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My white headlamp indicator stays on.


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My white headlamp indicator stayes on.

Both low and high beam works.

 

I've converted all my dash lights to LED.

 

Any suggestion.

 

This next item is probably not related to the dashlight. But I don't know

 

Also have two allen screws left over.

Have no idea where it goes.

 

Any ideas?

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My white headlamp indicator stayes on.

Both low and high beam works.

 

I've converted all my dash lights to LED.

 

Any suggestion.

 

This next item is probably not related to the dashlight. But I don't know

 

Also have two allen screws left over.

Have no idea where it goes.

 

Any ideas?

 

The Reserve Lighting Unit works by shifting voltage when it detects a bulb failure.

 

If the high beam fails, it shifts full voltage to the low beam. If the low beam fails it shifts a reduced voltage to the High beam.

 

In both cases the white light comes on.

 

It is a power sensing device. It wants to detect about a 50W draw depending on the switch position, so HID conversions mess with it's head.

 

If it fails then who knows what it will do.

 

Best approach is to simply bypass it.

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This is a post I did 2 years ago relating to RLU operation

 

 

This is what I have found with the operation of a working system on an 1988 wiring setup.

 

I have just verified this information on my bike. I have independent spade lug terminals hooking up to the headlight plug in the wiring harness,due to my projector headlights, so it is easy to simulate burnt out bulb conditions.

 

The reserve lighting unit is located on the right side of the headlight unit.

 

When the dimmer switch is set to LOW and low beam lamp is not functioning, the reserve unit illuminates the high beam lamp at a reduced voltage, this keeps from blinding oncoming traffic. The dash white indicator light "Headlamp" is illuminated. CMU Headlight icon is displayed.

 

When the dimmer switch is set to LOW and High beam lamp is not functioning. The dash white indicator light "Headlamp" is not illuminated. CMU Headlight icon is displayed.

 

When the dimmer switch is set to HIGH and High beam lamp is not functioning, the reserve unit illuminates the low beam lamp at a near normal voltage. The dash white indicator light "Headlamp" is illuminated. CMU Headlight icon is displayed. The "High beam" indicator is lit.

 

When the dimmer switch is set to HIGH and Low beam lamp is not functioning. The dash white indicator light "Headlamp" is not illuminated. CMU Headlight icon is displayed. The "High beam" indicator is lit.

 

When both lights are not functioning, only the CMU icon is displayed when Low beam is selected. When HIGH beam is selected, the dash white indicator light "Headlamp" is illuminated. CMU Headlight icon is displayed. And the "High beam" indicator is lit.

 

Assuming the wiring diagrams are correct, the high and low beam run through the CMU. There is an input circuit and an output circuit for both the high and low beams.

 

The reserve lighting unit is where the input wire from the headlight fuse goes first. I am guessing that the current on this wire is used to determine if the lamps are lit or not. Last paragraphs are based on this assumption.

 

If the Low beam is selected at the dimmer switch, a positive voltage is sent to the CMU, which then passes that voltage back to the headlamp. If headlamp is burning, reserve lighting unit does nothing. It senses normal current on feed wire, and it is getting voltage on its low side input.

 

If the High beam is selected at the dimmer switch, a positive voltage is sent to the CMU, which then passes that voltage back to the headlamp. If headlamp is NOT burning, reserve lighting unit senses very low current on feed wire (some current consumed in CMU), and it is getting voltage on its low side input. The reserve lighting unit then outputs reduced positive voltage on the High beam circuit, thus illuminating High beam and signaling CMU that low beam filimant is burnt out.

 

If the High beam is selected at the dimmer switch, a positive voltage is sent to the CMU, which then passes that voltage back to the headlamp. If headlamp is lit, reserve lighting unit lights the High beam indicator lamp. It senses normal current on feed wire, and it is getting voltage on its high side input. If it is not lit, the reserve lighting unit outputs positive voltage on the low beam circuit, thus illuminating low beam and signaling CMU that high beam filament is burnt out.

 

Gary

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So I removed the headlamp and dashcover.

I put the regular, non led bulb into the headlamp indicator socket. I put the key on and the bulb just barely glowed. Not enough glow to see the white light on. I was expecting to see the bulb glow bright indicating that the low beam was out being that the headlamp unit was disconnected.

Next I hit the high beam switch and the indicator bulb glowed bright, which I expected being that the head lamp unit was disconnected.

With the key still on and the switch on low beam.

I connected the headlamp unit, and the indicator bulb glowed a little bit brighter, just enough to notice that it was glowing brighter but even so the bulb glow was still very very low. Not enough to see through the white lense.

I hit the high beam switch and the glow of the bulb did not change.

So with the non led bulb in the indicator socket the unit works ok, even tho the bulb is getting that very low amount of current.

Then I recalled that I had switched the headlamp bulb a while back to the EURO Dezigns Xenon Krypton 8500K H.I.D H4. It was very reasonably priced and with a lift time warrentee. I learned about it from a member here, and that he uses it on his bike and all his cars.

Well so put the old non LED bulb into the headlamp unit, and went thru the same above test. Received the same result.

So my question is why is the headlamp indicator bulb receiving a low about of current when with the key on. This low amount of current is enough to turn the led bulb on bright.

2nd question is why with the headlamp unit disconnected does the indicator lamp not glow bright with the non LED indicator bulb like it does when I hit the high beam switch. Shouldn’t the indicator lamp glow bright with the headlamp unit disconnected.

For now I plan on just using the non LED bulb in the indicator socket.

Ohhhh. I found what the 2 allen head bolts were for. I’m installing a cross bar on the handle bar so I can mount some accessories on it. The 2 bolts were removed on each side of the handle bar.

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So my question is why is the headlamp indicator bulb receiving a low about of current when with the key on. This low amount of current is enough to turn the led bulb on bright.

 

That's the way it's supposed to work and other makes/models with an RLU behave the same way in my experience. If you can cover up all other sources of light and just see the headlamp indicator in relative darkness, it is indeed lit up very slightly when the ignition is on.

As for why you notice it with LED indicator and not incandescent, the operating voltage threshold for the LED might be fairly low and most (but not all) LEDs aren't variable intensity. Once the voltage goes above that certain threshold, it lights up at full intensity. That lower voltage with the incandescent is enough to make it glow just slightly but not be on at full intensity. If you had to drive with that headlamp indicator on at full intensity all the time it'd drive you nuts.

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That's the way it's supposed to work and other makes/models with an RLU behave the same way in my experience. If you can cover up all other sources of light and just see the headlamp indicator in relative darkness, it is indeed lit up very slightly when the ignition is on.

As for why you notice it with LED indicator and not incandescent, the operating voltage threshold for the LED might be fairly low and most (but not all) LEDs aren't variable intensity. Once the voltage goes above that certain threshold, it lights up at full intensity. That lower voltage with the incandescent is enough to make it glow just slightly but not be on at full intensity. If you had to drive with that headlamp indicator on at full intensity all the time it'd drive you nuts.

:sign yeah that: I realized same when I switch all dash lighting to LED and had to switch RLU back to incandescent bulb. I think all is fine with yours.

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