Author Topic: Electrical Short?  (Read 3302 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Boogerbandit04

  • Guest
Electrical Short?
« on: June 17, 2008, 10:26:00 PM »
I replaced the Tach light that went out a couple of days ago. Just tonight It went out again. Where should I start looking and what could it be other than a short?

Offline 333

  • Time for change
  • Really Old Timer ...
  • *******
  • Posts: 7,558
  • Mail List Member #162 - Call me Stan
Re: Electrical Short?
« Reply #1 on: June 18, 2008, 05:31:38 AM »
You should start looking WHEN it happens again.  I think you just got a bad bulb.  Besides, a short won't blow a bulb, it would stop the bulb from working and blow a fuse.
Go metric, every inch of the way!

CB350F0  "Scrouching Tiger"
CT70K0    "Sneezing Poodle"

www.alexandriaseaport.org

troppo

  • Guest
Re: Electrical Short?
« Reply #2 on: June 18, 2008, 05:37:22 AM »
You should start looking WHEN it happens again.  I think you just got a bad bulb.  Besides, a short won't blow a bulb, it would stop the bulb from working and blow a fuse.

+1
A short wont blow a bulb as far as i know, vibration, over voltage and bad manufacturing will though. I`ve seen a 12 volt bulb put in a 24 volt circuit, it burns real bright for a while then blows. Your blown bulb is probably a bad one, replace it its cheap enough and if it happens again you`ll know theres something wrong, got me stuffed though, sorry mate
« Last Edit: June 18, 2008, 05:40:17 AM by troppo »

Boogerbandit04

  • Guest
Re: Electrical Short?
« Reply #3 on: June 18, 2008, 07:50:07 AM »
Ok, Im just going to buy a few bulbs after I get off work. Any advice on what voltage to buy? Are the Tach/Speedo bulbs 6volt or 12volt? The tach was nice and bright until it burnt out. Im not sure what voltage they are.

Offline TwoTired

  • Really Old Timer ...
  • *******
  • Posts: 21,805
Re: Electrical Short?
« Reply #4 on: June 18, 2008, 11:43:57 AM »
Since your bike has a 12V battery, pretty much everything on the bike runs on 12v.
Lloyd... (SOHC4 #11 Original Mail List)
72 500, 74 550, 75 550K, 75 550F, 76 550F, 77 550F X2, 78 550K, 77 750F X2, 78 750F, 79CX500, 85 700SC, GL1100

Those that learn from history are doomed to repeat it by those that don't learn from history.

Offline Steve F

  • I have "some-timer's disease" because I'm an
  • Old Timer
  • ******
  • Posts: 2,929
  • "To Ride Is The Reason, The Destination The Excuse
Re: Electrical Short?
« Reply #5 on: June 18, 2008, 07:22:10 PM »
Ok, Im just going to buy a few bulbs after I get off work. Any advice on what voltage to buy? Are the Tach/Speedo bulbs 6volt or 12volt? The tach was nice and bright until it burnt out. Im not sure what voltage they are.
There are bulbs that are made especially for high vibration service, and the standard bulb won't typically hold up in a bike.  The vibration-resistant bulbs will have little support wires where the filament is fed through so the filament won't flail itself to death.  I've also heard that the bulbs that go into the tach and speedo are hard to come by because of the diameter of the glass being slightly smaller that the standard auto-parts store bulbs which sometimes won't fit the hole.
If you find bulbs that are vibration resistant, fit the hole and aren't $30,000 like the Honda stealer wants, let me know. (yes, I AM CHEAP)

Offline super pasty white guy

  • I'm not really a
  • Expert
  • ****
  • Posts: 929
  • 1976 750 F
Re: Electrical Short?
« Reply #6 on: June 21, 2008, 08:04:30 AM »
You could always go with LEDs.  I've got them in my gauges and for the idiot lights and they work great.

spwg

Fruit don't talk, fruit just listens... and waits.

Offline Steve F

  • I have "some-timer's disease" because I'm an
  • Old Timer
  • ******
  • Posts: 2,929
  • "To Ride Is The Reason, The Destination The Excuse
Re: Electrical Short?
« Reply #7 on: June 23, 2008, 02:13:03 AM »
You could always go with LEDs.  I've got them in my gauges and for the idiot lights and they work great.

spwg


I tried using LED's in the instruments, and didn't have any luck at getting the light to scatter around inside the housings.  The LED's light output on the ones I tried seems to be too directional, and they wouldn't light up but a "spot".  What did you end up using?  Do tell......