Calling all XS Electricians

[Wbowen]

I am in the process of tracking down why me headlight does not work. I have islated it to the Headling Relay or Reserve Lighting Unit. I am working off of a Circuit Diagram of the Lighting and Signal Systems. I am running into two issues

1. My complete lack of knowdege when it come to dealing and motorcycles, I am trying to figure out what al of the Wire Colors mean. R/Y, L/B, Y (Red yellow, Light blue, and yellow) for the headlight relay. L/B, Y, L/Y, L/G. Lg (??, Yellow, ??, ??, Light Green??) from the Reserve Lighting unit. Any help in figuring these out would be very helpfull.

2. I am getting power from the Fuse to the Headlight relay, but no power from the AC Generator, (does the Engine need to be on the test?). Additionally I have now power to any wires related to the Reserve Lighting Unit (does the engine need to be on to test).

Any help on any of these items will be much appriciated, if you even want to call me you can at 240-446-9923, I will gladly call back so that I am paying for the Long Distance.

[skippy344]

Yep, Gotta be runnin'

The headlamp circuit will not be energized until the bike actually kicks.

Stupid question, but did you check the bulb, itself? Is it a sealed beam, or a replacement where you can just swap out the 9003 bulb?

greg

[greyranch]

inop headlights

Hi, In the links section of the forum under "Colored wiring diagrams" you will find a complete wiring diagram of your bike.As stated in the last post,you have to have the bike running.The Yellow wire off the generator needs to be energized ,bike running,for the headlights to work.I would first check ,with a test light,if you have power at the yellow wire on the headlight plug.At the same time see if your ground is good.If you have power and ground while bike is running,you need headlight bulb.If everything ok then process of elimination.Try and print out diagram and this will greatly help the elimination process.Good luck and if I am misinformed someone else please chime in.Brad

[Wbowen]

Additional Info

From the Headlight back:
I have Replace the headlight, I am check for power at the Bulb, Where the Fairiing wireing connects into the bulb, where the Fairing wire connection into the origional Headlight connections, I have no power throught out. This only affects the headlight, the Turn signals on the fairing are working properly.

From the Fuse Up,
I Have power both before and after the fuse, I also have power red yellow wire from the fuse to the Headlight relay.

From the headlight relay I am stumped on what to check and were.

Side Question, How do you test electicial while engine running when you have to remove the gas tank to get to the wireing.

Thanks

[greyranch]

headlight inop

In the past on other bikes I have worked on to check wiring underneath seats,I took seat off,took back bolt out of tank,let tank swivel on front bushings and put piece of wood underneath back part of tank to gain clearance.Hopefully your gas and vacuum lines are long enough to do this.You still need to check to see if you have any generator output.

[renegade_xs11g]

Re: Additional Info

Originally posted by Wbowen
Side Question, How do you test electicial while engine running when you have to remove the gas tank to get to the wireing.

Thanks

Remove tank, find a milk crate or something of similar size, put tank on crate above carbs, back of tank toward the front of bike, run longer hoses, now you have a good supply of gas to run engine, and access to wiring harness

Also, you should use a bungee cord over tank, don't find this out the hard way, (as I did)

[Do Lee]

To check power from the AC Generator, the Engine need to be on the test. You just need to turn the engine over to energize the lighting relay. Do you have power out of the lighting relay? Does your instrument meter lights come on? If so the relay is ok. Have you checked out the wiring between the headlight and the reserved lighting unit with a volt/ohm meter?
Have you checked your headlight dimmer switch? I have had the solder joints come loose in the switch, I thought that my reserve lighting unit was bad but it turned out to be a bad solder connections not allowing power to the headlamp. If you have the headlight disconnected does the headlight failure indicator light come on? Also check the headlight relay to make sure that the relay coil is ok and the contacts make. Over the years I have had to repair the headlight relay, light switch and fuse clips to keep the lights on.

[Wbowen]

Update .....

I have been able to do some more troubleshooting, It get kinda hard since i don't have a garage. I was able to get the relay with the engine running and found out that i am not getting power to the Headlight relay through the White wire (The one the connects to the Relay to the Rectifier with Regulator???). Additionally I am having a second issue that I once believed was unrelated, the Tachometer not working. By examining the Wireing diagram the Headlight relay and Tachometer both use extra power from the Rectifier with Regulator, and both items(Headlight and Tachometer) died at the same time.

I now believe that my issue is related to the Rectifier with Regulator. Does anyone know where that is on the bike? and it this some that you have heard go bad in the past, Accoring to the wireing diagram if the entire unit is bad the bike won't start.

Thanks in Advance

[DiverRay]

Wes,
The reg/rec. is a box with fins on it, under the rear of the tank. It is help on with two screws, and has one large connector, IIRC. If it is bad, PM Geezer for a replacement. I'm running one of his on daily ride, and it works great. It is also cheaper than a new one, and MUCH more robust.
I would also check the "tech tips", mods, electrical for information on bypassing the reserve lighting unit. You may not have to, but I know mine went out, and that was the only way to get a high beam back.

[Wbowen]

Temp Fix

For now I am going to do a temp fix until I have time to fix it for good. Bypassing the reserve lighting unit won't work because there is no power at the relay, is there a way to bypass the headlight relay?

thanks

[skids]

Re: Temp Fix

null

[skids]

Re: Temp Fix

Here is a link to replacing the relay with a switchable automotive type:

http://home.comcast.net/~sidhansen/relay/relay.htm

The following info is given -- check your model:

1. Red/yellow = the positive input

2. Blue/Black = the positive output that the relay switches

3. Yellow (or white) = the lead from the alternator to operate the old relay

4. Black = the ground to operate the old relay

If your red/yellow is dead with the bike on, I think the fuse assembly should be checked.

If your Yellow wire is dead with the bike running, your signal from the alternator is shot.

If both of those are good and the blue/black wire is dead, your relay is shot (only if the ground is good.)

I hope that helps. You want to bypass it without a relay? Then, jumper the red/yellow to the blue/black.

Originally posted by Wbowen
For now I am going to do a temp fix until I have time to fix it for good. Bypassing the reserve lighting unit won't work because there is no power at the relay, is there a way to bypass the headlight relay?

thanks

[morticiaann]

The yellow wire in the 4-wire plug out of the generator goes to the ignition relay that is under the tank. The ignition relay has a white wire going to it but you can connect that to the two blue wires in the headlamp. The headlamp wires go to your gas guage. Both the white and yellow wires have about 6 volts in them.
I used the model G wiring diagram to locate where the yellow wire was supposed to be connected. All put together like this [and with geezer's regulator], mine sounds like a jet aircraft.