1970 STARFIRE INDICATORS

[bikerbob]

Started the engine without anything on normal tickover 13.5 volts at the battery increase tickover and it goes to about 14.6 volts. with lights and indicators on can still get above 14 volts with fast tickover but lights still flickering. Had a look inside the headlight and the earth for the lights is a spade connection on the headlight switch that connects to a 4-way bullet connector then to headlight and pilot bulb holders. When I get some more time I will run a temporary earth wire from that spade connector to a point on the frame and see if that changes anything because it looks as though that earth on the switch earths through the switch to the headlight shell.

[rhyatt]

Ok , so you're charging fine
When you say lights flickering, are we talking of both front and rear lights rhythmic fluctuation in time with the indicators ? Or random bad connection type flickering, not in time with the indicators?
Can we assume that your indicator is a 4 x 21watt (front 21 and rear 21 each side ) or are they 10watt indicator bulbs.
If you think about it, your headlight bulb is probably 45 Watts or thereabouts , your pilot is 6 w and the tail is 6w.
You turn on left or right indicators and you have another 42watts , so there is quite a draw. On the system

[bikerbob]

Have done those tests and everything checks out OK with a multimeter. They are 21 watt bulbs in the indicators and do flicker in time with indicators both front and rear with or without the engine running. Have run a seperate earth wire from the front lights to my central earth point on the frame makes no difference. So the battery is not the problem the charging system is OK and the earths are all OK am getting correct voltage readings for the lights just over 12 volts also for the indicators. Have been doing a bit of research on the web and found that someone with a modern bike a suzuki I think had a similar problem lights flickering in time to the indicators traced the problem to a faulty flasher relay replaced relay problem solved. My relay is a new relay but it won't be the first time I have bought something new that did not work they are not expensive so to eliminate that I will order a new one and see what happens will let you know when fitted. Thanks again for your help.

[Derek996]

I suspect your problem may be in the supply side rather than an earth issue. With the lights on measure your voltage across the battery terminals and compare it with voltage between the battery +ve (earth) terminal and the light switch. There should be negligible difference. You can also check the resistance between the battery -ve terminal and the light switch or better still the supply connection at the taillight. The resistance should be very low, preferably less than 1Ω.

[bikerbob]

I have done the voltage test and there is about half a volt difference. Have tried to do the resistance test but I must be doing something wrong because no matter what ohm setting I use on the multimeter I can get no readings at all.

[Derek996]

I have done the voltage test and there is about half a volt difference. Have tried to do the resistance test but I must be doing something wrong because no matter what ohm setting I use on the multimeter I can get no readings at all.

I should have said to disconnect the battery and that that lights should be switched on or obviously there will be no continuity between the battery -Ve connection and the tail light. Half a volt is a fair drop and it will drop further when any additional load is applied which would explain why the light brightness varies with the indicators flashing.

[bikerbob]

Thanks for that info  but the bike is going to have to take second place for a while as wife rushed into hospital yesterday when I can get back to it I will start a new topic and update my findings. Thanks.