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No low-beam headlight ???


Beefa

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Fella's ,

I asked this question in the BIRD site , but I'm still having problems .. Maybe one of you guys have seen this before ...

Here goes ..

Over here in Australia , our headlamps are hard wired = no on/park/off switch on the RH switchblock ... Low beam is " on " all the time . Here-in lies my problem.

Bout a 3 weeks ago my low beam went out . ( Luckily during the day ) So I pulls the bulb out and replace it with new H7 - 55w . Still not working ???

Here's the strange part ... When I push the "Pass/Flash" with the hi/low in the Low position = the lower light illuminates - BUT - if I push the high/low to High while holding down the Pass/Flash = both bulbs ( upper and lower ) illuminate .....

Yes = I've checked the fuses = all OK , No I didn't swap the plugs from upper to lower when changing the bulb...

I got a workshop manual on CD from Jaws in the UK - but it's very hard to read ( small print ) and it also appears not to cover the Aussie ( U ) model ...

Any help would be appreciated as I need to head to the coast for the Easter Break and wanna take the BigBird real bad ....

Pete

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With all the wireing differences, flash to pass etc. compared to US models this is going to be hard but I'll try.

I think the problem is at the starter button. When I slowly push mine with the key on, the low beam turns off (to give the starter more juice) long before the starter engages with further pressing. I don't hear a relay click when I do this. The only time I hear a relay click is when I cue up high beam. So I would take apart the right handle bar switch assy. and check the contacts on the starter switch when the switch is sprung up.

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It is more likely a contact in the high/low switch, or the flash to pass switch.

If I read the wiring correctly, It passes through the starter switch first. If it was bad there, they would not work at all.

I know this because when I was wiring my heated grips, I also wired a switch into this line to be able to kill the headlight.

The Haynes manual has better wiring diagrams for different country models, and with colors. I will try to look at it later tonight.

Steve

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Sounds like the AUS model has the always on light like ours, and gets the flash to pass. Sure can't figure our why we don't have it.

Haynes manual I have only has UK & USA diagrams. Anyway, unless your wiring is radically different, you probably have the same right control switch as USA, and same left controls as UK.

A black/red wire goes from the fuse to the relay and also to the right contol switch. In USA, the start button makes the connection to the light circuit and the connection is broken when pushed to start. In UK they have the separate light switch.

Then a blue/white leaves the right contol switch and feeds directly to the low beam and it also feeds to the high/low switch on the left control. There is a blue wire that goes from high side on the switch to the relay's coil, so the only time the relay is actuated is on high beam.

When the relay is actuated, power is fed from that black/red wire into a blue/black wire which goes to the high beam and the high beam indicator on the dash.

The passing switch takes a green/white wire from the horn switch and feeds it to the high beam side of the high/low switch, so it momentarily activates the high beam relay when pressed.

The low beam (which should be your upper bulb) may have a break in the line. Based on the wiring, if your high beam works, then all your switches and relays should be ok. I would start by checking your low beam socket for a good ground on the green wire, and for 12 volts on the blue/white. Work backwards from there.

If you don't solve the problem, maybe just swap the bulb sockets so your low beam is on.

Steve

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We do have flash to pass. As long as you are in gear with the clutch out, hit your starter button. Instant flash to pass! Don't worry about running your starter, the clutch switch and neutral sensor won't let it. As long as you don't pull the clutch in to down shift when the left lane hog moves over.

I've done this on all Honda's I've owned. I think they are all wired up the same way.

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My Haynes covers the UK/European models, which is probably closest in wiring, and the following is from the "Lighting System - check" section, FWIW. Happy hunting with the multimeter... :???:

I really do need to get a local market manual... :shock:

Headlight

2. If either or both headlight beams fail to work, first check the fuse and then the bulb(s). If they are good, use jumper wires to connect the bulb in question directly to the battery terminals. If the light comes on, the problem lies in the wiring or connectors, the relay (HI beam only), or the switches in the circuit.

3. If the high beam does not work and the relay is suspected of being faulty, the easiest way to tell is to substitute it with another one, if available. Remove the seat to access the relays - it is mounted behind the battery. If the beam then works, the faulty relay must be replaced with a new one. If a substitute is not available, remove the suspect one and test it as follows: set a multimeter to the ohms x 1 scale and connect it across the relay's blue/black and black/red wire terminals. There should be no continuity (infinite resistance). Using a fully charged 12 volt battery and two insulated jumper wires, connect the positive (+) terminal of the battery to the blue wire terminal of the relay, and the negative (-) terminal to the green wire terminal. At this point, the relay should be heard to click and the meter read 0 ohms (continuity). If this is the case the relay is good. If the relay does not click when battery voltage is applied and indicates no continuity (infinite resistance) across its terminals, it is faulty and must be replaced iwth a new one.

4. If the relay is good, check for battery voltage at the black/red wire terminal on the relay wiring connector with the ignition ON. If there is no voltage, check the wiring between the relay wiring connector and the ignition switch, via the fusebox, then check the switch itself. If voltage is present, check that there is continuity to the headlight wiring connector in the blue/black wire, and continuity to earth (ground) in the green wire from the headlight connector. Also check for battery voltage at the blue wire terminal on the relay wiring connector with the ignition ON, the light switch ON and the dimmer switch set to HI. If voltage is present, check for continuity to earth (ground) in the green wire from the relay wiring connector. Repair or renew the wiring or connectors as necessary.

5. If the low beam does not work, check for battery voltage at the blue/white wire terminal on the headlight wiring connector with the ignition ON, the light switch ON and the dimmer switch set to LO. If voltage is present, check for continuity to earth (ground) in the green wire from the relay wiring connector.

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I saw that part in the last sentence about the relay. Seems confusing. If the ground wire from the relay is bad, neither light would work.

If you can't get it fixed, take your trip anyway...you still have a light!

Pete. Good tip on the flash to pass. I guess it just works the opposite. Instead of a flash of the high beam, you get a momentary off-on.

Steve

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Pete, I posted a similar problem about a month ago. I put in aftermarket bulbs (100W) and they melted the black plug that goes in between the bulb and the wiring harness. I tried another bulb and it went out after 5 minutes once the plug got hot again and "opened" the circuit. Not sure if this is related, but it is worth checking out.

Steve

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