I have a 1978 batavus starflite, the lights work sometimes, right now they are not, so I was checking the voltage to the head-lite and it read 6 to 8 volts AC, the wiring diagram doesn't show a rectifier, shouldn't be DC? when the headlight is out so is the taillight but the are 2 separate coils, I'm stumped.
Clean all connections , including all ground points .
All should be shiny metal clean and scratch tight .
You have a bad ground. Lights can be dc or ac depending on the make, incandescent bulbs couldn't care less..but if by erratic mean that they go on and off then yeah bad connection.
On some bikes the taillight lighting coil actually energises the ignition coil for safety. So bad taillight bulb, no vroom vroom.
bike runs good, I have checked the wiring and the grounds look good, but I will check again. this bike has a separate coil for the taillight and it's not working either, but the speedo light works fine and it's powered by the same wire as the headlight.
'LOOKS' can be deceiving . Take connections apart , clean them bright and reconnect TIGHT . Grounds and all other connections , including bulb sockets ( they have to be corrosion free : the metal socket , the contacts inside and the socket mount , which may well be it's ground point ) .
^ Agreed.
of all the stupid things, turned out to be a bad bulb, even though it checked good and the filament looked good it wouldn't lite, a new bulb and now working good.
glad u found a broken filament for your hl,
missed your earlier question about how the tailight works even though on two separate coils.
One word, magnetism. When you turn on the headlight the coil produces a manetic field which induces the tail light coil to produce power thus lighting it up as well.
didn't know that, thanks for the info.
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