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Re: Wiring Question R69 Hi/lo Beam/Horn switch

Posted: Tue May 10, 2022 5:40 am
by 808Airhead
Are you getting +6 volts at #56 terminal with switch in "lights on" position? The contact 56 on the terminal board should be sendiong power to the switch on the handlebar.

Re: Wiring Question R69 Hi/lo Beam/Horn switch

Posted: Tue May 10, 2022 12:28 pm
by agentsjrc
Hi Thomas and Kurt…I’m getting nothing at 56 with the switch on for lights. I AM getting +6.11 volts at 30/51, key in or out, lights on or off. Battery tests at 6.25 volts. Thanks!

Re: Wiring Question R69 Hi/lo Beam/Horn switch

Posted: Tue May 10, 2022 12:45 pm
by agentsjrc
As I was typing out my response to you guys, it occurred to me what might have happened.

The power was clearly coming in to the board at 30/51 and not getting to 56. When I looked at the wiring diagram I couldn't work out how the power got there, but when I looked at the board closely, there's a coarse wire soldered along the edge of the board from 30/51 (I'm assuming this is standard? :-) That wire was attached at 30/51 with a blob of solder which had vibrated apart and while it looked like the wire was still attached, with a magnifying glass it was clear the solder had come apart. When I pushed the coarse wire back on to 30/51, everything works.

Given the headlight shell gets a lot of vibration, this arrangement seems odd to me...like I say, is that standard, and if so is there a way to improve on it other than simply resoldering and waiting for it all to vibrate apart again?

Thanks to everyone who tried to help. I've been lurking here a long time, but used to really value and admire the advice and help I got from guys like Duane and Oke back in the dark ages of the 1990s when I had my first /5 in San Francisco. Over in the UK, with Bob Porecha and others having retired, it's very difficult to find good help with /2 problems. Indeed, almost impossible. Thanks again to all.

Re: Wiring Question R69 Hi/lo Beam/Horn switch

Posted: Tue May 10, 2022 12:49 pm
by agentsjrc
The wire in question…

Re: Wiring Question R69 Hi/lo Beam/Horn switch

Posted: Tue May 10, 2022 1:12 pm
by agentsjrc
Alas, no joy in mudville...

As soon as I pushed the horn button with the lights on, the fuse blew (5amp, on the battery)-- just how I remember the lights going out sometime ago.

Also, I had no taillights, only the headlight, brake light, horn-- although the hi/lo switch worked. Something funky going on...the work continues...

Re: Wiring Question R69 Hi/lo Beam/Horn switch

Posted: Sat May 20, 2023 6:50 pm
by agentsjrc
Just to wrap this up, as I just saw I hadn't, the issue was that the fuse rating was too low. With Amps x Volts = Watts, I was only going to be able to handle 30 watts total on that fuse, but with the lights running and the horn then pushed in, I passed that and blew the fuse.

The more electrically-inclined among you may tell you I've got it wrong, and I might well have, but I've had no further electrical issues for over a year-- and no melting harness-- running a slightly larger fuse (can't remember what now). Bike charges well, lights good, horn loud enough, and dog pleased...

Re: Wiring Question R69 Hi/lo Beam/Horn switch

Posted: Sun May 28, 2023 4:42 pm
by vechorik1373
Without worrying about wire colors, remember this about the chrome hi - lo switch.
the terminal board, is sort of diamond (or football) shaped. The screw nearest the flip handle is power in. The two screws in the middle, across from one another is high and low beam. If you wire those two backwards, and easy fix is to swap them on the bulb holder to get high beam when the lever is up, low when the lever is down.
The 4th terminal, on the end away from the flip switch is horn. Goes to the HO terminal on the board in the bucket.

That's all there is to it.