Another headlight thread!

[BadBrad]

The bike? My wife's '03 Mastiff. Looks like the EHC has crapped out, but thought I would share this all the same. A month or so ago, the brake lights and turn signal timers quit working. Bought a used EHC off ebay . Well, her brake lights and turn signal timers work, but no rear tail lights. :angry: She was better off with what she had before, so I changed it back. Sunday, her headlight went out. :bang: What's strange is that when I pull the headlight off the 3 prong plug, I have power coming from the plug. I click the high beam button and power comes from the side socket.....just like it is supposed to. So, I figured a bad bulb, got it replaced and plugged it in and still no headlight. I pulled the tank and checked continuety on all 3 wires....good! :2thumbs: Did I get a bad bulb? It just so happens that my little Honda Civic has the same plug for its lights. So, I pluged the bike light into the Honda plug.....it works. I go back and plug it into the bike plug......nothing. Using a power meter, I find that power comes to the light socket until I actually plug in the light, then no power. Must be an internal short in the EHC. The good news is that I got in on the group buy with Jake and have a new WP Module on its way for Rocky's bike. We wanted to ride this weekend (her birthday) to the casino in MS, stay overnight and watch a concert. If the WP module doesn't make it here on time, I'll direct wire the lights with a toggle switch.

I just found it strange that I get power to the plug for both low and high beam, but when I actually plug the light into the socket, the power is gone. Is this normal for a failing EHC? I would figure no power at all. :loony:

 

[mobsta]

i didnt think the 03 had an ehc,maybe bad socket,shorting out,just a thought:

 

[Little-Boo]

Man that is strange. I would cut the plug off go down to the local Auto store and buy a new plug. I had a similar problem, the plug would melt after a month on so. I did get rid of the EHC and it still happened. So I cut the plug off and replace it with a ceramic plug, problem is solved. I use the HID kit on my bike and have not had any problems with the head light in the past year or so.

Change the plug and see what happens, see if the will fix you up.

Carlos

 

[BadBrad]

Man that is strange. I would cut the plug off go down to the local Auto store and buy a new plug. I had a similar problem, the plug would melt after a month on so. I did get rid of the EHC and it still happened. So I cut the plug off and replace it with a ceramic plug, problem is solved. I use the HID kit on my bike and have not had any problems with the head light in the past year or so.

Change the plug and see what happens, see if the will fix you up.

Carlos

The '03 definitely has an EHC! Doesn't look anything like the one on my '05, but it's there all the same.

Boo, even if the plug is bad, why would the power shut off coming to the plug when the light is plugged into it? I can get my meter into the back of plug where the wire feeds it and the second the light plugs in, no power from the EHC. If the plug itself is bad, would it cause the EHC to shut off power if a short is detected? I'm sure the plug is cheap, so I'll try changing that before running a wire and toggle from the battery. When I check power out the plug end, everything seems to be functioning. I guess I could cut the plug off and run the wires direct to the light and if that works, then it must be in the plug.

 

[TheDeadOne]

It's not in the plug, if it's not melted.
All the EHCs have auto resetting breaker"s"! One is an overall breaker, the others are individualized to each output circuit.
The wires going to the headlight are very questionable in size, in my opinion. If a ceramic plug is not available, and a "newer" plug is purchased, make sure that the +/-6" pigtails are of a larger wire size, this will help reduce the heat from resistance. Solder and shrink wrap new connection.

 

[BadBrad]

It's not in the plug, if it's not melted.
All the EHCs have auto resetting breaker"s"! One is an overall breaker, the others are individualized to each output circuit.
The wires going to the headlight are very questionable in size, in my opinion. If a ceramic plug is not available, and a "newer" plug is purchased, make sure that the +/-6" pigtails are of a larger wire size, this will help reduce the heat from resistance. Solder and shrink wrap new connection.

Dead,
I don't think it's the plug either. If it was, wouldn't I still have power feeding into the plug regardless of the output of the plug? Actually, the output is good to, as long as nothing is plugged into it. With the new WP module coming, I'll probably just rig a toggle for now. I'll cut the plug off and wire directly to the light and see what happens. If it works, then I'll pick up another plug.

 

[TheDeadOne]

The output circuit auto breaker within the EHC have amperage ratings. By plugging in the light and loosing all voltage to both low and high beam. I'd say that there is a ground issue that is causing increased resistance, along with "higher amperage", and the breaker is tripping out.

WP is the way to go, but you must check and/or correct any other problematic areas.



PS Did you get your answer to the question that you posed regarding the rev limiter?

 

[BadBrad]

The output circuit auto breaker within the EHC have amperage ratings. By plugging in the light and loosing all voltage to both low and high beam. I'd say that there is a ground issue that is causing increased resistance, along with "higher amperage", and the breaker is tripping out.

WP is the way to go, but you must check and/or correct any other problematic areas.

The ground goes from the plug to the bike frame. I checked continueity on that and all seemed well. I guess the plug itself could be bad. Direct wire to the headlight should tell me that. Right?

 

[TheDeadOne]

Not plug!

The later models are not grounded to the frame, it's powder coated. Each circuit is grounded back through the EHC. The '03s may be different in that manner. But not plug, unless melted or burned color is evident!

Check grounds at other points, especially the batt. ground!
Also check hand control switches and wiring.

Try temporarily jumping and direct ground from the battery to the ground connection of the headlight. If the light works, bad connection somewhere. If no light, I'd say that there is a bad connection between the headlight and the EHC, or bad EHC.

 

[LDO]

There should be a grounding block mounted to the backbone underneath the center 'dashboard' between the tanks.

It has two bolts with grounding wires on terminal ends. I believe this is where your grounds are at going to the EHC.

Make sure those aren't corroded, frayed, etc. When I pulled mine out, they were rusted pretty good so I sanded them down some and treated them.

03 Headlights should be grounded to the headlight bucket unless someone's been in there before you.

I'm running a ceramic plug (off ebay) with bigger gage wiring grounded to the bucket and the HID kit. Never had an issue but my old plug was brittle and about to crap itself.

I know you're familiar with the EHC and all the plugs on her bike but let me know if I can help Brad.

LDO sends...

 

[BadBrad]

There should be a grounding block mounted to the backbone underneath the center 'dashboard' between the tanks.

It has two bolts with grounding wires on terminal ends. I believe this is where your grounds are at going to the EHC.

Make sure those aren't corroded, frayed, etc. When I pulled mine out, they were rusted pretty good so I sanded them down some and treated them.

03 Headlights should be grounded to the headlight bucket unless someone's been in there before you.

I'm running a ceramic plug (off ebay) with bigger gage wiring grounded to the bucket and the HID kit. Never had an issue but my old plug was brittle and about to crap itself.

I know you're familiar with the EHC and all the plugs on her bike but let me know if I can help Brad.

LDO sends...

You're exactly right! There are 3 wires for the headlight plug. The ground goes to the grounding block attached to the backbone/frame. The other 2 wires (High and low beam) go into the EHC. The ground looked clean but I'll take it off and re-attach it again just to be sure. There is no obvious "melting" or black smut on the headlight plug. If cleaning the ground doesn't work, then I'll try jumping the ground directly to the battery and see if that makes a difference. Isn't the hand control switch (low/bright) merely a toggle between the low and high beam wires? When I pushed that switch, the power did change wires going into headlight plug. I could check power as long as the headlight was not plugged into the harness.

 

[TheDeadOne]

Isn't the hand control switch (low/bright) merely a toggle between the low and high beam wires? When I pushed that switch, the power did change wires going into headlight plug.

Yes, but switches can corrode just like anything else. There should be a voltage change when switched on and off, per beam.

It sounding more and more as if there is a bad connection somewhere.

 

[BadBrad]

Yes, but switches can corrode just like anything else. There should be a voltage change when switched on and off, per beam.

It sounding more and more as if there is a bad connection somewhere.

Dead,
Not sure what you mean. The voltage changes (location) from the top wire to one of the two side wires. The other side wire is the ground. So, with the headlight out of the plug, I get power to one wire. Flip the switch and I get power to the other wire. With the headlight plugged in, no power to either wires (regardless of the switch position).

 

[TheDeadOne]

that's due to the breakers tripping inside the EHC, overloaded.

Bad connections create resistance, which in turn create more current requirement to operate circuit (headlight). Too much, and it tripps out.

 

[BadBrad]

that's due to the breakers tripping inside the EHC, overloaded.

Bad connections create resistance, which in turn create more current requirement to operate circuit (headlight). Too much, and it tripps out.

You just gotta love electrical problems. I'll take a look at the High/low switch this evening when I get home. Can it be bypassed to determine if in fact it is the culprit? If I can bypass the dimmer switch and still have the EHC tripping out, then it's just about got to be in the EHC itself. That's the only switch associated with the headlight. I just don't want to install the new WP and still have problems. Not worried that the EHC is bad. It's history in a few days anyway.

 

[TheDeadOne]

switch can be jumped or bypassed using test clips or wire. Switches, connectors and bare wires can all cause this condition. Check everything first, then replace if needed.

 

[LDO]

You just gotta love electrical problems. I'll take a look at the High/low switch this evening when I get home. Can it be bypassed to determine if in fact it is the culprit? If I can bypass the dimmer switch and still have the EHC tripping out, then it's just about got to be in the EHC itself. That's the only switch associated with the headlight. I just don't want to install the new WP and still have problems. Not worried that the EHC is bad. It's history in a few days anyway.

Dibbs on the EHC (if it's good!)

 

[LDO]

BTW,
Happy Birthday Rocky!

 

[BadBrad]

Dibbs on the EHC (if it's good!)

Currently, no brake lights and the timer on the turn signal does not work. No big deal on the timer! Just like old school, but a bike without brake lights? You're welcome to it but you'll have to sign a waiver! I've got another one that has no tail lights when running, but has brake lights and the timer works on the turn signals. If you could put the two together, you would have one good one. Still want it? :loony:

 

[LDO]

:lol::lol:Yeah, i'll be the first kid on my block with a Dual EHC bike (sounds cool).

I'll be the envy of all!!!:roll::roll:

I'll sign a waiver...:2thumbs: