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High Beam Blowout, or Other Possible Electrical Issue?

818 views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  CKwik240 
#1 ·
In February I replaced my stator that burned out of the blue. Not sure what the cause of a stator burn out, but it was toast.

So today I noticed by high beam stopped working. I don't even use it much out of paranoia of putting too much strain on the electrical system. I used to run it all the time but I don't anymore, only if I'm traveling down a road that may be a bit too dark.

Just wondering if anyone here has had any of their beams blow out, high or low. Bike is completely stock with over 28k on the odometer. Common occurance or possibly another underlying issue with my electrical system?
 
#2 ·
Don't read too much into it...... change the bub and keep an eye on it.

If you have a meter you can check how much current is flowing to the bulb. Divide the watts by the volts, then check with your meter to verify the amps. Should be nearly the same.
 
#4 ·
I just found it odd that the high beam when out first when it isn't always on like the regular beam is. I would think if anything, the regular beam would have gone first.

As you can see, the regular beam is starting to brown at the tip. Maybe its time to replace it too.



While the high beam still looks ok.



Which is why I started thinking maybe some other issue is arising with the electrical system, and why i started wondering what the life expectancy of the stock bulbs are...?
 
#7 ·
Seems like an ordinary light bulb blown issue. IF you want to entertain your paranoia you can check the bulb housing and surround cover/rubber to see if there's any signs of melting/burnt would might indicate some electrical fault?

Otherwise seems like a straight up bulb replacement, can buy a few to keep as spare (but not in the bike compartment, unless you want them to break).

If you didn't mess with your wiring or modify it with aftermarket glow kits/HID/etc, shouldn't have any issues.
 
#9 ·
The brown color you see is a coating. All H11 bulbs will have that; it can be of different colors as its just there to block light in that direction. The sharp straight edge makes that pretty obvious as heat from the filament would cause a gradient of discoloration if that were to happen.

A filament is really nothing more than a resistor that heats up to the point it lights up. Any resistor only pulls as much current as it physics allows. In other words, for a given voltage potential across the resistor, more current can not be pushed through it. So if your electrical system voltage is not higher than the normal range, it can not be forced to burn out. This is dictated by the equation [Current = Voltage/Resistance]. If the voltage were lower, the current would become lower and the bulb would actually last longer.

Filaments are pretty fragile. When the bulb is on, a small jolt nearby the bulb can cause the filament to break as the that makes it rather soft. And if there is a defect in the filament that might have caused a hot spot or had a smaller cross section, it could have been easier to break. An impurity in the metal could have caused problems too. Or a small leak in the bulb can mess up the gas mixture causing premature wear.
Metals tend to react readily to things in the atmosphere, especially at high temperatures.

Check the voltage of your electrical system. If it is normal, just change the bulb. If it happens again, you can chase it down then. If it does happen again though, its likely to be a mechanical issue vibration, movement of the headlamp housing, etc.
 
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