Headlamp bulb
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Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,384
Likes: 3
From: California
Headlamp bulb
Got my other electrical issue resolved today, at least temporarily, but still only have low beam. When I switch to high beam, the headlamp turns off. I just assumed the headlight was shorting out due having installed the Flash2Pass garage door opener about the same time I seemed to lose high beam. Removed the Flash2Pass today and still have no high beam.
Is there an easy way to check the integrity of the bulb to make surevit's not the bulb before proceeding to looking for a short? If not, replace the bulb and hope its not a short?
Thank you.
Is there an easy way to check the integrity of the bulb to make surevit's not the bulb before proceeding to looking for a short? If not, replace the bulb and hope its not a short?
Thank you.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 3,504
Likes: 12
From: DOWN SOUTH
Sounds like the flash2pass burned your bulb. I would pick one up at the local parts store, never hurts to have an extra anyway. I know on old incandendecant bulbs you can flick it and watch for the filament to wiggle to see if its bad, on the new bulbs you are not supposed to touch it, you can try tapping a screwdriver against the metal base while you are holding it and look that way, just a thought. Hope you find your problem, good luck.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 14,744
Likes: 402
From: Phoenix '53, '88, '09 Big Twins
a "short" means that the 12 volt hot is "shorting" to the chassis/ground...there is no load ( light in this case) and usually a fuse will blow to keep the wiring from burning up
an "open" circuit means that there is not completion of a path from the + terminal of the battery to the - terminal...through the various wires, switches, relays, joints and bulbs etc.
just terminology if you are trying to explain your problem.
if you have a multi-meter you can check the bulb...or you can use a bit of wire to test it off the battery ( the plug for the battery tender is a handy way to access battery power with out pulling the seat off)
mike
an "open" circuit means that there is not completion of a path from the + terminal of the battery to the - terminal...through the various wires, switches, relays, joints and bulbs etc.
just terminology if you are trying to explain your problem.
if you have a multi-meter you can check the bulb...or you can use a bit of wire to test it off the battery ( the plug for the battery tender is a handy way to access battery power with out pulling the seat off)
mike
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Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,384
Likes: 3
From: California
Thanks to my67pnycar6 and mkguitar for the help. Looks like the bulbs are fairly inexpensive so I'll try that... As my67pnycar6 points out, even if that isn't the problem, I'd have a spare and since low beam works, the bulb is the likely problem.
Harley dealer is closed tomorrow but looks like I need an H4 dual-bulb; maybe I can get one at an Autozone-type store. Would like to get the bike all back together by Wednesday and do a little riding, see if that 'lighting' fuse issue is actually resolved.
Harley dealer is closed tomorrow but looks like I need an H4 dual-bulb; maybe I can get one at an Autozone-type store. Would like to get the bike all back together by Wednesday and do a little riding, see if that 'lighting' fuse issue is actually resolved.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,553
Likes: 13
From: Sussex, South of England
If you have a multimeter you can just check it using that.
Say it's 55 watts at 13.8 volts. Resistance is voltage squared over
power, so 13.8^2 / 55 i.e. about 3.5 ohms when hot. When measuring cold about 0.2 ohms.
It is however not easy to measure if you have a "cheap" household meter.
Say it's 55 watts at 13.8 volts. Resistance is voltage squared over
power, so 13.8^2 / 55 i.e. about 3.5 ohms when hot. When measuring cold about 0.2 ohms.
It is however not easy to measure if you have a "cheap" household meter.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,384
Likes: 3
From: California
Well, this turned out to be an easy fix: pulled the bulb to take with me to the auto parts store and noticed that one of the three prongs was bent in. Straightened it out and plugged it back into the socket: high beam! Looks like when I originally installed the Flash2Pass, I didn't connect the bulb into the socket properly, bending the high beam prong. Doh!
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