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Passing lights keep blowing

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Old 07-13-2016, 10:04 AM
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Unhappy Passing lights keep blowing

Hey all,
So this has been bothering me since I first bought my bike. It's a 2005 heritage softail, and within 2 weeks of having it the passing lights blew.

I replaced, and a month or two later, they blew again, and so on, and so on...

I took my bike out of storage a couple of months ago, lights where working, 2 weeks later, gone again - however, I noticed it was after some rainfall and I was in the wet. So I checked all the wiring, took her all apart, tidied up and covered and vulnerable points and put new bulbs in...

Washed the bike a week ago and they have blown again.

I can't for the life of me work out where it's happening, and even the dealership had a good look and didn't find any reason for them to blow, so I'm hoping someone on here can help me, or point me in the right direction?

Starting to cost me a fortune on new bulbs (the fuse has never blown).

Thanks for your help!
 
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Old 07-14-2016, 04:00 PM
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I am no bike mechanic.

1. Would you know what voltage the alternator is putting out please?

2. I have never had passing lamps. Are the bulbs Halogen? The glass of which you cannot touch with your fingers.

Just two thoughts.

Paul.
 
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Old 07-14-2016, 04:05 PM
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What bulbs are you using? Manufacturer and model # please
 
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Old 07-14-2016, 04:23 PM
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Just to be clear, it's the bulbs blowing, not a fuse. Right?
 
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Old 07-14-2016, 04:32 PM
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You are using sealed beam lights correct?


 
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Old 07-15-2016, 12:25 PM
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Originally Posted by Uncle Larry
You are using sealed beam lights correct?


Yeah, it's the sealed ones. They have always been replaced at the dealership.
 
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Old 07-15-2016, 12:26 PM
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Originally Posted by Pitbull_Dallas
Just to be clear, it's the bulbs blowing, not a fuse. Right?
And yep, the bulbs. Both at different times.
 
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Old 07-15-2016, 01:12 PM
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My guess is a bad voltage regulator. And for whatever reason, those lights go first when the voltage spikes.
 
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Old 07-17-2016, 01:33 AM
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Originally Posted by bikerlaw
My guess is a bad voltage regulator. And for whatever reason, those lights go first when the voltage spikes.
Thanks for the advice, I'll have a look at it.
 
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Old 07-17-2016, 11:30 AM
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Do you have the passing lamp bulbs that have the little pig tail power wire coming off of it?
Because it seems to occur in the wet, check that you have the power wire going to the grey (I think) wire and that the earth wire is plugged into spade terminal for the headlamp shell (black wire) and not the other way around.
Have you checked the continuity of the bulbs that are suspect to ensure that they've blown and it's not just a bad earth causing them to go out?
Often a decent tap on the passing lamp shell can "magically" make the bulbs come back on and indicates a poor earth.
 


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