Lights Were Fluctuating Tonight ???

[Ed_in_Az]

Both the headlights and instruments would dim then brighten again. I was out in some twisties and thought things might go completely dark but I got home OK. Has anyone else had this happen?

TIA
Ed

[yamahonkawazuki]

so im gathering by your statement, that this happened/happens while riding ?

[richard]

If you pay attention, you might find that they dim when you put on the brake...  because that turns on another light, which draws more juice.

couple possible causes:

faulty connection to the battery or bad wires -- most likely, you've got corrosion on your battery terminals or somewhere on a wire connection.

Bad battery -- you may also have a battery that's dieing, and so can't handle the current drawn from it that it used to be able to

Stater/Generator going bad -- your stater isn't generating enough electricity to run the bike (even with the battery) while running with headlights and brake light.


the problem is most likely to occur when your brights are on.  my bet is on a connection to your battery... my car has that problem, I just haven't taken time to fix it yet.

[Ed_in_Az]

Thanks guys. Yes, it's while riding, but isn't related to braking, just cruising along. I checked the battery and it looks new, terminals are fine. It starts fine. I'll guess I'll have to start tracing wiring.

[Briggs]

Do you have a system on you GS. I noticed in my old car when some hard bass would hit my lights would dim.

That was a bad joke....

[Cal Price]

Wiring diagram, might help.

                           www.gs500e.co.uk/wire.jpg

[miket]

Thanks for the link, Cal. I have been looking for that for some time.

[Ed_in_Az]

Thanks for the diagram. I just printed it.

[smoker]

Ed

The other day after i washed my bike, as I pulled up to an intersection and put on my turn signal, my bike began to only fire while the turn signal would flash on.  So my bike jerked me thru the 4-way at the frequency of the turn signal.  I must've looked like an ass...  After it dried, though, it was fine.   Don't know if that's related or not.  But cheers to the dude with the schematic...  printing as I type...

Gibby G.

[Kerry]

One more shameless plug for the Haynes manual.  (That's where the wiring diagram came from.)

The manual has 3 diagrams for UK models, and 3 for US models.  This diagram is for the US 1990-1996 models.  There are separate ones for the 1989 model and for the 1997 model.  (I'm talking about the Haynes manual for the '89 - '97 model years.)

Oh, and I'm not prepared to post entire wiring diagrams from my manual, in case you were about to ask....  Sorry!

[Ed_in_Az]

Thenks, Kerry. I will definately buy a manual. I tested my regulator today @ 14.4 - 14.8 volts. I did use the wiring diagram to know which wires to check.  I'll have to check again when the lights are acting up.