Tailight gone XT600 3TB
 

People,
I have lost my tailight and front sidelight, rear bulb is ok. So where do you start the hunt fo the cure ?
Regards
Min

Get a multimeter or one of those little probes with a light in the handle, and start testing for current. Negative to battery neg post, and touch the positive to where you want to check for current. The tail light and 'position light' (front pilot light) share a common feed, and a look at the circuit diagram should help you narrow down where any break in the common circuit is likely to be. If you have the tank, seat and headlight surround off, you should spot any break in the wiring pretty quickly, sooner if you are methodical.

Can't remember the wiring colour, but I would start by identifying the wire coming from the ignition switch that feeds the side/tail light circuit and check there first. If that's OK, work downstream until you find the fault. If there is no current coming from the main switch and everything else is working OK, then you have a fault in the switch itself.

A wire in the headlight area could have come disconnected from a plug or connector. Best if you have a diagram that tells you the color code. Find that wire and see if it has approximately 12 volts on it when the light is supposed to be on. If you find the voltage up front, trace the wire towards the back until it disappears in the harness. Look at the exit from the harness and trace the wire to a connector where you can probe it and see if the voltage is there. Just keep working your way back to the tail light.

Wiring at the steering head is suspect since the wires move a little with steering movements and could be broken. You may have to strip back the sheath or tape to expose the wires in the harness. With your meter or test light grounded at the battery (-) terminal at all times, you can use a straight pin to pierce the insulation of the wire color associated with the tail light and see if the voltage has made it that far. Just a process of elimination.
Good Hunting. :funmeterno: until you find it then > :funmeteryes:

Steve

You check for VOLTAGE (not current). [switch DMM to volts.. not current]

Normal fault finding divides the thing into halves, given

Voltage at battery (+ve terminal)
No voltage at tail/side lights

I'd go for the switch that turns on these lights 9both sides of this switch, while you are there].

If no voltage there then go half way towards the battery .. fuse?

If voltage there then go to the junction of this wire and the two wires for the lights?

And yes you should have a wiring diagram, other wise it will take longer.

Keep dividing it up until you get to the fault it self.

Thanks, looks like a wee job for Saturday morning. Will let you know my findings.

Min

Yup, sorry for loose choice of words.

SORTED !!!!!

Thanks for all your advice and the use of a downloaded service manual. Started testing continuity, which seemed fine to the front bulb holder. Tested the ignition switch which gave me a bit of confusion. Took the LH side panel off and the fuse holder came apart in my hand. Off to the shop. Glad I found that one before it disintegrated along the road somewhere.
Checked all the connections above the headlight and repaired a few bodge jobs. Still a few to do but that was not for today.
Bit more head scratching and remembered Mezo's words about the handlebar switch took it apart tested it and seemed ok. Put it back together . I have lights. Then I didn't , then I did.
Dodgy switch wiring close to the handle bar.
So I was methodical in my work. Pity I didn't start being methodical with the switch first.
Not a bad wee lesson.

Thanks again for all your help.

Min

*applause*

Good bier

When you stop learning :funmeterno: