headlight wiring question

Johnnymac · Jan 10, 2012

Quick question, where does the red wire that is attached to the headlight shell attach to? Does it attach to the pilot light? I took the headlight off today and there is only one brown wire attached to the pilot light. Thanks!

303 fmj · Jan 10, 2012

Ground wire---look for an empty double connector with other red wires attached---this is if PO has not changed wiring.

Johnnymac · Jan 10, 2012

Got it. Thank you!

swooshdave · Jan 10, 2012

303 fmj said:
Ground wire---look for an empty double connector with other red wires attached---this is if PO has not changed wiring.

Like switch it to neg ground...

DogT · Jan 10, 2012

I had the loose red wire in the headlamp shell too, I just left it since it was a redundant ground for me.

Dave
69S

Johnnymac · Jan 10, 2012

303 fmj said:
Ground wire---look for an empty double connector with other red wires attached---this is if PO has not changed wiring.

I am still trying to figure out what the PO did in many areas... haha. My Switchgear works... when I press the lower button the hi-beams flash and the green indicator light ignites on the headlamp, but for some reason the hi beam will not turn on with the switch to the lower position, the hi-beam doesn't go on. Is there a way to clean up these contacts on these switches? I like how in the shop manual it says that it "extremely difficult...if not impossible" to disassemble these switches.

Hobot · Jan 10, 2012

Suspect missing or un- or miss connected wire before the switch gear. IIRC hi bean is a blue or b/white wire. Good ground path is needed for bright lights which means paler shade of dim yellow on low beam, Bright light yellow on hi.

tpeever · Jan 10, 2012

Johnnymac said:
Quick question, where does the red wire that is attached to the headlight shell attach to? Does it attach to the pilot light? I took the headlight off today and there is only one brown wire attached to the pilot light. Thanks!

Best to to connect that ground to a wire that runs back to a common grounding point on the frame rather than relying on the headlight-to-frame connection for your ground. Ditto for the lights at the rear of the bike.

303 fmj · Jan 10, 2012

Yes, absolutely on the common ground point. For my MK3 I used the two relay harness which has both pos & neg wires going back to the battery. With H4 bulb installed--my lights are just as good as on my R1150RS maybe even a bit brighter due to the lens configuration. The harness can be found on the "bay", but once you get one--very easy then to clone it, "reverse engineer" for your other Norts---if you have more.

headlight wiring question

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