High beams do not turn on but light on dash does

[Fluffy89]

Hi!

So I'm new to bikes and ride a 2014 Honda CBR650F. I've been riding for a couple months, ended up working a late shift and figured out my high beams didn't want to turn on. When I flip the switch to turn them on, the high beam light on the dash lights up blue as expected, but the high beams do not turn on.

I don't think it's a blown fuse because when I look into the big cyclops eye that houses the bulb, it appears to be on as theres a bright light coming through it (I'm guessing low and high beam are from the same spot on this bike?) and if the fuse was blown the light wouldnt be on at all and it'd just be the position lights in the corners, right?

So I'm thinking it's a faulty wire, but I'm not sure, could someone help clarify what might be going wrong, and telling me how the hell the light situation works on the bike? (as in if low/high beams are on the same bulb, or how the cyclops eye light works)

Thanks!

 

[baugustine]

Check the bulb. Should be two filaments in it.

 

[bishop]

 

[Fluffy89]

Check the bulb. Should be two filaments in it.

Indeed there was, bulb doesn't look like the one above though, and the socket is not the H4 I've seen everyone say it is..

Found a chart showing what the socket should look like, and it seems like its a D3S? Is that right? Is there a way to remove the socket and replace it with an H4 socket? I bought a set of LED headlights to replace the bulb that was burnt out but hadn't realized the socket is completely different.

 

[baugustine]

Looks like someone replaced the original. I swapped out for a LED in 2016, no problems at all after 15K.

 

[Fluffy89]

Looks like someone replaced the original. I swapped out for a LED in 2016, no problems at all after 15K.

Figured as much, seems to be a D2S Xenon bulb and not a halogen one.

Any thoughts on if I should try find a dual beam Xenon bulb so I can pretty much just socket it in or should I look for an LED conversion kit instead?

 

[baugustine]

Did they cut the harness? My LED plugged into the original 3 pin connector with a small pigtail.

CBR650F - Headlight bulb recommendation?

The previous owner of my bike installed this bulb (https://www.partzilla.com/product/aftermarket/22WU-DRAG-SPECIA-20010379) and it recently died. I found the bulb pretty dim (although I never drove with the OEM bulb so I can't personally compare it to OEM)). I want to replace/upgrade to a...

650f.bike

 

[Fluffy89]

Did they cut the harness? My LED plugged into the original 3 pin connector with a small pigtail.

CBR650F - Headlight bulb recommendation?

The previous owner of my bike installed this bulb (https://www.partzilla.com/product/aftermarket/22WU-DRAG-SPECIA-20010379) and it recently died. I found the bulb pretty dim (although I never drove with the OEM bulb so I can't personally compare it to OEM)). I want to replace/upgrade to a...

650f.bike

Can you clarify what you mean by ‘harness’? I’m still learning the terms but the old bulb plugged right into the socket, and then went up and the socket plugged into a little black box (I think that’s the ballast?)

 

[baugustine]

The stock dual-filament incandescent bulb has blades on it that the wiring harness plugs right into. LED and HID solutions require ballast and electronics, so they have a pigtail and some other components. The pic above that @bishop posted shows the original bulb, and the connecter in the harness plugs right into it. Post a pic of what your current plug-in setup looks like, including the original wiring harness and connector.

 

[Fluffy89]

The stock dual-filament incandescent bulb has blades on it that the wiring harness plugs right into. LED and HID solutions require ballast and electronics, so they have a pigtail and some other components. The pic above that @bishop posted shows the original bulb, and the connecter in the harness plugs right into it. Post a pic of what your current plug-in setup looks like, including the original wiring harness and connector.

Ok, so that should be it, socket is the grey box in the first one, it goes straight up from there and up to where it's shown in the second (white & black braided cable is socket) and plugs right into the ballast (is that what the black box is?)

This is going to get real painful, real quick.. Isn't it?

 

[baugustine]

This is the “connector” I am referring to. The OEM one on the factory wiring harness.

 

[Fluffy89]

Hmph.. I'm guessing that connector is what your LED bulb plugs into? Because mine looks different then, the grey box in the first photo in my previous post would be the same connector but a different plug if the photo you attached is where yours connects.

Previous owner might have pulled that out if that's the case, not sure if mine has that same connector or it's buried somewhere in the front I can't see or it was removed. Is it possible that it's still somewhere in there ziptied down, or would it have to of been removed?

 

[baugustine]

If you zoom in on my photo, the connector side that says "AMP" goes to the LED ballast box. Its plugged into the OEM connector. Thats where the original bulb connects.

 

[Fluffy89]

If you zoom in on my photo, the connector side that says "AMP" goes to the LED ballast box. Its plugged into the OEM connector. Thats where the original bulb connects.

So it goes OEM Connector > Ballast box > Headlight socket, right?

Is my ballast box the little black box thats ziptied on in the third photo I attached previously?

 

[baugustine]

If you are using the OEM bulb, it’s OEM connector—->bulb plugs in.

If you have upgraded to something else, it will depend on the design. My LED headlight is OEM connector—->ballast box—->light module.

Without being there to inspect your setup (and perhaps a wiring schematic) I would only be guessing. To test the circuit, unplug the extra stuff, plug in a standard H4 and check to make sure that both low and high beams function properly. You Can then upgrade from there.

 

[Fluffy89]

Seems like I'll have to take a better look and see where the OEM connector is then, might be on the left side of the bike because I dont see what would look like an H4 connector that plugs into it, unless it's one of the cables I saw earlier covered in electrical tape..

 

[Fluffy89]

If you are using the OEM bulb, it’s OEM connector—->bulb plugs in.

If you have upgraded to something else, it will depend on the design. My LED headlight is OEM connector—->ballast box—->light module.

Without being there to inspect your setup (and perhaps a wiring schematic) I would only be guessing. To test the circuit, unplug the extra stuff, plug in a standard H4 and check to make sure that both low and high beams function properly. You Can then upgrade from there.

Seems that I have found the OEM connector, I'll attach the photo of it, but it was the cable I thought it was, but it was wrapped in an ungodly amount of electrical tape.

Got the cable unwrapped and it looks like an H4 plug to me, can I connect the H4 LED headlight right into it, or is a ballast an absolute requirement? LED light is within the 55W limit as per the owners manual.

Also there seems to be a little box on the cord going to said H4 LED headlight I have, is it possible it's a built in ballast of sorts, or what might it be?

 

[baugustine]

based on your pics above, that LED will plug right in to the OEM harness. The electronics for the LED are in the black "lump" in the cable.

 

[Fluffy89]

based on your pics above, that LED will plug right in to the OEM harness. The electronics for the LED are in the black "lump" in the cable.

And it's fine to plug an LED right into it, no ballast between the LED and the OEM harness? Not going to explode or anything, or end up making me rewire the bike?

 

[baugustine]

Just so we are clear: IMG0958 above shows an LED bulb in a hand (assuming that is yours). That is a complete LED bulb kit, with the ballast and required electronics in the black lump by the middle and ring fingers. That is designed to plug into the OEM harness and make your lights work with no other add-ons.