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1987 FLHTC Electra Glide, no low beams

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Old Aug 2, 2011 | 09:38 AM
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Default 1987 FLHTC Electra Glide, no low beams

Is there a circuit breaker for the low/flood light beams on a stock 1987 EG. The previous owner really butchered the wiring but all was good until the other day I went for a ride and my ole lady waves back to me from hers and says I have no lights. So I switch it to high beam and they are working fine, all other lights are working great including front turn signals and all rear. I pulled the switch off bars and there is 12v going in to switch an 12v coming out of each side for hi/lo. So wondering if there is a circuit breaker or if I have to go wire hunting, leave for Sturgis in few days so be nice to get this figured out before we make the 780mi, one way, trip.

Justin
 
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Old Aug 2, 2011 | 10:02 AM
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Did you check the bulb?
 
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Old Aug 2, 2011 | 10:32 AM
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I had the same issue with my 84 eglide, behind the bulb where the connection is, one of the wires chaffed off against the front of the neck.
 
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Old Aug 2, 2011 | 10:33 AM
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Bulb good
 
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Old Aug 2, 2011 | 01:24 PM
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You need the proper factory shop manual for your bike. It should be your next purchase, before the next chrome doo-dad.

The circuit is SUPPOSED to go: Lights circuit breaker (2nd one from the right as you look down the hole, 2nd one from the left side of the bike as you sit on the seat) to the dimmer switch on the left handle bar, then to the headlight. It goes through 2 harness plugs and the headlight plug to get there. Do you have no voltage at the actual plug to the headlight? If that's the case and you have voltage at the dimmer switch, then I'm going with a bad connection in one of the two plugs or a broken wire. Do carefully inspect the headlight socket itself. Best to plug the headlamp in almost all the way and check for voltage on the headlight pins themselves, then work your way back (back of the socket, next socket back, both sides, etc.) until you get to +12v.
 
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Old Aug 2, 2011 | 04:59 PM
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Shop manual is ordered, but won't be here before Sturgis. I do have voltage coming out of bar switch, butt no voltage at head light low or either driving light. I'll do some more wire tracking tonight and look for broken wire. It just happened suddenly, so guessing broke wire or bad circuit beaker. I've wiggled and jiggled every wire in there.
 
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Old Aug 2, 2011 | 05:46 PM
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It's a kludge, but if you're desperate, take the headlight plug apart and swap the pin locations for the high beam and the low beam, then just ride with the high beam switch set to High. You won't have a high beam, but big deal, you can get by without it.
 
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Old Aug 2, 2011 | 07:31 PM
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Thanks Hess I'll do some more digging tonight when I get home from work. The previous owner did a pretty good hack and the stuff he did solder, I wish he wouldn't have. I'll post my findings.
 
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Old Aug 3, 2011 | 02:27 AM
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Broken solder joint under some heat shrink, resoldered and heat shrinked, good as new. The PO tried soldering some wire to a bullet connector and it failed. There was alot of stuff in there that should be redone, but Im redoing to bike over winter and ill do it then so doesn't interfere with my riding! Thanks all,
Justin
 
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