2012+ NTX Lighting Relay Logic

[John Locascio]

2013 Stelvio, low beams not working. High beams working, bike is charging, and I installed a new relay, and check all the fuses.

Am I looking at a new handlebar switch?

Thanks,

John

 

[canuck1969]

Which relay did you replace and with what. Did you check the high beam 5 pin relay. It is that relay that controls the power to the low beam lights via the nc and no pins. When you have the lb on the power is fed through the normally closed pin. When you switch to hb the power switches to the normally open pin to run hb and off on the nc pin and turns off the LB lights. I doubt it is your switch since all it really does is trigger the hb relay. If the hb works then the switch should work.

When the bike is running do you have power at the lighting relay and at the high beam relays.

There are then the obvious things:

Are your builds burnt
What is your charging voltage

Low beams only work with the bike running.

When u say you have high beams is that with the hb switch on momentary hb or permanent Hb.

 

[John Locascio]

Which relay did you replace and with what. Did you check the high beam 5 pin relay. It is that relay that controls the power to the low beam lights via the nc and no pins. When you have the lb on the power is fed through the normally closed pin. When you switch to hb the power switches to the normally open pin to run hb and off on the nc pin and turns off the LB lights. I doubt it is your switch since all it really does is trigger the hb relay. If the hb works then the switch should work.

When the bike is running do you have power at the lighting relay and at the high beam relays.

There are then the obvious things:

Are your builds burnt
What is your charging voltage

Low beams only work with the bike running.

When u say you have high beams is that with the hb switch on momentary hb or permanent Hb.

Not in front of bike right now but if I recall there were 5 relays. A 5 pin and 4 pin and then another group of a 4 pin, 5 pin and a 4 pin. I got a new 5 pin and used it to see if I replaced the other relays if the low beams would work.
Both 5 pins have a Red band over the wires.

Then I got a new bulb and replaced one of the bulbs.

The bike is showing 14.3 volts when running.

The high beams work both flashing and permanant on when bike is running.

Low beams don't work at all.

With key on but bike not running a relay will click when I push the high beam flash.

I hope that was clear and helpful.

Thanks,

John

 

[canuck1969]

Not in front of bike right now but if I recall there were 5 relays. A 5 pin and 4 pin and then another group of a 4 pin, 5 pin and a 4 pin. I got a new 5 pin and used it to see if I replaced the other relays if the low beams would work.
Both 5 pins have a Red band over the wires.

Then I got a new bulb and replaced one of the bulbs.

The bike is showing 14.3 volts when running.

The high beams work both flashing and permanant on when bike is running.

Low beams don't work at all.

With key on but bike not running a relay will click when I push the high beam flash.

I hope that was clear and helpful.

Thanks,

John

The highbeam/lowbeam relay is a 5 pin relay. The wiring diagram has it wrong. You need to find that relay and confirm that the center pin which is the normally closed pin has power when the bike is running. THis is what controls the power to the low beam bulbs. If there is power there then you are looking at a loose wire from the relay to the bulbs. If there is no power there then you are looking at a defective relay.

Read the first page of this this thread. It details the logic of the HB/LB. Find the HB relay and make sure it is working.

 

[John Locascio]

I tested all three 5 pin relays. The 2 from the bike and the new one I bought. They all worked when bench tested. I used a extra motorcycle battery and hooked it up to pins 85 & 86 and the relays clicked. Then I applied twelve volts to pin 30 and a test light to pin 87 and the test light lite up. When I removed the battery from 85 & 86, but kept 12 volts to pin 30, pin 87a had power.

These are the color wires I have coming into the relay. Seems to be different from some of the wiring diagrams posted earlier. Want to make sure I am dealing with the right relays.

RELAYS

5 pin

87 - white/black - BI/N
87a - black - N
86 - white - BI
85 - blue - B
30 - gray - GR
-----
5 pin

87 - grey/black - GR/N
87a - yellow/blue - G/B
86 - brown/ black - M/N - 2 wires, smaller gauge
85 - green - V
30 - white - BI

You mentioned I had to check that the center pin of the relay has power when the bike is running. How would I check? Do I plug in both relays and try and use my multi meter to contact the center pin?

Thank you for taking the time to walk me through this process. The is all new to me, but I am learning a little bit as I try to pin point the problem.

John

 

[canuck1969]

You are correct. The wiring colors differ from the drawings. This is where a multimeter becomes your friend.

The HB relay (not the lighting relay) center NC pin (87a) should have power when the bike is running and the low beams are on. To test it, either use a test light going from a ground to the center pin, or a multimeter set to DC voltage. Test the center pin to a known ground (i use the valve cover bolts or a ground wire). You should have 13 to 14Vdc on that pin when the bike is running. When you switch to HB, that power should go away. Start with that, If that power is not switching then you have an issue with the HB relay or some wiring, but start from the beginning and work forward.

That pin supplies the LB power to the bulbs. When you switch to HB, the power switches from that pin to the Normally open pin 87 and that supplies the HB power. The lighting relay never changes state. The LB and HB are control only from the HB relay.

 

[canuck1969]

Had to create a lighting and HB relay layout and logic for another thread. Thought I would also add it to here so it falls under the right headings.

 

[scottmastrocinque]

Really nice job! Thank you so much.