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Blowing Headlamps

  • Thread starter Thread starter dubpander
  • Start date Start date
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dubpander

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I want to thank everybody up front for any help I receive on this topic. I have been utilizing this site for a couple of years now and it has helped me greatly. Thank you.


GRRRRRR!!! I don't understand what is happening here. Story goes....

I was getting 17v at my battery terminals and was blowing bulbs. I have since replaced the regulator/rectifier which now all through the rpm range I don't exceed 14.2v. However, I am still getting up to 18v at the headlight connector. WHAT AM I MISSING?!

BTW, I have a 1980 GS550L
 
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dubpander said:
I want to thank everybody up front for any help I receive on this topic. I have been utilizing this site for a couple of years now and it has helped me greatly. Thank you.


GRRRRRR!!! I don't understand what is happening here. Story goes....

I was getting 17v at my battery terminals and was blowing bulbs. I have since replaced the regulator/rectifier which now all through the rpm range I don't exceed 14.2v. However, I am still getting up to 18v at the headlight connector. WHAT AM I MISSING?!

BTW, I have a 1980 GS550L
Click to expand...
Bad meter, or some crossed wiring somewhere would be my guess. are you checking the voltage at the headling using the battery as the ground for the meter? Try that, maybe there is a short and some voltage going through the negative wire for the light.
 
If you're using a Honda regulator, have you hooked up the brown sense wire to a +12V switched lead? You can't just hook it up to the battery with the red lead or leave it hanging.

Does the R/R have a good ground? Are the connections in the back of the fusebox clean?

Just throwing out some idearrrrs...
 
I'm using an aftermarket Suzi r/r. Not electrolex, some different brand. No 12v sense wire. When you say good ground to r/r, do you mean mounting ground, or the black wire? New r/r was twice as thick, so need some new screws for it, it is temporarily mounted currently. As for the fusebox, I will check that out.. Thanks for the input so far. I was using the terminals to the bulb to test for voltage, will try the battery as a ground for the test and see what I come up with. Doesn't make any damn sense to me. Why that circuit?!! How aggravating.
 
Standard wiring is to have two of the yellow stator AC output leads wired directly to the R/R. The 3rd stator AC output lead is factory wired into the wiring harness and the lighting circuit. Delete the 3rd stator lead connection to the wiring harness and the stock R/R connection to the harness on the 3rd lead. Instead, wire your stator 3rd AC output lead directly to the 3rd yellow wire on the R/R. Cap off the unused harness leads. Your headlight circuit voltage will now be the same as your system voltage/battery voltage.

In this configuration, you must always run with the headlight on. Not running with the headlight on will result in excess charging and overheating and subsquent burn out of the R/R in time.

Earl
 
My r/r has 3 yellows, one black and one red. I didn't have yellows on my old one. Something like white/green, white/red and white/blue. I just hooked it all the same and have no extra wires. There was a white/green in the same little rubber boot, but just hooked to another wire of the same color. Due to bad weather and no garage, I'm stuck inside. Not a fan of working in the rain. Can't do any tests for awhile. Might have to wait until tomorrow.
Thank you for your ideas!
 
Hook the 3 wires from your stator to the three yellow wires on the R/R. the red wire on the R/R is 12v+ and connects to battery positive. Black is 12v negative and connects to battery negative. With it hooked up this way, if there is 13-14 volts at the battery, there is no way in hell you can have 17 volts at the headlight.

Earl


dubpander said:
My r/r has 3 yellows, one black and one red. I didn't have yellows on my old one. Something like white/green, white/red and white/blue. I just hooked it all the same and have no extra wires. There was a white/green in the same little rubber boot, but just hooked to another wire of the same color. Due to bad weather and no garage, I'm stuck inside. Not a fan of working in the rain. Can't do any tests for awhile. Might have to wait until tomorrow.
Thank you for your ideas!
Click to expand...
 
Alright now, rain let up so I got a chance to go out. Strange findings I might add. I think I have a short in my circuit somehow.

With the light switch to 'On', cluster lights come on, idles lowers slighty. I get a reading of 6v on either high or low beam (changing my lead position of course) Still 14v at the battery.

Light switch 'Off', cluster lights off, I have a reading of anywhere from 11.5v to 19v when revved. On either high or low beam.

No reading from the neg wire to headlamp to ground on battery. 13-14v from negative wire to headlamp to positive battery terminal with the switch on or off. I'm baffled now. Headlight worked fine last year, no major changes except for the r/r. Although bulb today did not shatter, just got real bright then died.

Sounds like I'm supposed to search out the neg wire to headlamp. Am I correct? Inspect for damage and such? Thank you again.
 
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There is also no brown wire from my new r/r. If that makes a difference.
 
dubpander said:
Alright now, rain let up so I got a chance to go out. Strange findings I might add. I think I have a short in my circuit somehow.

With the light switch to 'On', cluster lights come on, idles lowers slighty. I get a reading of 6v on either high or low beam (changing my lead position of course) Still 14v at the battery.

Light switch 'Off', cluster lights off, I have a reading of anywhere from 11.5v to 19v when revved. On either high or low beam.

No reading from the neg wire to headlamp to ground on battery. 13-14v from negative wire to headlamp to positive battery terminal with the switch on or off. I'm baffled now. Headlight worked fine last year, no major changes except for the r/r. Although bulb today did not shatter, just got real bright then died.

Sounds like I'm supposed to search out the neg wire to headlamp. Am I correct? Inspect for damage and such? Thank you again.
Click to expand...
I spent some time really researching the schematic for my 1980 550. I suspect you may have a short in your light switch or the associated harness and the stator lead that goes through the light on/off switch is being connected directly to your headlight. You might want to check this out.

Also, someone may want to verify this but I was suprised to see that only one stator lead is actually regulated! My old eyes may be wrong, but the schematic appears to show only one lead connected to the zener/scr comination. Is this correct?
 
Thank You

Thank You

Alrighty everyone. Thanks for your help. I found the problem in the light switch. I had the white/green wire fused to another wire and removed from the switch. I resoldered the wire back onto the contact and insulated the wires again. Voltage stays below 13.6v at all rpm ranges. Gotta wait til payday for another bulb. But sounds like I've resolved my issue with your help.

These forums are great!\\:D/
 
The headlight switch has two operations in there. One is the headlight switch, as you expect. The second is the switch that closes the circuit for the third alternator phase. I suspect that you have a problem in the switch itself.

In normal running only two phases of the alternator are connected through the R/R. When you turn on the headlight the third phase turns on. It happens like that because the R/R is not robust enough to take the full output, it gets too hot and fails. With the headlight on you have more load on the system to take that current and the R/R copes OK.

If you decide to check your headlight switch by taking it apart, be certain to do it very carefully as there are small springs and brass wafers all ready to jump out and land somewhere near Vienna.

On my bike the wafer controlling the third phase was burnt to a crisp, I had to jocky up a home made replacement. It was while doing that repair a few years ago that I decided to put in solenoids, and one day I will do just as I have already decided. :-)

Kim
 
Doctor Shifty said:
The headlight switch has two operations in there. One is the headlight switch, as you expect. The second is the switch that closes the circuit for the third alternator phase. I suspect that you have a problem in the switch itself.

If you decide to check your headlight switch by taking it apart, be certain to do it very carefully as there are small springs and brass wafers all ready to jump out and land somewhere near Vienna.



Kim
Click to expand...
Small tip


For all switch disassembly/reassembly


Vist the grocery store and get a large, clear, plastic bag.

You can see through the bag, and do the spring assembly inside it.
 
Actually, I've already done the work. I thought the light switch was not nearly as difficult as the horn and starter switch. I didn't have anything pop apart, but was ready for it after doing the other switches. Was kinda difficult to re-assemble tho. Once I figured out what the deal was anyway. Thanks tho.:-D
 
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