I picked up a set of these lights (pic attached)for my 74XLH. Just to stay legal and get rid of the stock stuff on the handle bars. Really clean look mounted on the front forks.
I can't get them to work as a directional light. I have a good ground and they light up fine when I wire direct to battery. When wired as a turn signal with the flasher they only glow faintly.
What am I missing?
Thanks,
Bucaman

 

I take it they do flash, just not brightly. What do they have for lamps (bulbs)? Do the rear signals work normally with these in the circuit?

 

sounds like a ground problem, are the handle bars grounded? should be grounded at the risors(at least the newer ironheads are)

 

Guys often have troubles installing various types of lights on modern bikes with their flasher controllers, etc - they need to install extra hardware to make them work, especially LED bulbs. That does not occur with these simple bikes.

If they are not working then there is a simple problem in the wireing, at the flasher, at the switch, at the signals, or along the way. I am not good enough at electrical stuff to hazzard a good guess at what it may be.

 

is there only one wire at the light? if so than they must ground thru the trees, check for good ground at the bars, i would guess you don't have a ground

 

You may need a load equalizer.

 

This is what i was referring to in my post above. Not needed in an IronHead with it's simple electrical system and simple turn signal flasher.

The modern bikes have a big electronic controller module to control the timing of the flashers and other things. This is what dictates the need for an equalizer.

 

This depends what kind of flash relay you have, some models requires certain load ( a like those modern boxes) to operate . With this I mean that they flash about 1-2 per sec, usually less load ( nominal 21+21Watts) more rapid flashing. There is some electronic relays what flashing doesn't depend of load. Auto partshops has some general flash relays (2 poles) usually found from vintage cars.
Original schema shows that connections are:
ingition -> relay (+ pole) -> relay (- pole) -> direction buttons -> flash bulbs ( + )
Bulbs are grounded normally, notice (some cases) that frontend doesn't have ground.
You need to put grounding wire to frontend, otherwise it's grounded trough neck bearings.

 

I will try to answer all at once.
I have a good ground because if I bypass flasher lights work.
When I put these guys into the system and as I said they barely glow and they kill all the turn signals.
I am going to say they do not flash or if they do its was such a long delay I did not see it happen.
Bulbs are a single filiment 12 volt. Same as stock. Stock guys work fine so its obviously something with them and the flasher.
I have been poking around for some type of booster or stabalizer but I honestly don't know what to look for when dealing with this old system.
As someone said its such a basic scheme I feel I'm missing something.
They really are clean looking and I would like to get them working and lose the stock stuff from the bars. If not there is always EBAY.
Thanks for all your efforts.

Bucaman

 

The flashers on IronHeads are the very simple ones. I have seen some marked as heavy duty. These are not recommended for IronHeads. Just the simple ones and no problems.