Tail light stopped working - help

[stagrider]

Hi,

 

I have a 1994 R1100RS now with 90k miles and which I've had since 1998 and I use it all year around. Last week my tail light bulb blew - which I think is the fisrt time since I had the bike ! I replaced it with another 10w bulb but this morning when I got to work I noticed I have no back light again. I have tried replacing the bulb but it still don't work - so looks like I have a wiring or connection issue.

 

Obviously once I get home I need to trace the wiring and get my multimeter out to try and see where the break is - however I am 60 miles from home and just wondered if anyone can think of a quich fix to get me home ?

 

I think the power cable is the same power cable as the stop light and that is still working - so i am thinking is there anyway I can swap the connections from the stop bulb to get the back light working ?

 

Any ideas appreciated.

 

Regards

 

Mike

[Ian]

Hi,

 

I have a 1994 R1100RS now with 90k miles and which I've had since 1998 and I use it all year around. Last week my tail light bulb blew - which I think is the fisrt time since I had the bike ! I replaced it with another 10w bulb but this morning when I got to work I noticed I have no back light again. I have tried replacing the bulb but it still don't work - so looks like I have a wiring or connection issue.

 

Obviously once I get home I need to trace the wiring and get my multimeter out to try and see where the break is - however I am 60 miles from home and just wondered if anyone can think of a quich fix to get me home ?

 

I think the power cable is the same power cable as the stop light and that is still working - so i am thinking is there anyway I can swap the connections from the stop bulb to get the back light working ?

 

Any ideas appreciated.

 

Regards

 

Mike

 

Mike,

 

Check 0.75A tail-light fuse fuse F2 (at least this is the fuse in my RT). If this is Okay then the wiring or connectors are at fault as you said. You could bridge the output of fuse F1 (stop light)to the output of fuse 2 to make the stop light work all the time but if the tail-light started working the F1 fuse might blow as it is only 1 ampere.

 

Ian

 

 

[Quinn]

You may just have some arced crud in the bulb socket. Get a pencil with an eraser, with the bike turned off, remove the bulb and clean out the contacts in the socket.

 

---

 

 

[stagrider]

Hi,

 

I have a 1994 R1100RS now with 90k miles and which I've had since 1998 and I use it all year around. Last week my tail light bulb blew - which I think is the fisrt time since I had the bike ! I replaced it with another 10w bulb but this morning when I got to work I noticed I have no back light again. I have tried replacing the bulb but it still don't work - so looks like I have a wiring or connection issue.

 

Obviously once I get home I need to trace the wiring and get my multimeter out to try and see where the break is - however I am 60 miles from home and just wondered if anyone can think of a quich fix to get me home ?

 

I think the power cable is the same power cable as the stop light and that is still working - so i am thinking is there anyway I can swap the connections from the stop bulb to get the back light working ?

 

Any ideas appreciated.

 

Regards

 

Mike

 

Mike,

 

Check 0.75A tail-light fuse fuse F2 (at least this is the fuse in my RT). If this is Okay then the wiring or connectors are at fault as you said. You could bridge the output of fuse F1 (stop light)to the output of fuse 2 to make the stop light work all the time but if the tail-light started working the F1 fuse might blow as it is only 1 ampere.

 

Ian

 

 

Ian, thanks for the reply. Someone at work had a multimeter so did a bit more diagnosis. No voltage at connector joining to the bulb holder. So checked fuse 2 - its a 15Amp fuse on mine which says its for Parking Lights - but I now realise that Parking Lights includes the rear light. Fuse 2 was not blown but I have no voltage across the fuse terminals. So looks like something is going on underneatch the fuse box. I did the ABS low voltage mod many years ago(abs now gets voltage from aternator d+ output rather than battery) - and I remember at the time thinking, "I hope that's the last time I have to look under the fuse box". I just remember seeing scary numbers of wires but looks like I will have to have another look under their this weekend. I did notice that one of my relays is not clipped in properly and has been bouncing up and down. I also notice the the fuse box itself is also able to move around a bit - so perhaps all this movement when hitting bumps had caused something to come loose. We shall see.

 

Tonight I am up in London and did my 5 mile ride with a bicycle LCD light attached to my grab rail ! I stopped in Maplins and bought some wires and a cheap crimper/connector kit and as I already have an extra on/off switch mounted on my fairing I will see if I can rig up some new power to the rear light for the journey home tomorrow.

 

Thanks again.

 

Regards

 

Mike

[stagrider]

Well, having last bought the multimeter, wire and crimper to bodge something up for tonights journey I have found that the light is working again ! Will just leave my "backup" lcd on tonight and have a closer look at the weekend.

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR !

 

Mike P

[Ian]

Well, having last bought the multimeter, wire and crimper to bodge something up for tonights journey I have found that the light is working again ! Will just leave my "backup" lcd on tonight and have a closer look at the weekend.

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR !

 

Mike P

 

Mike,

 

Yes Happy New Year to you also. With all the "refreshments" I've been having and will again have tonight (hic) I'm keeping my RT tucked away for a few days. Hope you get your light problem fixed.

 

Ian

 

 

[Boffin]

I did notice that one of my relays is not clipped in properly and has been bouncing up and down.

 

I wonder if this was the load-relief relay, that drops the lights on start-up.

 

Andy

[stagrider]

It wasn't that relay that was "free" but I have a feeling you may be onto someting and that the problem could be related to that load-relief relay. I will pull it , shake it, clean it and maybe get a spare one !

Regards

Mike

[stagrider]

My rear light saga continues. Its been working most of the time since my last post. I now check its on after I start the bike. A couple of times its failed to come on then I killed the engine and restarted and it worked. So I was pretty sure it was the load relief relay and I've ordered one from Motorworks but its not arrived yet. Tonight I stopped to fill up and the light was working when I turned the engine off. After filling up there was no light. I tried swapping the horn relay with the load relief but still no light. So I will be going home on bicycyle rear light tomorrow again (unless it fixes itself again). This weekend I'd like to run in a new power wire to the rear light. I am not bothered about lack of load relief and am not really bothered if its controlled by the headlamp on/off switch (as I always have lights on anyway) but I do want ignition control (ie it into goes off when I turn off the ignition !).

 

Anyone got any advise on what is the easiest way to do this ?

 

Regards

Mike