Headlight Help

[Back_in_the_Saddle]

So, I got a used headlight from ebay, and disconnected my old. My headlight wasn't bad, but the bucket was cracked. Once I disconnected my wires, and put in the used one, no power to headlight. I used my old headlight, same thing. Signals, license, and brake light are fine. Does the headlight have to be bolted in to work? There is something strange, when I connect the ground(black) wire to what I think is the correct wire, no lights at all. So I guess the question is, which wire does the black wire from the headlight "black doohickey connector thingamabob" go to?  ;D Thanks in advance.

[Lucky]

You must have either blown the fuse or crossed some wires. perhaps broke a wire... did you look at the wiring diagram?

[Back_in_the_Saddle]

Well, sort of. I did, but I am color blind and mix up colors. Let me ask this way, does the black wire from the headlight connector, connect with a solid(not striped) wire coming from the right side (if you are facing the headlight) hole in the hdlyt bucket?

[Back_in_the_Saddle]

I dove back into the headlight this evening, with some success. With the help of some non color blind eyes, I was able to get everything matched up, tail/brake light working right, flashers flashing front and back. I still can't get the headlight to turn on. It was fine before I took it off. I "believe' it's all hooked up properly now. The only wires coming off the headlight connector that need to be connected are a yellow and a black. The yellow matches the long yellow from the center, and the black connects to the black from the left side (facing the bike head on). I checked the yellow wire at the switch on the handle bar, its good. Does the headlight have to be in the bucket to work? I don't see that being an issue. Suggestions?

[h2olawyer]

I might be wrong but I think I remember two yellow wires coming off my headlight plug. ?One is for normal beam, the other is high beam. ?One of them may have a color stripe - I don't have it apart at the moment and my manual is in the garage. ?There is also a black ground wire off the headlight plug - but it sounds like you got that one hooked up.

I do remember that the turn signals share a ground wire - two male bullet connectors ?into one double female connector.

You don't need to have the headlight instaled in the bucket for it to work. ?Try your high beam switch and see if you get light then.

I will be taking mine apart to move my thermo / clock / voltmeter connection tomorrow and can check how it is wired then. ?I've had it all apart a couple times in the last few months - changing fairings.  Would some photos help?

H2o

[Back_in_the_Saddle]

H2o thanks! Yes, pics would help if it's not too much trouble. No hi beam either. Fuse is good. Is there a test I can do with a volt meter on the wires themselves? Also, suggestions about getting bolts off that have red lock tite???

[h2olawyer]

I'll take those photos tomorrow afternoon when I'm doing my electrical changes and e-mail them to you then.  My dad has the same problems with color vision.  I've had to help him distinguish wires for years.

Just got my Haynes manual.  Wiring diagram shows a yellow and a green wire attached to plug, along with the ground (black).  The yellow is the high beam & also goes to indicator light.  The green wire is the low beam.  Do you have two yellow wires, a green wire and a black wire attached to your headlight plug?

Which fuse did you check?  The one in the headlight bucket is not for the headlight.  I think it's for the temp sensor / fan.  The one for the headlightis in the fuse panel under the seat.

You should be able to do a continuity test.  I can figure it out when I'm looking at it but I can't give good directions when I'm not.  Electrics are definitely my weak suit.

Where are the red locktite bolts located?  If you won't melt anything, the recommended method is high heat (like 500 - 600 F) & impact driver.  

[Back_in_the_Saddle]

Awesome! thanks. I do have what I believe are 2 yellows, a green and 2 black. The green, One yellow and one black go back in to a grouping of wires. The other yellow and the other black are to be connected in the bucket. When I turn the bike on, not running, the high beam indicator does not come on any more. I assume its part of this but not sure if it indicates something specific. I did check the fuse box under the seat, all is well. Thanks for the loc tite info, may not have to do it. Good stuff to know. Thanks much for your help!

[Walt_M.]

Check the black wire to make sure it is going back to the frame, battery negative. If you have 12V on the green wire, with a good battery and the key on, and the headlight is not on, either the bulb is bad or the negative is not making contact.

[Back_in_the_Saddle]

 ??? Please forgive me for being electrically challenged, but where is the black wire supposed to end? It is coming up from the (facing bike) left side group of wires. I'd love to check it to see if its connected at the other end, but where is that? I'm pretty sure the bulb is good, it was good when I took it off, and tried to reconnect an hour later, no go.

H2o, thanks for the pics. Do you by chance remember which side your headlight ground was going to? Thanks again for your efforts.

[Walt_M.]

Time to use your trusty Ohmmeter! Just clip one lead to the black wire and the other to a clean, unpainted place on the frame, engine mounting bolt? If you get a good steady reading of less than 0.5 Ohm, you are ok. If you don't, then you can either follow the wire to where it is loose/broken or run a new wire. I think the harness ground is at one of the ignition coil mounts.

[h2olawyer]

Hope the pics helped.  I don't remember for sure which side of the headlight bucket the black wire goes through on mine but I'm almost positive it is the right side (looking at it from the front).  It shouldn't matter as long as everything fits well.  I had the bucket off once when I had a Vetter Quicksilver fairing on it.  When I put my sport fairing back on, I put the wiring through the back of the bucket the way it fit best.  The black wire goes to ground (-).  It is a solid black wire and has no stripe.

Use Walt's method of checking your wire and you will know if your ground is good.  If you can't easily find a good ground, you can also check it by using the negative (-) post of the battery instead of frame or engine point.

You can also use your Ohmmeter to check the bulb if you can't tell visually if it is still in good condition.  Someone less electrically challenged than I can tell you how many OHMs you should expect to see.

[Back_in_the_Saddle]

I went ahead and did the test. Turned the bike to on position, reading jumps around from .19-.25 . Doesn't seem good and steady. Please let me know if that is steady or is that the obvious issue. Question: Should the hi beam indicator work regardless of whether the bulb is on? So, if the bulb doesn't come on, for whatever reason, the indicator won't come on? I kow this is simple stuff but boy electrical is no fun. I'm gonna pick up another bulb tomorrow, they're cheap and I'm sure this one could be updated. It is possible I blew the good one and the one that came with the used bucket, who knows....

[Rick G]

You need to check the voltage comming from the yellow wire and the green wire when the key is on and  you operate the dimmer switch . You may be fighting a bad dimmer switch , the other option is a badstarter curcuit cut off relay, its the one that turns the light off during starting. It may be bad and stuck in the start position.

[Back_in_the_Saddle]

Check this one out. So I get a starter clutch which I needed and put it in. I try to crank over the bike and the headlight come on. I suppose there is a loose wire somewhere. The interesting thing is that although the headlight came on, the left turn signal doesn't flash. Again I'm guessing loose wire but if someone knows exactly which, that would be helpful.

[Lucky]

headlight came on because your probably finnaly getting some charge from the new stator, but it should go out while the start button is depressed.

if only one side of the blinkers doesnt flash then you have a burned bulb, or a loose connection.  if it's a loose connection then shame on you! :)  your no longer a newbie, you should know by now that you've got to bite the bullet (not the silver one) and go thru EVERY connector on the bike and clean/tighten them.  it's tedious, but if you don't do it you'll be chasing problems like this FOREVER (spoken with an ominous 'echo' effect)

--Lucky

[Back_in_the_Saddle]

Oh Lucky, you slay me. LOL :D
I did check my connections and cleaned and greased them. There is no new stator installed, and how did you know I got a stator too? Lucky, are you not sharing some hidden powers, or are you part of the CIA. I'll check my connections again. Grease, connections, I am starting to sound like a politician, or the mafia.

[Lucky]

Ok then the answer is that was totaly confused.. :)
I had 3 hours sleep last night, I must be halucinating Visionarys installing parts, lol.
Man, this goes waaay beyond senility...

[Back_in_the_Saddle]

Question and Quick note for Lucky,

So I adjusted the mixture and now the bike is teasing me by starting for a second or 2. It sounds like it did when I was force feeding it fuel. The choke is 3/4s and although I shouldn't be giving it gas, that seems to get it to start. So First request is which way do I turn the air mixture, if that will help? And the point of this was to tell Lucky that the left signal is flashing now. LMAO! Hmmm Loose wire?   ;D

[h2olawyer]

I'll just go for the obvious - try richening the mixture - screws out 1/4 - 1/2 turn at a time & try starting it after each turn.   (Keep track of how many turns you move them - write down a tally.)  If that doesn't work, lean things out - screws back to original & then in by 1/4 - 1/2 turn.

You're almost there - keep at it & don't get discouraged!

H2o