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LED headlights don't work


Don McFerran

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So, again on the 2011 camhead.  Headlights have been converted to LED by PO.  (Cyclops)  Low beams don't work, High beam is fine.  I f i rig up a power line to the plug in for the low beam lights, they work, so the problem is no power.

 

I thought of the high beam switch, but  after reading, I don't want to try and open that  can of worms.  Occurred to me that i could run a switched power wire directly to lights, they would come on when ignition is on. but that must be how it is actually wired, and there is a break somewhere

 

 

Sorry to be so long winded, any advice would be appreciated. If anyone has a wiring diagram, That might help too.

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This was the best I could do on short notice. 

 

This might help (check electrical system fiche).

https://shop.maxbmw.com/fiche/DiagramsMain.aspx?vid=52026&rnd=09082020

 

2016, but it MIGHT help a bit (i.e. I doubt that the basic harness has changed all that much).  The last time I had a full BMW manual was for an RT-P which I got via PDF from a BMW Authority web site.  It was the same as for any other OEM model, with extra pages for the LEO specific stuff.  It looked like the regular shop manual, which I mean to say, this diagram likely includes Optional equipment, including authority parts.  Just guessing.   (Another poster on this thread claims these are for authority motors only, and from my experience, I doubt that.  Could be, but I doubt it. YMMV.)

https://www.bmwlt.com/threads/wiring-diagram-2016-r1200rt.148057/post-1520273

 

image.thumb.png.2bc0ff278601785f8c7de50929ced224.png

 

image.thumb.png.fb4290cc67c856ec5958bd1d478d6310.png

 

 

image.png.d85f424d1b9fb3e376021376d9d6fad7.png

 

image.png.3cb453ef6dbe91f7a9ad8cc3fddfbf93.png

 

 

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This looks hack-ish, but it's a $15 download, if you want to try it.   The full repair manual may not include electrical schematics. 

https://www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/278526298-bmw-r1200rt-2005-2013-service-repair-manual

 

The other suspicious thingy is that they claim it covers years 2005-2013, i.e. both hexheads and camheads, and they are two significantly different models.  I'm not sure what they are selling, but you could follow up, and ask.

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  • 4 months later...
Don McFerran

thought I would finish this thread. Lights are now working.   After many hours thinking, and reading, and 3-4 hours checking connections, looking for shorts, testing ground connections, I gave up and said " It's good enough."  

All the work I had done was with the ignition key on, but didn't start the motor. Last week, I started the motor while working on something else, and the low beams came on, no problem.

So I learned that hi beam works with the key on , low beams work when the engine is running.  

Always good to be learning new things.

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22 minutes ago, Don McFerran said:

thought I would finish this thread. Lights are now working.   After many hours thinking, and reading, and 3-4 hours checking connections, looking for shorts, testing ground connections, I gave up and said " It's good enough."  

All the work I had done was with the ignition key on, but didn't start the motor. Last week, I started the motor while working on something else, and the low beams came on, no problem.

So I learned that hi beam works with the key on , low beams work when the engine is running.  

Always good to be learning new things.

Hmmm, brings back a memory.  My old RT-P had a light switch for the headlights, i.e. not automatic, as LEO's need to be able to control lights while leaving the bike at idle, for traffic stops, surveillance, and such.  Same reason that they have a second battery, and enhanced cooling fans.  Starting the engine did not automatically turn the lights on, the switch did.

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6 minutes ago, Scott9999 said:

Hmmm, brings back a memory.  My old RT-P had a light switch for the headlights, i.e. not automatic, as LEO's need to be able to control lights while leaving the bike at idle, for traffic stops, surveillance, and such.  Same reason that they have a second battery, and enhanced cooling fans.  Starting the engine did not automatically turn the lights on, the switch did.

Evening Scott

 

All the old BMW 1100/1150RT's were wired for a headlight switch (on/off headlight switch was standard on a lot of European 1100/1150 bikes).

 

For the U.S. imports, they just installed a jumper instead of the headlight switch.    It was fairly common back in the 1100 & early 1150 era for riders to install the European headlight switch. 

 

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2 hours ago, Don McFerran said:

thought I would finish this thread. Lights are now working.   After many hours thinking, and reading, and 3-4 hours checking connections, looking for shorts, testing ground connections, I gave up and said " It's good enough."  

All the work I had done was with the ignition key on, but didn't start the motor. Last week, I started the motor while working on something else, and the low beams came on, no problem.

So I learned that hi beam works with the key on , low beams work when the engine is running.  

Always good to be learning new things.

Well that had to be a "son-of-a-....., " moment.

  • Haha 1
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