I appear to have fried my headlight

[dazzler24]

On 5/23/2022 at 1:38 PM, Dbdb said:

Well, on the weekend I got a chance to try and get some readings from the 6 pin plug into the LCM.

With the bike running, using @dazzler24 post in the linked thread for comparison, taking readings on the two Yellow wires I got the following;

• Bottom wire - bike on - 5.06v, high beam switch on 13.3v (Dazzler24 had 13v and 0.18v)
• Top wire - bike on - 13.9v, high beam switch on 13.1v (Dazzler24 had 0.12v and 0.15)

I get no high beam indicator lit when the high beam switch is on.

Given that my numbers are different to his known working unit, and that the high beam indicator does't work, it looks like it may be the ECU. Are there any other ideas for what I should check?

Does anyone have any idea if a shop like this (https://vectriq.com.au/) are likely to be able to repair it?

 

Hi Richard,

Did you do the voltage tests the same way as I did?  i.e. with the 6 pin connector unplugged from the LCU?

And forgive me for asking or if I'm telling you how to suck eggs here but, as this help is done remotely I have to ask - you did do your readings on the DC setting and not the AC setting of your multimeter?

 

@skipperT  I believe that this is the reference that Richard was making (top/bottom)

https://www.tracer900.net/topic/10736-headlight-assembly-problem-help/?do=findComment&comment=140084

 

[skipperT]

@dazzler24 oh right I remember now. Thanks. 

Richard- before we go any further please also confirm that the wires you had connected to power the relays for the driving lamps are either A- disconnected completely from the circuit or B- connected in the CORRECT way that worked before you got into this mess.

I can’t see your bikes wiring, so i don’t know if they could be causing erroneous readings within the circuit. (Ie, there should be diodes in the relays which will change the resistance values and direction as measured by a VOM)

-skip

[Dbdb]

@dazzler24 you are correct about what I was referring to, thanks for that. I checked the voltage with the 6 pin connector disconnected from the LCU, and yep, I used the DC setting on my multimeter.

@skipperT the relay is disconnected from the circuit, all wiring connected is back to stock. 

Richard

[skipperT]

@Dbdb ok. 
so in the other examples that you have read about, i think that I recall that the Hi beam light coming on, or not… may not point you into the right direction for repairs. It may, however indicate that the LH switch is functioning correctly. 

the easiest way to troubleshoot this situation, is to disconnect the 6P connector to the LED CM for the headlight. Insert a very fine needle (or a back probe connector) into each side of the connector (wiring harness or back) and Led Control Module (or pin) side. Choose the Ohm setting on you VOM, and measure across. Should should have nearly 0, or usually 0.3 ohms on a sensitive meter. The goal here is to ensure you have a good connection across these very small pins in the connector to ensure the next step is making a good connection.

DONT USE PAPER CLIPS!

Now remove the Pin side probe and carefully reconnect the 6P connector back to the LED CM. Run a long lead to this probe that’s left sticking out of the Back side of the connector and to Battery Neg. This jumps ground to the LED control module, and is usually what the ECM does to fire the light. 

start the bike. If the headlight lights up that confirms your Bad ECM diagnosis. 
double check before doing this that you have selected the proper wire color in the 6P connector, or you’ll get sparks if it’s a 12V powered wire. 

you can gently manipulate the probe inserted into the Back of the 6P connector while watching the light with bike idling to see if it flickers on - if you’re concerned that you may have bumped the probe and it’s not making a good connection  

good luck,

Skip

Edited May 30, 2022 by skipperT

[dazzler24]

Skipper's advice is spot on IMHO.

Good luck.

[dazzler24]

Any advance on the issue - @Dbdb?

[Dbdb]

3 hours ago, dazzler24 said:

Any advance on the issue - @Dbdb?

Well timed, I was finally able to get to this today. I followed @skipperT's suggested test, jumping the ground switch wires to the battery negative fired up the lights, high beam switch worked, as did the high beam indicator on the dash. So the LCM would seem to be good, so ECU it is. 

is there any reason why I can't write a regular switch on the ground back to battery negative, as per the test, as a short term fix? 

 

 

 

 

 

[dazzler24]

11 hours ago, Dbdb said:

Is there any reason why I can't write a regular switch on the ground back to battery negative, as per the test, as a short term fix?

No, there is no reason why you can't wire it via a switch and I'm led to believe that there are some who have even done it as a permanent fix as it's far cheaper than getting a new ECU and the switch mechanism and the seurity key that have to come with it all as a complete replacement.

I'm assuming here that you've checked all of the wiring is back to original and so have ruled out any other potential problem in the loom back to the ECU?

EDIT: - via a switch and an appropriate fuse I should add.

[skipperT]

9 hours ago, Dbdb said:

Well timed, I was finally able to get to this today. I followed @skipperT's suggested test, jumping the ground switch wires to the battery negative fired up the lights, high beam switch worked, as did the high beam indicator on the dash. So the LCM would seem to be good, so ECU it is. 

is there any reason why I can't write a regular switch on the ground back to battery negative, as per the test, as a short term fix? 

 

 

 

 

 

Progress!

no reason that I can think of - it’s not like your switching voltage, just ground. Would make a good temporary fix in my mind. 

Were you able to see if that ECM repair place can fix that particular circuit for you?

-Skip

[skipperT]

(@dazzler24 I think you and I were writing at the same time again) 🤣

-S

[dazzler24]

7 hours ago, skipperT said:

Progress!

no reason that I can think of - it’s not like your switching voltage, just ground. Would make a good temporary fix in my mind. 

Were you able to see if that ECM repair place can fix that particular circuit for you?

-Skip

Woops! As skipper said, you're switching ground so scratch the fuse requirement.

[dazzler24]

3 minutes ago, skipperT said:

Were you able to see if that ECM repair place can fix that particular circuit for you?

-Skip

Yes, that's an interesting concept.  I thought that once the ECU 'suffered' from this issue, as others have experienced in the past, the ECU was toast as far as that circuit was concerned?

I would have thought that any amount of reflashing would not recover it - but I'm always willing to be shown that it can!

[Dbdb]

Thanks @skipperT & @dazzler24. I'll contact the ECU repair place and try and get a more definitive answer about likelihood of repairing the ECU, I agree, I can't envisage how re-flashing it would work, I'd expect it to require a physical repair. 

In the meantime I'll have a go at wiring in a negative switch and see what else I can blow up  .

[skipperT]

Sounds good, and yes - reflashing an ECM won’t repair a blown driver circuit, which I think is what’s gone wrong with yours. However, if they actually know how to open it up and physically repair that circuit then you’ll be in business. 

good luck!

-Skip

[Buggy Nate]

If you are handy with a relay you can always wire it in so the headlight turns off with a press of a starter button so it still functions the same as stock too.

A simple changeover relay will do the trick.