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Post by spooch63 on Mar 20, 2016 20:44:11 GMT 1
Honda XL500s (6 volt) keeps blowing headlight bulbs after just a few seconds of turning lights on, both high and low beam, tail light doesn't work either but that may be a separate issue. Local bike shop I'm still welcome at has suggested its either the rectifyer/regulator or a bad earth, cleaned up the earth point, nothing changer so changed the rec/reg, still blowing bulbs. Any suggestions would be appreciated as reluctant to take it to someone else to do after the state it came back in last time. Can't believe it actually passed it's MOT as indicators don't actually blink either !! I've even rung an auto electrician who wasn't interested in trying to sort it out.
Cheers
Spooch
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Post by unrealedd on Mar 20, 2016 21:50:07 GMT 1
They did suffer from regulator problems and generator faults, i believe a common upgrade was cb rs250 which gets you to 12v electrics but that probably won't help your cause. Your going to need a volt meter and go back to basics.
Please check your readings after the regulator and what reading are you getting at the bulb. All bulbs on the 6v system need to be working or it just ups the amps to the bulbs thats left and blows them super quick!!
but i could be talking bollox as I'm on the JD Oh and check for short to ground on the live feed also to the back light that isn't working i think you need to investigate the tail light issue as this could very well have a bearing on the headlight issue.
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Post by spooch63 on Mar 21, 2016 22:42:49 GMT 1
They did suffer from regulator problems and generator faults, i believe a common upgrade was cb rs250 which gets you to 12v electrics but that probably won't help your cause. Your going to need a volt meter and go back to basics. Please check your readings after the regulator and what reading are you getting at the bulb. All bulbs on the 6v system need to be working or it just ups the amps to the bulbs thats left and blows them super quick!! but i could be talking bollox as I'm on the JD Oh and check for short to ground on the live feed also to the back light that isn't working i think you need to investigate the tail light issue as this could very well have a bearing on the headlight issue. Back light issue makes sense with the front light, think I'm going to have to see if I can't figure out whats wrong with it, have considered a 12 volt upgrade but not sure how to go about it, I'm sure it would make life a lot easier. |
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Post by spooch63 on Mar 21, 2016 22:47:41 GMT 1
Had quite a few cb250rs back in the day so familiar with the electrics on them, would you change the generator/stator and rest of electrics, does the generator fit straight on with no mods?
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Post by looey on Mar 22, 2016 17:23:36 GMT 1
Do the lights run directly from a generator lighting coil, or from the battery via a reg/rec on these ?.
On a lot of old 6v systems, the headlight, tail light and instrument night lighting run directly from the lighting coil, everything else runs via the battery.
Easy way to tell is what needs the bike to be running to work ?.
Once you know that it's fairly easy with a meter to tell what's getting the right voltage and what isn't.
Hope that helps
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Post by midlifecrisisrd on Mar 22, 2016 18:17:17 GMT 1
From memory the headlight runs straight off the genny
Is there not a blast resistor on them to soak up the extra voltage.
Was a long slim metal thing bolted to the frame with one wire that connects to it and earth's to the frame
Steve
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Post by midlifecrisisrd on Mar 22, 2016 18:18:50 GMT 1
Another thought just popped into my head
There's no chance it already has 12v conversion or a 12v lighting coil
Steve
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Post by spooch63 on Mar 22, 2016 21:20:39 GMT 1
Headlights run off the genny as it has to be running to light up, no conversion as yet as everything is clearly marked 6volt and was sat in a barn for 20 years before I got it, only 4000 miles so no conversion, no blast resistor connected anywhere, had it totally stripped for powder coating. The more I think about it I'm thinking it has something to do with the the headlight I had to get for the mot as didn't have this problem with the old headlight unit. Think I need to connect up the old headlight again to see what happens. Will have a look on Youtube on how to check out stator, genny etc.
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Post by unrealedd on Mar 22, 2016 22:46:13 GMT 1
Had quite a few cb250rs back in the day so familiar with the electrics on them, would you change the generator/stator and rest of electrics, does the generator fit straight on with no mods? CB250rs was a conversion for the xl250s so sorry to confuse, i don't know if they fit the 500 as never done this but the 500r was 12 and that does swap over. The headlamp on yours is powered direct from the genny and i don't know how or if this was regulated but you must make sure the headlamp bulb is the correct type and wattage or it will just blow. There may be a inbuilt resister in the loom but i can't confirm this I've never messed with them but try contacting west country windings they may well be able to help you with this as I'm sure there was an issue with jenny windings causing this issue also. westco@fsmail.net Hope that may help you. |
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Post by beardy on Mar 23, 2016 9:55:44 GMT 1
just adding to the above. when checking headlight voltage make sure your avo is set to ac volts as they usually run straight from lighting coil. the rest of the lights run on dc from the battery. i have 3 bikes running 6v and i run a seperate earth wire from the battery to the headlamp.
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Post by spooch63 on Mar 24, 2016 12:53:07 GMT 1
So then, the plot thickens. Put my old headlight unit back in today and Hey Presto !! Ran the bike for 15 minutes and it works perfectly, (can,t use it due to broken lens) Got some more bulbs (£4.25 each these things, not cheap when your going through them like water !!) drilled a hole in the new bulb holder and pop riveted a spade connector to it and earthed the other end to the frame, lit up lovely and then after 20 seconds you could see it starting to burn out. getting very frustrating, would buy a replacement genuine Honda headlight unit but not available any more. Any thought appreciated !!
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Post by cb250g5 on Mar 24, 2016 21:57:57 GMT 1
Why don't you put the original bulb into the new headlight shell?
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Post by spooch63 on Mar 25, 2016 20:43:38 GMT 1
Why don't you put the original bulb into the new headlight shell? Different fitting, just spent the last hour looking to see if I could cut off the piece on the new one that accepts the bulb to see if I could then somehow glue the old light fitting one on top of the new one. Downside to this is that I would have to modify both fittings which would render them unuseable should it not work |
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Post by unrealedd on Mar 25, 2016 22:32:59 GMT 1
You are deffo using 6v 35w bulbs arnt you?? must admit bit of a head scratcher.
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Post by beardy on Mar 26, 2016 9:10:58 GMT 1
have you checked the voltage to the bulb through a avo/multimeter whilst engine running? you dont need to have the bulb connected to check.
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Post by looey on Mar 26, 2016 12:13:58 GMT 1
Depends also if they have any voltage regulation on the lighting circuit. They don't on some bikes, the combined resistance of all the bulbs creates the correct resistance.
It's quite common on say an old FS1-E that if the headlight bulb goes, if you don't change it fairly quickly, you will loose the Speedo illumination bulb or possibly the tail light..... lol
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Post by spooch63 on Mar 26, 2016 15:45:16 GMT 1
You are deffo using 6v 35w bulbs arnt you?? must admit bit of a head scratcher. original bulbs are 25 watt but new fitting is 35 watt, bought this as thought it might soak up the extra power, deffinitely an earthing issue, just can't figure out what it is |
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Post by cb250g5 on Mar 26, 2016 16:36:35 GMT 1
If you remember your schoolboy physics...
W = V * I
25 W at 6 v is aprox 4 amps
35 W at 6 v is aprox 6 Amps
so you are asking the circuitry to carry a lot more current, about 50% more.
ohms law v = IR
so r = V/i
for the 25 w case the bulb resistance is ~ 6/4 = 1.25 ohms
for the 35 w case the bulb resistance is ~ 6/6 = 1.0 ohms so a 20% reduction in load resistance for the 1 bulb.
For the crude unregulated H***a set-up I'd stick to the correct wattage bulbs. A lower resistance bulb won't "soak" anything up.
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Post by midlifecrisisrd on Mar 26, 2016 17:20:48 GMT 1
As said this is a very crude system that it designed to supply a particular voltage and current
Asking it to supply more current will throw everything out
Steve
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Post by spooch63 on Mar 28, 2016 22:09:40 GMT 1
25 watt bulb ordered as my local shop doesn't stock, will see how it goes
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Post by spooch63 on Apr 3, 2016 21:13:17 GMT 1
Headlight issue now sorted, thanks for all the advice. Originally bought a replacement headlight as mine got broken so sourced a replacement from a DT175 which was the same diameter but different bulb fittings. After several frustrating hours of earthing everything and still blowing bulbs of various wattages I was flicking through Ebay as you do and came across a Honda CD175 6 volt headlight for sale. Looked the same so bought it, fitted it and everything works beautifully, even the rear light now works which was my next issue to sort out.
All I have to do now is figure out why the indicators won't blink, they just light up and then sort out the carb which has a habbit of pi**ing petrol from the overflow pipe. Have taken it off and cleaned it out far too many times now and it's not exactly easy to get in and out !!
On a positive note took it it for a ride today for an hour and it rides very smoothly, pulls well and will probably keep it a while, if I decide to keep it long term then a disc conversion for the front end will be in order.
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gsexr
Thrash Merchant
Posts: 352
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Post by gsexr on Apr 4, 2016 21:10:21 GMT 1
i do luv an enduro............ Got a DR650 myself
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Post by spooch63 on Apr 5, 2016 22:21:18 GMT 1
i do luv an enduro............ Got a DR650 myself Never had a big? single before and to be honest only bought it was because it was cheap, now its done and been out on a few rides out I'm quite enjoying it. Just seen another on Ebay quite reasonably priced which I fancy turning into a Supermoto with a well sorted slightly tuned engine. We'll see, must get on with the LC at some point, started it two and a half years ago and plenty to do yet, XL took 6 months but that's the difference with buying a complete bike !! |
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Post by cb250g5 on Apr 5, 2016 23:05:29 GMT 1
I've had a DR600, but kickstart only, so a bit of a pain when it didn't want to fire straight up.
Also had an XT660X, now that was a fun bike.
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gsexr
Thrash Merchant
Posts: 352
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Post by gsexr on Apr 12, 2016 22:38:44 GMT 1
Ive had a DR600 kick start.... nightmare for a little chap like me.. lol
Then a DR750 electric start, twin tanks etc.... a big old girl
Then a 1995 DR650 electric start and a great bike.
Now a 1996 DR650 electric start and believe it or not 25kg lighter than the previous model
Guess i`m a bit of a DR nut...lol
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