Headlight cutout

[Kat Floyd]

I went out for a ride to the store the other night and what should have been a 15-20 minute ride ended up being a terrifying hour of hell because my headlight kept cutting out.
I was lucky enough to have a 3mm wrench to take off the "3rd eye" light panel and jiggle the wires enough to carry on for a little before it cut out again.

Im assuming the wires in the connector are burnt.
Now my options are replace the connector or just solder/ heatshrink them together and hope I never have to remove those wires.

Thoughts? What would you do? I NEVER want this to happen again. Its terrifying going down a main road at night and becoming invisible to all cars around you.

EDIT: when the headlight cuts out my high beam indicator comes on and my left turn signal stays on solid while this happens.

[shpielers]

Replace the connection, don't write them together permanently. Also might want to check the wiring further upstream and clean connections. That connection seeksntobbe a generic weak point, but might be activated by power loss somewhere else.

[MotorBikeMike]

Same issue last week. No low beam, but the High beam still worked. Drove with my highs on that night. I usually drive with my high beams on all the time, day or night, anyways, so no biggie for me.


All I did was cut the wire out of the connector, added another wire just to add length and installed a second connector just for that one wire. Fixed in 20 mins. No issues since.

[Kat Floyd]

None of the headlight worked, no high or low!
It looks like a thicker yellow wire if I remember right. Even the connector felt warm after only a 10 minute ride

[RobertTravis]

Check the switch. Water gets in there & corrodes it over time. Pull it apart, scotchbrite the contacts and put it back together...carefully. Stuff's old & brittle.

Test the switch using your meter using the ohms/continuity/beep setting. Check each position - hi/lo.

[MotorBikeMike]

None of the headlight worked, no high or low!
It looks like a thicker yellow wire if I remember right. Even the connector felt warm after only a 10 minute ride

Heat means resistance from a Bad connection most likely. The leads are probably garbage now along with the connector. If you want to repair it the "right way", you will need new wire ends/leads and a new connector. While your doing a bit of wiring, it wouldn't hurt to throw a relay in the circuit as well.


If it we're me, I would remove the connector completely and connect the wires up using solder and shrink wrap/tube. But that's me.

[Kat Floyd]

If it we're me, I would remove the connector completely and connect the wires up using solder and shrink wrap/tube. But that's me.

Hate to say it but thats what im kinda leaning towards. I can solder and get it done in no time instead of trying to source a connector and pins and hope my pin crimper has the right dies in it.

I do have a butt load of PC connectors and pins but I dont think they can handle the current from the headlight.
EDIT: Looks like those max at 11amps with a 12V. Not sure how much the headlight needs. Bet its more than that though.
EDIT EDIT: The headlights are 55-60watts at 12v so 5 amps max X2 for 10 amps. Thats too close for me. Looks like PC connectors are out of the picture.

[TRPUT]

Drove with my highs on that night. I usually drive with my high beams on all the time, day or night, anyways, so no biggie for me.

Don't ride with your high beams on when traffic is approaching - day or night. This is another myth perpetuated by riders lacking in intelligence but over-endowed with ego. It does make you more noticeable ... but for all the wrong reasons. You shouldn't do it because:
A) It's illegal
B) It pisses off drivers in the things most likely to kill you
C) It distracts drivers - they either have to look away from you to avoid the glare (so they're no longer aware of exactly where you are) or they focus on you trying to determine if they are on high beam (and you know what happens with target fixation.)
D) The extra glare means the driver generally can't see as well and may not pick up obstacles (other vehicles turning in or animals) as early as he normally would, reducing reaction time.
E) If the pissed off driver flashes you with high beams and a couple of HID spots, suddenly, you're temporarily blinded too.

Your safety isn't enhanced when you have 2 vehicles approaching each other at a closing speed over 200kph, with the driver distracted, angered, and possibly blinded and the rider blinded as well.

[Stinger02]

Been there done that! About to have to do it again.


burned connector


Added some spade connectors and wrapped in electrical tape, just in the off chance id need to disconnect the wires. But after a couple of years, my head lights are now flashing again. Im guessing moisture has corroded the spade connectors. Maybe a good cleaning will fix the issue. I hope.

[MotorBikeMike]

Such a bad design.

Don't ride with your high beams on when traffic is approaching - day or night. This is another myth perpetuated by riders lacking in intelligence but over-endowed with ego. It does make you more noticeable ... but for all the wrong reasons. You shouldn't do it because:
A) It's illegal
B) It pisses off drivers in the things most likely to kill you
C) It distracts drivers - they either have to look away from you to avoid the glare (so they're no longer aware of exactly where you are) or they focus on you trying to determine if they are on high beam (and you know what happens with target fixation.)
D) The extra glare means the driver generally can't see as well and may not pick up obstacles (other vehicles turning in or animals) as early as he normally would, reducing reaction time.
E) If the pissed off driver flashes you with high beams and a couple of HID spots, suddenly, you're temporarily blinded too.

Your safety isn't enhanced when you have 2 vehicles approaching each other at a closing speed over 200kph, with the driver distracted, angered, and possibly blinded and the rider blinded as well.

I was told to ride like this from a family friend....but I see your side of the argument too. Makes sense.

[RobertTravis]

Just cut that crappy connector off and put a WeatherPak-style connector on it. Really ANY connector will do with stripped back fresh copper ends. You can shrink wrap or liquid electrical tape treat it so there is no chance of water infiltration. There's no good reason why anyone has to go through this crap. Fix it right and you shouldn't have to fix it again for another 30 years.

[Kat Floyd]

Stinger yup thats the same POS connector im having issues with.

[Kat Floyd]

Shouldnt be an issue now, I cut out the burnt connector and soldered and heat shrunk them together. Works like a charm now