[source]

OK, wierd question I know, but does your high beam indicator work? And do you know what 'model' you have? E-??

No, indicator stopped working when headlights stopped working. This should be due to no power getting to the high/low switch. The meter showed no power to the high low switch.

As for model #, only model # I'm familiar with is the 600gsxfk1 (2001 us)

[source]

I think I have it though, give me a minute. Have you had any other odd or sporadic things going on?

No, electrically everything else works great. Blinkers, brake lights, instrument panel, etc. Only other issue is an idle issue that I have another thread going about.

[source]

OK got it. Check out the modified/idiotized schematic. I painted the wire section in question or being held suspect in orange. I would say that it's probably not in one of the harness connectors since you didn't say anything else was going on. I would say that it's in the loopback section at the top there, an orange with red striped wire, (which should be at a connector coming off the right side controls) or possibly you pinched a wire somehow (probably the yellow with white stripe) when you put the new fairing on, but that wire runs to the other handle bar so I don't see how you might have done that. As far as the rear lighting affecting it, after looking at the schematic, they would have to be a MAJOR, MAJOR spaz to do anything like that.

I tend to agree with you about the rear wiring not being likely to play a role in this.

Thanks for taking the time to check this out for me. The only question I have is this: Wouldn't that orange with black wire also affect the front brake light switch/starter switch, etc?

If that circuit was broken, would that explain not getting power at those slots on the fuse box?

Thanks again for the responses.

[awsnap]

The only question I have is this: Wouldn't that orange with black wire also affect the front brake light switch/starter switch, etc?

Orange with black, I wasn't circling that, I was circling the connector. The orange wire may affect other things, that's why I only went to the connection point with the rest of the orange wires.

If that circuit was broken, would that explain not getting power at those slots on the fuse box?

Yes, if the wires I highlighted are broke, then yes, no power at the fuse box. It's kind of weird. The fuses are after the switch....

[Mark3748]

Check the switch with an ohmmeter, if there's no continuity between the contacts at the switch, you won't get anything to the fuses.

[awsnap]

I think that he's tried that. He stated he wasn't getting any power before the switch either. How is it going though? I wish I could take a look for you. I could probably find it in under 15 minutes. I hope you do.

[Chef]

It's kind of weird. The fuses are after the switch....

It makes no difference if the fuse is located on the positive side of the circuit or the negative side of the circuit. There are 2 schools in the design of electronics (and consequent placement of fuses): Conventional Current Flow versus Electron Flow. Your schooling will dictate where you desire to place the fuses.
Regardless, the fuse is always rated at a lower current capacity than the circuit it is protecting... hence its purpose in life. (I could go on and on about electronics theory, but elect to STFU after I type the rest of this thread )

However, if the fuses are on the negative side of a working circuit, then using ground as a reference to look for voltage is incorrect because you will NEVER see voltage on the fuse housings using your multimeter... unless the fuse is blown (in which case you will see voltage on the upstream/positive portion of the circuit). In your case, you should see voltage on BOTH sides of these fuses using battery-positive as a reference since the circuit interruption is located somewhere else.

Quick check... instead of using ground as a reference, place your multimeter's red lead to battery positive, then check both sides of the fuse with the black lead. If you see a volt reading, then the fuse is located on the negative side of the circuit.
Knowing this makes a huge difference when troubleshooting electronics and could save you some time.

Once you have determined if the the fuses are on the positive or negative side of the circuit, you can work succesfully from f1 and f2 towards your problem area. Use the schematic awsnap supplied and work your way along each connection point.

All of the wires are color coded and using the schematic as a map find the point where your voltmeter changes. When your meter changes its voltage reading, then you have sucessfully isolated your problem... it is either a faulty component, a loose wire connection, or a broken wire.

The first thing I would do is take the headlights out and check for continuity using the ohm setting on your multimeter... no continuity = broken filament = broken circuit.


Yeah, I know that sounds condescending, but that is electronics 101, my friends.

[source]

Thanks again gentlemen. I had tested at the headlight connector, fuse box & high/low switch using a basic circuit tester (pen lights up when it finds power/completes circuit) and found nothing at any of the 3 points.

Based on your posts, last night I went and bought a multimeter Craftsman 82345 cheap for only $20.

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?pid=03482345000&AFFL=Y

It checks continuity, among other things but honestly it has so many positions on the dial, I'm not sure how to use it Anyone know which setting/position it should be on for the type of testing I'm doing?

Sorry to sound like such a newb. I can run new electrical circuits in my house, install outlets, overhead lights, etc, but I'm new to this type of electrical.

[Chef]

Anyone know which setting/position it should be on for the type of testing I'm doing?

Set your meter to DC volts for voltage checks: There will be no more than 14-15 volts that you will read.

Set your meter to Ohms to check continuity (the meter might just have the ohm symbol, which looks like a horseshoe). When checking for continuity, it is best to do it with no power, so disconnect one side of the battery. It is also best to isolate the circuit you are testing by disconnecting wiring harneses, etc. Doing this will prevent you from getting a 'false' reading. With all the circuits connected, there is a possibility that you are getting continuity through a different 'path' than the one you are intending to test.

Read this site for more info on checking continuity:

http://www.acmehowto.com/howto/homemaintenance/electrical/continuitytest.php

[source]

thanks chef

[ironhorse]

I don't have an electrical schematic handy, but I would say to check for a fusible link, if there is one. A fusible link is a short section of wire that acts like a fuse, it will 'burn up' and break the circuit if too much current is pulled through the wire. I wouldn't think it would have one, but......

(Edit)
All right, looking at the schematic above, I would also say double-check the harnesses. I do industrial electrical and it is amazing how one leg of water-tight harness/connector will corrode and fail - sometimes without looking like it is bad. I work with 480V up to 1200A in some spots. 12VDC will run pretty high amps compared to the same horsepower or 'work' than higher volts and seems to me can fail faster. Check that the pins are all mating together completely and that one or two are not backing out, especially since the bike has been partially disassembled.
OK, essay over for now. Back to my wife and beer! Yes, in that order! (She's watching.)

[ironhorse]

OK, check the white (neutral wire, it looks like the only common wire for both headlights and nothing else. Check the conection at the fuse box also.

[Chef]

OK, check the white (neutral wire, it looks like the only common wire for both headlights and nothing else.

[nitpick]There is no such thing as a neutral wire in a DC circuit... neutrals are found in AC circuits [/nitpick]
... just ribbing you - I knew what you meant

[source]

I may have found the problem. While checking the connectors, I found a yellow (i'm partially colorblind) connector near the front right handlebar controls like we've been discussing. The connector appears to have had a couple wires snipped out of it on each side...

Here is the general area, showing the connector in question:



Here you can see the connector up close. Note the snipped wires on each side of the connector:


Closer up:


Then I opened the connector up...hello charred melted contact...


Sooo, I could be offbase and this could have nothing to do with it, but my guess would be that it part of my problem.
Where do I go from here? Do I need to buy a whole new wire harness?

[Chef]

I may have found the problem.....

Here you can see the connector up close. Note the snipped wires on each side of the connector:

BINGO !!!
Those wire colors (Y & W) are the ones as seen on the schematic going to your headlights.

See those two RED connectors at the top of the picture with the black tape around them?
These look like the ones that were snipped off the yellow connector and butt-spliced together (sloppy-like) because of the short in the original yellow-connector.
My bet is one of the connections is loose/corroded since the tapejob Joe Shmoe did before you isn't protecting diddley from corrosion. With the key on, wiggle the wires to those red connectors... better yet, simply snip the connectors out and splice the wires back together with new connectors.