[sixt5]

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I recently bought a 1994 Goldwing 1500 SE. After discovering that the cornering lights don't work I first checked all fuses and then removed the side panels that the cornering lights are mounted in.

I first tested the socket on both sides and found that with the turn signal on, there is voltage to the corresponding light socket.

After testing the bulbs with a 12 volt source, I find that both bulbs work. I did find something odd though.Both bulbs have 2 elements and 2 contacts. If these are only cornering lights, why 2 elements?

The sockets appear to be clean and in good condition.

 

[BRowan]

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Those bulbs have two elements, when one blow you can use the other one. If you are getting power and the bulbs are working, the ground is suspect. Run a ground wire to the engine guard from the second terminal on the socket and try again. Also, those sockets give problems, make sure yours are clean.

 

[sixt5]

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Rowan,

Thanks for the input. What I don't understand is that the bulb will only fit in the socket one way. If the second element can be used if the first one burns out, wouldn't the bulb be reverable?

You'll have to forgive me. I'm a little slow sometimes about some thing but only one of the 2 elements work when I apply 12 volts. With a ground wire touching the outer case and the + lead applied toboth contacts on the bulb only 1 will light.

 

[Budegan]

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Hi sixt5, I think what brian meant is that you can use the other element on vehicles that allow you to just reverse the connector or turn the bulb around, or that use the same bulb as a running light and cornering light (ie both elements on for the cornering light).
When I had my 1500, only one of the terminals in the bulb socket was a +, the other was ground. So it makes sense that if the bulb works and you are getting 12v at one of the socket terminals and the bulb won't light then the ground is suspect. Did you try your meter on both socket terminals? If you do and the ground is working as well as the + that you already tested, you will get a 12v reading. If you don't get a reading then the ground is not complete.

 

[sixt5]

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Martin,

Thanks for the help but I'm even more confussed now maybe.

With the socket hanging freely from the harness and with a volt/ohm meter with the ground lead from my meter connected to the housing of the bulb socket there is 12 volts from only one of the bulb contacts. There is nothing from the other contact.

In other words, if thecontact that does not have voltage to it is suppose to be a ground then why am I only get a ground from the socket housing?

Also, the only way that the bulb will light on the element that is obviously not burned out is to ground the housing of the bulb.

Without a service manual I'm lost. Isn't there suppose to be driving lights on a 1500 SE model? If so, I suspect the driving lights are not working because of the flashing headlight module that someone else installed. I guess maybe the driving lights are bypassed when the flashing headlight was installed. What do you think?

 

[englishted]

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You didn't mentionanything about a flashing headlight module in your original post. The SE up to 1998 has only cornering lights in the lower fairing panels, no running lights. The models from 1998 on have lights thatstay on (foglights) all the time.

The power wire for the cornering lights is the red/white wire (left side) and the red/blue wire for the right side. The green wire is the ground wire. Can't say how a flashing module would affect this (if at all) as I've never had one fitted myself. Those bulb holders are a real curse and they give problems. For a start, many of them just go brown from the heat and also the connections in them don't make proper contact with the bulbs at times.

 

[sixt5]

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Thanks to all.

I finally have this all figured out now, I think.

It turns out that there are no driving lights in a '94 1500 SE. The extra filiment in the bulb is not used in this application as previously mentioned.

The only reason the cornering lights are not working is that the filiments for both cornering light bulbs are burned out.

I also found out this afternoon that the reason these bulbs have 2 filiment is that they are headlight bulbs for ATV's.

No I have to find a set. 2 Honda dealers didn't have any in stock.

It sure seem like it would have been easier if Honda had used a standard single filiment light for the cornering use.

Thanks for all of the input.

 

[englishted]

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I thought you said the bulbs were working in your first post? :?

"After testing the bulbs with a 12 volt source, I find that both bulbs work."

 

[sixt5]

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There was only one filiment in the bulb that was working. That filiment happened to be the cornering light filiment. The other filiment does work but it is not used in the cornering light application.

I was finding it hard to understand why there was a double filiment bulb if both of them were not used in one application or another.

After I found out that the bulbs are headlight bulb for ATV's then I understood it better.

 

[Eamonn1200]

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Well done, you got it sorted. Things like that can be a headache when you don't have a wiring diagram or any help.