[The CyberPoet]

It's rained everyday since, until today.
It was snowing instead.
I was thinking that the issue was temperature related
So I went outside and checked it.. they work

I just don't get it....

Don't forget the Dielectric grease...

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

__________________________________________________ ________
CyberPoet's Katana Maintence and Upgrade Parts Offerings
The Best Metal Steel Aluminum Motorcycle Tire Valves in the World, plus lots of motorcycle & Katana (GSX600F / GSX750F) specific help files.

[TheSteve]

Check the voltage all throughout the headlight wiring while the bike is on, light is plugged in and not working. I have a feeling the switch is messed up enough to have a very high resistance that shows voltage under no load, but is effectively open-circuited when actually trying to pass current. This scenario would NOT break any fuses, and is extremely temperature sensitive. The crappy contact would expand and close the circuit when its warmer out, for example. Then once it cools down there would be little contact.

See if you can borrow another headlight switch, or short the two correct pins with a paper clip to see if it fixes the problem. If that doesnt help, move on to the relay and bridge the switched terminals on the socket. Check the voltages at every step, one of them is gonna be low or zero instead of 11-12 (engine off) or 12-14 (running).

[md86]

Well dude , as long as you ain't gonna be out at NIGHT .....
Daytime Use of Headlight No Restriction
Apparently you don't HAVE to have a headlight in Ky during the day . Of course , you COULD just give up on your headlight & get you some driving lights .....



at 55w each , they're rated the same as the headlight is , and they cost me less than $5 in the clearance bin .

[KYT]

So last night we went riding.
Lights worked fine, until we stopped for dinner.
The worked until I got off the bike, then didn't work when I got back on.
They didn't come on while we were riding home (the sun had gone down)
This morning I rode to work, and they're still off.

Check the voltage all throughout the headlight wiring while the bike is on, light is plugged in and not working. I have a feeling the switch is messed up enough to have a very high resistance that shows voltage under no load, but is effectively open-circuited when actually trying to pass current. This scenario would NOT break any fuses, and is extremely temperature sensitive. The crappy contact would expand and close the circuit when its warmer out, for example. Then once it cools down there would be little contact.

See if you can borrow another headlight switch, or short the two correct pins with a paper clip to see if it fixes the problem. If that doesnt help, move on to the relay and bridge the switched terminals on the socket. Check the voltages at every step, one of them is gonna be low or zero instead of 11-12 (engine off) or 12-14 (running).

I suspected the switch, but when the lights weren't working, I could supply 12v from the battery to the yellow/white coming in to the switch and both hi and low beams functioned properly. Same outcome if I supplied the power to the harness before the switch too.

I can't borrow another headlight switch, I don't know anyone with a Katana, and I don't know anyone, that isn't on this forum, that doesn't think they are stupid and hates them. Besides my wife.

And there isn't a relay for the headlights.
As for checking voltages around the switch, read the earlier posts where I checked the voltages.. sorry, but I really don't feel like explaining it one more time
I checked resistance on the switch when it isn't working, and it was very low. Also tested open when I switched to the opposing circuit.

If they still don't work when I get off today, I'm going to try working on it.
I'd consider taking the dimmer switch out and de-soldering it, and putting it all back, but I don't think its that switch.

[TheSteve]

Sorry, I did read it but from my understanding you checked the headlight's plug with the headlight not plugged in. I meant that you should bare a very small section of wire directly behind the headlight, and measure voltage while its all plugged in. You'd then repeat that for the other components like the dimmer switch till you find which one is blocking the current.

Depending on the plug types, you can sometimes fit a multimeter probe or a paper clip into the back of the plug. This way you can still measure under load, but you dont have to shave the insulation.

[KYT]

Sorry, I did read it but from my understanding you checked the headlight's plug with the headlight not plugged in. I meant that you should bare a very small section of wire directly behind the headlight, and measure voltage while its all plugged in. You'd then repeat that for the other components like the dimmer switch till you find which one is blocking the current.

Depending on the plug types, you can sometimes fit a multimeter probe or a paper clip into the back of the plug. This way you can still measure under load, but you dont have to shave the insulation.

ah I tested with and without the bulb connected.
The sockets have a little flap that snaps over the terminals
I had put a probe in there and ground the other probe to the frame, and to the ground from the bulbs, results were the same.

other ideas?

[TheSteve]

Wow, it does look like you've checked everything then. I honestly dont know what to tell you if everythings checked out ok. My only suggestion is to try replacing switches for the hell of it (i hate recommending that) or just run all new wires in case you can't find the short. Still, it would be nice to find and fix the actual problem rather than throw money at it or just work around it.

[yellow_kitty_kat]

I had a similar problem with my 02.

I took the switch gear apart, cleaned it out really well, and gooed it pretty good with dilectric grease. I never had another problem with the headlights.

[The CyberPoet]

ah I tested with and without the bulb connected.
The sockets have a little flap that snaps over the terminals
I had put a probe in there and ground the other probe to the frame, and to the ground from the bulbs, results were the same.

other ideas?

Yes, did you check the negative lead vs. the negative terminal on the battery? Bad ground circuit might be suspect and your checking to the frame wouldn't necessarily show it... Although typically that manifests as dimming rather than as failure to light.

I'm still betting it's the switch or if there is a relay, the relay (you said there wasn't one).

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

__________________________________________________ ________
CyberPoet's Katana Maintence and Upgrade Parts Offerings
The Best Metal Steel Aluminum Motorcycle Tire Valves in the World, plus lots of motorcycle & Katana (GSX600F / GSX750F) specific help files.

[pilotdada1]

So last night we went riding.
Lights worked fine, until we stopped for dinner.
The worked until I got off the bike, then didn't work when I got back on.
They didn't come on while we were riding home (the sun had gone down)
This morning I rode to work, and they're still off.




I suspected the switch, but when the lights weren't working, I could supply 12v from the battery to the yellow/white coming in to the switch and both hi and low beams functioned properly. Same outcome if I supplied the power to the harness before the switch too.

I can't borrow another headlight switch, I don't know anyone with a Katana, and I don't know anyone, that isn't on this forum, that doesn't think they are stupid and hates them. Besides my wife.

And there isn't a relay for the headlights.
As for checking voltages around the switch, read the earlier posts where I checked the voltages.. sorry, but I really don't feel like explaining it one more time
I checked resistance on the switch when it isn't working, and it was very low. Also tested open when I switched to the opposing circuit.

If they still don't work when I get off today, I'm going to try working on it.
I'd consider taking the dimmer switch out and de-soldering it, and putting it all back, but I don't think its that switch.

Just checked on my 05 600 and the headlights deff. turn off while the starter is cranking. I don't know how this would work without a relay. I think whatever powers the yellow/white you mentioned above is causing the problem. I agree the switch isn't the problem if the lights work when you supply power to the power in side of the switch.
James

[KYT]

Yes, did you check the negative lead vs. the negative terminal on the battery? Bad ground circuit might be suspect and your checking to the frame wouldn't necessarily show it... Although typically that manifests as dimming rather than as failure to light.

I'm still betting it's the switch or if there is a relay, the relay (you said there wasn't one).

yes actually I did. Had to get my wife to come out and hold the neg lead to the battery. Was checking for voltage on the white and yellow, and for continuity on the ground wire. thought it might produce a different result, but all reading remained the same.

I can't find the relay, its not in any of diagram I've looked at, and its not a part I can find on the bike or in the microfiche. *shrugs*

Just checked on my 05 600 and the headlights deff. turn off while the starter is cranking. I don't know how this would work without a relay. I think whatever powers the yellow/white you mentioned above is causing the problem. I agree the switch isn't the problem if the lights work when you supply power to the power in side of the switch.
James

From the wiring diagram it looks like power to the headlights is severed when the starter button is depressed, then when you let go, it closes the circuit back.
hmmm maybe mine isn't closing the circuit back all the way...

[pilotdada1]

That sounds like a winner. Possibly crappy soldering in that switch, sometimes makes contact sometimes not. If you can get the light not to work I'd turn the key to on and with the clutch out so the starter won't engage try flicking the start button on/off a few times to see if you can get the light to come on.
James

[vpd808]

I had the same problem with my 06. It took me and Eddie about 3 days on tracing every wire to with no luck. Finally I thought about the ignition. I removed the push to start button and disassembled it. I noticed that the plastic components inside were slightly melted causing the switch mechinism that turns the headlight off when starting, to stick. A little sand paper and a pocket knife to reshape everything that was melted out of shape and its worked ever since.

I think what caused it was when i switched my headlight bulds to those expensive blue ones. I put my factory bulbs back in and haven't had aproblem since with it melting again.

[KYT]

Went on an Easter run with a whole bunch of harley and cruiser people.
Lights worked when we left this morning, but haven't work for the past couple hours.
Just got home, still don't work.
going out right now to see if that starter switch trick will work.
be back in a few..

[The CyberPoet]

fingers crossed...

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

__________________________________________________ ________
CyberPoet's Katana Maintence and Upgrade Parts Offerings
The Best Metal Steel Aluminum Motorcycle Tire Valves in the World, plus lots of motorcycle & Katana (GSX600F / GSX750F) specific help files.