This weekend both my light bulbs burnt out at the same time, first the lows went, then I switched to high beams and they worked for about 20 minutes until they burnt out, again simultaneously, leaving me with about a 40 mile ride in the dark 
My first thought was that the voltage regulator has possibly gone bad, has anybody else had a problem like this? Does anyone know a procedure for testing the regulator?
My first thought was that the voltage regulator has possibly gone bad, has anybody else had a problem like this? Does anyone know a procedure for testing the regulator?
RedRocket
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
From my experience with autos, when a voltage regulator goes bad, the lights will fluctuate from bright to dim whenever at idle. Even when they go completely bad, the lights still work but can get so bad that they start blinking.
I would start by checking the headlight relay since just the headlights went out and then test the switch. The following thumbnails are procedures on testing the relay and switch for continuity. I suspect the relay is bad.
Click the thumbnails for large images.
I would start by checking the headlight relay since just the headlights went out and then test the switch. The following thumbnails are procedures on testing the relay and switch for continuity. I suspect the relay is bad.
Click the thumbnails for large images.
My son had a car once that kept blowing headlight bulbs at the same time. Turned out to be a corroded wire at the battery. May want to check all your wiring, voltage regulator may be trying to put out too much because it isn't sensing correctly. Could put a VOM on the battery with sled running and see what it is charging at.
This is the battery that prevent the voltage from the charging system to sky right up. Either your battery is frozen, bad or as RX1-MAN say... a poor contact to it. Your headlamp does not last because of a too high voltage... i do not know how protected are the panel meter unit and the ignition module but do not push the luck & make the fix a P1.
Mikey
TY 4 Stroke Junkie
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2003
- Messages
- 615
- Reaction score
- 2
- Points
- 893
- Location
- Thunder Bay Ontario
- Country
- Canada
- Snowmobile
- 03 RX-1
What kind of RPM's were you running when the lamps burn out? I doubt its the relay as it malfunctioning would cause both the hi/low beam to stop working at the same time and would not cause them to burn out. I would check the wires going to the voltage regulator as they were known to rub on the bulkhead and short out. Check the pair of wires under the tool box going to the regulator. In the manual they call it an AC Magneto and the specs are as follows.
Pickup coil resistance:
(Gray – Black)
189 231 Ω at 20C (68F)
Stator coil resistance:
(White – White)
0.19 0.24 Ω at 20C (68F)
Pickup coil resistance:
(Gray – Black)
189 231 Ω at 20C (68F)
Stator coil resistance:
(White – White)
0.19 0.24 Ω at 20C (68F)
kinger
VIP Member
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2005
- Messages
- 7,403
- Reaction score
- 1,539
- Points
- 1,963
- Location
- Clear Lake, IA
- Website
- www.piergenius.com
How old were the bulbs, was it time or is it really out of the norm? Under the handlebar pad there is a blue wire with a white stripe that goes to the high/low switch might not hurt to hook a multimeter up there and see if the Voltages are correct.
The lights were about two seasons old, about 4000 miles I'd say. They weren't the factory lights, they were Bright-Lites brand.
I checked the voltage at the connector and the lights were seeing 14.1v at idle. Both times the bulbs burnt out I was running relatively low rpms, less than 7k. I did also check the wires in the front of the sled under the tool box and there is no chaffing there, I have a piece of fuel line on the frame to keep that from happening.
I will look into it more tonight and report back, thanks for the suggestions.
I checked the voltage at the connector and the lights were seeing 14.1v at idle. Both times the bulbs burnt out I was running relatively low rpms, less than 7k. I did also check the wires in the front of the sled under the tool box and there is no chaffing there, I have a piece of fuel line on the frame to keep that from happening.
I will look into it more tonight and report back, thanks for the suggestions.
- Joined
- Jun 1, 2004
- Messages
- 7,834
- Reaction score
- 2,034
- Points
- 2,103
- Location
- sudbury on
- Country
- Canada
- Snowmobile
- 2016 apex xtx
2011 apex xtx
2009 phaser rtx/x
1997 et410t/r
1988 vk 540
14.1 at idle sounds high. you should see what it puts out at trail running rpms. i am guessing you wil see close to 16v.
Re-checked, 14.1v at idle and stays constant throughout rpm. 14.4v on high beams and stays constant throughout rpm.
Len Todd
TY 4 Stroke God
Staying constant from idle to top RPM seems a bit odd. And, 14.1 VDC seems borderline on high for Idle. But it could be O.K. Are you measuring at the handle bar connection or at the lamps? Anyway ....at either measuring point you are looking only at the one circuit. Did you try measuring at the battery terminals? You may see more RPM related fluctuation at the battery.
I am suspicious of the voltage regulator. Something allowed the voltage to spike high enough to blow all lamps. Odds of all three going on their own are very slim. You did do a continuity check on the bulbs to verify that have blown. Right? If the switch or relay went open, the bulbs would not be blown. If the switch or relay were corroded, the voltage would also go down due to higher resistance. A short in the wiring circuit down-stream from the fuse would blow the fuse. Or, if the short was before the fuse, the voltage would go lower versus going high long enough to burn out a bulb, two times, unless the wire is an input to the Voltage Regulator. (I do not have my E-Print with me, … Dang) If the input to the VR went low and then back to normal, you could see a spike.
Were these after-market lamps the same wattage as the stock ones? Have they been straining the VR? What happened to the stock bulbs? What bulbs do you have in there now?
Do you have any non-stock equipment hangin’ off the E-circuits? In your wire inspections, did you trace these wires the length of the circuits and look elsewhere (e.g. along the steering post. Given the conflicting info, (i.e. Blown bulbs, but near normal voltage, but not fluctuating with RPM) we need more info to narrow this down a bit.
I am suspicious of the voltage regulator. Something allowed the voltage to spike high enough to blow all lamps. Odds of all three going on their own are very slim. You did do a continuity check on the bulbs to verify that have blown. Right? If the switch or relay went open, the bulbs would not be blown. If the switch or relay were corroded, the voltage would also go down due to higher resistance. A short in the wiring circuit down-stream from the fuse would blow the fuse. Or, if the short was before the fuse, the voltage would go lower versus going high long enough to burn out a bulb, two times, unless the wire is an input to the Voltage Regulator. (I do not have my E-Print with me, … Dang) If the input to the VR went low and then back to normal, you could see a spike.
Were these after-market lamps the same wattage as the stock ones? Have they been straining the VR? What happened to the stock bulbs? What bulbs do you have in there now?
Do you have any non-stock equipment hangin’ off the E-circuits? In your wire inspections, did you trace these wires the length of the circuits and look elsewhere (e.g. along the steering post. Given the conflicting info, (i.e. Blown bulbs, but near normal voltage, but not fluctuating with RPM) we need more info to narrow this down a bit.
Similar threads
