lighting relay disaster

[steven m]

What a nightmare!  I received the H4 relay kit from Eastern Beaver and installed it today, and it couldn't have gone worse.  I followed their instructions and when I turned the ignition on, the headlight did seem nice and bright but then I smelled burning and opened the headlight shell.  Smoke.  Disconnected everything from the battery and had a look.  The ground wire from the H4 socket to the small parking lamp connector was melted to one of the white wires coming from the H4 plug.  What the hell?  I disconnected the relays and put the wiring back to standard.  Taped up the wires where the insulation had melted, and turned the key.  Low beam only, no high beam nor high beam indicator lamp in the tach, which was working beforehand.  Worst of all, when I press the start button, all I get is the solenoid clicking.  No blown fuses.  The two on the bike, under the tank, are fine, even the fuse on the relay kit is not blown.  The battery was in good shape, but now appears to be drained.  If I hit the starter with the headlight on the light goes out.

So, have I ruined my battery or fried my electrical system, or ??

Feeling pretty dumb right now, and of course I don't have a meter nor am I particularly proficient at electronics.  My brother has a spare battery I guess I will throw in, but baffled as to where I went wrong, unless one of the connectors in the headlight shell touch a piece of metal.  I'm sure it was something I did wrong, but I don't know what it is.

One helpful comment from an expert was that I fried the diode board.  Great...

Any thoughts out there?

Steve

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Someone competent with a meter can test your diode board, if you feel the need.  You would probably want to remove it, I don't know.  I've never done one.

For sure something went wrong inside the shell.  You need to get on the phone with the dealer tomorrow morning, out in your garage.  

I see you are in the LA area.  You shouldn't have any trouble getting help, there.

Do you know about the Airhead Beemers Club?  http://www.airheads.org/  If you are new to the airhead scene, they are a very good source for information, first hand.  In the form of free tech days on weekends.  

But I'm afraid that is all the help I have to offer.

Good luck.  You should get some replies, here.

[Bob_Roller]

Let's try simple things first, is the high beam filament in the bulb still intact ?

How does the connector that goes on the bulb look ?

From the wiring diagram, the power to illuminate the the high beam indicator in the tachometer, is spliced at the connector for the bulb, I'd have a look at that, it may be melted ( it's the white wire) .

When you push the starter button, the headlight is supposed to go out, the starter relay, interrupts the light relay during starting, to provide more power to the starter .

I'd try charging the battery overnight, and see what happens tomorrow .

[steven m]

Okay, I've looked things over and I think one of the terminals must have shorted on the headlamp shell.  My fault in not taping it up enough.  Didn't realize the starter relay shut off the headlight when in use.  So if the if the hi-beam filament is fried, then no indicator light?  That's good.  I don't think I fried the hi/lo switch because it still works.  

The bulb looked good to me but the high beam filament could easily be damaged.  The connectors all look good, no visible heat damage, so if I'm lucky I caught it in time.  Since none of the fuses blew, maybe the bulb took the hit.

I'll put in a new bulb and the new battery and see what happens.  If it all works, I need to make certain all the exposed connectors are taped up thoroughly before trying it again.

Nothing like having no one to blame except yourself...

Steve

 

[Bob_Roller]

Was this caution provided in the installation instructions ?

It's right from their website .

http://www.easternbeaver.com/Main/Stuff/Faqs/h4_Alert/h4_alert.html

If it wasn't, I'd send an email to the company, suggesting that it be included in their instructions .

How long did it take to get the kit from Japan ?

[steven m]

The warning is on their site, they even have a picture.  I just didn't do a good job of wrapping it up.  As I wrote, it was my fault.   Ugh.  This time, a cocoon.  

Took about a week for the kit to arrive from Japan.  Well made.  Long cable, for a R65.  Once again, not their fault.  

Off to get a new bulb and toss in the new battery.  Then I guess I'll see what damage is.

[Bob_Roller]

I noticed one of their wiring kits for the H4 bulb, that on high beam, the low beam also is illuminated .

Anybody know how much brighter this set up would be ?

Considering it for the oilhead, with the 700 watt alternator, it's not going to tax the charging system .

[bruce_launceston]

Hi Bob, the simple answer is of course 55 watts brighter, the real benefit is that the extra spread of lower, closer light of your low beam stays on better illuminating corners etc, If you want to see the benefit for yourself before ordering a kit just use the 'pass' switch at night, you will get the same effect.

Cheers Bruce

[Bob_Roller]

I didn't know that both filaments were illuminated with the headlight switch held in the 'pass' position .

I'll try it tomorrow morning on the way to work, in a series of 'S' turns near work .

Well, at least I learned somrthing today !!!!

[steven m]

Okay, it is Sunday morning, charged the battery overnight, put in a new headlamp, the bike started right up, but no hi-beam.  Reinstalled relay kit, taping up old socket like the Michelin Man, bike started right up, no hi-beam, even using the passing switch.  The parking/indicator lamp works.  So, maybe I fried the hi/lo beam switch, don't know yet, but apparently have not destroyed electrical system.  Will begin to trace.  

A good lesson for me.  Tape up everything with twice as much electrical tape as you think will do the job, and trickle charge the battery regularly.

Live and learn.

Steve

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Perhaps you damaged one of the relays in the kit?

[steven m]

I emailed Eastern Beaver on Friday with the same question.  Jim didn't  think the relays were damaged, and mentioned older BMW's have little fusing in their lighting circuits.  If I had damaged a relay, I think the hi-beam would have worked before I hooked the relays back up.  Since the new lamp is behaving the same way as the old lamp, it isn't the bulb, and is most likely either the socket or the switch or the wires between them.

I think...

All other lighting circuits are still working- brake lights, turn signals, etc.  Just took bike out for test ride and it is running fine.  

Steve