Flickering/dimming lights

[MikeS]

This just started about a week ago and instead of doing it occasionally, it's now doing it just about all the time. It's not just the headlight doing this but everything that lights up flicks back and forth between bright and dim. It isn't bumps in the road that causes it as it will do it on smooth pavement at a constant RPM. It doesn't affect the running of the engine - it's smooth as ever. And the "dim" part of the cycle doesn't mean the headlight is too dim to see the road - it's still bright enough to see the road, but it's noticeably not as bright. It flicks back and forth very fast, like a loose wire jiggling and maybe grounding out.

Over the years I've seen bikes with headlights that flicker and always figured it was due to a loose headlight jiggering around on it's bracket. With this situation though it's not just the headlight. It's all the electrical stuff such as the instrument lights and the tail light. This is the first time I've ever had it happen to me and I had my old GS850G about 12 years and a several other bikes in the years before that.

I'm hoping it turns out to be something as simple as fixing my starter problem was.

Does this phenomenon sound familiar to anyone? Anyone know what it is or have a suggestion about where I should start looking first? Before I start taking things apart I thought I'd try this helpful forum and maybe save myself (and the bike) some trauma.

Thanks, Mike

[BassCliff]

Hi,

The last time my lighting system started flickering it was because the charging system was failing, the stator in particular. After I replaced it and cleaned up some connections, everything was fine. Go through the Stator Papers troubleshooting guide and read Mr. posplayr's GS Charging System Health article. Don't go throwing money and parts at your bike until you know what's broken. Keep us informed.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[Steve]

In this case it won't make much difference, but what bike are you talking about.
There is not even a mention of a GS in your post, so we have no idea.

To check without taking things apart, start by checking the electrolyte level in the battery.
You won't have to take very much apart to do further testing by following the link in BassCliff's post.

.

[DanTheMan]

Fuse block. Glass fuses loose in their clips. Ask me how I might know this? Clean up all electrical connections a loose wire could also be the cause. What bike are you talking about, anyway?
On edit: I looked at your post regarding kickstarters. It must be an '82 or '79 850G?

[JEEPRUSTY]

i fixed my flicker by directly soldering the regulator rectifier into the harness.

worked like magic

[MikeS]

I can't believe I posted that and didn't include what bike it is. Sorry. It was late, but still . . . .

An '82 GS850G with about 19K miles.

I will go through the fuse box today and check the battery electrolyte and connections. I'll also read the Stator Papers as suggested. Thanks for all the replies. I'll report back.

Mike

[850GT_Rider]

Saw the headline for the thread:

Flickering/dimming lights

Didn't know this was a Lucas forum......

[Steve]

Saw the headline for the thread:

Didn't know this was a Lucas forum......

No, it's obviously not.

On a Lucas forum, there would be nothing to flicker or dim from.









You know why the British drink warm beer?


They have Lucas refrigerators.

.

[Steve]

What bike are you talking about, anyway?
On edit: I looked at your post regarding kickstarters. It must be an '82 or '79 850G?

Well, if it were the '82, it would not have a kickstarter.

I can't believe I posted that and didn't include what bike it is. Sorry.

That is why we suggest adding it to your sig.

Does not have to be anything fancy, like some of us have, simply say " '79 850" or something like that.

.

[raistian77]

i fixed my flicker by directly soldering the regulator rectifier into the harness.

worked like magic

Did this, this morning. Was getting weird voltage fluctuations. Soldered the R/R-Stator wires then ran the R/R output wire to the battery.

[MikeS]

A couple days ago I cleaned all the electrical connections that I could easily access. At that time I put the battery on a "maintainer" and let it sit for a couple days. I'd been having no troubles with the battery, but did that anyway since I wasn't using the bike. I took it out last night for my rounds (I look after several feral cat colonies) and the lights are back to normal. Something I did - disturbing the wires, cleaning the connections, maybe the battery (?), worked to fix the problem of the flickering/dimming. I'm glad it wasn't something serious. Thanks for the replies. I guess it was just something either loose or dirty (corrosion).

Mike

[MikeS]

I don't remember what the previous problem turned out to be but recently my headlight would flicker dim to bright and it turned out my battery was going bad. A new battery fixed the problem.

Mike

[1_v8_merc]

Lights are flickering?
Sounds like something electrical to me!

[MikeS]

Ground=to-case bolt.

Lights started flickering at night again so figured since I'd bought a cheapo battery at Wal-Mart, that the battery must be failing - even though it had only been in the bike for a few months. I took it to Wal-Mart and the bozo put a car battery tester on it and it came up "replace", but I didn't trust the expertise of the tester nor did I believe using a car battery tester on a motorcycle battery is going to give a correct result.

So I charged up the battery and took it to a proper battery shop in La Mesa (Battery Warehouse I think it's called - been there forever). They had the best price on a good AGM so I was prepared to get a really good battery. The fellow who tested my Wal-Mart battery said it's fine.

So . . . I'd already been through the fusebox and connections, cleaning everything, but I hadn't touched the ground wire where it bolts to the engine case. It was a bit hard to get a wrench on it but I did. All I did was loosen it and tighten it a couple times to break up the corrosion. Sprayed some cleaner I think but really it was just "disturbing" it that did the trick. I haven't had a flicker since.

Clean and "disturb" that ground/case connection you guys as part of any electrical troubleshooting.

Mike