Full time Headlight override hack

richard-7 · Feb 23, 2018

If your headlight switch moves but does nothing to turn off your headlight. Then pull this plug and your switch will work. Some models have their switches pinned. In this case there is a way to remove the pins that I will share if needed.

Britfan60 · Feb 23, 2018

richard-7 said:
Thanks for the photo Richard. I'm looking over that harness and wondering where the heck the bulb plug is?? Still haven't changed mine. Dealers had it over a year. sigh Nice to know all the wiring fits in that little thing.

MxMartin · Feb 23, 2018

richard-7 said:
If your headlight switch moves but does nothing to turn off your headlight. Then pull this plug and your switch will work. Some models have their switches pinned. In this case there is a way to remove the pins that I will share if needed.

Please share away, I wouldn't mind reactivating my switch at some point.

DODGY DEN · Feb 25, 2018

Thanks for that tip Richard very easy to do so when I turn the ignition on I have on a fully charged battery 13 volts with no headlights on, before with the lights on ignition on 12 volts, but I have been told that when you engage the starter the current to the lights is cut.
So I can use the light switch independently now.

2cups · Mar 6, 2018

richard-7 said:
If your headlight switch moves but does nothing to turn off your headlight. Then pull this plug and your switch will work. Some models have their switches pinned. In this case there is a way to remove the pins that I will share if needed.

Great photo thanks Richard. I have just removed my wire link, very easy to do and I can now turn off headlight if needed.

Fast Eddie · Mar 6, 2018

Euro 4 are slightly different inside the headlamp shell, I’ll post a pic later in the week (not near shed now), but I think I’ve identifed the equivalent link thingy.

Won’t be able to test it though unless I know how to free up the locked switch! Can you share that info please Richard?

richard-7 · Mar 6, 2018

Fast Eddie said:
Euro 4 are slightly different inside the headlamp shell, I’ll post a pic later in the week (not near shed now), but I think I’ve identifed the equivalent link thingy.

Won’t be able to test it though unless I know how to free up the locked switch! Can you share that info please Richard?

Yup. Give me a few days. Been working 14hr a day. Lots to reverse engineer. Lol

MxMartin · Mar 6, 2018

Fast Eddie said:
Euro 4 are slightly different inside the headlamp shell, I’ll post a pic later in the week (not near shed now), but I think I’ve identifed the equivalent link thingy.

Won’t be able to test it though unless I know how to free up the locked switch! Can you share that info please Richard?

I don't want to hijack this thread 'cos I too want to get my light switch operational... but quick Q... where can I find the flasher relay on the Euro4?

john clark · Mar 6, 2018

MxMartin said:
I don't want to hijack this thread 'cos I too want to get my light switch operational... but quick Q... where can I find the flasher relay on the Euro4?

Think its in the seat hump Martin. Its on the Norton manual Simon let us download.All the relays are identified there.

MxMartin · Mar 6, 2018

john clark said:
Think its in the seat hump Martin. Its on the Norton manual Simon let us download.All the relays are identified there.

Unfortunately not, the manuals don't have the latest under-seat layout photo's

john clark · Mar 6, 2018

Sorry mate forgot they changed the layout on the Euro 4

regental · Mar 7, 2018

Fast Eddie said:
Euro 4 are slightly different inside the headlamp shell, I’ll post a pic later in the week (not near shed now), but I think I’ve identifed the equivalent link thingy.

Won’t be able to test it though unless I know how to free up the locked switch! Can you share that info please Richard?

On Euro4 models, the top of the switch that does not move now can be prised up carefully - underneath is a bit of plastic jammed into the switch to make it solid. Having removed this and turning the switch to the 'lights off' position, the headlight, rear light & instrument lights still light up when the ignition is turned on. The main beam will not work until you put the switch back to the headlamp position. In a previous post, I asked for a link to the Euro4 wiring as the latest manual from Simon has just the Euro3 diagram. As you know, all the wires from the switch and the headlight disappear into the main loom so I don't know where they have jumpered the power for the running lights.

Fast Eddie · Mar 7, 2018

I haven’t followed the switch wire under the tank yet, have you? Does it go to a mulit pin connector under there somewhere?

If you look in the headlamp, there is a little ‘thingy’ that I think is the jumper. I’ll try and post a pic as soon as I get back home.

When you say ‘prise up’ do you mean to open up the switch body, or prise off the atcual switch knob?

regental · Mar 7, 2018

Fast Eddie said:
I haven’t followed the switch wire under the tank yet, have you? Does it go to a mulit pin connector under there somewhere?

If you look in the headlamp, there is a little ‘thingy’ that I think is the jumper. I’ll try and post a pic as soon as I get back home.

When you say ‘prise up’ do you mean to open up the switch body, or prise off the atcual switch knob?

The switch knob is just a push fit on its spigot - no need to open the switch body.
I haven't traced any cables under the tank or under the seat.
The switch cable enters the headlamp shell and is the black end of a 9 pin connector block - the cables connected to the white end of this block all go into the main loom.
I think the relay with 2 pink and 2 green cables to it may be for the indicators. There is also a blue relay in the headlight plus extra cables for the ABS warning light but without an up to date diagram, I'm not sure - Alan

MxMartin · Mar 7, 2018

regental said:
I think the relay with 2 pink and 2 green cables to it may be for the indicators.

I am pretty sure I have found the indicators relay and it is under the seat hump just behind the ABS unit. It is micro size and doesn't look much like any relay I have come across but it is in the position as found in the workshop manual, it has the standard indicator relay 2-pin connector and if you unplug it the indicators stop working lol, so I'm pretty certain it is what it is.

regental · Mar 7, 2018

MxMartin said:
I am pretty sure I have found the indicators relay and it is under the seat hump just behind the ABS unit. It is micro size and doesn't look much like any relay I have come across but it is in the position as found in the workshop manual, it has the standard indicator relay 2-pin connector and if you unplug it the indicators stop working lol, so I'm pretty certain it is what it is.

Thanks for that - I tried mapping the cable colours from the LH switch with the Euro3 diagram but it's all a bit confusing

Britfan60 · Mar 7, 2018

MxMartin said:
I am pretty sure I have found the indicators relay and it is under the seat hump just behind the ABS unit. It is micro size and doesn't look much like any relay I have come across but it is in the position as found in the workshop manual, it has the standard indicator relay 2-pin connector and if you unplug it the indicators stop working lol, so I'm pretty certain it is what it is.

Pull it and see what happens to your indicators.

MxMartin · Mar 7, 2018

Britfan60 said:
Pull it and see what happens to your indicators.

Is pull it the same has unplug it? I did that and they stopped working

regental · Mar 8, 2018

I unplugged the 9 pin connector from the LH switch and turned the ignition on - the dip beam, instrument lights & rear light all lit up as usual - the main beam does not work. On reconnecting the plug, main beam now works which I reckon means that when you have the main beam on, the dip beam is also lit. This wasn't the Euro3 way as the power either went to the dip or the main beam, not both.

Fast Eddie · Mar 9, 2018

Chaps,

I had a look inside the headlight shell of my Euro 4 spec bike today. The wiring is different to the pre E4 shown in this thread. The ‘plug’ is not there to be pulled. The little ‘thingy’ that I thought might be the new version of the plug is clearly not, as it makes no difference to the lights function when removed.

As others have said, if you remove the plastic blocker that locks the switch in place, all you achieve by ‘turning off’ is turning off the main beam function.

Here’s the real issue:

The left hand handle bar switch has 9 wires going into a block connector. The receiving block connector that’s part of the main loom, only has 6 of those 9 wired in!

So, 3 wires required for full switch function are ‘missing’.

My conclusion is that Pre E4 bikes were wired up to allow normal lights on / off function. Then the factory added an over ride which, when removed, returned normal on / off function.

However, the E4 bikes appear to have a main wiring harness that’s purpose designed to not allow normal on / off function. I even swapped out the handle bar switch for another, still no change. So to change an E4 bike to normal on / off function would appear require interfering with the bikes wiring (something I’m certainly NOT prepared to do).

However... for those worried about the current draw issue, you may consider an LED headlight bulb of the type sold by Paul Goff. I have just fitted these to my ‘68 Bonnie and ‘74 Cdo and they’re great, really bright with a fraction of the draw of a halogen bulb.

However # 2... Shorai batteries like to have the lights on before trying to start the engine as some current draw helps to warm up the battery. So, for Shorai battery users, the auto on lights function is probably a good thing. As a Shorai battery user myself, I’ll take this as an excuse to leave my headlight as is!