Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > 998 / 996 / 916 / 748 > Dim headlamp - 916

[crm250]

Right, headlamp is still naf, and when riding after a while it comes bright. the brightness doesnt go up and down with revs, but just by itself when riding (perhaps over bumps)
Am pretty sure this is down to a poor contact somewhere as the bike charges well and is putting out normal voltage and all elecs work fine.
Any tips on where to start looking ?? or is it a case of strip the bike, remove most of the loom and clean and reconnect ?

Cheers all

[antonye]

Check the voltage with a multimeter and you may also want to hook it up to an ammeter as well to measure the current draw. This will (probably) tell you if it's a duff circuit.

Have you tried adjust the alignment of the headlight using the (6mm?) allen bolt at the front? You may find this helps.

Also, try fitting some "brighter" bulbs in it. I put Halfords own-brand "blue" bulbs in mine and the light is definitely whiter and makes the beam more noticeable. I've heard good reports about their "20% Brighter" (or whatever %-age it is) own-brand range as well.

[Totto]

Used Halfords "Xenon" 20% brighter bulbs !!!, found then much better than the std ones !

[Shazaam!]

Check first to see if you have the same problem on both the high and low beam. If the problem is only on low beam, I'd first suspect the the 12V or earth connection to the bulb - or the bulb itself.

If you have the same problem with the high beam, I'd first check the battery connections and work my way forward checking common in-line connectors.

[crm250]

High beam is rather bright in comparison.
But you are right, as the thing flickers brighter every now and again, i suspect a poor earth or duff connection.
I will be stripping the lights out and putting a meter across to see the voltage and how it compares to the battery.
Next will be the switch itself, maybe a clean of the contacts.
Failing that - a new bulb and try to demist the inside of the lamp itself (looks like a big bowl of fog inside there)

Tis funny though, it has only done this since the following on a recent trip
riding with lights on - no revcounter and temp guage off the scale, also no indicators or horn or headlamp.
Turn off lights, and rev counter and temp came back - still no indicators or headlamp

Never found the problem as i just lifted the seat unit give it all a wiggle (technical term - for fooked about with stuff i have no idea about) and it all came back !!!

Put money it's all related though

It also charges well, so can rule out the rectifier

[antonye]

Sounds like a faulty earth somewhere along the line. It may even be a slightly loose connector in that viper's nest of wires tucked behind the headlight!

[Robbie]

That's a question I've been meaning to ask !
How do I demist or clean the inside of my helmet glass ? I haven't investigated the unit yet. Can you split the glass from the reflector ?

[antonye]

Yes, you can get at the unit inside!

If you remove the headlamp unit from the bike and turn it round, you'll see that on both sides you can unscrew and unbolt the back to get inside at the lens.

However - leave it indoors overnight and it demists itself!

[Shazaam!]

You just need to use a glass cleaner. The film is actually an initial outgassing of the heated plastic parts. The same film collects on the inside glass surfaces of a new car when it sits in the sun.

[crm250]

Found the problem, The clip that holds the low beam bulb in had bust in half, hence the earthing on that bulb was not only poor but also a corroded mess.
A new clip, clean of the headlamps, new Xenon bulbs and i reckon it should make nightime travel less fraught with excitement. (it was like riding with a tinted visor at night)
I also think it may be time to strip all the bodywork off the bike, and clean and inspect each connector on the loom. This should buy me another 12 months of hassle free electrics (yeah i wish !)

Thanks guys