Passing lamp install question. Please help!

[BigLenny]

I know, I know. I should look in the tech section. I did, but I can't find the issue I'm having.

Today I installed the Yamaha factory passing lamps on my 07 RSTD. I did it exactly to the Yamaha factory instructions that came with them.

The instructions gave me three options for power to the lamps. From the 12 pin connector, I could splice connect into the blue wire for my passing lamps to be on all the time, or the yellow wire for them to be on only when I use my high beams, or the green wire for them to be on only when I use my low beams. Well, I chose to splice connect into the blue wire because I want them to be on all the time. Got everything hooked up, it looked great. I turned on the key and the passing lamps work beautifully, HOWEVER, my headlight will only work on high beam.

 

So, my question is, what's up with that?

[spike13]

bulb burned out on low beam?

[BigLenny]

It doesn't appear that is it. None of the filaments on the bulb are broken.

 

I'm really hoping someone can help me here.

 

Thanks

[Mike G in SC]

Maybe not related.... but

Most people don't know that there is an on/off switch for the passing lamps inside the fairing of the RSV. It is right by the 12v outlet on the left side. Rubber tipped push switch.

 

Curious, push that switch while lights are on. It should turn on/off your passing lamps.

But I wonder if by choice of wires,,, it might now operate your bright(??).

If so,,, swap wires.

[XV1100SE]

...T I did it exactly to the Yamaha factory instructions that came with them. ...

 

If you haven't gone thru the article in the tech forum - http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=43898

 

Review your wiring and make sure you didn't loosen any wires (maybe you pulled the low beam sire loose). Also... make sure you add a relay or it puts strain on your ignition switch (as per tech article)

[BigLenny]

If the destructions told me to splice into the Blue wire for always on, or the Yellow wire for on with high beams, or the Green wire for on with low beams, why would I be having an issue with low beam not working since I spliced into the Blue wire.

 

This scenario would tell me that the Blue wire is the constant power one, right? I didn't fiddle with the Green low beam wire at all.

 

I spliced into the blue wire; passing lamps work great, high beam works great, but the low beam is not working. Weird.

 

I've looked over and over at the headlight bulb and i swear, it looks like everything is perfect as far as the filaments go. I wonder if it's broken somewhere inside the bulb base?

 

I now realizeI need to put a relay on it though. But, that's secondary to me figuring out the low beam thing first.

 

I guess I'm gonna get a new bulb and install it to see if that's the problem.

[BigLenny]

Well well well, whadya know! the very first suggestion by Spike13 was correct. It was my headlight bulb. Bought a new bulb today just to check. Came home, plugged it in and, voilla! High beam, low beam, passing lamps! It's crazy though because the old bulb shows absolutely no sign of a problem. No discoloration, nor cracked filaments. I guess it has a problem in the base.

 

Thanks so much to everyone who gave suggestions, and also to all of the ones that at least looked at my thread but didn't have a solution.

 

Good job Spike!

 

 

Question: Some of you have said that I should have a relay in case I experience a short in my passing lamps and it effects my headlight operation, however, the passing lamps came with an already installed inline fuse on the hot line. Wouldn't that provide protection if there was a short?

 

 

Thanks

 

BL

[rutman]

A member here, djh3, sells a plug n play ignition switch bypass relay that takes the headlight circuit off the switch. I bought one. Super easy to install and highly recommend it.

[darthandy]

 

Question: Some of you have said that I should have a relay in case I experience a short in my passing lamps and it effects my headlight operation, however, the passing lamps came with an already installed inline fuse on the hot line. Wouldn't that provide protection if there was a short?

 

 

Thanks

 

BL

 

The relay is not there to protect the circuit from "shorts". It's there to lessen the load on your ignition switch. Yamaha put some rather weak ignition switches on these bikes and running too much current through them can cause them to fail (Care to guess how I know this?). A short in the passing lamp circuit could cut power to your headlight circuit if it isn't wired up properly. The driving lamp circuit should be powered by the headlamp wire but should not be part of the headlamp circuit. Putting in a relay powered by the headlamp circuit with the power to the lamps coming directly from the battery will avoid putting a heavier load on the switch. If you look at the threads indicated above, it should explain how to handle this.

 

Good luck!

 

Andy

[bmxndad]

Maybe not related.... but

Most people don't know that there is an on/off switch for the passing lamps inside the fairing of the RSV. It is right by the 12v outlet on the left side. Rubber tipped push switch.

 

I cannot for the life of me find this switch on my 99 RSV. I have seen other posts refer to this in my case "phantom switch".....but nowhere to be found on this old girl, at least not with my eyes and fingertips.

[Freebird]

The early models came with a push button switch but it was NOT pre-installed on the bike. It came with the passing lamps and could have been installed anywhere or not installed at all. A lot of people, me included, did install them in the fairing right beside the 12 volt outlet but that is not a given. It just depends on who installed them.

[friesman]

I was looking around for the passing light set for my RSV, where did you find the best price/availability?

 

Brian