RXX Posted March 19, 2022 Share Posted March 19, 2022 I just took the clothes off the bird last night to resolve a few issues: 1. New LED lights in dashboard 2. New USB port that provides sufficient output to run a device all day long 3. Remove manual fan switch 4. Something buggy about my high beam It may be the switch. Low beam works fine, some flickering at low RPM, maybe change out with a new ballast? High beam: does not cut on a LOT of the time. Low beam stays on, but high does not kick in until several minutes. Then it works fine until it is de-energized. Then same shit. Voltage was tested last night. Low beam does show V on high/low, high is dead on both (tested on the switch side of the ballasts). I have a new light/ballast just in case, but am leaning towards some issue in the switch. Advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fizzy Posted March 19, 2022 Share Posted March 19, 2022 Ballast? What aftermarket bulbs are you using as the bird does not come with ballasts as stock? Anyway, try a spray electrical cleaner into the switch as a first go. What is your running voltage? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RXX Posted March 19, 2022 Author Share Posted March 19, 2022 9 minutes ago, fizzy said: Ballast? What aftermarket bulbs are you using as the bird does not come with ballasts as stock? Anyway, try a spray electrical cleaner into the switch as a first go. What is your running voltage? HID low/high beams. Running V WNL. Contact cleaner. Duh. What a great idea. Will try this morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fizzy Posted March 19, 2022 Share Posted March 19, 2022 If it is in the budget, you should look at LED headlights. Good ones are more compatible with the reflectors in the bird shell than HID + they are instant on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RXX Posted March 19, 2022 Author Share Posted March 19, 2022 33 minutes ago, fizzy said: If it is in the budget, you should look at LED headlights. Good ones are more compatible with the reflectors in the bird shell than HID + they are instant on. Thanks for the advice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superhawk996 Posted March 19, 2022 Share Posted March 19, 2022 Sounds like the switch. With the key off, spray some contact cleaner in it and flip it back & forth several times and you might get lucky. I don't think I've ever tried to take a Bird one apart to clean it right, but if that's possible it's your best bet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwampNut Posted March 19, 2022 Share Posted March 19, 2022 I had to replace a failed hi/low switch once on a XX, and once on the China bike. I thought it was just me. Here's what worked VERY well in the XX... https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NXS9RHB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 A small mod of the brown adapter thingy was required, with a Dremel. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RXX Posted March 19, 2022 Author Share Posted March 19, 2022 Does the low beam stay on when high beam is on? I forget. Deep clean of switch with contact cleaner didn't work. I am going to swap out headlight relay on other bird next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero Knievel Posted March 19, 2022 Share Posted March 19, 2022 (edited) If this is my bike you’re talking about, the HIDs take time to reach full brightness. You don’t notice it on low beam because it’s always on. The high beam gets no power until you turn it on. The ballast has to charge and the bulb will reach full brightness in a few seconds (15-20). I noticed this on a trip at night when I went to flash my high beams and found them somewhat insipid. I made it a practice to occasionally turn on the high beam because when you cut it off, the ballast slowly discharges…putting you back at square one. The only time I saw flickering was if the lights just came on and a turn signal was operating…but I think it only happened when the bike was on but not running. Until, the ballast is full, the turn signal introduces enough drain to make it cut out. I think the company that made the system is DDM. If they are still around, you can ask if this is normal or a sign of a failed ballast. That said, I went LED in the BMW, and it seems to do well at putting out more light than the OEM bulbs. Edited March 19, 2022 by Zero Knievel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RXX Posted March 19, 2022 Author Share Posted March 19, 2022 Thanks, Mike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikesail Posted March 19, 2022 Share Posted March 19, 2022 Most bikes have switches which are unsealed and can easy be taken apart for cleaning. Pretty sure the bird is the same. There is just a little copper bar that rocks with actuation, just wipe off and scotch Brite the contacts and it'll be fine. The grease used on the switch pivot seems to spread around over time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RXX Posted March 19, 2022 Author Share Posted March 19, 2022 54 minutes ago, mikesail said: Most bikes have switches which are unsealed and can easy be taken apart for cleaning. Pretty sure the bird is the same. There is just a little copper bar that rocks with actuation, just wipe off and scotch Brite the contacts and it'll be fine. The grease used on the switch pivot seems to spread around over time. You’d think that it would have evolved.......... 1968 Moto Guzzi 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwampNut Posted March 19, 2022 Share Posted March 19, 2022 3 hours ago, mikesail said: Most bikes have switches which are unsealed and can easy be taken apart for cleaning. Pretty sure the bird is the same. There is just a little copper bar that rocks with actuation, just wipe off and scotch Brite the contacts and it'll be fine. The grease used on the switch pivot seems to spread around over time. I've only ever managed to make them worse. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RXX Posted March 20, 2022 Author Share Posted March 20, 2022 I am diving into the relay tomorrow. Little Feat tonight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XXitanium Posted March 20, 2022 Share Posted March 20, 2022 Representing the Mombo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superhawk996 Posted March 20, 2022 Share Posted March 20, 2022 19 hours ago, RXX said: Thanks, Mike. Since you had no power at the ballast input it's not a ballast charging time issue that Mike spoke of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RXX Posted March 20, 2022 Author Share Posted March 20, 2022 Right. I have disassembled the switch, cleaned it and tested it. The switch is working flawlessly. I have swapped out headlight relay, no luck. There may be an issue in the starter switch, since the path travels to/from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superhawk996 Posted March 21, 2022 Share Posted March 21, 2022 I believe the starter switch kills high and low through a single contact, probably by interrupting power or ground to the relays, and couldn't be the problem for just one. When you say it works flawlessly, did you check for power at the ballast inputs again? If so the problem isn't the switch or relay, there's either a problem with the ground for the high beam or it has a bad ballast or lamp. My assumption is that the ground is permanent on, directly chassis grounded and not switched, and the positive is what is switched. If you have a bulb you can connect for testing it would help. You might have power and ground that looks good on a meter, but if either has high resistance it won't be enough to power a bulb, or the ballast. If you want I can check the electrical schematic in my manual to make sure my assumptions are correct; it's a '97? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RXX Posted March 21, 2022 Author Share Posted March 21, 2022 1 hour ago, superhawk996 said: I believe the starter switch kills high and low through a single contact, probably by interrupting power or ground to the relays, and couldn't be the problem for just one. When you say it works flawlessly, did you check for power at the ballast inputs again? If so the problem isn't the switch or relay, there's either a problem with the ground for the high beam or it has a bad ballast or lamp. My assumption is that the ground is permanent on, directly chassis grounded and not switched, and the positive is what is switched. If you have a bulb you can connect for testing it would help. You might have power and ground that looks good on a meter, but if either has high resistance it won't be enough to power a bulb, or the ballast. If you want I can check the electrical schematic in my manual to make sure my assumptions are correct; it's a '97? No, a '99. I have a manual. Sort of grasping at straws now. May be a bad ground, dunno. I had it working. Working. Working. Put her clothes back on and.......Fuck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zero Knievel Posted March 21, 2022 Share Posted March 21, 2022 2 hours ago, RXX said: No, a '99. I have a manual. Sort of grasping at straws now. May be a bad ground, dunno. I had it working. Working. Working. Put her clothes back on and.......Fuck. Well, it's progress. If it worked until you had it back together, something got jostled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XXitanium Posted July 8, 2022 Share Posted July 8, 2022 Junior is pulling his dash apart to investigate the dashboard lights this afternoon. Mom is out-of-town, pizza and beer for supper and garage time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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