeks ago so hope you've fixed but it if not try the switch

[SWAGGER]

Boll*x mine's doin' it now. I've lost functionality of the left indicator. Flick the switch .... 10 seconds later the things begin to flash. Noticed that when I put her in the garage I tried the switch (engine off) and the relay chattered before the indicators began to function.

I've put the batterty on charge .... just incase ..... no idea why really. Does the switch behave nicely when you take it apart? I normally get the device with a zillion springy things in it ..... release a screw and the thing explodes with bits that are never to be found again

I hate lectriks

[teal-twin]

There are no jumpy springs, it's a little bit fiddly but other than that all you need is a phillips screw driver and somewhere out of the cold to do it it's not difficult have a go (just remember the order that it comes apart)

[benny hedges]

ahahah you know what, i noticed mine doing this the other day on he way back from oulton....
when i pressed the indicator, nothing happened until it returned to the centre position, same on both sides.

i think you'll find it's either frozen inside or the grease has solidified in the cold.
clean it out & use vaseline.
i'm sure u've got some somewhere lol....

after being sat in the garage since saturday theyre working again now.... need to strip mine down anyway tho as the horn button is sticking and it's mot time.
once its mot'd its all getting took apart for respray etc

[SWAGGER]

Well I undid the the two screws tried to prize the unit apart .... didn't want to give too much. Tried the switch ... all good. Did the screws back up. Lovely stuff Don't ya jus love it when it's that easy