Hi/Lo driving lights

[Condor]

I've owned the '91 for a while now, and while messing around with it a couple of days ago, I found that the driving lights have a hi/lo beam wired into them. Kinda cool. I'd really never taken the time to find out what the unlabled switches actually do as two of them are disconnected at the switch .. but the top 3-position switch controls the driving lights. The other two, I suspect, control the trailer lighting as it's wired for both 4way and 5way plugs on the transom.... I haven't checked the bulbs out... they look like a standard aftermarket chrome rectangle driving/fog light... and I wonder if it's just the bulb??

[friesman]

I've owned the '91 for a while now, and while messing around with it a couple of days ago, I found that the driving lights have a hi/lo beam wired into them. Kinda cool. I'd really never taken the time to find out what the unlabled switches actually do as two of them are disconnected at the switch .. but the top 3-position switch controls the driving lights. The other two, I suspect, control the trailer lighting as it's wired for both 4way and 5way plugs on the transom.... I haven't checked the bulbs out... they look like a standard aftermarket chrome rectangle driving/fog light... and I wonder if it's just the bulb??

 

I guess you had the time to wonder about them as you were laying there on the ground givin them the close once over a couple of days ago.......:rotfl:

 

Sorry, couldnt resist....

[Condor]

I guess you had the time to wonder about them as you were laying there on the ground givin them the close once over a couple of days ago.......

 

Sorry, couldnt resist....

 

Nope... It was the '83 that KMA....

[mbrood]

Should be easy to open them up and check? Three wires for each housing? Broken filaments aren't unheard of on bikes but it's probably a wrong bulb or disconnected wire?

 

These bikes don't like a lot of electrical load and running THREE high beam lamps would definitely load that system... probably even brought the system to it's knees so the previous owner disconnected???

[Condor]

Should be easy to open them up and check? Three wires for each housing? Broken filaments aren't unheard of on bikes but it's probably a wrong bulb or disconnected wire?

 

These bikes don't like a lot of electrical load and running THREE high beam lamps would definitely load that system... probably even brought the system to it's knees so the previous owner disconnected???

 

No Mike, the hi/lo is switchable. Maybe you're right about the load on the system, and to keep the amps down the PO wired in a low beam. Low for daytime visability and high at night when ever needed.. I just went out and checked, and there are only two wires conected to the lamp, go figure?? Nothings burned out. There is a definite high and definite low beam in both lamps... I didn't want to take anything apart to see what type bulb was in there, but from the brightness it has to be a halogen...maybe tomorrow morning... Trace the circutry too...

[mbrood]

I've seen a few "driving" lights where they wired the ground wire immediately to the bracket (chassis?) so two wires might mean....

[Condor]

so two wires might mean....

 

What..what...what?????

I think I see... one wire is high and the other is low, and the lights are grounded thru the body and bracket.... Yes??

Edited July 27, 2008 by Condor

[mbrood]

You have it, Condor. Many folks do the same thing with horns so just ONE wire runs to the control. Don't know if that's what this guy did... but...

 

Plus, put an ohm meter on them and see if they both read about the same to ground... it's going to be a LOW reading since it's just a filament! Or pull the bulbs and ohm the two socket pins to the wires and checking the socket "case" already goes to chassis ground.