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Headlight wiring trouble! & then some!

  • Thread starter Thread starter nicholascott
  • Start date Start date
N

nicholascott

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Hello everyone! What supplies power to the headlight and tach and speedometer lights. I have connected the wires coming from my headlight. (white, black, and yellow). However I still have no power! I am really having a hard time with this. I don't know what to look for. I am looking at the wiring diagram and am just lost! What am I looking for? I posted something similar to this about 1 week ago. So, I have a wiring diagram. I just don't know what wire I am missing that would supply power to all of these parts. (headlight, tach, and speedometer). Thank you to anyone that responds.
 
Hello Nick. I've downloaded the wiring diagram for your bike and am prepared to walk you through the troubleshooting for this - however, I need to know if you have ANY electrical knowledge, AND if you have a basic test light (NOT one with batteries inside)? If you do have one, are you familiar with using it? Once I know where you're at with this, I'll explain in plain language how to troubleshoot some of this. Do you know what the basic parts of your electrical system are.......fuses, switches etc and how they work?
 
I will defer to Sparkss on the instructions, but I suggest....recommend...that you invest a few dollars in a decent quality Volt-Ohmmeter, preferably a digital one.

You do not need to spend a lot of money on this, but stay away from the cheapest units as you usually do get a low value for low dollars.

They can usually be had for twenty to thirty dollars. I said digital because they are easier to read, and, depending on the respective comparisons, they also tend to be more accurate than the swing needle type.
 
Make sure the fuse block is good and clean and the fuses are good. I've seen fuses that looked good but broke apart in my hand when removed.
 
slarkss thank you, I am very appreciative. I do have some basic electrical knowlege. And I have a good quality meter. You just let me know what to do and it'll be done. Thanks again. This is great!
 
nicholascott said:
Hello everyone! What supplies power to the headlight and tach and speedometer lights. I have connected the wires coming from my headlight. (white, black, and yellow). However I still have no power! I am really having a hard time with this. I don't know what to look for. I am looking at the wiring diagram and am just lost! What am I looking for? I posted something similar to this about 1 week ago. So, I have a wiring diagram. I just don't know what wire I am missing that would supply power to all of these parts. (headlight, tach, and speedometer). Thank you to anyone that responds.
Click to expand...

Hello again Nick. I'll just mention that a good reason NOT to use a high impedance digital voltmeter on something like this is that it doesn't load the circuit down at all (which is GOOD in the right situation but not if you're trying to troubleshoot a circuit LIKE lighting that requires significant power....and do it quickly). Hence my suggestion (and practice) to use a test light, one with a good incandescent bulb to!

Looking at your wiring schematic (diagram).....First ground your light (or meter negative) to the chassis and verify this by looking for battery voltage AT the battery + terminal......all voltages from here on are referenced to - chassis at this point unless otherwise noted. ALL TESTING NOW WILL BE DONE WITH KEY ON, HEADLIGHT SWITCH ON. Check for battery voltage at both sides of all fuses......replace any that show open (no voltage on one side. If ok here, then move your testing to the headlight socket (bulb removed) - Put your test light clip (meter negative) into the white/black wire cavity and the probe (meter positive) to the battery +....IF battery voltage is seen this verifys that this ground connection is ok (once again....BETTER to use a nice incandescent lamp here). IF OK here.....LEAVE THE CONNECTION TO THE WHITE/BLACK cavity on. We'll use this now to verify the rest of the circuit needed. Key on, headlight switch on, HI-LO dimmer doesn't matter, look for battery voltage at either of the other 2 cavities (headlight connector) - try moving the HI-LOW dimmer switch as you test each one to see if voltage appears. IF ok on both, then your headlamp is bad (or the connections in the connector)......if ONE is ok, we'll proceed to troubleshoot the dimmer switch. IF NOT OK, find the 7 wire connector which connects to the headlight switch harness (LEAVE IT PLUGGED TOGETHER) - find in that, the RED (or RED/YELLOW) wire and BACKPROBE (take your free lead and push into the connector at the cavity noted) here, looking for battery voltage. IF OK on one side, check the opposite side.....(IF FOUND ON ONE SIDE, repair connector or bypass this pin pair). IF OK, replace (or repair) the headlight switch. IF NOT OK (no voltage either side), follow that RED (might be RED/YELLOW) wire back towards the fuse block.....it'll pass through a 4 wire connector (not sure location)....backprobe same way here.....looking for power either side on this wire.....IF one side, repair as above......IF NOTHING.....follow this wire to the lighting fuse in the fuse block......repair as necessary - You've already checked this fuse for power at the first.

Testing like this is logical and a typical way many electrical/electronic circuits are troubleshot......check the power supply first and then move from output (your headlight) back to input (the power supply).

Hope the diagram I downloaded agrees with your bike.....keep an open mind on this. My .02 worth ;)
 
What a detailed response! Thank you very much. I will be getting to this in a couple of days and I will let you know how it turns out. Again, I want to truly thank you for helping me out.
 
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