head light goes out and comes back on

[rogerhessler]

I've read on this happening to others and could use a little input. My 03 Venture I have installed an HID headlight bulb I installed as instructed running Power and ground from Battery installing a switch with a small dash light to insure power and plugged into the original headlight connector, Now it lights right off but will go out some times as soon as I hit the road others times later down the road, once I get rolling on down a long ride it seems to stay though I haven't gone far when sun is down. I had noticed that the old h4 bulb(55w-100w) would seam to go dim then brighten before but had thought it only got bright when charging system kicked in as my driving lights work to keep road lit so maybe it was going out also. Now in my years of spinning wrenches though the years to me it sounds like a bad ground any input would help thanks.

[djh3]

Hmm does sound a bit like a gound issue. You say it did it with the OEM bulb so to my it would say its not anything to do with the HID Kit. I dont know where the ground for the system is, but if its feasable I would look at it and maybe clean it up. Next thing you might try is improving the connection in the OEM headlight plug. Should be able to close the gap in the plugs by taking them out of the socket and using a plier or something. You got the drift?

[Flyinfool]

That is one of the differences between an HID and the OEM bulb.

With a bad connnection the voltage to the bulb will drop, the OEM bulb will just get dim but the electronics of the HID will see it as a command to shut off.

 

I would agree with those above, you have a bad connection somewhere.

It could be a ground, the headlight connector (or any connector in the headlight system), or even a dirty Hi-Lo beam switch.

 

I would start with the easy stuff first, like the Hi-Lo switch. Spray it good with contact cleaner and see if that helps. If not then we will have to talk you through the whole process of checking each wire one by one.

[XV1100SE]

I had the same issue but I'm guilty.

 

What I found was that one of my connections for the passing light wasn't making a good connection. Found it by opening the fairing and wiggling wires until the headlight came on. Because the passing light cut-in was to the wire that allows "always on" (as opposed to only with high or low beam) it cut the headlight out no matter if the switch was on high or low beam.

 

Headlight would be on sometimes when starting the bike and then cut out... occassionally back on. Passing lights stayed on even though the headlight cut out, making me think it was a bad headlight bulb. Bad crimp where I cut into the wiring caused the issue.

[YamaDuck]

I had a similar issue with my 06 Road Star and it was a short. The insulation wore through on a wire I had installed and was grounding out. Hope you find it.

[XV1100SE]

With a "short"... you'd be blowing fuses. With bad connection it would just be intermittent on/off.

[YamaDuck]

That is true. I was blowing fuses however when the passing light switch when bad I did not blow a fuse just the lights would flicker. The wire that was soldered to the switch broke where it was soldered onto the switch. No short just a bad connection.

[rogerhessler]

Thanks guys, so far I've tried working over the connections again on the oem headlight plug and cleaned the dimmer switch contacts and still the same. On mine the headlight is out on both high and low beams. and the driving lights wiring runs from battery was done by previous owner.is there a relay on the bike and could it cause this?

[YamaDuck]

I do not have an HID kit. I installed my passing lights and I had to put a relay in it. I have done that on both of my bikes. So I assume that you have a relay somewhere. I put mine under the gas tanks but some people put them under the seat. I hope this helps.

 

Harry

[rogerhessler]

I think I finally got it!! I ran a ground wire from the battery to the ground wire on the oem headlight connector. We took a nice moonlight ride in and around town with no issues. guess time will tell. Thanks again for all the help.

[Trader]

See post #2

 

These guys are good!