ViragoTechForum.com :: Yamaha Virago XV Forums That Rock!!!

#1:  driving lights for my XV500 SOLVED. Author: jayvee43,  Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 8:35 am OK, Here's the situation. I have noticed my bike is running extremelly well and strong at lights and through town and at any speeds below 3500 RPM. BUT ONLY with my headlamp off. I'll explain a little, I was having sparkplug fouling issues and as everyone before me; I played with my connections and replaced my battery and cleaned the TCI box connection and re-didi my grounds, but Through out all this, I figured that my bike ran perfectly without the headlamp, So I "temporarelly" disconedted the headlamp low beam wire, and left only the high beam. Now, when I ride and I am in a situation where I feel I need to be seen, I flick my highbeam with my left thumb and I am seen, and the blue witness light on the dash tells me i am on. after i am passed that situation i dont always remember to flick it off. Well, after only a minute of riding low rpm, 3500 or so, I notice a struggle in acceleration or even staying at the same speed. so I flick the high beam switch off, and RIGHTAWAY the engine picks up. Conclusion, I am drawing way too much for my voltage in at lower rpm's (could be not charging properly) , and my ignition coils suffer for it, Possible Solution: I would like to know if I can install driving lights that do not draw a lot of amps. Like the LED's. Anyone ever experimented with any driving lights and if so, what did you use that was not sucking the bejesus life out of your batteries.... Thanks again JayVee Last edited by jayvee43 on Sun Jun 20, 2010 7:33 am; edited 1 time in total

#2:   Author: 48vintage,  Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 9:08 am Perhaps you should consider checking the charging system operation before doing any addition of aux lighting? Gary

#3:   Author: jayvee43,  Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 9:13 am How do I "check" the charging ratio? I know it re-charges, just don't know by how much does that question make sense to you? What is the re-charge wattage or amperage value of the XV500's. I can't find that in any of my manuals... Thanks again

#4:   Author: Jake,  Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 9:15 am I'm with 48 on this. You have other issues that need resolved. Sooner or later you'll be stranded because of it.

#5:  Re: driving lights for my XV500 Author: Jake,  Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 9:45 am First check your battery voltage not running. You should have at least 12.6 volts. Then start your bike and run it up to 3000 rpm, you should be charging at least 14.5 to 15 volts at the battery.

#6:   Author: jayvee43,  Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 10:02 am Yep, i got 12.64 at key on, and 14.6 14.9 engine running, and depending on when i TURN THE HIGH beam on or off... 14.6 all the way. I noticed however, at my fuses. Ignition fuse. I am reading 11.5 volts key on, from 12.6 key on at battery. 1 volt drop from battery to the fuse block that feeds the Ignition, is that normal? Can someone verify on their bike, it is very easy to do... thanks

#7:   Author: jayvee43,  Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 10:26 am OK, I am about to do like "Tigremycat" and pull the connectors that are inside the headlight pot, I am specifically hunting down the red/white wire from the fuse block to the TCI box. Anything I should be carefull for and not do the same as Lisa, and end up in the shop... Anyadvice is helpfull when checking plugs.

#8:   Author: jayvee43,  Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 11:42 am OK cleaned plugs, went to Canadian Tire and bought a replacement fuse block and flat connectors, and will be re-wiring the new fuse block this afternoon, I will take pics as I go and show it here later. Still curent draw on red with white trace... ??? any Ideas anybody?

#9:   Author: jayvee43,  Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 12:48 pm OK here's the re-wired fuse holder block, I have kept the color of the wires the same, example, red stayed red, but red white trace became white and red yellow trace bacame yellow, easier to tell. before picture and after... Now, I have to tackle the headlight pot, check this out...

#10:   Author: jayvee43,  Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 12:51 pm picture of the mess in the pot light, donno where to start...

#11:   Author: jayvee43,  Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 1:57 pm There, all done, and just came back from a very, but very smooth ride , I mean the smoothest yet since I owned this little bike. the headlamp on high beam, I'm recording 14.92 volts at the battery and 14.91 at the red/white at the fuse box. no more voltage drop for this kid... I'll keep this thread open a while longer to test cold starting with headlight on, on low of course, and see if it makes any difference, but for now, 4th gear, 2000 rpm and no helitation, smooth all the way to 5th gear at my leisure, I LOVE it!!!

#12:   Author: Sixties_Strat,  Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 2:21 pm jayvee43, Those clamp on type wire splices are pretty much junk. Designed for add on trailer lights around here and prone to loose connections. They usually work fine at first and degrade with time.You should replace those with butt splices at the very least. Butt splices look like a small tube that you slide the wire into each end and then crimp it. Soldering the connectors on would be best. Rest of the job looks good!! Mike

#13:   Author: jayvee43,  Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 5:28 pm Sixties, the clamp on was the old fuse box "temporary" fix. first picture. The second picture shows the 4 in one glass tube fuse box with new wiring. I hope you were refering to the old picture clamp on's as being junk, and not the new repair one....

#14:   Author: Sixties_Strat,  Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 6:05 pm DOH!!!! I sure was brother :) Mike

#15:   Author: jayvee43,  Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 9:26 pm Just came back from an evening ride, lights on; all strong, mostly drove on high beam, and no hesitation, I'll test more tomorow, but for now, replacing the fuse box seemed to work wonders for this old girl... It sure feels like a different bike all together when you can take a corner at 15 mph in 4th gear and 2000 rpm. Ilove it. Bike sounds great too, people turn their heads to see who has such a nice low tone sound like that of the XV500. I'm starting to really like this bike...

#16:   Author: jayvee43,  Posted: Sun Jun 20, 2010 7:32 am OK, Tis been a week since i re-wired the fuse box, and took to work twice last week, that's 200 km plus in one week, with no problem recorded. I'll call this one "SOLVED"

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