R1100S Dipped headlight not firing up

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Daimac
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R1100S Dipped headlight not firing up

Postby Daimac » Sun May 21, 2017 6:00 pm

First post .. so grateful for any help.

The dipped light on my R1100S is firing up intermittently ... is there a relay that could be sticking & if so which one?

Yes, it does have a HiD conversion but I think this may be a red herring, as it fires up intermittently ...i.e. after a long run.

I've changed the bulb, and in fact I've changed the whole HiD kit ... no change as it won't come on when you fire up but comes on after 'many' miles!

Voltage across battery terminals = 12.95v, with bike running = 14.2V - there's 12.8V pouring in to the HiD ballast.

I've had the bike about 6 months after about 30 years of various BMW bike ownership.

Any ideas out there?

Thanks,
David.
D.

BMW R1100S - Grey
BMW R100RS - Blue/Silver
BMW K1100RS - Red/No longer mine
BMW K100RT - Blue/ No longer mine
BMW R60/7S Black/Gold/ No longer mine

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nab 301
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Re: R1100S Dipped headlight not firing up

Postby nab 301 » Sun May 21, 2017 6:36 pm

Daimac wrote:First post .. so grateful for any help.

The dipped light on my R1100S is firing up intermittently ... is there a relay that could be sticking & if so which one?

!

Voltage across battery terminals = 12.95v, with bike running = 14.2V - there's 12.8V pouring in to the HiD ballast.

Any ideas out there?

Thanks,
David.


I'm using the Haynes manual for reference... Is the 12.8 v at the ballast "available" even when the light doesn't? According to the manual a load relief relay feeds the headlight , it's in the R/H fuse box second forward from the rear ( again according to the manual. ) 12.8v may not be enough to strike up a HID lamp and with 14 + available (as it should be ) I'd investigate the voltage drop and maybe run a temporary separate earth and feed to see if this helps.
Edit , of course the same relay feeds the high beam , so If this is working , the relay is switching ok but the voltage drop is presumably the problem?
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Daimac
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Re: R1100S Dipped headlight not firing up

Postby Daimac » Sun May 21, 2017 7:41 pm

Thanks Nigel.

Yes, the main beam works; I've checked the relays or any visual signs of corrosion or tracking and all seemed Ok.

Bad earth could explain why they have come on after a long ride and then won't fire when I turn the key back on. I think the wiring is the original for the lights, being wired in to the ignition.

I'll have a think and check.

D.
D.

BMW R1100S - Grey
BMW R100RS - Blue/Silver
BMW K1100RS - Red/No longer mine
BMW K100RT - Blue/ No longer mine
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Re: R1100S Dipped headlight not firing up

Postby Paul » Mon May 22, 2017 8:07 am

Another potential issue is damaged wiring. Take off the side panels and look for signs of damage to the wires where they are cable tied to the front sub frame and rub against the frame wearing away the insulation on the wires.
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Daimac
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Re: R1100S Dipped headlight not firing up

Postby Daimac » Mon May 22, 2017 10:07 am

Thanks Paul - I note from the forum (and unsure if it applies to all R11S') but my model has the crumbling outer sheathing to the loom and the loom does seem very tight in places. I will re-inspect - I can now get the Tupperware off in about 8 minutes!

I've got no shortening (or I guess I'd know. ...having experienced my RS airhead wiring to the starter motor shorten some years back :cry: ), but there's a drop in voltage from the battery to the feed in to the HiD ballast (of 1.4V) and whether this is enough for the HiD not to light up?

I'm therefore thinking that there's resistance somewhere, either in that relay (load relief) or in the ignition switch as that's where the power has to travel through? I know that the test is to bypass either/both and eliminate, but as my model has no light switch, I'm a bit at a loss ... but I have come across dodgy ignition switches in the past.

Thanks - my problem solving and electrical skills are extremely basic, so suggestions gladly received.
D.

BMW R1100S - Grey
BMW R100RS - Blue/Silver
BMW K1100RS - Red/No longer mine
BMW K100RT - Blue/ No longer mine
BMW R60/7S Black/Gold/ No longer mine

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Daimac
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Re: R1100S Dipped headlight not firing up

Postby Daimac » Sun May 28, 2017 5:31 pm

I'm still experiencing a problem with this dippped headlight.

I've had a chance to peel off the plastic and check for any obvious problems with wiring etc, with no luck.

The connector that feeds the HiD ballast registers 12.8v with the ignition switch on (engine not running) and 14.8v (I incorrectly stated there was less during an earlier post) with the engine running. The dipped light should be on at all times, so with the power going into the HiD ballast (which is brand new), I'm at a loss :cry:

I'm beginniong to wonder if i have a duff HiD kit - I've tried another bulb - It would be unusual to have 2 duff bulbs. As far as my limited knowledge allows, there's no way of checking the output for these things (with my limited knowledge/equipment) as it's upwards of 20000v?

Another possibility is that there is some kind of safet circuit being triggered within the ballast.

Any suggestions anyone = the other option is to downgrade the lamp back to a H1, but I'm reluctant to do that having experienced the HiD working.

Thanks folks.

D.
D.

BMW R1100S - Grey
BMW R100RS - Blue/Silver
BMW K1100RS - Red/No longer mine
BMW K100RT - Blue/ No longer mine
BMW R60/7S Black/Gold/ No longer mine

Crazy Kev
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Re: R1100S Dipped headlight not firing up

Postby Crazy Kev » Sun May 28, 2017 7:24 pm

I Had this problem so went back to the original setup - also much easier to change the bulbs if need be!!
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nab 301
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Re: R1100S Dipped headlight not firing up

Postby nab 301 » Sun May 28, 2017 7:45 pm

Daimac wrote:The connector that feeds the HiD ballast registers 12.8v with the ignition switch on (engine not running) and 14.8v (I incorrectly stated there was less during an earlier post) with the engine running. The dipped light should be on at all times, so with the power going into the HiD ballast (which is brand new), I'm at a loss :cry:


Any suggestions anyone = the other option is to downgrade the lamp back to a H1, but I'm reluctant to do that having experienced the HiD working.

Thanks folks.

D.


According to the instructions on mine the strike up voltage on the ballast units is approx. 20kv and the running voltage is 85v . The input voltage is rated at 12v , although obviously a standard charging circuit runs at over 14 v Generally 14.2 v. There's no mention of a safety circuit within the ballast unit . I wonder is 14.8 v too high ? although I guess you'd be blowing filament bulbs if it was .
I'd revert back to H1 bulb (temporarily ) to ensure that it's not a wiring/ bike problem .If this works ok over a week or so then I'd suspect the Hid unit although It would be unusual to have two faulty ballast, bulb units. Mine is currently removed, it's still fine though and ran ok for over ten years.
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Nigel

Keep smiling, it makes people wonder what you've been up to!
1999 R1100s (mandarin) '
2018 DL 250V Strom
2019 CB125F Honda.
MZ301 Saxon Fun ( currently retired)
'03 Bullet 65 project..

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Daimac
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Re: R1100S Dipped headlight not firing up

Postby Daimac » Mon May 29, 2017 5:18 pm

Thanks for the feedback.

As the previous owner had converted the bike to HiD, I take it that I just need to get a suitable H1 bulb holder and connect a live and earth to it if I downgrade it to H1 - this could be the same feed that's going via the ingnition to the HiD?

I will get in touch with the supplier to see if there's any issues that I might not be aware of.

Thanks.

D.
D.

BMW R1100S - Grey
BMW R100RS - Blue/Silver
BMW K1100RS - Red/No longer mine
BMW K100RT - Blue/ No longer mine
BMW R60/7S Black/Gold/ No longer mine

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nab 301
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Re: R1100S Dipped headlight not firing up

Postby nab 301 » Mon May 29, 2017 6:54 pm

Daimac wrote:Thanks for the feedback.
, I take it that I just need to get a suitable H1 bulb holder and connect a live and earth to it if I downgrade it to H1 - this could be the same feed that's going via the ingnition to the HiD?



D.


The one I have is just plug and play, there are two male spade connectors in the HID loom (See diagram beside bulb) that plug into the two female spade connectors that go to the original H1 bulb ( one on the back of the bulb and one earth) . In other words the original female spade connectors for the H1 bulb should still be "available"
Obviously don't do this with the ignition on , 20 kv might do some damage .....
Re reading the HID instructions it is suggested that you "don't start the vehicle with the lights on " which isn't possible in your case.....

The wiring diagram from my kit
Image
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Nigel

Keep smiling, it makes people wonder what you've been up to!
1999 R1100s (mandarin) '
2018 DL 250V Strom
2019 CB125F Honda.
MZ301 Saxon Fun ( currently retired)
'03 Bullet 65 project..

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Daimac
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Re: R1100S Dipped headlight not firing up

Postby Daimac » Fri Jun 02, 2017 1:02 pm

Thanks Nigel, Paul & Kev - your posts have helped.

Unfortunately, no plug & play for me as the kit on the bike had been installed in Japan; hence, buying a new kit and working it out from there.

Also, I didn't have the original H1 bulb holder etc to downgrade, however, with some basic stuff I had available in the garage (and as I figured that the H1 had a single spade and earthed through the bulb holder) we were in business. And, yay, eureka, the light works using the +ive that fed my HiD and earthing via the lamp/bulb-holder.

Now, here lies the conundrum ... why does the HiD kit not work, or as I found out when I took a ride out to Stafford the other week (albeit illegally believing I had no dipped headlight) with the HiD kit installed it came on after a number of miles (not sure how many - I was possibly in Chester) when I noticed my lights reflecting on the back of a vehicle? When I stwitched the engine off the HiD wouldn't come on again, until as previously, the bike had been running a while....quite a while?

What is there within the electrics that could possibly do this? At least I've got a light now with the H1 back in place, so legal and a better possibility that others will see me; when I get a chance, I am going to peel off the plastic again and check out whether a direct feed from the battery and a seperate earth makes any difference, or possibly using a delay relay?

Kev - you said you'd taken the HiD off because of problems ... were they similar to this?

Cheers again.

D.
D.

BMW R1100S - Grey
BMW R100RS - Blue/Silver
BMW K1100RS - Red/No longer mine
BMW K100RT - Blue/ No longer mine
BMW R60/7S Black/Gold/ No longer mine

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KTM AL
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Re: R1100S Dipped headlight not firing up

Postby KTM AL » Fri Jun 02, 2017 3:30 pm

Hi
Can you swap the feed from the Hi beam to low to prove the HD unit works ok. If it does the its the wiring or relay.

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Daimac
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Re: R1100S Dipped headlight not firing up

Postby Daimac » Tue Jun 06, 2017 8:45 am

Good suggestion - will try that out next.

Thanks.
D.
D.

BMW R1100S - Grey
BMW R100RS - Blue/Silver
BMW K1100RS - Red/No longer mine
BMW K100RT - Blue/ No longer mine
BMW R60/7S Black/Gold/ No longer mine


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