Dim headlight on the super 9

[yogi]

Hey guys, The super 9 has had a dim headlight for some time now, Battery is holding charge and when running it's charging at 13.8 -14.0 volts If I just use the side lights there quite bright but if I switch too the headlight they all dim and slightly pick up when revved up......any ideas

Thanks for ya time guys.

[zombie]

May be a simple cleaning of the headlite bulb socket, or the plug going to the socket. You can also spray some wd-40 INTO the switch. Sounds like a corroded contact.

[0BARK4322]

THAT'S   JUST THE WAY THEY COME-------

[Shaka]

Has it always been that dim, or is it getting worse?  The lights run off of ac current directly from the stator I believe.  That is why they dim when the engine rpm is low.  Worst case scenario, your stator is going out.  The stator only generates a limited amount of power, the headlight is possibly the largest draw on the system, that is why all the other lights are effected by the headlight.  There should be a way of testing the stator in the manual.

[zombie]

That's kinda like a yes, and no shaka! The stator does put out AC voltage that varies by rpm's to a certain extent, Part of that current is routed through the regulator/rectifier. The rectifier part converts the AC volts into DC volts. The regulator part keeps the voltage below a specified level.(14.5vdc) When the ac drops (low rpm) the dc drops. (dim light). The explanation is the NO portion! The yes is the stator or rectifier may be going bad, and reducing voltage to the light. I would start at the light and work my way back to the stator checking everything in that path for a bad contact, loose connection, rubbed through wire... Most likely there is a dirty contact involved.

[Shaka]

I think there are different ways of wiring the lights.  When I was researching installing an HID kit I found that many scoots run straight AC for the lights and the DC via the rectifier only runs to the battery to charge it.  I haven't actually checked on my ZX50, but I think it may be running AC to the lights.  When I replaced my headlight bulb I put the voltmeter on the wires to check output and only got 4 VDC max.  This confused me a bit, but I assumed it was AC after doing some more reading and figured that explained my incorrect DC readings.  I haven't checked it again with AC settings.  Either way Yogi, it comes down to either a bad connection, the regulator/rectifier, or the stator.

[yogi]

Cheers for the reply's guys, wil start checking through the various bits n pieces...cheers.

[tp376]

There is definately some differant ways of wiring and I know that alot of the Kymco Scoots run some things on AC voltage, like the autostart.  Furthermore, that headlight issue may not be an issue at all.  Unfortunately I don't have one on the floor to check, but I remember all those bikes of days gone by that did the same thing.  Granted, alot of them ran the system w/o a battery, which sores the voltage and keeps drops to a minimum, but is very possible that this is not an issue.  However, I agree that is is a good idea to pull the suggested maintaince suggested by the others.  Alot of stator failures (and electrcal) are caused by corrosion in the connections that build too much resistance.  Get some contact cleaner and dieElectirc grease and spray them with the contact cleaner, compressed air and apply some lube to them.  Even if it does not cure the "problem" it is good maintaince.