Problem - blowing headlamp bulbs faster than I can replace them

[YamahaLarry]

I noticed after a ride on the 16th that my hi beam side of my 3 year old Sylvania Silverstar bulb was out. So, I go to local parts store and purchase a Sliverstar Ultra bulb. Supposed to be brighter. Put it in this past Sunday evening just as it was getting dark, drove it around the 5 mile loop, all is good.

 

Rode bike to work Monday morning, 22 miles, mostly interstate. Went out and started bike after I get off work and noticed headlamp was blown both hi and low beam. Drove home at dusky dark with only my driving lights. Took the bulb out, ran down to the local parts store and had it replaced. While I was there I purchased a spare Silverstar bulb, not the Ultra as a spare. Went home and installed the non Ultra bulb.

 

Drove to work and back yesterday. All is good. Got on bike this morning and hit both hi and low beam as I was backing it away from the garage, all still good and left it on low beam. Drive 22 miles to work and decided to give it another check before shutting it off. DANG, hi beam not working and I had it on low beam all the way to work.

 

I am bewildered. Anyone else ever have a similar issue?

[Heartbeat]

Could possibly be a bad voltage regulator allowing too many volts and thereby blowing the bulb. The first thing to check is voltage across the battery before starting the bike and then after it is running. Check also with the throttle at high RPMs.

 

From bongobobny in the recent "I am the battery assassin" post:

 

Well, before you replace parts that may not need replacing, you need to do a little basic troubleshooting with a voltmeter. For starters, with the voltmeter on DC volts, measure across the battery with the bike running. At idle you should see around 12.8 to 13.2 volts. When you rev the engine up you should see the voltage rise, the higher the RPM's, the higher the voltage until you reach the "regulator operating voltage" which can be anything from around 13.6 to 14.8 volts, give or take. If you are seeing anything higher than 14.8 volts, chances are your regulator is defective and needs replacing!! Too high of a voltage will indeed cook a battery in a short time!

 

The next thing to do if your regulator voltage is good is to switch the voltmeter to AC voltage and do the same. Regardless of the RPM's you should not see any AC voltage other than possibly 1 volt or less. If you see a large AC voltage, the rectifier section of your rectifier/regulator is probably toasted. If your battery is seeing a large AC component that too will kill a battery. With AC applied to the battery it will be constantly charging and discharging. AC voltage is constantly changing polarity...

[YamahaLarry]

Could possibly be a bad voltage regulator allowing too many volts and thereby blowing the bulb. The first thing to check is voltage across the battery before starting the bike and then after it is running. Check also with the throttle at high RPMs.

 

Yeah, that's my next step. Just has me puzzled why the hi beam blew and I was running low beam. Gonna throw the voltmeter on it tonight. I have no other electrical issues at the present, but I guess if regulator is allowing too much voltage, I could fry something else.

 

Thanks.

[Heartbeat]

Yes, the opposite beam burning out is puzzling. If the VR checks out to be okay, maybe it is an issue with the switch itself or the ground circuit.

[YamahaLarry]

Gonna check/clean all the connections good and check the voltage at the battery. In a way, I am hoping it is the voltage regulator putting out too many volts. Otherwise, I could be chasing this for a while.

[baylensman]

There are some posts on a couple of the car sites i frequent about these bulbs. Slyvania gets the output by running them hotter! Lots of guys replacing them every couple months.

 

If everything else checks out it just may be the bulbs. You got lucky with your first one lasting so long.

 

Maybe its time for a BROVIEW led?

[YamahaLarry]

There are some posts on a couple of the car sites i frequent about these bulbs. Slyvania gets the output by running them hotter! Lots of guys replacing them every couple months.

 

If everything else checks out it just may be the bulbs. You got lucky with your first one lasting so long.

 

Maybe its time for a BROVIEW led?

 

I put the voltmeter on it last night. Shows almost 18v output with engine revved up. Have ordered a new regulator. Surely this is the problem.

 

[MikeWa]

Yep should be it.

 

Mike