Headlight Wiring Woes
Re: Headlight Wiring Woes
Try and get your hands on the diagram for a 72 or 73 /5. They had 2 fuses in the headlight. Perhaps you can add this feature to your 71.
Garnet
Re: Headlight Wiring Woes
hudson, things you need to know are the wiring colors...There are NO BARE wires normally in the wiring. BROWN is the ground lead.
Solid RED and GREEN are powered leads. RED is hot all the time, GREEN is usually switched by the key switch.
The Clymer's schematic is sometimes difficult to follow, but be careful: the one in my manual has errors.
It is immediately obvious that the PO wasn't all THAT bright as I see a wire-nut connecting some of the wires. Not a good idea. For repairs...a soldered splice with shrink wrap overlay is best, or some of those nylon fully-insulated screw terminals if you need to be able to change something out again. (I get a block of them at Radio-Shack and cut them off one-by-one).
Solid RED and GREEN are powered leads. RED is hot all the time, GREEN is usually switched by the key switch.
The Clymer's schematic is sometimes difficult to follow, but be careful: the one in my manual has errors.
It is immediately obvious that the PO wasn't all THAT bright as I see a wire-nut connecting some of the wires. Not a good idea. For repairs...a soldered splice with shrink wrap overlay is best, or some of those nylon fully-insulated screw terminals if you need to be able to change something out again. (I get a block of them at Radio-Shack and cut them off one-by-one).
Clemson, SC
R100s, R75/5
R100s, R75/5
-
Major Softie
- Posts: 8900
- Joined: Tue Aug 03, 2010 1:46 pm
Re: Headlight Wiring Woes
Check carefully, but that may not be related to the stock harness. That is a common way to run an auxiliary line off the battery independent of the harness for auxiliary lights, more horn power, a power outlet, etc.. In fact, I've done it myself - a couple times.hudson wrote:It looks like the previous owner has a blade fuse coming off the battery already.
MS - out
Re: Headlight Wiring Woes
Ok will double check on the blade fuse and make sure it connects into the main power line, not for aux use- good suggestion.
I was talking with someone and they said that if I had a blade fuse coming right off the battery's + (smaller cable) that I shouldn't need the to set up fuses in the headlight as the later /5 models have. It would be connected to the main power line and therefore would cut everything off if overloaded. This makes sense as it logically would break the circuit - is this setup OK to do in lieu of the fuses in the bucket?
I was talking with someone and they said that if I had a blade fuse coming right off the battery's + (smaller cable) that I shouldn't need the to set up fuses in the headlight as the later /5 models have. It would be connected to the main power line and therefore would cut everything off if overloaded. This makes sense as it logically would break the circuit - is this setup OK to do in lieu of the fuses in the bucket?
Re: Headlight Wiring Woes
"This makes sense as it logically would break the circuit - is this setup OK to do in lieu of the fuses in the bucket?"
The problem with that is that is, if you develop a short while the engine is running, the alternator is still supplying power into the system and your short will still melt wires. It would have saved you from this last mess though.
The problem with that is that is, if you develop a short while the engine is running, the alternator is still supplying power into the system and your short will still melt wires. It would have saved you from this last mess though.
Garnet
-
Deleted User 62
Re: Headlight Wiring Woes
Hudson, here's a link to the Airheads website about wiring color codes: http://www.airheads.org/content/view/314/98/
Re: Headlight Wiring Woes
Ok everyone. I got quite a bit done, but I am at a standstill. The previous owner's wiring is different than the schematics from Clymers and the other handy diagram posters referred to me (1970-72 50/5-75/5 without fuses).
Here is the Headlight Wire Connector that is between a set of wires from the main harness to the start/turn signal switch. Note that he had the Turn Signal Indicator bulb running off this as well, but both schematics don't show this. Not sure what this black/white wire is to?
Here is the other Headlight Wire Connector. I wired it up the way the PO had it wired, which connects the key ignition switch, hi-beam, horn switch, main harness, indicator bulbs. I am not sure what all the blue wires do on the one side - supply voltage to all the connecting blocks?
If you are facing the headlight case and looking in, to the left is where two blade connectors (one brown wire from Starter/Turn Signal Switch, one red (with a bulb and left disconnected) attach. Is this the ground? where Do I connect the other end of the red wire?
This is one set of indicator bulbs all attached piggy back by a green wire. Is this hooked up right? Not sure how to indicate which bulb goes to which hole in the speedometer unit. Any way to tell? One is a larger bulb connected by a green and a blue wire, the other two just have the green wire attached. I also have two more indicator bulbs attached piggy back with yellow/red wires (not shown). Not sure what they go to.
I also have a brown wire from the main wiring harness and a black wire from the hi-beam/horn switch harness that I don't know where they go.
Here is the Headlight Wire Connector that is between a set of wires from the main harness to the start/turn signal switch. Note that he had the Turn Signal Indicator bulb running off this as well, but both schematics don't show this. Not sure what this black/white wire is to?
Here is the other Headlight Wire Connector. I wired it up the way the PO had it wired, which connects the key ignition switch, hi-beam, horn switch, main harness, indicator bulbs. I am not sure what all the blue wires do on the one side - supply voltage to all the connecting blocks?
If you are facing the headlight case and looking in, to the left is where two blade connectors (one brown wire from Starter/Turn Signal Switch, one red (with a bulb and left disconnected) attach. Is this the ground? where Do I connect the other end of the red wire?
This is one set of indicator bulbs all attached piggy back by a green wire. Is this hooked up right? Not sure how to indicate which bulb goes to which hole in the speedometer unit. Any way to tell? One is a larger bulb connected by a green and a blue wire, the other two just have the green wire attached. I also have two more indicator bulbs attached piggy back with yellow/red wires (not shown). Not sure what they go to.
I also have a brown wire from the main wiring harness and a black wire from the hi-beam/horn switch harness that I don't know where they go.
Re: Headlight Wiring Woes
Here is my own diagram to date of how it is wired. I put ?'s were I am lost. I can e-mail a clearer copy to any that would like it. Thanks, Hudson
Re: Headlight Wiring Woes
holy fuck! I'm speechless!
Mechanic from Hell
"I remember every raging second of it...
My bike was on fire, the road was on fire, and I was on fire.
It was the best ride ever!"
"I remember every raging second of it...
My bike was on fire, the road was on fire, and I was on fire.
It was the best ride ever!"
Re: Headlight Wiring Woes
Speechless because...how? 
Still a just a gop of wires to ya? Or how it is wired in some sections still? Actually, this isn't too bad of a task, got quite a bit done. Just wish I didn't have a bunch of confliciting diagrams a long with a different wiring job in some sections from the PO. Really just followed directions as much as I could for knowing nothing about this. Stopped where I have conflicting instructions or where my "know how" was limited. Didn't want to stray from the PO set up until I knew what I was doing, so just put those sections back they way they were as best as possible.
Still a just a gop of wires to ya? Or how it is wired in some sections still? Actually, this isn't too bad of a task, got quite a bit done. Just wish I didn't have a bunch of confliciting diagrams a long with a different wiring job in some sections from the PO. Really just followed directions as much as I could for knowing nothing about this. Stopped where I have conflicting instructions or where my "know how" was limited. Didn't want to stray from the PO set up until I knew what I was doing, so just put those sections back they way they were as best as possible.