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Post by ellpee on Dec 19, 2013 14:14:39 GMT -6
Anyone who might be following my posts knows I'm fighting a wimpy charging system. I'm replacing most running light bulbs with LEDs and the juice-sucking OEM fan with a less thirsty one. Was also wondering about the headlights, which on this scoot are always on when the key is on (I replaced the blocking diode with a relay). Since I have two running lights next to the headlights, and they are now very bright thanks to the new LED bulbs, I think they might satisfy the Arizona law that requires lights on at all times. So I'm considering re-wiring the headlamps through an on/off switch, and only using them at night or during periods of especially poor visibility. Has anyone done this, if so has anyone run into trouble with John Law because of it, and is there anyone who thinks it's not a good idea? (Yes, I've considered the obvious safety risks -- in general, the more lights the better. But if the fan switchout doesn't fix my charging issues, the headlights are just about my last recourse.)
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Post by alleyoop on Dec 19, 2013 15:41:48 GMT -6
Ellpee,
You have the same lights I do except on mine I have a switch to turn on lights. I can start the motor and have NO LIGHTS whatso ever then push the switch in the middle and all my instrument panels lights and all running lights come on. That is the way I ride here in Illinois I have the SAME TWO little lights next to the headlights like you do and I have LEDS on those two and they are bright and I never put on my headlights which I would need to push the Switch all the way to the LEFT from the middle position. Haven't had any problems with the fuzz and I where I ride they are all over the place. They give me the high sign(HEHE).
Alleyoop
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Post by scot on Dec 19, 2013 17:03:12 GMT -6
hear NH no helmet law but headlight has to be on during day time allways ,would be nice to have an on off switch though
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Post by ellpee on Dec 19, 2013 18:30:58 GMT -6
Discovered since original post that daytime headlight is optional in AZ, so that concern goes away. Alley, did you wire it that way? If so, where in the circuit did you install that switch? I'm getting ready to replace the entire left switch assembly -- hi/lo beam, turns, hi-beam flash -- and that might be a good time to try installing this on/off switch as well.
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Post by alleyoop on Dec 19, 2013 20:09:57 GMT -6
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Post by ellpee on Dec 19, 2013 21:24:20 GMT -6
Interesting. On mi
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Post by ellpee on Dec 19, 2013 21:30:02 GMT -6
Interesting. On mine the top is emergency flashers, middle is kill switch, bottom is start button. Looks like if I want to do it I need to figure out best place to tap into the headlight circuit.
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Post by alleyoop on Dec 20, 2013 0:26:06 GMT -6
Mine did not come with an emergency flasher but I added an emergency flasher. I put the button in the middle of my handlebar cover: alleyoop See the red Flasher Button:  |
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Post by ellpee on Dec 20, 2013 8:52:36 GMT -6
Somewhat annoying how they change piddly little stuff that was just fine before. Better they should concentrate on fixing big engineering issues to produce a higher-quality scoot. But then, back in the day Detroit thought they needed to completely change the look of their cars every year.
Any suggestions on where to tap into the headlight circuit to install an on/off? Could one of the wires off the fusebox do the trick, or do I need to get under the front plastic somewhere? On my trusty YY250T wiring diagram it looks like the same power feed goes to ALL the various lights, but I wonder (since I'll shortly be replacing it anyway) if one of the many wires going to that left switch assembly would serve to interrupt ONLY the headlight circuit.
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Post by ellpee on Dec 27, 2013 11:30:09 GMT -6
Bought on/off switch, about to take the plunge, and from my YY250T wiring diagram, which for the most part has proven reliable, it LOOKS to me like the white wire off the left handlebar switch feeds the low-beam headlights. If so, interrupting that one with an on/off switch would be a ton easier than removing all the front plastic to get at the back of the headlights. I'm attaching a picture of that portion of the diagram, and from anybody who speaks good electric, would appreciate feedback on (1) will that do what I want, and (2) how will it affect the HIGH-beam functioning if I click on the high beams or hit the high-beam flasher switch? Saturday evening: nobody responded to the above, so since I'm planning to replace the entire left handlebar switch assembly anyway, I figured what do I have to lose? Pulled handlebar plastic, slit open the black plastic sleeve around those nine wires, found the white one, cut it, and poof, no more low beam headlights. Installed and wired in my dashboard on/off switch, it turns the low beams on and off as intended, and the high beams, both steady and flash, work normally. And the GREAT news is, with engine running the dashboard voltmeter now reads a steady 13.5v or better, almost up to 14v. Ran around the neighborhood a bit trying to get it hot enough for the fan to kick in, but it was quite cool and that never happened. We have some warmer afternoons coming up this next week, so will re-check then, but it looks very much as if taking the headlights off line has fixed my wimpy charging problems. Of course at night when I would need to turn them on, the problem will still be there, but I really don't plan to ever do any night riding except in a dire emergency. If the day comes when I absolutely have to open up the front end, and therefore have access to the back of the headlights, I might want to investigate really bright LEDs if there is such a thing, but for now, I'm basking in what looks like final success. Attachments:
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Post by scot on Dec 29, 2013 11:51:02 GMT -6
yes ellpee sounds like your happy ,I would not mind sounds pretty simple,but hear I said in another thread I have run headlight Newhamshire law all day an night go.like you don't ride much at night cant see whats in the road the wrong rock unless its on the way home . figure don't need a helmet though ,wich I wear one though for protection an wind ,my eyes water when to much wind an gogles when get off the bike stick to my face so I like the full face.i was hit on my Dl 1000 back in 07 an older lady she was not looking turned right into me ,I had the stereo blasting 90 db an my loud scorpion pipes high beams , it did not make any difference unavoidable an she was at total fault as she did not take the second look,an now 4 years later I am getting back in to rideing a scooter I guess could happen to anyone ,when i drive past the spot I crawl
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Post by ellpee on Dec 29, 2013 14:30:29 GMT -6
You might check with your local John Laws and see if the running lights are enough to satisfy the letter of the law. When mine had the original incandescent bulbs they weren't all that bright, but the LEDs I put in made them considerably brighter and more noticeable, even in daylight. But on the other hand, if you're not having charging problems, why bother?
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Post by JR on Dec 30, 2013 6:58:08 GMT -6
Sorry I didn't see this ellpee but by just cutting the white wire and leaving the low beams off will not effect your hi beams or passing switch. At any time you can use them by just putting the switch to hi or pushing the passing switch. Hi beams will work even with the low beams off.
Now that your voltage is better this makes me suspect poor connections on the lo beam side such as a bad contact in the switch or even the bulb socket. Just for kicks put the lights on in the hi beam position only and take notice of the voltage, if it drops badly like the low beams do then I suspect poor grounding in the headlight bulb area even where the ground wire attaches to the bulb sockets because the hi and low beams use one central ground wire for both.
If you have virtually no voltage drop with just the hi beams on then you've isolated the lo beam side of the lights as the culprit. If it's a poor ground and you can fix it then you'll even have better voltage with the lo beams off.
JR
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Post by ellpee on Dec 30, 2013 13:08:53 GMT -6
Will do, JR, if/when I get that darn new left switch assembly and am messing with front wires again. On a run yesterday with no headlights, was right up near 14v until the fan came on, then down in the upper 12's again, so that darn thermoswitch remains on the suspect list. I do see a little voltage drop when I switch on the hi beams, and ditto when I switch on the lo beams, but not nearly as drastic as the fan. I'm talking to Tvnacman now about LED headlights, so if I make that change the headlights should have little or no impact in future.
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..BAD TO THE BONE..
