Looking for some help on this subject as fast as I can get it. My R keeps blowing the tail light when I replace the bulb. Gettin ready to put 350X Headlights on it and do not want them to blow. I checked the voltages and everything was weird. I am not getting any DC voltage at all. What I am getting depends on throttle position, anywhere from 9 to 45 volts AC. Was told by some one it was supposed to be AC but I am not sure If I believe them or not. Any help would greatly help before I start blowing more money and bulbs. Thanks

 

The AC voltage is correct. The honda doesnt use a regulator/rectifier, only a regulator to keep voltage in check, that's why you only have a limited number of wires. Light bulbs will run off of AC or DC voltage. If your getting 45 volts then sounds like your regulator is not clipping the voltage like it should. Hope this helps,Bubba

 

Thanks for the help Bubba, now I am straight on the voltage at least. I hope to get it fixed this weekend.

 

Irunwire,does bulb blow instantly or only after reving engine?If it blows instantly,check for short to ground using meter with a continuity function(usually shown as arrow with cross or line at the top)touch both leads together and you should hear a beep or get a reading other than 0 on the meter.Take one lead from meter and touch a clean part of the frame and hold it there,take the other lead and touch each wire,(MAKE SURE BIKE IF OFF,and key out,dont need current flowing when checkin continuity)one wire will be the ground wire and will show grounded(beep or reading of meter) and this is good,If both wires show ground,thats showing short on the "hot"wire to light and you need to trace it back to the problem which could be as simple as a nicked wire rubbing against metal of frame.Also check between the two wires with each lead from meter (none to frame this time) to check if the hot wire is shorting itself to the ground wire in which case its probably the same cause or your regulator itself is shorted which you can confirm by unmounting the regulator iand supporting it off the metal.If the bulb is slow to blow after reving,I would believe bubba297 is correct in saying your regulator is creating too much voltage for the bulb to withstand....sorry to ramble but eventhough there is a fuse in your electrical system,a short past the fuse in the circuit will blow the object of lest resistance which in this case is the bulb itself...good luck

 

Thanks XTC for the add in. I tend to overlook the simple things sometimes when typing. Checking for a short would definitely be a good thing to do first.

 

Thanks Bubba and XTC for your help. Me being an Industrial Electrician and an Auto Electrician since 1988. I had tried all the troubleshooting I could. What I finally found out is the the factory Reugulator has given out. I had my local Honda Dealer order me a Ricky Stator Regulator and should be here some time next week. Sometimes it is so easy to over look the simplist things so help from members like you really brings a person back in line. Once again thank you for all of your help.

 

Glad you found the problem,I am a a/c service tech and am very familiar about overlooking the obvious.once while troubleshooting a heat strip I could not get any voltage to the strip and was convinced the high limit switch was bad until the homeowner asked if turning the breaker on would help,guess what,it did [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]