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Running lights on fairing,1500

3K views 41 replies 5 participants last post by  Pure Texas 
#1 ·
I have this issue with these lights,left is not working,bulb good,signal works but light is out.
photo ,top,running light out,bottom ,signal is on,
mine is registered as classic vehicle and not supposed to be daily driver so if I were ever stopped I would explain that I was taking it for repair but I just need to get it fixed cause it’s there so it needs to work.
 

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#2 · (Edited)
I won't insult you by asking if you checked the bulb. :) The circuit is actually a little complicated so I will list what and where you need.
When the turn lights are not active you should have power at the light bulb socket on the orange wire with the white stripe. (OR/WH) Do you?
How about at the turn light switch OR/WH? Power there?
Power should flow from the turn light switch to the bulb via the OR/ WH wire, through the bulb and to ground. The ground should be OK as it shares the ground with the turn light and it works.
If you have power at the bulb socket OR/WH the issue is the socket etc. Stop reading. You found the issue. If no power read on.
Do you have no power coming from the turn light switch OR/WH wire? If no power there the switch might well be bad.
Do these 2 tests and get back to us. Don't forget the key must be on and the turn lights off.:)
 
#3 ·
Redwing52, I really haven’t been in there to look,the signal works so power must be on org/ whit,?
ill keep your reply for when I get in there,tks
 
#5 ·
Might be as simple as a contact inside the socket being dirty where the contact touches the bulb. A small piece of sandpaper can get in there if you have to clean the contact(s) Then flush with contact cleaner. You can probe for power at the contacts if that is easier. :)
 
#7 ·
Bulb is good,it’s been like this for a while,I moved the bulbs from side to side last time I had it apart
 
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#8 ·
mine is registered as classic vehicle and not supposed to be daily driver so if I were ever stopped I would explain that I was taking it for repair
I can't help you with the light anymore than others already have, but reading this took me back to a time I was working midnight shift and it was the night after a Bristol NASCAR race, pickup pulling a camper goes by northwards, no sign of lights on the trailer, so I stopped it. No brake lights either. As I walked up to the driver's door to tell him his lights were out, I noticed the trailer plug was wrapped around the tongue jack. He acted real surprised when I told him his trailer lights were out, he said he'd fix them at the next exit. I suggested he look at it, might be something simple like a plug fell out, so we walked back, he looked under the truck, made a good show, but there was not even a plug on the truck. It was a fun stop ... for one of us.
 
#9 ·
I can't help you with the light anymore than others already have, but reading this took me back to a time I was working midnight shift and it was the night after a Bristol NASCAR race, pickup pulling a camper goes by northwards, no sign of lights on the trailer, so I stopped it. No brake lights either. As I walked up to the driver's door to tell him his lights were out, I noticed the trailer plug was wrapped around the tongue jack. He acted real surprised when I told him his trailer lights were out, he said he'd fix them at the next exit. I suggested he look at it, might be something simple like a plug fell out, so we walked back, he looked under the truck, made a good show, but there was not even a plug on the truck. It was a fun stop ... for one of us.
Let me guess,
he went home with a nice, warm citation... and you grounded him right there with no further travel, unless you followed him to the next exit, and chained the trailer to something.
 
#11 ·
Well today,my right position light was out and the left was on,seems i recall that this happened before? Huum?
I pulied my 53 foot trailer with my Freightliner near all day and it started to get dark and looking back I had no lights,pulled over and I had never plugged the pigtail in,that was before pre trip was mandatory,I guess I just got attracted to something and forgot to plug it in,interesting no other trucker never said anything on the cb.
 
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#12 · (Edited)
Well today,my right position light was out and the left was on,seems i recall that this happened before? Huum?
I seldom am looking at the front lights when signals are on left or right, but I think the position lights are affected, like go out with signal or something, might be in turn signal / flasher switch. On my 1200, the bulb closest to head light was position bulb, the further one was signal. On my old truck with dual filament bulbs, the ground to the right front was weak and the running light was grounding back through the turn signal bulb when the right signal was used, I just got a weak light. I know, not a F150, but grounds through signal switches cause goofy things if not sound.
 
#15 ·
Dave,your just AWSOME,when the right signal is activated,the left position light stays on,when the left signal is activated the right position lighe stays on.
I took the cluster off and sprayed it good with contact cleaner ,let dry,sprayed it with lubricant but the issue is still the same so I suspect the next step is the relay,is on the left side cluster of relays?
 
#16 · (Edited)
Dave,your just AWSOME,when the right signal is activated,the left position light stays on,when the left signal is activated the right position lighe stays on.
I took the cluster off and sprayed it good with contact cleaner ,let dry,sprayed it with lubricant but the issue is still the same so I suspect the next step is the relay,is on the left side cluster of relays?
That is the way it is supposed to work. The idea is the side that you chose goes from blinking to dark for more contrast/visibility.
Relay #7 under the left bag could be the issue. It is a normally closed relay so be sure to get the right one if you do replace it. .
321418
 
#17 ·
Redwing,I may have mistated,like I said how the light works BUT when one comes on ,one stays off,vice versa,
 
#20 ·
Ok ,I think I have some new relays
Redwing,they are never both on at the same time,they are on depending on whether I signal turn left or right.
 
#22 ·
Ok,I’ll look into that,thanks,
now that you mentioned the relays,8 years back I was having issues with the number 3 relay and I may have mixed it up,I’ll have to look up the correct one,I may have hosed it up myself,seems about that time I started having these issues.
 
#24 ·
Looking at the fisch there’s 7 of the same relays,2 that are different and the position relay is one of the seven?
 
#25 ·
That is possible. Let me see if I can explain it. Some relays have several sets of point internally. They can be normally open (NO) normally closed (NC) or both, They are just wired different so the same relay can do either. It can be NO or NC just by the way it is wired. It can even be wired to be NO at one time then NC another time.
Sooo....if it is one of the 7 relays that are the same find one that is the same and flip flop it to see if the issue goes away. Those 7 relays can be put in anywhere that calls for them so you can move them around to see if the problem moves with them. Move #7 to a sister and the sister in to the #7 spot.
In other words it is more generic than specific relay. It just uses the NC instead of the NO by wiring it appropriately. The other 6 are mostly or all used as NO but still completely interchangeable.
 
#30 · (Edited)
Bought me some of these a couple years ago. 40 amp ratings, copper insides, $13 each, just saying … My understanding only, OEM Omrons are drying up (not sure if the case) but they are rated @ 20 amps and sell for $25 or more each.
Goldwing GL1500 G8MS-H30 Relay • goldwingdocs.com

My note picture of general NO/NC capable relays ... just because I sometimes get the #s confused, some relays do not have both the #87 & #87A terminals

321437
 
#32 · (Edited)
Bought me some of these a couple years ago. 40 amp ratings, copper insides, just saying … My understanding only, OEM Omerons are drying up (not sure if the case) but they are rated 20 amps.
Goldwing GL1500 G8MS-H30 Relay • goldwingdocs.com

My note picture of general NO/NC capable relays ... just because I sometimes get the #s confused, some relays do not have both the #87 & #87A terminals

View attachment 321437
I am hesitant to say this but to some it can be very important. In the relay that crystal is showing he is absolutely right that there is no polarity for the coil. If you have a GL1800 or buy a variation of the relay called a blocking or quenching relay the coil has polarity. A quenching relay is identical in every way and will usually plug right in. The purpose of the quenching relay is to protect some fragile electronics from voltage spikes.
Here is where it gets confusing and I don't explain thing that well on the computer. You can use a quenching relay any place you like as long as the polarity is correct. You can plug a non-quenching relay in a circuit that requires a quenching relay and put electronics at risk. If you wire a quenching relay backwards it will destroy the diode internally and convert it in to a perfect functional non-quenching relay.
You can always tell a quenching relay as it will have a diode wired parallel with the coil, A good habit is to always wire terminal #85 to ground and you can't go wrong with either relay.
The 2 types of quenching relay are the 2 relays on the bottom of the page. For even more confusion only one has to be wired with polarity observed. Another good reason to use negative on #85 and you can't go wrong. Check the link below.

 
#33 · (Edited)
quote=RW52]I am hesitant to say this but … [/quote]

Not on my account I hope.

Yeah, I didn't think to go into different types. My bad, yes, that was a very basic relay, I focused on NO vs NC. I did recall 87A was always NC and that 87B was paired with 87 as NO but I didn't go there.

Nice guide link you posted there!

Totally off topic now, I digress again. I learned about quenching diodes when I built a integrator to integrate a regular CB into my 1200's intercom headsets. Used a RadioShack 4PDT relay to switch between talk & listen, when I let go of PTT switch button, I got a really loud POP, buddy told me about needing a diode, where to put it, etc, but the <$10 relay failed first, so I built a second one using a $30 relay (expensive then) from place on line, gold contacts, etc, cast aluminum water proof enclosure with O-ring seal, potted it with silicone too … added a diode, NO more POPs. I understood the diode to soften the release of the coil, I only know that it worked to kill the POP. Used with a small $30 Cobra 40 ch unit, mounted both to sit on rubber suction cups with strap on faux tank, even had a plexiglass rain cover I formed up.
 
#34 ·
Thanks for all the information on relays,this part number from Honda ( 38370-MN5-003) (20 amp ),
is that what I need,blue in color
 
#35 ·
If it were me I would call and tell them I need the "position light relay." Then if the wrong one comes it's their issue.

The parts online does not do a good job. I can see why you thought what you did. It looks like it pulled out of the right place to be a position light relay. I would bet Dave gets it right but putting the ball in the dealers court is a good thing. You don't need to get stuck with expensive parts you don't need.
For the same reason I would check the wiring at the switch to bbe as sure as you can be it is the relay. A relay failure or switch failure could cause the symptoms you are having. It's a coin toss unless you check voltages.
 
#39 ·
SUCCESS,
DAVE was right on,the relay that was in the #7 spot was incorrect,same size but 20 amp,I don’t recall how it got changed but both position light are on now.THANKS FOR ALL THE HELP,????
 
#42 ·
Yep,I was in the relay box quite often when I was having #3 relay issues but dont recall one being blue,and it’s smaller than the others,anyway it’s fixed noe ,thanks for your input,if I haven’t decided to ask here ,I guess it would have stayed till another owner got it
 
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