Xsb-1 650 Retard - new headlight project

[ThomasADixon]

Guys,

I was flushed with success from my retard/kickstart project ( My new handle - "Retard"?). I went to ride the bike five minutes ago (in the dark) and no headlamp...

Took the light out - its at my desk - this thing looks like a unit of some sort and I don't think you can just change a bulb?

 

[nj1639]

Sounds like a stock unit, not one of those fancy new aftermarket ones with the little bulb........

 

[drgonzo]

Sealed beam.

 

[ThomasADixon]

I dont understand exactly...this is not just a bulb change? Its like a big 7" dia. unit?

 

[WideAWAKE]

I dont understand exactly...this is not just a bulb change? Its like a big 7" dia. unit?

The filament is sealed… meaning think of it like a big lightbulb. The only way to change the light, is to change the whole 7” light.

I would test it first, could have easily been a loose connection somewhere or a bad ground.

Get a 12v source (alligator clips off your battery will work) and run power to it and a ground to it.

If it lights up it’s good, and your problem is elsewhere. If not, you’ll need a new light. In all the 30+ various bikes I’ve ever owned, ive never had a headlight go bad (with the exception of Italian scooters which blew em left and right haha)

They can be cut open but it’s not a straight forward deal and on a clean bike like yours, if it was me, I’d track down a new sealed beam.

 

[gggGary]

Yes early headlight are kind of half sealed beam there is a sealed bulb in it that can't be removed but the front glass is just glued to the reflector

 

[ThomasADixon]

Ill see if I can test it somehow. I don't know how. Ill take it to a bike shop.

 

[WideAWAKE]

Go to the auto parts store and get a set alligator clip jumper wires - clip one side of the red wire to the positive on your battery and the other to the left or bottom terminals on your light - clip the black one to your ground side of your battery and with the other end of it touch the right terminal on your headlight.

Light will either come on or not.

You can then put the red wire on the terminal you didn’t test and the touch the black wire back on the right terminal.

If the both come on - you got high and low beams.

If one comes on and the other doesn’t, one’s blown.

If they come on Your good and the problem is elsewhere.

 

[ThomasADixon]

Thanks Guys - I didnt look at the forum first. I assumed it was broken (and it was). I bought an H3 bulb ($16 to $30) from the autoparts store. It is similar; 12.5V 55W

I plugged it in and it worked, low and high, so I new my assumption was good - the old bulb was bad.

I removed the sealed heavy glass lamp and pried the old bulb out of it. Bend back 6 tabs and remove the circlette washer/keeper. The old bulb lens broke and fell into the heavy glass housing and rattled around in there. I had to smash the bulb lens into little tiny pieces by poking with a heavy wooden spoon handle thru the hole. I poured the slivers out.

I went to my bench grinder and ground the fins off the new H3 bulb to make it look and shape it like the fins on the old bulb. There was a rubber circle washer on the old bulb with a recieving slot that fit over that old fin - be sure and save and reuse that on your new crafted fin.

I put the new modified H3 bulb in the glass lens receiving hole, put back in the metal circlette washer and bent the tabs down. I just now got back from a night ride - it works better that the original thats for sure.

Picture #1
Old bulb out tabs shown pried upwards, bulb broke upon removal.

Picture #2
Old bulb with brass housing and soldered on fin on the right. New H3 on left shown with rubbe washer remounted on the fin I modified.

Picture #3
All put back together

Halogen bulbs are bright as heck! And the light works good.

Whadya' think!

 

[gggGary]

I like the way you think!

 

[Wingedwheel]

OK, I’m impressed…. I actually have a couple of those old bulbs that I picked up off the clearance shelf at a bike shop a few years back just cuz you can’t find them anymore. Most of the fixes I’ve seem involved a newer glass bulb (automotive) with tape on it to hold it in the bucket.

 

[bosco659]

Thanks Guys - I didnt look at the forum first. I assumed it was broken (and it was). I bought an H3 bulb ($16 to $30) from the autoparts store. It is similar; 12.5V 55W

I plugged it in and it worked, low and high, so I new my assumption was good - the old bulb was bad.

I removed the sealed heavy glass lamp and pried the old bulb out of it. Bend back 6 tabs and remove the circlette washer/keeper. The old bulb lens broke and fell into the heavy glass housing and rattled around in there. I had to smash the bulb lens into little tiny pieces by poking with a heavy wooden spoon handle thru the hole. I poured the slivers out.

I went to my bench grinder and ground the fins off the new H3 bulb to make it look and shape it like the fins on the old bulb. There was a rubber circle washer on the old bulb with a recieving slot that fit over that old fin - be sure and save and reuse that on your new crafted fin.

I put the new modified H3 bulb in the glass lens receiving hole, put back in the metal circlette washer and bent the tabs down. I just now got back from a night ride - it works better that the original thats for sure.

Picture #1
Old bulb out tabs shown pried upwards, bulb broke upon removal.

Picture #2
Old bulb with brass housing and soldered on fin on the right. New H3 on left shown with rubbe washer remounted on the fin I modified.

Picture #3
All put back together

Halogen bulbs are bright as heck! And the light works good.

Whadya' think!

Nice work!

 

[nj1639]

I have to re-examine these old headlamps now......

 

[Tinker Taylor]

Wow, that is like stumping the band. Good job @ThomasADixon.
'TT'

 

[ThomasADixon]

I like beatin' the man

 

[Wingedwheel]

Thinking about that fix and only time will tell but those Halogen bulbs are probably much hotter than the filament original..
I’m interested in how the heat dissipation will work.

 

[nj1639]

Checked me spares and they're all the old style sealed, "Won't work on them" says Captain Obvious. I concur.

 

[GLJ]

Great fix. I looked at doing that to my XS2 a couple of years ago. I figured it was doable. You proved me right. Reason I didn't do it was because the H4 bulb needs to be modified. Since I planned to take trips on my bike I wanted to be able to replace the bulb if needed with a off the shelf item. Yes you can and I do carry a spare with me when I travel but what if you need more than one? Theses things do vibrate. My fix was W-clips with one of these. There is a draw back you loose the left/right adjustment and high beam is a little wonky. Low beam works well enough for 2 lane roads at a reasonable speed.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001OMEPEU?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2_dt_b_product_details

 

[ThomasADixon]

Hey Mr. GLJ,

Its the original glass headlight casting. That does not change.

But... I had a funny thing happen today, i reached for the petcock with my RH today while riding and I and got a shock. Felt like a 12V shock. I have to inspect my install closely for some kind of short. I like my solution too, but there may be an electrical isolation issue I didn't take care of.

 

[ThomasADixon]

I meant to say there is no adjustment problem as all that hardware remains.