Headlight problems

[lwinders]

The headlight on my '83 VR has quit working. I pulled the bulb out and checked it and it seemed to be ok. I bought a new one anyway and it doesn't work either. I checked the voltage at the plug. Using the green wire as the common; with switch on low beam I got 7 volts at the black wire and 4.25 volts at the yellow wire. With the switch on high beam I got 1.9 volts at the black wire and 1.8 volts at the yellow wire. I took the dimmer switch apart and sprayed contact cleaner on the switch. No change in voltage. All of the other lights work fine. Where should I go from here?

[stanG]

Sounds like you need to re-solder the connections on the circuit board inside the dash panel.

[dacheedah]

You should have 12v

Start with battery, is it giving you 12v

 

check continuity

ground wire to battery - poor ground 1st issue to check

 

 

[lwinders]

Thank you for the replies. When I checked the battery I got 12.9 volts. I will take the cables off the batter and clean them real good. How do I get to the circuit board in the dash?

[bongobobny]

Your reserve lighting unit may have bit the big one...

[lwinders]

"reserve lighting unit"? Where is that at?

[bongobobny]

It's a black box on the front fairing frame behind the relays. It has a multi pin connector coming out off it's side with wires. It's purpose is to detect if the headlight goes out, and automatically switch to the high beam and send a signal to the dash and light the white light on the dash. They are somewhat expensive. If you can borrow one plug it in to see if it fixes your problem. If you go to the Tech manual forum download member Dingy's schematics to see wiring details...

[bongobobny]

Another possibility is the contacts on the start switch! There is a set of contacts that turn off the headlight when you start the engine...

[Flyinfool]

First you need to check the correct wires for voltage.

Green is not the common.

 

Black is the ground

Green with red stripe is Low beam

Yellow with green stripe is High beam.

 

Although you did do a check from green to black witch is a valid check and the voltage seen is not correct.

Also check the black wire with an ohm meter from the black at the bulb plug to battery negative. Should be less than 1 ohm

 

It could be an issue in either the dash pcb or the RLU or a dirty switch.

 

The 83 is a little different than my 88 so I can't help with where things are hiding.

[bongobobny]

Ooh! Ooh! Check voltage from ground on both sides of headlight fuse holder!! You may have a bad fuse holder!!!

[lwinders]

Well, it looks like I have my work cut out for me. I guess I'll start pulling things off so I can get to all the wiring. There is nobody close to me to borrow a reserve lighting unit from so I'll just try to check it and go from there.

[lwinders]

bongobobny,

 

I have the skydoc fuse block installed but I will check the voltage. Thank you.

[sgn]

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=33328

 

No near as bad as it looks. Had to do my 83 and it solved my headlight problems and a few other things.

[lwinders]

sgn,

 

Thank you so much. That will be a great help. I do have intermittent problems on the display. This may solve all my problems.

[KIC]

Well, it looks like I have my work cut out for me. I guess I'll start pulling things off so I can get to all the wiring. There is nobody close to me to borrow a reserve lighting unit from so I'll just try to check it and go from there.

 

I think 1 or both of my 84 parts bikes have the lighting unit(s) still on them. If you need one I can send one to you. Can't guarantee it would work, but my guess is that it was when the bike(s) were parked.

[lwinders]

kic,

 

Thank you so much. Let me check a few things out and if I find that it is the lighting unit, I will most certainly take you up on your offer.

[Gdserlin]

I think I have a lighting unit as well. I just need to find it. I replaced mine with a set of traditional high and low beam relays. Let me know if you need it.

[lwinders]

Thank gdserlin,

 

I'll let you all know what I find out.

[rstacy]

I had the same problem on my 86.

The start switch was not coming completely out. As Bob said it will leave the head light off.

If I pulled on the start switch the head light would come on.

A little cleaner in the start switch solved that problem.