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Tail light bulb

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rocketman
  • Start date Start date
R

Rocketman

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Just need a quick favor. Have an '82 GS850L with stock tail light and stock 1034 (23/8w) bulb. I noticed that the bulb is dimmer when turned to the on/run position, as compared to much brighter when key is turned to far right position for parking light. Can anyone with a similar year bike please try this and let me know if the brightness is the same in the "on" position as in the "parking light" position, or if it is different. Either post here, or e-mail to Larry.Barasch@cbmoves.com

Thanks a million,

Larry
 
the contact in the run position is likely dirtier than in park. The schematics would show a resistor if there was an intended drop in voltage to the light. You probably have a bad voltage drop to your coils indicated by harder starting if it is that noticeable.
 
No problem at all starting and both coils are brand new. Just noticed the difference in light intensity in the two different key positions. Could you check your light and see if it is the same.
Thanks.
 
If you have an OEM ignition switch, I would suggest NOT putting it in park as I have had two OEM ignition switchs that are stuck (lock up) there.

2nd, if you re-read my post I said YOU have a difference in your ignition switch contact resistance. Measuring mine will not do any good.
 
Rocketman,
Voltage drops in either the ignition switch or the starter switch or both is the main reason for the coil relay modification. The contacts corrode and the resistance goes up, as resistance goes up the voltage will drop. Think of it as an early warning to do something.

If the light is less bright it is for only one reason the voltage is lower to the bulb. So why is the voltage less, look at your schematic it is highly unlikely that there are two sets of wire driving your tail lights.

OK BAD ON ME! :cry:

There are at least two reason for the voltage to drop.

a.) Poor contacts in the ignition switch

OR

b.) ON ignition load pulling the battery down. OK so this is a "feature" when you have a undercharged battery :eek:

Check your battery voltage when you go into park v.s. ON. If the battery voltage drops it is your battery not being able to supply the ignition load at the same voltage in ON as PARK.

Alternately, If you pull the ignition switch plug away from the harness , you should be able to measure the resistance directly to confirm this.

There is still no reason for me to test mine, as my battery and switch condition could yield either the same or different results.

You can answer all these questions by using a volt meter. :rolleyes:


Jim
 
The headlight comes on with the ignition in the "on" postition and doesn't in park hence the dimmer/brighter tail light.
:cool:
 
Battery at posts initially measures 12.5 volts in parking light position; 12.0 volts in run position. I'm thinking the two different tail light intensities is most likely normal, and in 27 years of owning this bike, I've never really looked that closely back there to compare. Maybe I shouldn't have looked today. With any luck, I'll see another '82 850 on the road soon, and compare lights. Perhaps I'll deal with it then, if there's actually anything to deal with.
 
Battery at posts initially measures 12.5 volts in parking light position; 12.0 volts in run position
Click to expand...


Well it is normal for it to change; there is obviously a difference in loads. Ignition is one and headlamps as Bill says as well.

So basically you are doing a load test on your battery (assuming the ignition switch is OK).

Assuming you are at about 12.8-12.9V off then there are no issues.

The headlamp will also dim when the blinker is on when idling. Just artifacts of a finite supply.
 
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Rocketman said:
Just need a quick favor. Have an '82 GS850L with stock tail light and stock 1034 (23/8w) bulb. I noticed that the bulb is dimmer when turned to the on/run position, as compared to much brighter when key is turned to far right position for parking light. Can anyone with a similar year bike please try this and let me know if the brightness is the same in the "on" position as in the "parking light" position, or if it is different. Either post here, or e-mail to Larry.Barasch@cbmoves.com

Thanks a million,

Larry
Click to expand...


The tail light being brighter in the park position than it is in the run position is normal. Ignition in run position charges the ignition system and powers lights. In park, only the tail light bulb receives power. If your battery is not fully charged, the difference will be more noticable.

Earl
 
Thanks very much. I concur. Just one of those things I failed to take notice of in the past quarter century.
 
Evidently the roads in your part of New York are too straight. :-k

You need to go to West Virginia where they have LOTS of KMA turns. :rolleyes:

What's a KMA turn? :confused:

Also known as KissMeAss turns, they are tight enough you can check your own tail lights. :D

.
 
Rocketman said:
Thanks very much. I concur. Just one of those things I failed to take notice of in the past quarter century.
Click to expand...


Heh heh heh You know you're getting old when you start noticing things for the first time after 25 years. :)

Earl
 
Glad I could help.

P.S. Just for kicks, I measured the voltage at each pin inside the tail light bulb socket under three different scenarios:

Ignition in "Run" position (no brake applied): Left pin 10.5; Right Pin 0.4
Ignition in "Park" position: Left pin 12.5; Right Pin 0.0
Ignition in "Run" position with brake applied: Left pin 10.5; Right Pin 10.5
 
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So if I recall properly

Park Battery = 12.5V Brake Light = 12.5V
ON Battery = 12.0V Brake Light = 10.5V

What this is telling you is that:

a.) you have essentially no voltage drop in your wiring to the brake lights for the brake light load (that is because there is no voltage difference between Battery and Brakelight in Park alone.

b.) you have a significant load in ON, enough to pull the battery down 0.5 volts (headlamps and ignition) but is about normal as I have seen similar but usu sally not any lower.

c.) You have a lot of voltage drop (1.5V = 12.0-10.5) in your ignition switch in the ON position. Is you were pulling about 5 amps that means you have 0.3 ohms in the ignition switch. The corrosion is probably going to keep growing and get worse.

If it has taken 27 years to get this far, I guess it might last a little longer though:p
 
Pull out your ignition switch and clean it up. MG Chemicals Nu-Trol works wonders. The load from other sources when "ON" is likely the other part of the dim equation.
 
Excellent analysis guys. And assuming I keep this bike forever, and don't want problems to get worse, are the steps to remove the ignition and get to the contacts fairly simple? Again, assuming what I am cleaning are actually the contact points directly under the ignition switch.

Thanks again,

me
 
Spray some WD-40 in there.
Click to expand...

WD 40 will not eat the corrosion that is there. You need to strip that first with the etching material then lube it up.

The electrical contacts are in a little round module screwed to the bottom of the ignition switch.
 
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