[sethne]

hey guys

got a mystery here.  last night i replaced my high beam indicator, speedometer, neutral and turn signal indicator lights to leds.  i believe i have everything wired correctly... "believe..."  now unless my mind is playing tricks on me, the headlight is dimmer than it used to be and the high beam indicator led has a faint glow to it.  This glow gets brighter the faster i ride and goes back to a faint glow when stopped.  Any ideas?

[High On Octane]

Sounds like you may have wired something wrong.  Sounds like a crossed wire to me.  I'd open it back up and take a double look.  Probably something silly.

Scottie

[D the D]

There's nothing to rewire, just pop the old bulb out and pop the new one in.  So I don't see how you could wire it wrong.  Worst case would be to put the bulb w/connector back in the wrong hole, i.e. put the high beam indicator socket in the neutral indicator hole.

[gashousegorilla]

  These LED's.... are they polarity sensitive ?... You might just have to turn the bulbs around in their sockets .... The case on the socket is ground - and the center inside is hot +

  Also, i'd leave that indicator light an Incandescent....

[gremlin]

hey guys

got a mystery here.  last night i replaced my high beam indicator, speedometer, neutral and turn signal indicator lights to leds.  i believe i have everything wired correctly... "believe..."  now unless my mind is playing tricks on me, the headlight is dimmer than it used to be and the high beam indicator led has a faint glow to it.  This glow gets brighter the faster i ride and goes back to a faint glow when stopped.  Any ideas?

sounds like a disconnected ground wire.

[gashousegorilla]

  Also check this...............

http://www.expeditionlandrover.info/LR.images/HeadlampSocket.jpg

[gremlin]

  Also check this...............

http://www.expeditionlandrover.info/LR.images/HeadlampSocket.jpg

+1  I don't know if the colors in that diagram are correct, but, if the lamp wiring got scrambled, he might be trying to illuminate both elements in series.

[gashousegorilla]

+1  I don't know if the colors in that diagram are correct, but, if the lamp wiring got scrambled, he might be trying to illuminate both elements in series.

  YUP!!  And No, I'm sure they're not color coded the same Gremlin.  But with a test light he should be able to operate the switch and see what's .....What.   Then splice in a socket..... so it don't happen again  !   Ask me how i know this........

[gashousegorilla]

  Unfortunately sethne,  the color codes don't always match between whats on the bike.... and whats on the wiring diagram.  But I'll give it a go for you , if you want to check that headlight hook up.... and I'd confirm this with a test light or a multi meter by operating the high and low beam switches......

  Blue wire at the headlight - High beam

  Amber or orange wire at headlight-  headlight ground

  Black wire at headlight-  Low beam     
 And I know, black is usually ground. But not in this case. At Least not according to the diagram. Which could have led to your confusion..... as well as mine.


  Here is a better example.  Disregard these color codes...... but the terminal positions on the plug and headlight are correct .

http://www.nls.net/mp/volks/schem/headlite.gif

[sethne]

yep, oddly enough that wiring matches up with mine.

[Bulletman]

  These LED's.... are they polarity sensitive ?... You might just have to turn the bulbs around in their sockets .... The case on the socket is ground - and the center inside is hot +

  Also, i'd leave that indicator light an Incandescent....

+1
The LEDs are polarity sensitive, I've been through that process, so it's good to change polarity...may not be able to turn the bulb around..in my case I have to switch the wires.

[barenekd]

Make sure the headlight is wired correctly. It's easy to get a power wire hooked up to the ground connections. Check these connections carefully. I know I went through the same thing! Those headlights are not all the same.
Bare

[sethne]

Problem goes away when I go back to the incandescent indicator bulb. Also happens no matter which polarity I put the led in. I decided to leave the incandescent in, no need for a laser beam bright indicator for the high beam.

[D the D]

These things get odder and odder.  No two react to the same changes the same way, exhibit the same symptons, have the wiring the same, or anything else.

[Catbird]

  ...  Also, i'd leave that indicator light an Incandescent....

Why?
I have a new 2013 Military and I have some difficulty in seeing the green "neutral" and green "turn signal" indicator lights when the sun is overhead and bright.  As a remedy, I ordered 4-LED replacements (2 green, 1 blue and 2 white for the pilot lights) today.  Viewing the results on youtube, the LEDs appear MUCH brighter... am I wrong?