Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: Tail Light was working, then it wasn't, now it is

  1. #1
    LSemmens
    lsemmens's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Rural South OZ
    Posts
    10,585
    Thanks
    11,867
    Thanked 7,061 Times in 3,338 Posts
    Rep Power
    3153
    Reputation
    132592

    Default Tail Light was working, then it wasn't, now it is

    Weird one. I went for a ride yesterday and called in to have an ale or two with my son. On my way home I pulled over to water a tree and noticed that my tail light was out, tried the brakes, and that was not working either. How long it was not working, I have no idea! Anyway I parked it in the driveway when I got home, and 'cause I was freezing, I resolved to look at it in the morning. I moved the bike onto the back verandah and pulled the light globe, neither filament was broken so I came inside and looked at the service manual. There was precious little info on the how the wire gets from the switch to the tail light or where the Harness is routed. So I laid down and looked under the rear guard, so far nothing looked out of the ordinary. Before I started removing seats and stuffing around the battery, I turned the bike on and low and behold all is well. The ONLY thing I did was remove and replace the same globe!
    I'm out of my mind, but feel free to leave a message...



Look Here ->
  • #2
    Administrator
    mtv's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    19,893
    Thanks
    7,508
    Thanked 15,066 Times in 6,761 Posts
    Rep Power
    5647
    Reputation
    239305

    Default

    A couple of possibilities:

    I've seen globes with a make & break filament before... they break and intermittently make contact again. Also, the same can occur in the base of the globe.

    Poor earth connections and poor lamp contacts.

    Check voltage at the lamp holder when the globe isn't working... if there's power there then, it's the globe, if not, the problem is elsewhere.

    Replace the globe and see if the problem persists.

  • The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to mtv For This Useful Post:

    lsemmens (24-08-20),wotnot (24-08-20)

  • #3
    LSemmens
    lsemmens's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Rural South OZ
    Posts
    10,585
    Thanks
    11,867
    Thanked 7,061 Times in 3,338 Posts
    Rep Power
    3153
    Reputation
    132592

    Default

    Thanks mate, problem is, I only discovered the problem last night and I was too bloody cold to sort it when I got home. I do suspect a dry joint somewhere and will probably have to wait until it occurs again. It just means that I'm gonna have to check it after every time I ride. One filament with make and break, I can understand, but not two AT THE SAME TIME. This is a dual filament globe!
    I'm out of my mind, but feel free to leave a message...

  • #4
    Premium Member
    wotnot's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2019
    Location
    Scenic Rim, SE Qld
    Posts
    3,236
    Thanks
    1,462
    Thanked 2,934 Times in 1,510 Posts
    Rep Power
    1334
    Reputation
    58690

    Default

    Until you've pulled a bulb apart & discovered they sometimes don't solder the (shared) earth of the 2 filaments to the metal can....ergo;

    Quote Originally Posted by mtv View Post
    Replace the globe and see if the problem persists.
    Yep, first port of call =)

  • #5
    Super Moderator
    enf's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Canberra
    Age
    70
    Posts
    17,753
    Thanks
    16,817
    Thanked 34,963 Times in 9,059 Posts
    Rep Power
    13678
    Reputation
    644469

    Default

    Swap the globes and see is the problem moves!
    The fact that there's a highway to hell and a stairway to heaven says a lot about the anticipated traffic flow.

  • #6
    LSemmens
    lsemmens's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Rural South OZ
    Posts
    10,585
    Thanks
    11,867
    Thanked 7,061 Times in 3,338 Posts
    Rep Power
    3153
    Reputation
    132592

    Default

    I shall keep an eye on it.
    I'm out of my mind, but feel free to leave a message...

  • #7
    Senior Member
    Godzilla's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Melbourne
    Age
    59
    Posts
    12,740
    Thanks
    16,580
    Thanked 7,201 Times in 3,648 Posts
    Rep Power
    2198
    Reputation
    79113

    Default

    MTVs suggestions are pretty spot on...

  • #8
    Banned

    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Location
    still above ground level
    Posts
    1,779
    Thanks
    5,562
    Thanked 1,964 Times in 714 Posts
    Rep Power
    0
    Reputation
    35657

    Default

    the only complete cure is to buy a new bike and sell the old one to a politician then he can change to law to make it legal and you can buy the bike back of him and never have to worry about drink driving with a tail light out again and start enjoying life in full knowledge that some drunk is going to run up your arse and kill you but then you wont have any thing to say about it , easy problem solved hahahaha

  • #9
    LSemmens
    lsemmens's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Rural South OZ
    Posts
    10,585
    Thanks
    11,867
    Thanked 7,061 Times in 3,338 Posts
    Rep Power
    3153
    Reputation
    132592

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by hinekadon View Post
    start enjoying life in full knowledge that some drunk is going to run up your arse and kill you but then you wont have any thing to say about it , easy problem solved hahahaha
    That has already happened, tell me something different!


    I'm out of my mind, but feel free to leave a message...

  • Bookmarks

    Posting Permissions

    • You may not post new threads
    • You may not post replies
    • You may not post attachments
    • You may not edit your posts
    •