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Old May 18th, 2019, 11:03 AM   #1
Foxyfox135
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Name: Trevor
Location: Massachusetts
Join Date: May 2019

Motorcycle(s): 1999 Ninja 250r

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Low beam not working?

So I've been having trouble with my Ninja's headlight. The low beam won't work, but the high beam is working fine. I've tried once to remove the headlight to replace it, but as I was doing it the light came back on. A week later and I'm getting ready to take it for its state inspection and the light is dead again. Still have high, and all the other electrics are working. Would it be a bulb problem or a wiring problem, and if it's the latter how would I fix that?
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Old May 18th, 2019, 04:38 PM   #2
DannoXYZ
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Sounds like wiring problem, but let's cover everything to be sure

BULB
1. Remove bulb
2. What is resistance of low-beam filament?
3. What is resistance of high-beam filament?
4. Apply ground & +12v to low-beam filament, does it light up?
5. Apply ground & +12v to high-beam filament, does it light up?


POWER TO BULB SOCKET
1. Crank engine to turn on headlight power
2. Measure for power at low-beam terminal on headlight socket, what voltage do you get?
3. Turn on high-beam switch
4. Measure for power at high-beam terminal on headlight socket, what voltage do you get?
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Old May 30th, 2019, 11:26 PM   #3
Theorist
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Name: Eric
Location: MA
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Need to remove the bulb to know. An LED bulb might help.

I have more experience with cars, but it's impossible to know without removing the bulb. Adding to Danno's great guidance, I'd look for discoloration or signs of scorching on the headlight socket and possibly add a bit of dielectric grease or petroleum jelly to the electrical interface of the bulb and socket. Be certain to not get any on the glass of the bulb. If I even touch the glass with a finger, I'll lightly wipe it with isopropyl alcohol.

If you don't have a multimeter or don't feel up the taking the measurements, simply install a new bulb.

My wife had a 2001 Civic with poor wiring that kept fouling plugs till Honda created a tSB or recall for the headlight wiring harness.

Her 2006 Prius burned out bulbs at the rate of about one every 6 months or 8000 miles. It seemed to have to do with unsteady voltages on the 12v side. I switched to aftermarket LED bulbs and they have worked great for 2 years now.

Most LED bulbs are less sensitive to voltage changes, draw less current, produce more light, and only cost less than $50/pair online. The downsides are that they won't throw the light as precisely where they should as halogens and consequently aren't DOT approved with our halogen headlight housings. I found that the light pattern was quite good with an LED bulb in my housing and the state inspection in MA wasn't concerned with what he saw.
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Old May 30th, 2019, 11:48 PM   #4
Theorist
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Name: Eric
Location: MA
Join Date: May 2019

Motorcycle(s): 2005 250

Posts: 39
Need to remove the bulb to know. An LED bulb might help.

I have more experience with cars, but it's impossible to know without removing the bulb. Adding to Danno's great guidance, I'd look for discoloration or signs of scorching on the headlight socket and possibly add a bit of dielectric grease or petroleum jelly to the electrical interface of the bulb and socket. Be certain to not get any on the glass of the bulb. If I even touch the glass with a finger, I'll lightly wipe it with isopropyl alcohol.

If you don't have a multimeter or don't feel up the taking the measurements, simply install a new bulb. Once you've removed the bulb you can usually see if either filament is broken. In cars the low beam filament usually fails first as they are used much more. They sometimes fail intermittently at first, as you've described, if the filament is broken in one place but occasionally makes contact and light due to vibrations.

My wife had a 2001 Civic with poor wiring that kept fouling plugs till Honda created a tSB or recall for the headlight wiring harness.

Her 2006 Prius burned out bulbs at the rate of about one every 6 months or 8000 miles. It seemed to have to do with unsteady voltages on the 12v side. I switched to aftermarket LED bulbs and they have worked great for 2 years now.

Most LED bulbs are less sensitive to voltage changes, draw less current, produce more light, and are now affordable at less than $50/pair online. The downsides are that they won't throw the light as precisely where they should as halogens and consequently aren't DOT approved with our halogen headlight housings. I found that the light pattern was quite good with an LED bulb in my housing and the state inspector in MA wasn't concerned with what he saw.
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