can you test a /5 Flasher relay?

[jjwithers]

All my bikes are wired like a /7.
I have a /5 in the works and i have about 4-5 different flashers. They are all the 2 prong type and came out of /5's. One is a Tridon, a Lucas, and 'Ideal Corp'...

Is there any way to test them with a volt meter or something just to see if they work?

[StephenB]

Just plug 'em in, they either work or not.

[jjwithers]

My wiring isn't finished and as i go through a complete re-wire, it is hard to tell if it is the flasher's fault or faulty wiring...
And i don't have another bike to test it on.
But i am close to completing everything.
Your method sounds like it will be the only test and will be used soon enough.

[jagarra]

To test them you would have to rig up a test station, with a battery and load (bulbs) to make them operate properly. Testing them on the bike may be the easiest method after all.

[Motorhead]

My wiring isn't finished and as i go through a complete re-wire, it is hard to tell if it is the flasher's fault or faulty wiring...
And i don't have another bike to test it on.
But i am close to completing everything.
Your method sounds like it will be the only test and will be used soon enough.

any 2 progonged flasher will work even auto zone or pep boys will work

[jjwithers]

I am realizing that now. I have a variety of flashers, i got my bike wired up properly, and some flashers work, some don't.
I was hoping there was a way to load test them with a volt meter or something prior to wiring up that rat's nest headlight bucket is the way to go for now.

Thanks.

[pkboxer]

Just as Jagara said, just alligator clip a 12 volt + and - to the power in and ground, then touch 2 leads from any 12 volt bulb (not LED) to the flasher connection and ground.

Mayber even a small 9Volt battery will power the flasher enough to test. Depending on the nominal voltage required to operate.

Don't know of a multimeter test for them.

Since the relay is normally "open" you can't just test it without power and a load since that's what activates the relay to "close" or "turn on".

[Ken in Oklahoma]

. . . Since the relay is normally "open" you can't just test it without power and a load since that's what activates the relay to "close" or "turn on".

Doesn't a two prong relay have to be normally closed? With the turn signal switch completing the current path? Otherwise operating the turn signal switch still won't allow the current to flow, and the flasher won't repeatgedly heat and release, causing the flashing.

In the same vein, that's why a parallel resistor is required when using a LED lamp. The LED's resistance is too high by itself to allow the flasher to heat enough to cycle.

Ken

[pkboxer]

OK Ken "smart guy" in Ok.

That would be right, otherwise it would not work when you switched the switch.

I was trying to stress that you have to operate the relay in order to really test it.

[Duane Ausherman]

A test set-up could be made easily. We just always had new flashers to use as a test of the bike. They are very cheap. We had plenty of bikes around to test the flashers. So, we never considered any testing set-up.