1979 Red/Yellow (Headlight) Fuse

[bykerbrad63]

Sorry for this being my first post, but this is the first that I have needed to ask a question. I otherwise lurk as a guest. With that said, I am having an issue wiring in my headlight on my 1979 (2F0-006501+). I have eliminated the following: Light checker, reserve lighting unit, safety relay, turn signal flasher relay, and flasher cancelling unit. All I am running on the bike is: Headlight, taillight, stock (left side control) headlight hi/lo switch w/ horn, stock (right side control) electric start/killl switch, and stock key ignition.

The wiring diagram in my Clymer manual for 'Late XS650E' indicates some of these bikes had a seperate 'headlight switch'. My bike does not, as the note in the manual states that some did not. My question is then: Where does the Red/Yellow wire on the fuse designated for the headlight go in my harness, rather than to the 'headlight switch' that my bike does not have but is drawn in the wiring diagram in the Clymer?

The end of the day, I want to run power to the headlight switch off of the Red/Yellow fuse. Also, is Blue/Yellow on the headlight hi/lo switch the wire that needs to get this power?

This may be vague to start, but perhaps some of you 1979 gurus can get the converstation rolling and get me heading into the right direction. Thanks in advance.

 

[bykerbrad63]

 

[retiredgentleman]

bykerbrad63;

My 78SE has the "Lights" switch, but that switch was deleted for 79. With the Safety Relay and the Reserve Lighting Unit both gone, here's the way to proceed.

The headlight fuse red/yellow wire must now connect to the blue/yellow that goes into the headlight dimmer switch. It would be wise to put a switch between the red/yellow and the blue/yellow so that you can shut off the headlight while starting the engine.

You may also want to connect the blue/yellow to the blue/black that powers up the speedo and tach panel lights.

 

[bykerbrad63]

Thanks retiredgentleman! After getting home last night and re-examining where I was at, I realized I DID keep the safety relay. In fact, the Red/Yellow (headlight fuse) goes to the safety relay and stops. Does it come back out of the safety relay as a different color?

And thanks for the heads-up on the switch for the headlight, I may do just that. I'm not running a speedo or tach, so the blue/black will remain capped off.

 

[retiredgentleman]

Thanks retiredgentleman! After getting home last night and re-examining where I was at, I realized I DID keep the safety relay. In fact, the Red/Yellow (headlight fuse) goes to the safety relay and stops. Does it come back out of the safety relay as a different color?

And thanks for the heads-up on the switch for the headlight, I may do just that. I'm not running a speedo or tach, so the blue/black will remain capped off.

Headlight power comes out of the Safety relay as a blue/black

 

[bykerbrad63]

Thank you once again. One more question (I hope), but what does the safety relay do?

 

[XSLeo]

I know this one. The safety relay was first used when they added the electric starter.
The starter system uses gears and shafts to hook the starter motor to the crank shaft. The safety relay was addded to shut the starter off as the engine starts and keeps the starter from running while the engine is running. They did this to protect the gears in the starter system.
On the later models they redesigned the safety relay a bit so it also turns on the headlight at the same time it turns off the starter.
It does all this by the voltage created on the yellow wire from the stator as the alternator starts producing electricity to charge the battery.
Leo