Another headlights failure post along with an indicator buzzer

[ProfG]

I know there is a similar post but I really wanted a new discussion based on what I have done so far. This has me really stumped.

The headlights stopped working both dipped and full beam. This is what I've done so far and everything seems to be working except the headlights. However, the flas/pass switch seems to work OK.

1) Checked the bulbs. They work fine and there is continuity on the filaments and they light up when connected directly to the battery.
2) Replaced the bulbs just to make sure. Still not working.
3) Checked the fuses. All OK.
4) Checked the voltage across the battery. It is fine. It shows around 12.6 V
5) Fired up the bike and checked the battery voltage. It shows higher than 14 volts.
6) Checked the contacts at the end of the lights cable between the contacts and the battery. They seem fine as there is continuity.
7) Checked the continuity between the points themselves and they are fine. There is good continuity.
8) Fired up the bike and did the same and they show continuity.
9) Traced the loom and checked the contacts. They all work fine.

I also tried something else not related to the headlights and that too did not work. I got an indicator buzzer that beeps when the indicators are on. This is to enable me to hear a beeping sounds incase I forget to switch them off (happened a few times). Connected the red wires to the positive wire of the indicators and the black one to earth.

The indicators work fine but not the buzzer. Connected the black wire to the negative of the battery directly; still nothing. Connected the red wires of the buzzer to the positive of the battery directly (each one individually) and the buzzer worked fine.

Like I said, it has me stumped.

I checked the voltage drop across the battery etc, nothing. Everything is fine.

I've done everything that I can think of and that has been recommended. Anyone any ideas before I take it to a bike spark?

This is the buzzer I connected

[Cbx]

Have you checked the right hand switch gear, sure I read somewhere on here and another forum that there seems to be a fault with the starter button cutting power to the headlights.
 

post 2 http://www.v-strom.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=28497.0

[alibx11]

Re the indicator buzzer what earth did you attach the black wire to? You can't earth to the frame on these bikes so you need to scotch lock it into one of the earth wires connecting to the indicators.
I have connected one of them up to my sons first bike to get him into the habit of turning the winkers off and they work well.
As CBX has said most likely culprit for the headights failing is the contacts in the starter switch which temporarily disconnect the headlights when the button is pushed to enable all available battery power to turn the starter motor.

[ProfG]

I took the right hand switch off and took it apart and cleaned it thoroughly. It was the first thing I did. Like I mentioned earlier, there is connectivity so logically the switch should not be the problem.

I've been looking at this on other forums and it seems to be a common fault with v-stroms. Poor design by Suzuki it seems.

As regards the buzzer, I connected it with scotch locks to the positive wires and the eart I took directly off the battery.

[greywolf]

It sounds like you've lost connectivity in the Y/W wire as that normally carries power to both beams. The flash to pass switch taps power from main power trunk orange wire instead of the Y/W wire. The most likely places for the Y/W wire to lose connectivity are the headlight cutoff switch in the right handlebar switch housing and in the connector from that housing which is behind the radiator top shroud. 

BTW, Scotch-Locks are terrible devices. They tend to cut wire strands and they are prone to rust. Posi-Taps and Posi-Locks are much better.

[TLPower]

Remove all earths and clean. Try an extra one from headlamp bulbs direct to the battery.

[greywolf]

If the turn signals work, the problem is unlikely to be an earth connection.

[ProfG]

It sounds like you've lost connectivity in the Y/W wire as that normally carries power to both beams. The flash to pass switch taps power from main power trunk orange wire instead of the Y/W wire. The most likely places for the Y/W wire to lose connectivity are the headlight cutoff switch in the right handlebar switch housing and in the connector from that housing which is behind the radiator top shroud. 

I checked the cables and connections. When giving power directly to both the yellow and white wires on the lhs of ther bike, I get working lights.

I have checked, double checked and cleaned the contacts from the rhs switch assembly and there is no fault. There is continuity. I have opened the switch itself and cleaned it and cleaned the connectors at the end of the loom on top of the plastic radiator guard

[greywolf]

You know the lights work if you apply power directly so it's time to check for power all along the circuit to find the point where power is cut off. Did you check for continuity between the Y/W and O/R wires from the right handlebar switch housing? The switch contacts can look alright but get recessed from heat cycles so they don't make contact. That's the most common fault.

[ProfG]

Hi GW,
Yes I did. The continuity on the switch to the connector is fine. I also checked the starter switch connections to the green connector and they're fine. However, I am not getting any connectivity between the green connector and the bulbs. I need to identify the wire that goes from the green connector to the fuse and back to the Y/W.

Or just sod it and call a bike spark, but then there's no fun in that, is there?

[greywolf]

That's not how it works. Y/W is an output wire. The main ignition on power wire is the orange wire from the ignition switch that feeds the starter switch headlight cutout. From the headlight cutout switch, the Y/W wire feeds the dimmer (high/low) switch. The Y/W wire may have lost connection at the connector for the left handlebar switch. The hi/lo switch outputs yellow for high beam and white for low beam. White changes to W/Bl and yellow changes to Y/Bl at the connector from the left handlebar switch. W/Bl feeds the low beam fuse and Y/Bl feeds the high beam fuse. Those two fuses feed the yellow wire for high and the white wire for low.

[ProfG]

Pat,

Thanks for the explanation. I had a look at the wiring diagram and it shows the yellow going to the fuse as does the white. Haynes does only '02-'04 models but I assume there isn't much change. I have the wiring diagrams from the worksjhop manuals but none for '08 except the Australian one. Again I assume the lighting is the same for all models.

[greywolf]

The power on the yellow and white comes come from the fuse to the headlights. You're looking at the power flow in the wrong direction. With no lights at all and continuity in the headlight cutoff switch, you're likely to find the bad connection in the Y/W wire. Given what you've done already, the connection at #2 is where I'd look next as you say you've checked the connection at #1 and the switch at #3.

[ProfG]

What you have marked as #2 I assume is the yellow connector. I've been working on that and that's where the fult lies. Some of the pins were badly oxidised and even after cleaning they were not connecting properly. I also found some connections to be loose thus not giving a good connection. If I hold the connector from the bottom end and apply pressure upwards the lights, indicators, horn all work. However, once let go, it is hit and miss whether it will work with it not working more often than not (the grammar in the latter part of this sentence somehow sounds weird).

I now need to find a way to have the connector stay steady in that one position even in all kinds of riding terrain with vibrations etc.

Anyway, many thanks for the help, much appreciated  I suppose I saved myself a shitload of money by not going to a spark.   

[greywolf]

Connector colors can vary and have no meaning in the color code. The connector you found may be another color on another bike of the same model. It's wire colors that have meaning.