led dash light problem

[kennetht]

hey guys, so a few weeks ago my turn sign signal indicator on the dash stopped working. my led blinkers functioned normally though, even with the dash indicator not working. so i figured the bulb burnt out.

with that as my conclusion, i figured id replace the entire dash with led bulbs, so i purchased new led bulbs for the entire dash.

i just replaced them all today, and they all work, except for the blinker light again. so im guessing the original bulb never burnt out to begin with. there is a problem somewhere else.

for your info, i have a diode kit installed, since i have led blinkers. also have a electronic flasher relay

i tested the continuity of the dash blinker port, and it tested positive for both wires. so there is no problem with the dash wires leading up to the bulb socket.

i then tested the continuity of the diode wiring, that tested positive.

so what do you guys think the problem is?

[kennetht]

anyone?

[linkinpark9812]

Originally Posted by kennetht

anyone?

Flip the LED bulb around. LEDs are diodes and only accept power one-way.

EDIT: You said continuity? So just connection wise? I would put your two multimeter probes inside the turn signal bulb socket and see if you get a voltage reading when they are on. I'm guessing you don't have to flip it, unless you got REALLY lucky and inserted all of the LED bulbs and all happened to be put in right but this one lol. I would check though, may be that easy.

[kennetht]

Yeah I still have yet to see if I get a voltage reading. I am going to check that next chance I get.

But it is my understanding that regardless of the orientation of the blinker bulb, it should work no matter which direction it is in:

When the right blinker is on, the gray wire of the dash bulb is + and the green wire is -. When the left blinker is on, the green wire is + and the gray wire is -. This means that switching the dash bulb to an LED wouldn't work, since LEDs are polarized and will only work with the power flowing one way through them.

So my best option would be to just keep an OEM bulb in for the indicator light, so that way it will work regardless of what blinker is on.

However, since when I tested a different OEM bulb, it did not work, that means there is a problem somewhere else... Seems that no power is making its way thru the wiring and to the bulb to light it.

I will check to see if I get a voltage reading next chance I get.

Originally Posted by linkinpark9812

Flip the LED bulb around. LEDs are diodes and only accept power one-way.

EDIT: You said continuity? So just connection wise? I would put your two multimeter probes inside the turn signal bulb socket and see if you get a voltage reading when they are on. I'm guessing you don't have to flip it, unless you got REALLY lucky and inserted all of the LED bulbs and all happened to be put in right but this one lol. I would check though, may be that easy.

[linkinpark9812]

Originally Posted by kennetht

Yeah I still have yet to see if I get a voltage reading. I am going to check that next chance I get.

But it is my understanding that regardless of the orientation of the blinker bulb, it should work no matter which direction it is in:

When the right blinker is on, the gray wire of the dash bulb is + and the green wire is -. When the left blinker is on, the green wire is + and the gray wire is -. This means that switching the dash bulb to an LED wouldn't work, since LEDs are polarized and will only work with the power flowing one way through them.

So my best option would be to just keep an OEM bulb in for the indicator light, so that way it will work regardless of what blinker is on.

However, since when I tested a different OEM bulb, it did not work, that means there is a problem somewhere else... Seems that no power is making its way thru the wiring and to the bulb to light it.

I will check to see if I get a voltage reading next chance I get.

You said you have the diode kit installed right? That makes the socket have one wire that is (-) and one is (+), but instead of switching they are always the same with the same wire, which allows the LED to work. But if you put the LED in backwards (many LEDs don't show which side is (+) and (-)), it won't light.

Best to get a voltage reading to see where the problem is at.

[kennetht]

Originally Posted by linkinpark9812

You said you have the diode kit installed right? That makes the socket have one wire that is (-) and one is (+), but instead of switching they are always the same with the same wire, which allows the LED to work. But if you put the LED in backwards (many LEDs don't show which side is (+) and (-)), it won't light.

Best to get a voltage reading to see where the problem is at.

I understand. Now I see how it could be backwards. I did switch it back and forth though, and still no light.

Like you said, best thing I can do now is get my voltage meter and see if I am getting any voltage. If I am not getting any voltage, I know the problem is somewhere else.

I will keep you updated

[InvisiBill]

I recognize that quote. =)

In the stock setup, the indicator bulb is a short between the + wires to each side's turn signal. The relatively high draw of the signal and the resistance of the stock incandescent indicator are the only things keeping both signals from lighting up together. LED signals that require much less power will both light up from either signal, as you're all aware.

The diode kit converts the indicator to have one lead be + and the other -, as linkinpark9812 said. The green and gray wires from the two signals go through diodes (one-way gates) into one of the indicator's wires. Either signal will supply power to the indicator, but the diodes keep them from supplying power to the other signal. The other part of the diode kit wires up the indicator's second lead to - so that the circuit will be completed when one of the signals supplies power on the + side.

LEDs are diodes themselves, so current will only flow through one way. In the stock indicator setup with two + leads, an LED would work perfectly for one side and not at all for the other. With a diode kit installed, the socket becomes a "normal" +/- socket, and the LED would work properly (for both signals) if installed one way, and not at all if flipped the other way.

When you checked the socket's continuity, where did you verify it to? The harness where the diode kit plugs in?

[kennetht]

Originally Posted by InvisiBill

When you checked the socket's continuity, where did you verify it to? The harness where the diode kit plugs in?

Yeah, I verified it to the harness where the diode kit plugs in.

I am pretty sure that I am not getting voltage supplied to the indicator light, because a few weeks ago, when the OEM bulb stopped working, I figured it just burnt out.

However, when taking apart my dash cluster this weekend, I tried the OEM blinker bulb in another slot, and it worked perfectly. Therefore it was not the bulb that is the problem. The problem has to be somewhere else.

I am going to test it with my voltage meter, to confirm if I am receiving any voltage or not.

In conclusion, my bike indicators all worked great, until that one blinker indicator bulb stopped working. Since I was able to confirm that it was not the bulb that was the problem, I need to find out where the problem is.

First thing first, check to see if I get a voltage reading at the dash blinker indicator socket.

If no voltage is being supplied, I have no idea where to start looking for the underlying problem. Whatever it is, the problem began a few weeks ago when I rode my bike to work. During the ride to work in the morning the turn signal dash bulb worked fine. Then a few hours later when I went out for lunch, the turn signal dash bulb never worked. So within that time period, something happened.

[linkinpark9812]

Originally Posted by kennetht

Yeah, I verified it to the harness where the diode kit plugs in.

I am pretty sure that I am not getting voltage supplied to the indicator light, because a few weeks ago, when the OEM bulb stopped working, I figured it just burnt out.

However, when taking apart my dash cluster this weekend, I tried the OEM blinker bulb in another slot, and it worked perfectly. Therefore it was not the bulb that is the problem. The problem has to be somewhere else.

I am going to test it with my voltage meter, to confirm if I am receiving any voltage or not.

In conclusion, my bike indicators all worked great, until that one blinker indicator bulb stopped working. Since I was able to confirm that it was not the bulb that was the problem, I need to find out where the problem is.

First thing first, check to see if I get a voltage reading at the dash blinker indicator socket.

If no voltage is being supplied, I have no idea where to start looking for the underlying problem. Whatever it is, the problem began a few weeks ago when I rode my bike to work. During the ride to work in the morning the turn signal dash bulb worked fine. Then a few hours later when I went out for lunch, the turn signal dash bulb never worked. So within that time period, something happened.

You said the turn signals actually work, so it rules out a fuse. I'll bet your ground came lose on the diode kit, since that is something you have to add since you are adding a (-) return for the LED bulb.

[InvisiBill]

Originally Posted by kennetht

If no voltage is being supplied, I have no idea where to start looking for the underlying problem.

The wiring diagram just shows the indicator's green and gray wires T-ing off the main turn signal wires behind the connector where you insert the PnP diode kit, in the main harness. You should get voltage on the green/gray wire going into the diode kit when you turn on the left/right signal. You should get voltage coming out of the diode kit when either signal is on.

Originally Posted by linkinpark9812

You said the turn signals actually work, so it rules out a fuse. I'll bet your ground came lose on the diode kit, since that is something you have to add since you are adding a (-) return for the LED bulb.

Good call. Losing that ground would make the indicator not work, but everything else would be fine.

Instead of using a ring terminal and grounding it to the frame, you could also tie it into an existing ground wire in the harness. I'm hoping to experiment on my buddy's girlfriend's Ninjette with this setup when it gets a little warmer. I think it could make Tri's kit a little simpler to install.

[kennetht]

Originally Posted by InvisiBill

The wiring diagram just shows the indicator's green and gray wires T-ing off the main turn signal wires behind the connector where you insert the PnP diode kit, in the main harness. You should get voltage on the green/gray wire going into the diode kit when you turn on the left/right signal. You should get voltage coming out of the diode kit when either signal is on.

Good call. Losing that ground would make the indicator not work, but everything else would be fine.

Instead of using a ring terminal and grounding it to the frame, you could also tie it into an existing ground wire in the harness. I'm hoping to experiment on my buddy's girlfriend's Ninjette with this setup when it gets a little warmer. I think it could make Tri's kit a little simpler to install.

Thanks for the replies. I will give that a shot this weekend if the weather is nice. First I am going to check to see if I get a voltage reading when the blinkers are on. If I do, then I know it is not the voltage. Then I will check the ground

[kennetht]

Even with all this trouble with the blinker indicator light, I wanted to share this image of my dash cluster now with the LEDs installed.

Makes the cluster blueish and looks so amazing. Its so much more lit, and I would recommend changing to LEDs to anyone! For $8 for 10 LEDs, you can not beat it!

Here is a link to the LEDs that I purchased if anyone is interested:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/111197894979...84.m1497.l2649

[kennetht]

Originally Posted by linkinpark9812

You said the turn signals actually work, so it rules out a fuse. I'll bet your ground came lose on the diode kit, since that is something you have to add since you are adding a (-) return for the LED bulb.

Update: took everything apart again to inspect why the LED dash fun signal indicator bulb is not turning on. Turned out, after all this, the diode kit was not grounded securely. I had it hooked up to a painted piece of metal on the frame, so it was not grounded properly. It must have moved around over a month of riding and lost its ground.

So now everything works! And I am so pumped that it is not an electrical wiring problem somewhere.

Thanks to all your help guys.

[kennetht]

Originally Posted by InvisiBill

Good call. Losing that ground would make the indicator not work, but everything else would be fine.

Instead of using a ring terminal and grounding it to the frame, you could also tie it into an existing ground wire in the harness. I'm hoping to experiment on my buddy's girlfriend's Ninjette with this setup when it gets a little warmer. I think it could make Tri's kit a little simpler to install.

I think that is exactly what I am going to do. That ring terminal to the frame was the problem all along.

Still a great diode kit tri!

[Bob2010]

Originally Posted by kennetht

Even with all this trouble with the blinker indicator light, I wanted to share this image of my dash cluster now with the LEDs installed.

Makes the cluster blueish and looks so amazing. Its so much more lit, and I would recommend changing to LEDs to anyone! For $8 for 10 LEDs, you can not beat it!

Here is a link to the LEDs that I purchased if anyone is interested:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/111197894979...84.m1497.l2649

I have left over 5 led 194s and was wondering what it would look like on the ninja. Searched and searched. All I could find was colored led pictures. This is perfect. I will now have to wait until I get the patience to pull the gauge pod out again.

[kennetht]

Originally Posted by Bob2010

I have left over 5 led 194s and was wondering what it would look like on the ninja. Searched and searched. All I could find was colored led pictures. This is perfect. I will now have to wait until I get the patience to pull the gauge pod out again.

It is definitely worth it. Makes the dash look so much more appealing. I love it.