Short in the left indicator circuit

[KiwiCol]

I had a quick look at the indicator issue last night. Recap - Right is going but not left & nothing goes on hazard.

So, started her up, yep the same, however, because I'm in the garage, I can see the headlight is dimming in time with the left flasher sequence. Hmmm, me thinks. Pulled the switch off, looks all good in there, sprayed, still the same. Put switch back on.
Put multimeter on the battery, start her up. Good charging, 14.37 - 14.51v at idle.  Turn on right indicator, barely any voltage drop at all (they're LED's) Turn on left, massive voltage fluctuations in time with the flasher relay.
Answer, there is a dead short somewhere in the left wires after the relay.  The headlight was dimming because it's shorting to earth. Lucky it's after the relay else could cause a fire, still could, so no riding (well using left indicators anyway) till I locate the short.

Least I know what I'm looking for now. I'm away over the long weekend, so I'll have a look after work next week. Tank off & start looking.

Anyone had an issue like this? Any likely culprit areas?    I know I've got lots of additional wiring going on under there, chances are I've pinched a wire & it's now worn through or broken.

[seth]

Not with indicators but with plugs in the loom corroding.
Mainly due to the cold damp sea air where i live.
Just follow the wires checking plugs and continuity  as you go and I'm sure you'll find the problem .

Do you have a colour wiring diagram for your year of gsx1400 ?

[KiwiCol]

No I don't Seth, but once I find the crushed / broken wire, reckon I'll be onto it. How many could there be . . .

[seth]

I have a UK one I can send if you like .

[KiwiCol]

Ok, Thx.  Bung it through & I'll have an eyeball at it.  Cheers.

[seth]

I'll need to copy and post once i get home from work .will send it later on today tho and hopefully it helps you pinpoint the fault.

[gsxbarmy]

I'll need to copy and post once i get home from work .will send it later on today tho and hopefully it helps you pinpoint the fault.

I've already got a colour copy of it Seth, so I'll forward it 

@seth

Anyway - typical places you can check Col
- The area coming out of the headlight bowl - sometimes the bowl itself can cut through wires or chafe them
- The area around the headstock - same thing, chafing
- Along the side of the seat going towards the rear light - wires there are very exposed and can get caught.

A quick way to check would be to move the block of wires by hand one at a time to see if it "fixes" it. SO wiggle around the headlight bowl, then around the headstock etc. That might at least narrow down your search.

Always possible though that one of the LED indicators itself has gone iffy. Try swapping the wires of just the front indicators in the headlight bow, if that doesn't work, then swap them back and swap the rear indicators over.

[seth]

Cheers @gsxbarmy
Saves me trying to photo then send a copy .

[KiwiCol]

Thanks for the colour chart Dave.  I'll have a look next week.

[KiwiCol]

Resolved. 
Had a look tonight after work, seat & tank off. Hell where do I start??  All looks fine, how am I supposed to find a broken wire when it's all covered? Well, may as well start at the front & work back.  Front left indicator, std plug on aftermarket lights. Figured these must of come with the lights. No. They didn't. Undoing the nut, I felt a big 'blob' behind it in the wires. Right, this'll be the first place to look.
Just to check it's this blob that's the suspect, I plug in another indicator, yep all working, rear left as well & Hazards. Plugged the same one back in, nothing.  Sure enough, poor workmanship in joining the original wires to the new lights. Big heavy solder blobs with sharp bits sticking out. These had worn through the PVC Tape & were touching!  Making a dead short to earth when the left indicator was turned on, which is only when the relay opens & closes.
So, took apart, trimmed & re-soldered, heat shrink tubing over joins & put back, all going again.  Result!

Thx Dave & Seth for the colour coded wiring diagram, not needed this time, but I'll stash it away for future reference.

[gsxbarmy]

Glad it was readily resolved Colin and all good now - well done on tracking back 

[froudy]

Well done..I like a happy ending

[grog]

a true electrical genius. all electrical questions now aimed at you. well done mate. great result. my way of looking at elect. faults is always look for after add ons. most vehicle wiring pretty good. usually i find car faults in trailer plugs, added accesories etc. well thought out. deserves a beer.

[KiwiCol]

I did have a couple after fixing that Grog.  Wee celebration of a quick fix.

[seth]

Well done col glad it's all finally sorted sounds like a good bit of detective work but you got there in the end top job