Topic: Headlight not so bright

[juntjoo]

hmm, I'm a bit stumped. gonna do some googling. how does my bulb look?

https://imgur.com/a/IkY07

you know, I suppose it's possible when I changed out the bulb that night I accidentally just put the old one back in. This new one as shown in the pics has some weird blemishes in there, like part of the glass inside is reflective like chrome and then there's this dirty smudge in there. Maybe that's all just normal.

[juntjoo]

or did the PO tape up the blue cuz he knew that there was a short along the blue somewhere(switch to light to high beam  warning light) that works blow out the high beam part of any bulb put in like my old amd new one? That's gotta be it.  okay, gonna check out that high beam warning light...

[Flyin900]

You should be checking the voltage off the headlight socket. Green is ground so place your meter on the 12 or 20 volts DC setting and one proble into the green ground slot of the headlight socket and the light switch on low beam. Put the other probe into the white wire slot and you should have 12volts. Ignition needs to be on to do this test.
Switch the switch to high beam and now put the probe into the blue wire with the other still in the green ground wire and again you should get 12 volts.
You can test the bulb directly by using the same colour code on the bulb pins as the headlight socket ie green/ white / blue in the same locations and put the green ground and white first and the filament should light up. Now the green and blue and the other filament should light up. If either doesn't light on this test the filiment is burnt out for that circuit. Do not handle that bulb by the glass, as the oil from your fingers will leave a film and the heat the bulb generates when operating will cause it to burn out quickly. Wipe it down well if you have handled the bulb by the glass.

You should also check the stator and rotor output health by checking the bike at idle again using your DC setting on the volt meter. You should be seeing 12.8 to low 13 volts at idle. Rev the motor to 3K and hold that RPM and you should be getting 14+ volts at this RPM. The probes from your meter are placed on the positive and negative terminals of the battery. Your battery needs to be fully charged too, so no run down battery when you do this test.

[juntjoo]

instrument cluster https://imgur.com/a/KlyIH

so this is what the PO avoided and sacrificed a working high beam for. The high beam warning light was dead. And  I assume that was out before my new headlight's high beam got burnt out right? So before I through all this tests, which I did go through before, just not SO recently, I should see how the system performs with a new bulb no? And I did confirm the circuit works with one of the other bulbs. So I'll run to the store and get some led lights, which I'd also like to get for the rest of the lights in there, the speed/tachometer lights

https://imgur.com/a/J5Wi2

but I can't figure out how to get these out. Anyone know? Those little screws only secure the meter cables. I've tried pliers on them but it feels like I'm about to break something. If there's a way to pull them out you must need a special tool, or a smarter brain. any ideas?

[Flyin900]

Use a little WD40 sprayed around the rubber base as they are probably stuck in there from age and then they just pull out of the hole in the back of the gauge. Those bulbs are a dual pin base and are a model #57 and need to be twisted half a turn to release them from their socket. No need for LED bulbs as they are good brightness wise on a 1982 model year.

What happened to the headlight high beam project???  That idiot light being burnt out or the bulb removed from its socket won't stop your high beam headlight from working. The PO sacrificed what exactly in you post for a working high beam? Dead warning light has nothing to do with your high beam not working, you just have no warning light presently.
What happened to you picture of the rear of the headlight connector and where is the blue wire as part of that headlight circuit?? Have you fixed the high beam and is it now working and you just need to sort out the idiot light for the high beam??

[juntjoo]

speed/tachometer lights access https://imgur.com/a/jM2sr

another view

[juntjoo]

Use a little WD40 sprayed around the rubber base as they are probably stuck in there from age and then they just pull out of the hole in the back of the gauge. Those bulbs are a dual pin base and are a model #57 and need to be twisted half a turn to release them from their socket. No need for LED bulbs as they are good brightness wise on a 1982 model year.

What happened to the headlight high beam project???  That idiot light being burnt out or the bulb removed from its socket won't stop your high beam headlight from working. The PO sacrificed what exactly in you post for a working high beam? Dead warning light has nothing to do with your high beam not working, you just have no warning light presently.
What happened to you picture of the rear of the headlight connector and where is the blue wire as part of that headlight circuit?? Have you fixed the high beam and is it now working and you just need to sort out the idiot light for the high beam??

thank you. I do have to state that I did indeed post pics of the headlight connector closeup and if you squint just a little you should be able to make out the green and white wires and the empty slot for the terminal of the blue wire which I also posted a pic of all taped up in my fingers. it was just sitting in there. hence my deductive skills have led me to believe the PO forewent replacing the warning light for laziness. That wire isn't connected to the headlight wire? both are the blue wire and if the bulb on the warning light is out and say not totally open, wouldn't that cause a short? seems to explain the crime scene to me.... Did I confirm that the high beam works? well I can't exactly as my current new bulb high beam is out I believe. check those pics earlier. it's all smokey and something reflective like terminator 2 material spilled inside it but low beam works. so again, two murders of similar looking women, blonde hair blue dress. death my electric shock, worked the streets for the same pimp who's advertising partner wasn't informing the clientel of the new hot ladies coming in, creeping out of sight, coincidentally last two ladies get off'ed. I think the picture is clear, but doesn't sound like you think we can prosecute him yet even? I am a bit nervous about blowing another new headlight. is there a way to do this with a way out in time? or if there is a problem it would happen with warning and I can carefully watch it for a bit? what do ya think? can't see and obviously corroded connections.

I did confirm I could pass current through the circuit to the low beam tho so that at least says the wire is good no? or would you need more time to confirm for sure?

[TwoTired]

WD40 damages plastic.  So, if you wish to replace your plastic bits sooner rather than later, go ahead and spray WD-40 on electrical components.

Cheers,

[juntjoo]

I'm now in deep into this switch. it's a spring under a plate under the contact /bridge. all parts seem fine. maybe it's too tight in there and I need to adjust the bend in the bridge. hopefully I'll get it tonight...

[juntjoo]

WD40 damages plastic.  So, if you wish to replace your plastic bits sooner rather than later, go ahead and spray WD-40 on electrical components.

Cheers,

thanks. I'll keep that in mind

[juntjoo]

still stumped.

[juntjoo]

what would MacGyver do? I'm gonna order one. there are a couple "for parts" $15 on ebay. or working used ones for $20-30. in the meantime i may get crafty. if anyone has any suggestions feel free to share. maybe I'll find something in my junk drawer. The stock switch isn't so economical anyway

[juntjoo]

got it!

it did take a little 'MacGyver'ing. don't know how useful this will be to anyone but me as I've a knack for inventing/creating my own problems, but who knows. The little bridge for the contacts in this switch is too narrow so that any misadjustment over time or in my case just by taking it apart can push it off, which with my eyes wasn't apparent at first hence all the time i spent cleaning and scuffing the contacts.

[juntjoo]

okay, I guess I was being very hopeful that the warning light bulb was causing the short. I don't even know if that's possible. Anyway, fortunately though the fuse blew and no lights have to be replaced again. I'm not too experience at the next steps but I took resistance measurements. If there are other tests I can do let me know.

1) 1.3 ohms across two wires that meet and close the light circuit at the starter circuit open,

2) .6 an ohm from the harnesses between the starter and light switches

3) erratic then floated around 400 ohms from the harness to the switch

4) a bit over 100 ohms from the switch to the low beam

5) 1 ohm from the switch to the high beam

6) 1 ohm from the high beam to the harness

7) .4 an ohm from the bulb and switch harness to the harness before the instrument gauge

8 ) 9 ohms around the high beam warning light at the instrument gauge harness

so if you can tell me which numbers are off then I can try to fix em. thanks

[juntjoo]

okay, with new fuse ive been riding with low and high beams all morning. reading around ive read of people just replacing fuaes to fix problems if that's possible otherwise they're jist postponing fixing the problem, so I'm crossing my fingers.  actually, my highs for some reason seem to shine a halo in front of me rather than a spotlight. are both filaments in the bulb supposed to shine for high beams or just the one? well I'll keep riding and see that headlight fuse goes out again. hopefully not...