81 xs1100 headlight?

[leggman1]

Put a new battery in my most recent purchase and everything seems to work... Except I have no headlight or gauge illumination. It will not run right now because I have the fuel tank off for a repaint.
I am just wondering if the lights only come on when it is running???
Also where is the fuse box???
Thanks. Dave

[leggman1]

Well Duh, I found the fuse box under the right side cover.

[bikerphil]

You are correct, the headlight should come on when the engine starts, the headlight relay trigger is run from the alternator.

[leggman1]

What about the horns. They don't work when the key is on.

[bikerphil]

Horn should work with the key on, engine not running.

[leggman1]

I checked the wires at the horns. One side has 11 volts the other side shows 5 volts? Now I am confused.

[bikerphil]

If you still have the fuse box with the glass type fuses, you will at some point need to upgrade to a new blade type box, the old fuse box is a weak point and will cause headaches. Topcat sells them cheap right here.

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14052

[CaptonZap]

I checked the wires at the horns. One side has 11 volts the other side shows 5 volts? Now I am confused.

On the side that shows 5 volts, take the wire off, and connect a jumper wire to a GOOD ground, and try again.

CZ

[TopCatGr58]

On the side that shows 5 volts, take the wire off, and connect a jumper wire to a GOOD ground, and try again.

CZ

Hey CaptonZap,

Just wanted to make a little clarification for safety here....'cause above sounds like you want him to connect a jumper wire directly to the removed brown wire from the horn and connect it directly to ground....which would be dead short!

I know and you know not to do this, but not sure about whether Dave realized it!?

Dave, he means to put the voltmeter/leads IN BETWEEN the removed BROWN(12+V) horn wire and a known good ground to test for voltage. The horns ground thru that PINK wire thru to the horn switch and then to frame, and can build up corrosion and such at the switch, also the wire/connectors at the horn can also corrode just due to exposure, so be sure to clean them with DeOxit or similar electronic contact cleaner/brush.

T.C.

[CaptonZap]

Hey CaptonZap,

. The horns ground thru that PINK wire thru to the horn switch and then to frame, and can build up corrosion and such at the switch, also the wire/connectors at the horn can also corrode just due to exposure, so be sure to clean them with DeOxit or similar electronic contact cleaner/brush.

T.C.

Thanks TC, I was trying to get him to check the grounding side of the horn. If he reads 5 volts there, when trying to honk, his ground circuit has some resistance. As you outlined above.
I assumed, since he didn't state, that the 11 volt side was the power in, and the 5 volt side was grounding side. By jumping it to ground, you find out if the horn works. If so, then you start chasing the wires and connections from the ground side to ground.
Sorry for the confusion. Trouble shooting is a lot visual, and trying to do it verbally can get convoluted.

CZ

[leggman1]

I checked a few things today. The 5 volt wire does go to ground when the horn button is pushed so I think I know why my horns dont work.
My horns dont work. I even removed them from the bike and tried going directly to the battery and I get nothing with either horn. I guess ten years of solitary confinement did them in.
Any recommendations on new ones???

[Slimbob]

Something loud. I'm considering the BAD Boy air horn from HF.
http://www.harborfreight.com/catalog...ult?q=air+horn

You may have to power this through a relay due to current draw.

Slimbob

[leggman1]

I pulled a car horn from a chevy today I had sitting around and hooked it up to the bike and it worked great so I know my wires are good. I have some new horns coming from ebay so that problem is solved. Thanks all

[CaptonZap]

I checked a few things today. The 5 volt wire does go to ground when the horn button is pushed so I think I know why my horns dont work.

Any recommendations on new ones???

Don't be so eager to spend money. Since you have them off, this should be easy.
Take your ohm meter and measure across the two terminals of one of the horns. If you have a reading, preferably low, take a screwdriver and wrench, and loosen the nut on the screw and nut that are on the back of the horn. If you don't get any reading, i.e. no way for the electricity to get through, more drastic measures are in order.
Anyway, back to the first scenario. Hook your jumper wires from a good battery up to the terminals, (either way will work), and slowly turn the screw back and forth. Keep track of how much you turn it so you can get back to that starting point. That is the point that the factory set them at, and that will probably be the best operating point. They should start making some sort of vibration. If you can rig an ammeter in either jumper, watch the amp draw, it should increase as the sound increases. Play with it for a while, and see if you can get it back to full throat. Tune it with the screw, and lock it where you want it.
If you don't have any continuity through the horn, loosen the nut, and with a small hammer, give the screw head a few sharp raps. Not too hard, you are just trying to bounce the contact inside, and hopefully jar some of the corrosion off of it. Turn the screw back and forth, a few more sharp raps, and see if you start getting continuity. If so, you know the drill.
Most horns are fairly sensitive on the screw adjustment, so don't over do it when you turn them. One turn right, and one turn left should do what we're trying to do, which is to clean off the contacts that make and break the circuit.

This site may be helpful. The Yamaha horns are riveted together, and if you are curious, you can drill the rivets out and make it easier to fix. Aluminum Pop rivets would put it back together again.

http://bmwvmca.org/joomla/index.php?...sk=view&id=456

Honk if you love XS11.com

CZ

[leggman1]

I will try anything. The cheap Chinese horns I put on there sound like crap.