Hello to everyone!

Amazing, yesterday i post o topic were i say that my bike was return from the mechanic were was changed the radiator and thermosthat! And it was all ok!

But today i have another problem! why again?

So, i was running with lights and passed a few kms the lights turn off. Only the main light on headlight fails. The others are ok.

And the light works well when i turn the swith to do "light signals" and the maximum turn on.

If i turn on the swith to the maximum light position the light not respond but if i turn to do signals it work.

But the light only works on this position.

What do you think i should do?

I have already changed the light but it was the same. I have already cleaned the switch but it not resolved my problem!

Best regards

Good Curves

You probably have bad connection in the lights off/p/on switch assy at RHS, or its connector under the tank.

Measure the voltage at the yellow/white wire on each side of the connector, if it`s low on both sides the problem is in the switch.

If you measure good voltage on both sides of the connector, do a similar test on the wire with the same colour coding on the connector for the LHS switch assy.

Hi Inge K.,

I was out some days and only today i measured the voltage on the swithc and the voltage is zero!

It haven´t take off the tank but i´m gone do it to see if the wire "is broken" on some part and don´t pass volts.

I don´t do the voltage test with the engine on. Could i do it that way? And i put one of the multimeter connector in the yellow/white wire and the other in a screw. It could be that way or not?

Sorry this silly questions!

Thank you and good curves

No, you don`t need to have the engine running while measuring this.

But you must of course keep the light on, so you have current flowing when searching to find the weak point.

Also try to move the switches a bit while measuring (on/off, hi/lo) as the problem could be internal in one of the switches.

Set the instrument to 50V/DC, and connect the black probe to a good ground point, and measure with the red one.

Today i have measured that but i don´t do the correct procedure!

Tomorow i will repeat it because i don´t have the switch on ON position!

I will tried to do the things that the way it as to be!

Thank you!

Hello!

Today i have done the things right!

I have measured the voltage on the yellow/White wire and i have 11.6v on each side!

And the lamp still not funcioning!

I will measured the voltage in lamp...

I will be back very soon!

Good Curves

abbocath wrote:I have measured the voltage on the yellow/White wire and i have 11.6v on each side!

If this was RHS connector, that one is confirmed OK.

Did you also measure on each side of the connector to the LHS switch assy?
If you also measure 11,5V on both sides of this, the source to the problem is in the LHS switch assy.
To confirm measure at the yellow wire (low beam) and/or white wire (high beam) at the same connector.

You earlier did mention that you have cleaned the switch, which side? Did you dismantle it?

Here is a link to a "How to" dismantle the dimmer switch made by CF, then you getting acces to the internal contact points to clean them.

This switch is common problem in our bikes, if the contact points is to much burned, you can build them up with solder, but then you must install headlight relays.

Anyway I would advice to install relays to lower the current passing this switch, as it is a weak point.

Inge K.

Thank you Inge K.!

The problem is really the LHS switch!

In all conections i have 11.6v but when i measured the headlight i don´t have there that voltage so the problem only could be from the switch!

Now i dismantle all of it and i see that the contact points were very burned and i have already made one with solder.

Now i understand wy you say i should install headlight relays...but how i do that? Where i put them? What kind of relays?

Good Curves

Would that help?

CF`s suggestion is one possibility, but unnecessary complex in my eyes.

If you got a 2V bike you have a round black connector in the relay box with the connections you need.
Brown...ground.
Yellow/red...fused power (fuse #5).
Yellow...low beam signal.
White...high beam signal.
These male connectors have a bit other diameter than standard (exept fused power),
modify the female ones to the smaller diameter and put some shrink tube on the outside.

In the relay box it`s more than space enough to the two single throw relay needed.
Then you run two 1,5mm² wires to the headlight, and a ground wire from the headlight to the main ground under the fuel tank.

Here is a link with some info about headlightrelays, the kits from Eastern Beaver is plug and play.

Inge K.

Hi,
For anyone who is a bit mystified by volts and amps and relays the easiest and safest way to proceed is to get a kit from Jim at Eastern Beaver he does a plug and play relay kit which is really easy to connect and comes with instructions. When you say you have made one with solder do you mean that you have put a blob of solder on top of the burned switch contact to replace the burned silver on the contact? If so it won't last as it is too soft and will probably go faulty again. J have put a link to Jim's page below.
Regards,
K-BIKE
http://easternbeaver.com/Main/Products/H4_Kits/h4_kits.html

K-BIKE wrote:When you say you have made one with solder do you mean that you have put a blob of solder on top of the burned switch contact to replace the burned silver on the contact? If so it won't last as it is too soft and will probably go faulty again.

Done this on five different K`s, one of them is my own which this was done 19 years ago.....dimmer switch still functions.

Well I am surprised and pleased that such a simple method works, did you use conventional 60/40 solder, how big a blob did you use, and do you have them directly connected to the bulb or have you got relays installed since you did the solder treatment? This is a very useful and money saving technique you have discovered.
Regards,
K-BIKE

K-BIKE wrote:Well I am surprised and pleased that such a simple method works,

Me too, first time tested it was a hit or miss, and nothing to loose.....initially a new switch was needed anyway....the difficult part was to balance the heat....
it has also been a couple of failed attempts.

K-BIKE wrote:did you use conventional 60/40 solder,

60/40, did first try with 50/50...no way, the surrounding plastic becomes to soft before the solder was melting, it also makes a difference that the 50/50 is 2mm and 60/40 is 0,8mm.

K-BIKE wrote:how big a blob did you use,

Enough........the contact points was spark eroded level and below the plastic surface.
The build up was done in stages, as soon the solder starts to melt the surrounding plastic becomes to soft more quick than you can say.. Oh shit.
First stage just a thin layer to be shure it`s sufficient heated, second stage for the build up...smoothed down with fine emery paper afterwards...to the same level as the remaining contact points.

K-BIKE wrote:and do you have them directly connected to the bulb or have you got relays installed since you did the solder treatment?

It was a reason to I was using bold and underlined text in post #7......don`t installing relays after this mod would be too stupid in my eyes.

Thank you all!

I´m not very understanding on this issues but i like to learn how the things work and how we can do the things!

I don´t know here in Portugal so many people with these bikes, so i don´t have many people to ask and learn how to care them!

And the one i knows also don´t or don´t want to do the things. They prefer the mechanics!:|

So, i will try to do and connect the relays! I will take some pictures of the process and i will update them in forum.

I that don´t result, i will buy one already done and prepared for that!

So, probably i will have so many doubts:?: ...but certainly i gone have your help!

Good Curves

Hello,

Well, i already make my first mistake after use solder in switch contacts!

The solder results very well, but when i solder agin the wires that i have cut to the switch, the plastic overheated and melt.

So, the contacts are not fixed as they should. Results: i buy already an used switch in ebay!

But before this, i have tested it and the solder in the contact points was very fine and the swicth works very well!

While i´m waiting for the new switch i´m trying to do the the relay kit to install and to increase the power of H4 bulb.

Now i have a doubt, where should i connect the wires from the Kit?

In the relay box, under the tank, to the wires that came from the switch or to the wires that go to thw switch?

Thank you,

Good Curves

I too am having switch issues. I can hold the high beam on but my riding light only works sometimes. Mostly have issues when it's cold. Pretty sure it's the switch but I wouldn't know what I was doing if I took it apart.

Georgia,

My problem have started like your many time ago!

Sometimes my lights fail but for only 2 ou 3 seconds!

And it fail rarely until it fails completely!

I think you should dismantle all your switch and see how are the contacts point inside!

Good Curves

abbocath wrote:Hello,

Well, i already make my first mistake after use solder in switch contacts!

The solder results very well, but when i solder agin the wires that i have cut to the switch, the plastic overheated and melt.

It shouldn`t be necesarry to cut any wires to carry out this task.

As earlier mentioned I also have my failed attempts, and it`s fine balance to melt the solder before the plastic start to melt.

So for future readers, when you see the plastic starts to get soft, stop immediately..let things cool...continue.

abbocath wrote:Now i have a doubt, where should i connect the wires from the Kit?

In the relay box, under the tank, to the wires that came from the switch or to the wires that go to thw switch?

I have no experience with these kits, but since all connector is ready made...the length of the wires would be the limiting factor of where to place the relays.

I`ll guess you have to find a place inside the fairing.

Under the tank..hmm....possible that it`s some space available....tie them up so they don`t rub against other wires.....and look after that all is well isolated so you don`t get a short.

Relay box....I`ll guess the ready made wires ain`t long enough.

And about connections to the switch...these kits usually use your old bulb connector for the signal to the relays, the only connections you need beside is power supply and ground.

GeorgiaK wrote:I too am having switch issues. I can hold the high beam on but my riding light only works sometimes. Mostly have issues when it's cold. Pretty sure it's the switch but I wouldn't know what I was doing if I took it apart.

When you got a new light switch, I would advice you to install headlight relays.

As these switches is a common problem in our bikes, and would fail sooner or later, even with the standard bulb.

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