Lights out

[donebysunday]

So everything was working fine yesterday, maybe I did not notice ?
With my LH in the dark back of the garage no headlight or gauge lights today, Checked charging good
Checked fuses and power to them good
Checked power to the new ign. switch good
(I changed the contact plate from the old switch into an ign. switch of Mikes)

Can't seem to get the image to appear so a link.
I think #7 is the headlight relay ?

https://postimg.org/image/dvloundgp/

[donebysunday]

Did not take to long to remember I had trouble with this once before when I first got the bike.
So I'll see if bypassing it lights things up ?

[mack]

might

also look at the handle bar controls for clean contact with the grounding plate to the bars. I know I had issues with my LH, and had to scrap some paint off where the plate meets the bars to get a firm ground.

[donebysunday]

Nice oh so nice bikes

Mack,
I've said it before I know, your bikes look better than new !!!!!
There said it again !
Oh yeah back to my relay, bypassed and every thing works.
Checked the relay and it seems to work out side of the bike it seems to do what it's supposed to, contacts move to close when powered up.
I just used some 600 grit to clean the contacts, when I can I'll try it again !
Just noticed the back tire is worn flat in the center, the folks that sole it must have been doing smoke stands.
Thanks Mack

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Don'e,

If the relay works outside the bike, then it sounds like the DIODE has fried, and so the power from the 1 leg/phase of the ALT isn't getting past the diode to the relay. Folks have shown about replacing the relay, you have to unwrap the harness up near the steering neck to find it.

But if you don't want to bother, you can wire up an on off switch to power the relay to throw it. That's what I did with mine, once I throw it, it stays latched, so I don't have to keep sending current/power to the relay from the switch so I can switch it off. It turns off when I turn off the key. And it's nice that I can NOT have the headlight come on until I completely start the bike, so more power for starting, and THEN I turn on the headlight.

T.C.

[donebysunday]

T.C.,
I thought about just running a separate couple of wires to a switch plugged into the female where I have the jumper now, or is there a reason to keep the relay for some safety purpose ?
Maybe a switch with a nice bright light mounted to the bar ?
Thanks T.C.
Don'e

[skids]

T.C.,
I thought about just running a separate couple of wires to a switch plugged into the female where I have the jumper now, or is there a reason to keep the relay for some safety purpose ?
Maybe a switch with a nice bright light mounted to the bar ?
Thanks T.C.
Don'e

Generally, you don't want to run a lot of amps to the switch on the bars. The relay is turned on by the bar switch which closes the switch in the relay to run the higher amperage circuit for the headlights.

[TopCatGr58]

Well, the Relay is wired to handle the current to the headlight, so keeping it allows you to use smaller gauge wires and little current for your external throw switch. Otherwise, you would need to use a larger wire and then run it from the battery/harness up to the handlebars and back to the headlight bucket. If you're using halogen bulbs, that's 4-5 amps running thru those wires and switch. Now if you convert to LED, they usually only draw about 1amp for the high powered LED bulbs I've gotten, and therefore less current. YMMV

T.C.

[skids]

I noticed he has an 81. There are advantages and disadvantages to keeping the stock system. On my 81, I replaced the latching relay and diode with a regular automotive relay and a bar mounted switch (from a 78). Advantages are that the diode is not needed, you can turn the HL on/off as needed, wiring is simpler. Disadvantage is that it is no longer stock for those purests out there, and you lose the reserve lighting function (or at least I did the way I rewire mine).

[donebysunday]

I just love the knowledgeable exchange of info I get here.
So if I go with led problem solved ?
Was thinking of led up grade anyway
though I don't ride at night much anymore
I would still be more attention getting during the day, me thinks ?

[TopCatGr58]

Hey again,

I've got a high output LED in my headlight bucket, but I have an aftermarket clear lens reflector housing vs. the OEM Fresnel/prism style lens/reflector. I've had the bulbs with only 3 sides and those with 4 sides, and the 4 sides type have a more distinct horizontal cut off for the low beam. I didn't realize this until I got a pair of the 3 sided ones for my SUV, I had been using some 4 sided ones, I'm not as impressed with the cutoff with the 3 sided ones.

But they are quite bright both in visibility by cages, as well as lighting up the road quite well.

I also have some extra AUX LED spot lights and bar lights on mine as well. The spots are mounted on the upper forks/beside and below the turn signals. The new bar lights are mounted vertically on the lower part of the forks/sliders just above the axle. Some of these newer cars ie. Caddy's and such have vertical LED strips which helps to break up the pattern so it's different and I think will make it a bit more visible. Haven't ridden much at night with them, so I don't know how much/more the lower ones will illuminate the roadway vs. just the upper round spots. The bar ones are 6 spots each. The Round spots draw ~1 amp each, I think the bars also draw about 1 amp each, so with the LED headlight, that's about 5 amps. The OEM 55 watt Halogen draws a little over 4 amps alone, and at one time I ran a pair of 55 watt halogen AUX lights so I was really sucking up the amps, especially when I was running the OEM ALT. But NOW I am running my Automotive mini race ALT which can deliver up to 50 amps vs. the 20 amps of the OEM Alt, so I've got POWER TO SPARE!