Ninja250 Riders Club :: Topic review (2024)

I think you mean Black/Yellow, Yellow/Red. The base colour is named first, then the stripe. On the schematic, they will be called BK/Y and Y/R (BL is blue).

> some "electronic device"

Probably the junction box (fuse box).

> i'd assume the hi hi switch just kicks in the extra filament doesn't effect the lo beam

No, it's one or the other; not both.

Wes

To actually test for a faulty relay, I think you should perform the following steps (note: I have never done this):

0. Turn the ignition switch on, but do not start the bike.
1. Jump B+ to the Blue/Yellow wire which leaves the junction box and goes to the left control pod.
2. If the light does not come on, the problem is not the relay; it is between BL/Y and the bulb (i.e. wiring harness or the switch in the control pod)
3. If it DOES come on, either the fuse is blown or there is a problem inside your junction box.
4. Test both pins of the fuse in-circuit with an automotive test light: ground the test light and touch the metal bits on the top of the fuse. The light should light on both sides.
5. Turn the ignition switch off.
6. If the fuse is okay, use an ohmeter to measure the resistance between ground and the Yellow/Red wire leading from the junction box. I would expect it to be very low, probably under 300 ohms.
7. If step 5 is not okay, there is a broken wire somewhere in your junction box (or your starter doesn't work, either).
8. Turn the ignition switch on.
9. To test the relay itself, disconnect the regulator/rectifier from the wiring harness. Jump B+ to one yellow wire (harness side) at a time. One of the three should close the headlight relay and turn the light on.
10. If the light does not come on in step 7, the relay is defective.

Wes

Here's how the headlight circuit works, as near as I can tell:

• When the headlight relay is on, it provides power to itself, keeping itself on.


• To turn the relay on, the alternator must turn over and generate an AC wave on the yellow wire feeding the junction box. The diode turns it into a positive DC pulse, which must be strong enough to activate the relay. The other side of the headlight relay is grounded through the coil side of the starter relay.


• When pressing the starter button, the starter circuit relay closes, effectively taking away the ground from the headlight relay coil, allowing the reeds to open. The highlight relay won't work in reverse polarity due to the diode.


• The second diode going to the headlight relay is to prevent the generator from feeding high(ish)-voltage pulsating DC to the headlight bulb

The starter circuit relay and headlight relay are inside the junction box. And you're right, it would be rare for the headlight relay to fail, I think it's his left control pod. Also, jumping B+ to the headlight fuse will accomplish nothing (except to test the fuse).

Wes

Wes

Have you got a test light? If not, get one. They're like $5 at autozone. Use it to test the ground pin in the bulb socket; if that's good, then trace the signal wires back. IMHO, your problem is probably in the left control pod, that's the next area you should check with the test light.

Wes