GSX1400 Owners .org

Technically Speaking => Electrics => Topic started by: VladTepes on Tuesday, 19 May 2020, 12:03 PM

Title: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: VladTepes on Tuesday, 19 May 2020, 12:03 PM
So, a lady in a car next to me last night (when stopped at traffic lights) told me "your lights aren't working"

Having thanked her I pulled over to check.
Indicators all working properly.

Headlight = low beam failed, high beam still works. Time to get around to finally installing the LED headlight I have. :)

Tailights - both working fine.

Brake lights - using rear brake pedal - nothing.

Just occurs to me now I didn't check using the front brakes  :facepalm: I'll need to do that to rule in/out the rear brake switch.

How bothersome !
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: Hooli on Wednesday, 20 May 2020, 01:39 AM
Lo & Hi have separate fuses too, although it will be the bulb.

Rear brake light could just be out of adjustment if you've moved the footlever position.
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: SheepDog on Wednesday, 20 May 2020, 08:39 AM
Mate, sh#t happens.
I blew a rear brake bulb and had my regulator give me grief (that's about it so with ownership, pretty ordinary for reliability)  :onya:
The other day my right handle bar mirror started doing things from the exorcist. Started spinning why riding. Freaked me out. Getting the bike blessed as soon as possible.
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: VladTepes on Wednesday, 20 May 2020, 03:05 PM
Quote from: Hooli on Wednesday, 20 May  2020, 01:39 AM
Lo & Hi have separate fuses too, although it will be the bulb.
Thanks.

Quote from: Hooli on Wednesday, 20 May  2020, 01:39 AM
Rear brake light could just be out of adjustment if you've moved the footlever position.
I haven't.


This is a long shot - could the blown low beam light cause some sort of flow on effect to the tail light?


My tail lights are LED units I got via @gsxbarmy not sure how the brake light set up is.

It's hard to know without having the comparison available but it occurs to me that perhaps its the brake light 'on' permanently (seems very bright) rather than the tail lights permanently on but brake light broken.

Hmmm... :confused1:
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: KiwiCol on Wednesday, 20 May 2020, 04:19 PM
Multimeter time Mike
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: grog on Wednesday, 20 May 2020, 05:44 PM
Multimeter? Is that one of those music machines Notty just bought. AC/DC
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: KiwiCol on Wednesday, 20 May 2020, 06:07 PM
Yup
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: grog on Wednesday, 20 May 2020, 07:15 PM
Vlad, new headlight bulb needed. Then uncross those rear wires.
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: gsxbarmy on Wednesday, 20 May 2020, 10:42 PM
Quote from: VladTepes on Wednesday, 20 May  2020, 03:05 PM
Quote from: Hooli on Wednesday, 20 May  2020, 01:39 AM
Lo & Hi have separate fuses too, although it will be the bulb.
Thanks.

Quote from: Hooli on Wednesday, 20 May  2020, 01:39 AM
Rear brake light could just be out of adjustment if you've moved the footlever position.
I haven't.


This is a long shot - could the blown low beam light cause some sort of flow on effect to the tail light?


My tail lights are LED units I got via @gsxbarmy not sure how the brake light set up is.

It's hard to know without having the comparison available but it occurs to me that perhaps its the brake light 'on' permanently (seems very bright) rather than the tail lights permanently on but brake light broken.

Hmmm... :confused1:

LED bulbs in the tail light won't make any difference Mike, they work exactly the same as normal globes
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: Andre on Thursday, 21 May 2020, 01:52 AM
QuoteIt's hard to know without having the comparison available but it occurs to me that perhaps its the brake light 'on' permanently (seems very bright) rather than the tail lights permanently on but brake light broken.

Check the brake light switch.
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: Hooli on Friday, 22 May 2020, 07:31 AM
Quote from: Andre on Thursday, 21 May  2020, 01:52 AM
QuoteIt's hard to know without having the comparison available but it occurs to me that perhaps its the brake light 'on' permanently (seems very bright) rather than the tail lights permanently on but brake light broken.

Check the brake light switch.

Both of them.
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: gsxbarmy on Friday, 22 May 2020, 07:43 AM
When I had my 14, I found the rear brake light switch to be quite sensitive to adjustment, nano distance between on permanent and not working.
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: VladTepes on Friday, 22 May 2020, 09:55 AM
Ok then silly question 0 where are the brake light switches.
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: gsxbarmy on Friday, 22 May 2020, 04:42 PM
Quote from: VladTepes on Friday, 22 May  2020, 09:55 AM
Ok then silly question 0 where are the brake light switches.

One on the RH handlebar. That's the easy one.
The one for the rear brake is behind the brake lever and is a sod to get at to adjust. Best way in all honesty is to take the back wheel out to get to it. You can do it by taking the foot rest assembly off and adjusting it, but if you do that, it can ping the spring off the rear brake pedal, plus you have to remount it each time to see if it is adjusted correctly.

You'll see it as a black stubby cylinder with a wire out the top and a spring out the bottom
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: VladTepes on Friday, 22 May 2020, 04:54 PM
thanks
:onya:
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: gsxbarmy on Friday, 22 May 2020, 08:45 PM
Quote from: VladTepes on Friday, 22 May  2020, 04:54 PM
thanks
:onya:

@VladTepes - from the manual - you can see where the switch is located just underneath the RH side panel in the most awkward place possible
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: VladTepes on Monday, 25 May 2020, 12:53 PM
Thanks for that. LED light in on the weekend do headlight issue is sorted (will be good to see what the performance is like at night) so tail/brake light is only remaining issue.


Whats the actual method/means of adjusting the switch. I sit just a srew in/out or something more complex?

Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: Blubber on Monday, 25 May 2020, 04:21 PM
Remove the rhs cover and adjust the switch by rotating the lower hex nut on the brake switch.

Cw or ccw depends if its on.. or very late in  coming on... if ever.  It should only be on when the pedal is operated  :imrgreen:

Typing the question was more work
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: GSXKING on Monday, 25 May 2020, 06:22 PM
Vlad, I did the nut winding, then with needle nose pliers bent the straight end of the spring to make the finest of adjustments. I don't rear brake a lot anyway, just my style of riding but if you're at lights and not holding on it gives the cage drivers some indication you're sitting still.  :onya: :onya: :onya:
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: VladTepes on Tuesday, 26 May 2020, 12:05 PM
Thanks I still have to look at the tail/brake light thing but I can report that the new LED light is an order of magnitude better than the old school halogen jobbie. :boogie:
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: Eric GSX1400K3 on Tuesday, 26 May 2020, 04:37 PM
Did you just replace the globe with led or the whole headlight?
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: VladTepes on Wednesday, 27 May 2020, 12:11 PM
Just the globe mate, as such.  - its a quality unit and with the connected driver unit JUST fits into the housing.

The separate LED whole headlights - of any decent quality (eg JB Speaker etc)  - are WAY too expensive.


Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: Hooli on Wednesday, 27 May 2020, 05:01 PM
Plus the full LED light units are bloody ugly.
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: Notty on Wednesday, 27 May 2020, 05:02 PM
Quote from: Hooli on Wednesday, 27 May  2020, 05:01 PM
Plus the full LED light units are bloody ugly.
So are a lot of women but they perform well !!b :)
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: Hooli on Wednesday, 27 May 2020, 05:07 PM
Quote from: Notty on Wednesday, 27 May  2020, 05:02 PM
Quote from: Hooli on Wednesday, 27 May  2020, 05:01 PM
Plus the full LED light units are bloody ugly.
So are a lot of women but they perform well !!b :)

Only in the dark
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: grog on Wednesday, 27 May 2020, 05:54 PM
Vlad, just check heat inside shell in warmer weather. I fitted LED globe and the heat worried me, burnt wires especially. Went back to H4. I know there must be different quality in LED conversions so not sure if some get hotter than others. Just a heads up.
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: Eric GSX1400K3 on Thursday, 28 May 2020, 10:56 PM
Quote from: Hooli on Wednesday, 27 May  2020, 05:01 PM
Plus the full LED light units are bloody ugly.
each to their own I guess, imho the STEDI led headlight (7") is a great fit, gives great light and looks retro enough to suit the 1402

https://www.stedi.com.au/stedi-7-inch-led-headlight.html
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: GSXKING on Friday, 29 May 2020, 05:33 PM
@Eric GSX1400K3 is it a straight up fit ? No extra wiring or anything required. I'm not very mechanically/electrical minded.
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: Eric GSX1400K3 on Friday, 29 May 2020, 08:38 PM
Quote from: GSXKING on Friday, 29 May  2020, 05:33 PM
@Eric GSX1400K3 is it a straight up fit ? No extra wiring or anything required. I'm not very mechanically/electrical minded.
I found it easy, the wiring is direct plug and play.

Honestly, the hardest part re the wiring was to decide whether the outer ring of leds comes on with low or high beam, so which plug to select.

I used a large stainless jubilee clip (modified) and 3 off stainless M8 bolts and locknuts.  I posted some photos on here  of what i did.  I will try to link to that post in here.

https://gsx1400owners.org/forum/index.php?topic=4992.0
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: VladTepes on Sunday, 31 May 2020, 12:29 PM
OK so brake light issue - side cover off - not very revealing. Bracket with peg and brake lever off (or at least 3 allens removed) I can see a spring which is attached at one end to the shaft to which the break lever is affixed, but I'm not sure where it's supposed to attach on the other end. I wonder if that's the culprit.  Hmmm.....

Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: VladTepes on Sunday, 31 May 2020, 12:53 PM
OK well that was clearly just a return assist spring.

(https://gsx1400owners.org/forum/gallery/0/1-310520130124.jpeg)

I see the one barmy is pointing at (in manual cut and paste above) and yeah removing the actual lever assembly etc doesn't get any closer to that.

I can't for the life of me see how to access/adjust it though.   I need better light for a start no doubt.


The main problem is, of course, that I'm still unsure whether the problem is that the brake light/s aren't working OR whether they are on all the time due to a switch issue.

I suppose I'll have to tear down the rear end to get ingo the lights themselves and wiring and check all that. PITA with the luggage rack mount fitted.

@gsxbarmy these are the lights I got from you IIRC?  I don't suppose you know an easy way of checking..
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: steve porter on Sunday, 31 May 2020, 01:17 PM
Quote from: VladTepes on Sunday, 31 May  2020, 12:53 PM
OK well that was clearly just a return assist spring.

(https://gsx1400owners.org/forum/gallery/0/1-310520130124.jpeg)

I see the one barmy is pointing at (in manual cut and paste above) and yeah removing the actual lever assembly etc doesn't get any closer to that.

I can't for the life of me see how to access/adjust it though.   I need better light for a start no doubt.


The main problem is, of course, that I'm still unsure whether the problem is that the brake light/s aren't working OR whether they are on all the time due to a switch issue.

I suppose I'll have to tear down the rear end to get ingo the lights themselves and wiring and check all that. PITA with the luggage rack mount fitted.

@gsxbarmy these are the lights I got from you IIRC?  I don't suppose you know an easy way of checking..
Just pull the brake light switch with your fingers and that will tell you if it's just out of adjustment before digging any deeper, if it's just out of adjustment you pull up on the switch with one hand and rotate the plastic nut with the other
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: VladTepes on Sunday, 31 May 2020, 04:05 PM
You mean pull on the spring to the switch? I did that - no effect.
Title: Re: Brake light and headlight issues....
Post by: steve porter on Sunday, 31 May 2020, 04:16 PM
Quote from: VladTepes on Sunday, 31 May  2020, 04:05 PM
You mean pull on the spring to the switch? I did that - no effect.
Start digging then