instrument lighting

[marbs]

Hi everyone. I'm trying to sort out the instrument lighting on my '81 xs650h. First, I have checked all bulbs & fuses. The instrument lights will only come on when the hi beams are on & some are very dim. This is with the engine not running. I downloaded the wiring diagram & can find nothing wrong. The po installed a Vape ignition & a new wiring harness that "wasn't quite right so I made it fit" (his words) There was much evidence of hacking which an electrician buddy repaired. Electricity is all magic to me & I am at my wits end. What do I do next?? Any & all advice will be greatly appreciated. thanx marbs

 

[gggGary]

The gauge backlight bulbs are supplied by a blue from the starter cut off relay, so motor needs to be running, charging system working for them to light. Grounded by a black.
Start the motor verify charging. Do they light?
Factory manual; light circuits.

 

[Its been a long time]

Hi everyone. I'm trying to sort out the instrument lighting on my '81 xs650h. First, I have checked all bulbs & fuses. The instrument lights will only come on when the hi beams are on & some are very dim. This is with the engine not running. I downloaded the wiring diagram & can find nothing wrong. The po installed a Vape ignition & a new wiring harness that "wasn't quite right so I made it fit" (his words) There was much evidence of hacking which an electrician buddy repaired. Electricity is all magic to me & I am at my wits end. What do I do next?? Any & all advice will be greatly appreciated. thanx marbs

You could ask your electrician buddy to have another look? That way, you'll get it sorted and learn more about how to do stuff yourself. Good luck with it.

 

[Jim]

Like Gary sez, the alternator needs to be charging for the inst lights to come on. So if you can put them on with the hi beam, something's definitely wired wrong. In the back of my mind, I recall something like that happened to someone else who installed a Mikes XS replacement harness. The harness wasn't built correctly.

 

[650Skull]

Sound like your going to have to either learn about electrics or become very poor finding someone who knows, (critical word of the day), and will work on these old machines, without charging you to learn about them whilst working on the XS.

Some links to threads your going to need to read to help understand the basics. With a basic knowledge and the help here, 99.99 percent of problems can be sorted.

Exellent description of how power works....................The difference, (in the link and your bike), is the description of the charging system
Simplified description; ....You have a Vape charging system which is a PMA, (Permanent Magnet Alternator), meaning it is effectively producing full power, (volts), from start up..............................factory Charging system charges at a rate to how fast the Rotor is spinning
https://www.xs650.com/threads/what-happens-when-you-turn-your-key-on.9625/

Continuity testing and how to use a multi-meter
https://www.xs650.com/threads/continuity-testing-made-easy.49917/
https://www.xs650.com/threads/how-to-use-multimeter.27826/

Grounds/Earth are vital, often neglected and can lead to problems miss-diagnosed to carbs or charging systems, where money can b spent replacing parts for no reason.
https://www.xs650.com/threads/grounds-so-important.41775/

Good thread............Musings describes it well..................where a pic may be missing and there is a part # or code, do a Google search
https://www.xs650.com/threads/wiring-harness-musings.18925/

Ignition Switch can often be a restriction of full power to the rest of the system. Need to read both treads if a dismantling and clean is required............A Multimeter voltage test with the key on will determine if the witch needs a clean.
https://www.xs650.com/threads/ignition-switch-overhaul.46712/
https://www.xs650.com/threads/ignition-switch-lock-swap.54928/#post-595755

 

[marbs]

Thank you to everyone who replied. I will study & try to learn & understand this. I know my charging system is working. The tank is at the paint shop so I can't start it right now. Any time the ignition key is in the on position the headlight is on.( with engine not running) Is this right or is the headlight wired wrong too? I will get this. Thanx again marbs

 

[gggGary]

Wired different anyways. There's a jumper wire "fix" for the safety relay.

 

[5twins]

The headlight shouldn't come on until the bike is running so something is wired wrong. My buddy got a new harness for his '80 SPII from Mike's and it did that. I think he traced it down to the light checker, but your model doesn't have that component.