Headlight troubleshooting

[Smash]

The headlight fuse got so hot it toasted itself and one of the clamps. So, need to find out what's causing that. Wired in a new tube fuse holder (I know, I know, I SHOULD swap it out to blade fuses, it just isn't in the budget and time right now) and to confirm, it popped another 10amp fuse. Threw in a 20 to see what would happen, that gets power to the bulb but it barely starts to glow. Here's what I know/have checked:

• Bulb looks good
• Connections (yellow/green) in headlight bucket are good, clean and lubed with dialectic grease
• Connections under seat (yellow/green) are good, clean and lubed with dialectic grease

If the relay was bad, wouldn't I not be getting any power at all? Is the relay the connection under the seat? Can't quite tell on the wiring diagram.

I do have an ohm meter and can use it, but I'm a bit of a newb at the electrical.

Needing some guidance. Any thoughts? I'm sure it's something simple I'm just not seeing. THANKS!

[Smash]

Duh.

The low works. Just the high is really dim. Took apart and cleaned the switch (and all the other switches in both housings on the handlebars) and still dim high.

Me thinky bulb.

[Smash]

Nope. Not bulb.

Can't find a relay, assuming there isn't one?

Got some sort of issue going on in the high beam circuit. Bulb lights properly on low beam, but barely glows on high beam

Ideas?

[Smash]

The low beam will run on the 10amp fuse, but the high beam will pop the 10amp fuse. Got some sort of resistance somewhere.

[Smash]

Well gonna button her back up for now so Karla can ride her to work tomorrow. Just have to tell her to keep the headlight on low beam. Any suggestions would be most welcome here guys.

[DGXSER]

I would start by replacing the bulb, cheap and easy. I am not certain how the XJ is wired. I would pull the left hand switch connector and check continuity. Something is grounding out.

[Smash]

Ah yeah sorry, hold on lemme re-list what I've done. Evidently didn't do a good enough job communicating!

• connections in headlight bucket are good, clean and greased
• connections under seat are good, cleaned and greased
• headlight switch (on bar) is good, clean and greased
• can't find any kinked wires
• new bulb installed
• new tube fuse holder soldered in to replace the burnt out one

The low beam with run on 10amp.
The high beam will pop a 10amp.
The high beam will barely glow (like an almost dead ember) with a 20amp fuse.

How do I check to make sure the handlebar switch is working properly besides taking it apart, cleaning and greasing? (It actually looked pretty good in the first place)

I'm sure I'm missing something....

[crazy steve]

I haven't seen a XJ diagram, but assuming it's the same or similar to a XS, here's some things to check...

Definitely sounds like a shorted wire, so you need to clear each piece of the circuit. First, try unplugging the RLU. If it doesn't clear...

Unplug the handlebar switch under the tank and the headlight itself. Check your high-beam wire (should be yellow if it's the same) to ground on both sides of the plug. If you get continuity to ground on either, that's your problem wire. If it's on the switch side, I would suspect the hi-lo switch or a pinched wire; other side, it's shorted inside the harness. If both read clear to ground, check the resistance of each; you may have a partially broken wire causing a bad connection, or the switch is dirty.

This will get your started....

[Smash]

Ok thanks, I will do all that. However, what's RLU? Haha, I need an idiot translator sometimes....

[crazy steve]

RLU... Reserve Lighting Unit. This is a magic box that senses if either headlight filament is burned out and turns on the good side and lights the 'headlight' lamp (that may be different on your XJ). It's usually next to the voltage regulator...

[Smash]

I will look for that thanks!