Topic: i want my headlights always on...

[yodagruv]

anybody have a "how to" to rig my 75 cb550k to automatically turn the headlights on whenever i'm riding (key in the "run" position?)

[bryanj]

Use the  switchgear, loom and fusebox from a model that does it (it started round about 75 so not sure why yours does not have it) Just rigging it to be on will not leave enough battery power to start it

[dave500]

that will mean the head light burns as you crank the engine to start,i dont recomend it.

[johnny]

Hondaman does sell a kit to fix this issue. Correct?

[pat english]

ive done it...never had any problems starting the bike.i dont remember which wires..but its pretty simple..i did it on accident when i unhooked all the wires in the headlight bucket..turn the key on and start unplugging stuff and pluging it into differnt spots untill youre headlight comes on..i know it sounds dumb,but you really cant hurt anything..worst that can happen is you might blow a fuse..somebody here might be able to tell you exactly which wire to unplug and where to plug it into..its only one wire..

[johnny]

ive done it...never had any problems starting the bike.i dont remember which wires..but its pretty simple..i did it on accident when i unhooked all the wires in the headlight bucket..turn the key on and start unplugging stuff and pluging it into differnt spots untill youre headlight comes on..i know it sounds dumb,but you really cant hurt anything..worst that can happen is you might blow a fuse..somebody here might be able to tell you exactly which wire to unplug and where to plug it into..its only one wire..

Or, you could work smart (rather than hard) and simply download and print the wiring diagram for your bike from this website. If you want to be really fancy, you can laminate it.

[KingCustomCycles.com]

La

ive done it...never had any problems starting the bike.i dont remember which wires..but its pretty simple..i did it on accident when i unhooked all the wires in the headlight bucket..turn the key on and start unplugging stuff and pluging it into differnt spots untill youre headlight comes on..i know it sounds dumb,but you really cant hurt anything..worst that can happen is you might blow a fuse..somebody here might be able to tell you exactly which wire to unplug and where to plug it into..its only one wire..

Or, you could work smart (rather than hard) and simply download and print the wiring diagram for your bike from this website. If you want to be really fancy, you can laminate it.

laminate the wire or the schematic?  :-)

[johnny]

laminate the wire or the schematic?  :-)
[/quote]

Ha! The schematic. I'm kind of a slob when I work. It's the only way I can avoid covering it with dirt, oil and beer.

[SohRon]

1) Turn the headlights on using the switch on the right hand control
2) Break off the lever that extends outside the switch body
3) Cover the slot with tape

Voila! Lights always on!

[Really?]

That would be too easy. .

[camelman]

Some of the later models had disconnects for the headlight that turned it off when you cranked the engine.  As soon as your finger comes off the starter button, the headlight comes back on.  I believe the switching is done inside the right side handlebar controls housing.  I haven't dug through the wiring schematics to figure out how to integrate that system into an earlier model, but I imagine it is doable.

Regards,
Camelman

[phil71]

seems like a lot of work for little payoff... did you get a ticket?

[bender01]

I lost the hi/lo on my 1975 550k left switch. No more jiggle it til it came on. So I took a paper clip and found which wire it was. Then I made a the bullet connectors out of some scrap parts I had and I was done. Check them all because the blinker will work it and blink headlights dont work well. I think it was a loose brown one in the headlight Zoom in to see) and the white one from the bulb. Its stuck on lo beam but atleast its legal and im riding again.  Anyone have a NOS left switch for a 75 550k? Hope this helps.

[Spanner 1]

Doable, but a woeful amount of work to do instead of training yourself to turn on the head light before you start moving. You put your seatbelt on when you get in your car/ a car right?... what's the difference ??

[bender01]

 I have the on off switch on my 75 550k its on the right switch. The left switch has the hi/lo option. Im guessing... thats his problem that he wants to correct. It doesnt have anything to do with turning it on/off for me. That still works. The problem was always in the hi/lo til it finally quit. My lights still go out when using the starter too. I saved these pics this spring because I couldnt find the answer to the same easy?
 Yodagruv.. Your up , Any of these ideas sound familiar?
Before I did this the on / off didnt work. The hard wiring was the only way I could get a light.Now the on/off works but no hi/lo option.

[Retro Rocket]

Doable, but a woeful amount of work to do instead of training yourself to turn on the head light before you start moving. You put your seatbelt on when you get in your car/ a car right?... what's the difference ??

+1

[dave500]

i like to switch mine off if ive been tooling around traffic for a while to aid the battery charge,i have a volt meter i keep an eye on.

[Retro Rocket]

I remember when the push for hard wired headlights started, the main argument {in Australia} for not having the light on all the time was that it made a motorcycle and rider almost invisible with the sun at his back. We had a local road in Sydney that went slightly down hill coming from the west and in the afternoon heading east you couldn't see a bike at all with its lights on. I choose to put mine on when i feel its needed....

[Really?]

I wish my Venture had an on/off switch.  I like the fact that the 750 has one. 

[yodagruv]

my main issue is that i have changed out the factory switches and instead of two separate switches for on/off and hi/lo it has off/on/hi on one switch and i'm having trouble working out the wiring.  i can get the hi beam to come on but no the lows/running lights.  figured if i could rig the low beam/running lights always on then my problem is solved.

BTW, i have cars with auto lamps primarily because i always forgot to turn them on/off at the appropriate times

[TwoTired]

What are the wires colors and function assignments for your replacement headlight switch?

Can you tolerate the runing lights on with the key switch on?

Do you want your fuses to retain their original assigments?

[phil71]

Using auto security add-ons (DEI and the like) It would be pretty easy to build a circuit that wouldn't let the lights run at say , under 12.2 volts, which would kill it during cranking, and turn it on when running (using a relay, of course)

[SohRon]

That's a pre-'74 switch you're trying to use. In addition to the fact you'll have to do some major re-wiring to get it to work with the lights, the starter button set-up is totally different, so you'll either have to re-wire the starter circuit or forgo using the electric starter. Your best bet would be to find the correct switch; then everything will fit and work as it should. If you get a used one, there are tutorials on this site that cover switch rebuilding.

I'm not sure I'd like to attempt what you're doing; too much work...   

[lucky]

My advice. Leave it alone.

Turn on the lights yourself AFTER it is started.

Put a sign on your garage door if you have to.

TURN ON HEADLIGHTS!

[cb650]

I wish I could turn mine off when "I" want to not the gov.

[SohRon]

Amen, brother!! Just another example of "The Man" sticking it to us!! That's why I drive a '74 (well, no, not the only reason...)   

[yodagruv]

Actually, scratch that, two switches, one hi/lo, one off/parking lights/headlights.

Three way switch says "black=+; brn/wht=park lights; blu/wht=headlight; brn=running lights (says "turns on with both park lights and headlight")

Hi/lo switch says verbatim: "blu=hi beam; white=lo beam; brn=headlight"

I assumed the brown on the hi/lo needs to be connected to the brown/red on the bike harness like it shows on the cb550 diagram. The three way I'm confused about now.

Fine with running lights on with key, would not be opposed to changing fuse assignments but might prefer not to change them.

[crazypj]

I can sell you a Yamaha reserve lighting device 
 It's designed to swap filaments if one burns out and also switches lights on if you forget.
 Personally, I wouldn't do it, just had to buy a new battery for one of my bikes, I like the idea of having another 4~5 amps to crank starter instead of the light on

[yodagruv]

Well, if I can get the switches working properly I think I'll be ok. I do like the idea of running lights on with key switch, all my lights are LED besides the headlight.

[Danno]

I think you have a 74 bike that was titled in 75 bud if thats the case they were not made to run the headlight all the time and it needs to be shut off during starting or you will stress out the starter switch  plus the battery will never get a full charge if you run the headlight all the time

[TwoTired]

Actually, scratch that, two switches, one hi/lo, one off/parking lights/headlights.

Then what functionality do you expect from these switches?

Three way switch says "black=+; brn/wht=park lights; blu/wht=headlight; brn=running lights (says "turns on with both park lights and headlight")
No wonder you're confused. You bought the switch because it looked cool rather than considering it's internal function and how it would integrate with the bike.

The Headlight fuse gets its power from the Br/W distribution bus as do run lights, and tail light.  Your park light is driven by the key switch.    You going to disconnect that so your new switch will take that function?
Originally, one switch brought power to the Br/W distribution from the Black wire distribution bus.
Your new switch is going to require a custom harness to exploit all it's functionality.

But, now I'm confused. If you want your headlight on with the key switch, you don't need the three way switch at all.  Connect BR/Wht to black in the main harness, and then your Hi/Lo switch as stated below, and you've got what you originally asked for.

If you want to somehow employ the three way switch, you will have to commit to hacking up your main harness to break out the headlight power from BR/W distribution.  After which it will never be accurately described by any Honda wire diagram.  And, unless you make a special one for this bike and keep it with the bike, the next owner will curse you when there is an electrical failure.  And, a year from now when something goes wrong you won't remember how it was supposed to work either.  Then YOU can curse YOU. 

Hi/lo switch says verbatim: "blu=hi beam; white=lo beam; brn=headlight"

BLU and WHITE connect to the headlight;  Brn is the power input.  If you want the headlight fused then connect it to the Br/R wire.

So, what is it you want?  Is the new 3 way switch really shiny? 

What is your definition of parking lights?
What is your definition of running lights?

[yodagruv]

Ok, all this conversation stirred an epiphany. I realized that all I needed to do in order for these switches to work was hook up all the park/run/head light wires on the 3 position to the brown/white (don't ask me the diff between park & run lights, I couldn't figure that out either) along with the brown on the hi/lo. Now the switches work the lights properly (albeit with a three way switch that does two functions: on/on/off, which is fine.)

Thanks for the attention and suggestions, if this forums didn't exist i'd be hosed on this project.