BadBuyer

I know this is an old posting but I have also acquired a 1983 Venture with many electrical problems as well. I too have been through every circuit chasing the "HEADLIGHT OUT " warning on the dash coming on intermittently while driving and also a very dimly lit Low Beam light. High Beam Light worked great. Here's what I found; 1) 10.9 to 11.6 VDC at bulb 2) Same voltages coming from the handlebar headlight switch. 3) I eliminated the RLD "Reserve Lighting Device" Now that this device is out of the circuit my LOW BEAM is gone all together, NO LIGHT. The RLD was not the problem. Unfortunately I now also get the "Headlight Out" warning on the dash and here is why; With all the circuit tracing, I have found that The lighting circuit for the High Beam was working correctly but the circuit for the Low Beam light failed at the dashboard. No voltage coming from the output wire for the Low Beam. I had voltage at the input wire but nothing at the output. So I used a wire to jump across the input wire to the output wire and BAMMM, I had Low Beam at the Headlight. My Low Beam had light before when the RLD was still in the circuit but it was very low even with 10.9 VDC being seen there by my meter. I know this sounds crazy but its true. Maybe it was all voltage with hardly any amperage, i did not check for the amperage. I think that I was seeing voltage coming from the RLD unit somehow and NOT from the dashboard. 4) I did not remove the dashboard circuitry to see what or how it may operate but I know that if you bypass any light circuit coming into or out of this unit you will get 2 different outcomes. if you cut the output wire from the dashboard before the jumper, so that its not connected to anything but leave the input wire from the dashboard connected to the jumper, you will loose LOW BEAM. I don't know why this is, the jumper should have directed all voltage the the headlight but it didn't. The only thing that comes to mind is that the input has a short in it too ground causing all voltage to that path. If you leave the output wire from the dashboard connected along with the jumper wire and cut the input wire from the dashboard from the jumper wire, the LOW BEAM works but the "HEADLIGHT OUT" warning now shows. 5) If you run a 12VDC positive wire to cut input wire to the dashboard - NOTHING, warning still there. 6) If you run a GROUND wire to the dashboard input wire - NOTHING, warning still there. CONCLUSION; My dashboard computer circuitry has a faulty LOW BEAM circuit. I may someday take it apart to see what is causing this but right now i'm going to just ride it.