Burning through headlights

[GrantSR]

I know, this is an old problem but I can't find many definitive answers by searching so I am posting my first troubleshooting question here. I should prefix my question by stating that I am a former electronics technician who has forgotten Ohms law but not how to troubleshoot. (I can always look up Ohm's law when I need to )

A couple of months ago the stator went bad on my scooter, or at least that is what the shop told me. At the time I had not studied up on all the electrical systems on my 2007 Buddy 125 nor did I really feel like troubleshooting why my scooter wouldn't start. So I just took it in to the local shop and let them take care of it. They replaced the stator and everything worked fine.

However, about two weeks ago the headlight burned out. As you know, the filaments in these bulbs are entirely separate in that either one is on or the other is on but never both. I almost always run with the high-beam on and that is the one that blew out. So, I switched to using the low-beam but it burned out about 3-4 days later. Since then, I have burned through two additional bulbs, one a spare and one bought from that same shop. Each individual filament lasted only 3-4 days. I have also had the "privileged" of noticing when the filament burned out the last couple of times. Each time there was a bright flash or two and then the thing fried.

Now, I have read about checking the voltage regulator and I intend to do that tomorrow. (Right now it is really cold and dark outside.) However, from what I can tell, if the voltage regulator is out (in a way that can be easily measured with a voltmeter) then the bulb would shine brighter than normal and/or get brighter when you rev the engine. I have not noticed this happening. The bulb remains it's normal dim self until the supernova when it gives off a very bright flash and dies. (Too bad it doesn't make a black hole because then I would have the LHC beat. Just a little quantum physics joke there.) Because of this behavior I kind of doubt that the rectifier/regulator (R/R) is the problem unless it is an intermittent problem that can't easily be measured by its voltage output.

I am more suspicious of a poor installation of the stator. Let's put it this way, I have not been too very impressed with the basic wrench-turning ability of these two dudes. I suspect that the stator wires were pinched in such a way that the "high voltage" wire going to the CDI is shorting with the wire that goes to the R/R to power the lights. Or perhaps some other high-voltage wire is shorting directly with the wire for the headlight and blowing it out. This would explain the bright flash when the filament goes to its untimely death.

Now here are my questions:

• - Do all of these scooter bulbs give a flash as they burn out even without a sudden pulse of high-voltage? If so, then I can stop using that as evidence of an intermittent short between the headlight and some high-voltage wire, which would be very difficult to find.
  - If the voltage regulator is bad, and giving off too high a voltage wouldn't that also affect the other lights on the scooter? Wouldn't my "dash" lights and tail lights be going bad too? Or are they more robust and resilient to over-voltage.
  - If the mechanics (I won't call them boneheads quite yet) screwed up and swapped the battery-charging wire from the stator with the 12v-for-lights wire, would that provide just enough extra voltage to the headlight to burn it out or wouldn't the regulator keep that ~2v difference in check?
  - Are the connectors such that the above is impossible? What if they were jury-rigging an aftermarket stator that didn't have the correct pin-out at the connector?
  - I found a post about checking the stator over on another forum and dug out this diagram (http://scootdawg.proboards.com/index.cg ... ost=409914. Are these the correct voltages for a Genuine Buddy 125?
  - Finally, would a 55watt motorcycle bulb, such as the Sylvania often recommended, be more durable? Or would the lower resistance of the filament (which is how it gets it's higher wattage) cause it to be more sensitive to over-voltage. The lower resistance would produce a proportionally higher current flow in response to a higher voltage than would the normal resistance of the stock bulb. {OK, so I still know how Ohm's law works. I just don't remember what the letters are or where they go and I am too lazy to work it out if I don't need to.}

So, sorry for the long post. I tend to be a little wordy. If anyone has any suggestions I would appreciate hearing them.

Thanks

[viney266]

You can almost bet its the voltage regulator. Often a bad stator can take them out. They are fairly inexpensive on the scooters and an easy bolt on up front under the cowl. That would be my first thing to suspect. Voltage reg. is out and allowing 15-17 volts into the headlight.

[jrsjr]

Now here are my questions:
- If the voltage regulator is bad, and giving off too high a voltage wouldn't that also affect the other lights on the scooter? Wouldn't my "dash" lights and tail lights be going bad too? Or are they more robust and resilient to over-voltage.

See this thread for a discussion of similar problems. The bad regulator is the standard best guess, but there's a report in that thread of a known bugaboo that explains your anomalous symptom, a physically bad lamp that was able to vibrate around in the socket. Also, visually inspect the socket base to make sure it's not visibly defective and make sure the bulb seats properly when you install it.

- Finally, would a 55watt motorcycle bulb, such as the Sylvania often recommended, be more durable? Or would the lower resistance of the filament (which is how it gets it's higher wattage) cause it to be more sensitive to over-voltage. The lower resistance would produce a proportionally higher current flow in response to a higher voltage than would the normal resistance of the stock bulb.

This thread discusses the headlight replacement question and suggests an alternative. My recommendation is to solve the problem of burning out your bulbs first.

P.S. I see that viney266 has answered your question about the voltage. The Buddy Service manual, which is linked here, discusses troubleshooting the regulator itself, but viney266's way is simpler and I've never been able to figure out what all that complicated testing the manual suggests buys you when all you want to know is whether or not to replace a non-repairable assembly...

P.P.S. In an alternate universe called the 1980s, I once took a wrong turn and ended up in the CERN parking lot. Well, not exactly a wrong turn. It had to do with cheap wine and border guards, but that truly is another story.

[GrantSR]

You can almost bet its the voltage regulator. Often a bad stator can take them out.

So, you figure the R/R went out shortly after the stator because the bad stator had stressed the R/R too badly? My suspicious nature has it the other way around, that a poorly wired or incorrect new stator may have blown out the R/R. I certainly don't want to just replace the R/R only to have the new one get blown out too. This is why I want to check the stator for correct output voltages too. I just have to know for sure what they are before I can check.

In Marine Corps avionics we had a sort of rule: If a resistor burns out you don't just replace the resistor because it probably burned out for a reason. You have to check the nearby components to make sure they aren't allowing/pushing too much current through that resistor. If you simply replace the resistor and send the equipment back out then it will almost always blow again AFTER the plane is in the air and the equipment will fail again. This can be fatal and cost millions of dollars, just because you didn't take the time to troubleshoot a few more components.

So, can anyone direct me to a list of the correct output voltages for the stator for a Genuine Buddy 125. I would really appreciate it.

[GrantSR]

My recommendation is to solve the problem of burning out your bulbs first.

Well, I had to get a new bulb and I didn't want to be pouring good money after bad down the same hole if the reason I was burning through bulbs was the shop's incompetence. At the very least, they should have known to check the R/R when they replaced the stator and/or warned me that this could happen as a result of a bad stator destroying the R/R.

I've got a copy of that "FABULOUS" Buddy service manual. The English in it is soooo bad that I can not tell what the heck they are talking about most of the time. Besides, it only lists resistances for the regulator and stator to tell if they are burned out (AKA shorted or open). They do not list proper operating voltages for the stator. They don't even list proper operating voltages for the lights (which are on a separate circuit from the battery). They only list the operating voltages and current for the battery charging circuit.

So, unless someone informs me otherwise, I will check the stator against the voltages given in diagram I linked to in my original post. They look reasonable enough. If the stator looks good, then I will test the output of the regulator as everyone suggests. If the regulator IS bad then I will likely order a better quality one than what I can get at the shop. Any recommendations?

[Keys]

I've also found that vibration can blow light bulbs. Check to make sure the fixture is not loose inside the headset.

--Keys

[viney266]

Remember to check your voltage directly at the battery terminals with the bike running to see if its over 14.5..if its over 15 the regulator is out for sure...But, I agree with you, make sure the stator isn't out first.

Same with old points systems. If the points are fried it almost always meant the capacitor was shot too.

I only have the same resistance reading you get from the manual to see if the stator is shorted out. Most bikes have 75 volts DC coming out of the stator, but I have no idea what the Buddy should have, sorry .

If the reg. is cheap enough (bet it is) just stick one on and see if the voltage at the battery comes out correctly. IF it does you should be good.

[agrogod]

I like to opt for the simplest solutions first, such as DO NOT GET FINGER OILS on halogen type bulbs (I am assuming your Buddy has one).
For whatever reason, it shortens the life of the bulb, use cotton gloves when changing the bulb.

[charlie55]

Remember to check your voltage directly at the battery terminals with the bike running to see if its over 14.5..if its over 15 the regulator is out for sure...But, I agree with you, make sure the stator isn't out first.

Same with old points systems. If the points are fried it almost always meant the capacitor was shot too.

I only have the same resistance reading you get from the manual to see if the stator is shorted out. Most bikes have 75 volts DC coming out of the stator, but I have no idea what the Buddy should have, sorry .

If the reg. is cheap enough (bet it is) just stick one on and see if the voltage at the battery comes out correctly. IF it does you should be good.

If you happen to have a multimeter that records max readings, you could secure it to the scoot and take it out for a typical run. Intermittents are always the hardest to catch, and might not show up while idling or just blipping the throttle a few times.

[GrantSR]

I like to opt for the simplest solutions first, such as DO NOT GET FINGER OILS on halogen type bulbs (I am assuming your Buddy has one).
For whatever reason, it shortens the life of the bulb, use cotton gloves when changing the bulb.

OK, I did some research to confirm my instincts. I have heard this story about finger oils causing halogen bulbs to "burn out" for years. Just about since halogen bulbs came out. However there is absolutely no physics to explain how finger oils on the glass can cause the filament to burn out. Instead, the intense heat causes the acids in the oils to etch the surface of the glass. This causes the glass to break, crack, or melt in weird ways because - under this intense heat and the high pressure inside the bulb - any imperfections in the glass create a weak spot. Once the glass is compromised, the halogen leaks out and then the bulb burns out in the same way as simply breaking the glass then turning it on will cause it to burn out.

So, unless the glass is cracked, melted, or outright broken, finger oils are not the culprit. You can easily check for this. Even if there is no direct evidence of a crack (perhaps you suspect your finger oils have etched a microscopic hole in the glass) all you have to to is hold the thing in a trash can or wrap it in a cloth and squeeze it with a pair of pliers till it breaks. If you hear a loud popping noise then the glass had not been compromised (until you broke it). Do not try this by hitting it with a hammer because that will mask the sound of the pop. The pop is from the highly pressurized halogen gas in the bulb being suddenly released. Naturally, don't be looking at the thing when you break it and hold it away from yourself.

Finally, cotton gloves will not protect your bulb unless they are brand clean. If you have worn them a few times or they have been laying around in your tool box a while then they will have plenty enough oil on them to get on the bulb and damage the glass. However, a couple of layers of fresh, clean tissue will usually be enough to protect the glass for the brief moment you may have to hold it while installing the bulb. The types of bulbs used in headlights have plenty of metal to hold on to so you don't need to use any gloves at all. Just don't touch the glass.

P.S. No, I did not touch the glass on any of the FOUR bulbs I have had to put in here lately. If I never have to take the top off of that thing again, it will be too soon.

[jrsjr]

I did not touch the glass on any of the FOUR bulbs I have had to put in here lately.

Four bulbs? Wow, no wonder you're pissed. Yeah, forget everything else, don't put any more bulbs in there as I stupidly suggested previously. You gotta check your regulator output because your regulator is almost certainly shorted and delivering way too much voltage to your electrics. That will fry our battery, too, if you let it go on.

So sorry for the bum advice previously. I didn't understand you'd already burned 4 bulbs.

[GrantSR]

Well, I know that the regulator is bad but not for the reason anyone has mentioned on any of the web sites I have read about this issue. I am tempted to make everyone guess and only give the answer tomorrow. But I'm too lazy and I want to get some dinner here soon.

So, when I measured the voltage across the headlight terminals (when not plugged onto a headlight, and with the engine at idle) I got about 2-3 volts DC. When I revved up the engine it went up to about 4-5 vDC. I was curious as to how in the world the voltage could be so low and blow the light, let alone make enough light to see by. I thought perhaps the R/R could possibly have gone completely off the deep end only after it blew the last lamp. So I plugged in the replacement (motorcycle lamp, 55 watt) and the thing produced plenty of light.

So, how can a bulb produce plenty of light when the the DC voltage is so darned low? ... Anyone? ... Anyone? ... Beuller? ...

That's right. There was an AC component to the voltage. When I switched my meter over to read AC it was reading about 9-10 volts at idle and a little more when I revved the engine. And that is RMS. Given a sine wave, that comes out to about 12-14 volts peak to peak (by rough guestimate based on faulty memory of Navy electronics classes). So, 4-5 volts DC plus an additional 7 volts (half the peak to peak) at the peaks adds up to a wave form that crests at 12 volts and troughs at -2 volts.

On top of that: Those little pivot-mounts that allow the headlight assembly to be rotated to shine the beam where you want, they don't hold the thing firmly in the first place! They rattle around a bit and the screws can't be tightened too much without stripping the plastic.

Holy Headlight Torture Batman!!

With the weird voltage and the rattling headlight assembly, it is a wonder the bulbs don't just go into nuclear melt-down as soon as I plug them in.

So, yeah, I gotta replace the rectifier/regulator. However, I have no intention of plugging the new one in until AFTER I double check the stator, which I will do tomorrow. It was cold and dark and I was tired and cold and hungry (and really had to pee) by the time I got as far as I did. Plus, I am going to have to get in there and wrap some tape around the little pivot posts and then put some glue in the holes to give the screws some fresh threads to hold on to. So, I just left the front cover off, took the handlebar cover the rest of the way off and am just leaving it all Mad Max style for now.

I've got one final complicating factor that is making this whole thing a total PITA! This scooter is my only means of transportation. I had to give up the car to be able to afford to go back to college. I have to be at work at 7:00 AM and it is dark till 7:05 these days, here in Tucson. So, I gotta ride to work with no headlight! Actually, I am going to leave the motorcycle bulb in there for now but only plug it in when I am on my way to work. That should give me a few more days to get things sorted out.

I'll get back to ya'll later with more of the sad saga of Ada and Marie.

[jrsjr]

So, how can a bulb produce plenty of light when the the DC voltage is so darned low? ... Anyone? ... Anyone? ... Beuller? ...

That's right. There was an AC component to the voltage. When I switched my meter over to read AC it was reading about 9-10 volts at idle and a little more when I revved the engine. And that is RMS. Given a sine wave, that comes out to about 12-14 volts peak to peak (by rough guestimate based on faulty memory of Navy electronics classes). So, 4-5 volts DC plus an additional 7 volts (half the peak to peak) at the peaks adds up to a wave form that crests at 12 volts and troughs at -2 volts.

This actually makes sense if you think about the likely scenario for the rectifier failure. Inside the voltage regulator module, there's probably a shorted diode in an old-fashioned full-wave bridge configuration (just like you studied in electronics school) which is allowing a portion of the AC wave to pass while the other portion of the wave is being clipped and passed as a DC component. The only way you'd ever actually be able to get to the bottom of it would be with an oscilloscope in DC mode so you could see the DC component with the AC component riding on top of it.

If you were to wring out the voltage regulator using an ohmmeter and the resistance chart in the manual that I originally linked, you could probably figure out which leg of the rectifier is shorted. The problem is that you can't repair the regulator module, just replace it, so there's really not much point to troubleshooting it, except to confirm that the regulator module is zapped.

So, yeah, I gotta replace the rectifier/regulator.

Yes. Then replace the headlight bulb and see how it goes.

[GrantSR]

Remember to check your voltage directly at the battery terminals with the bike running to see if its over 14.5..if its over 15 the regulator is out for sure...

I feel I have to talk about this advice which I have seen in many places. From all of the diagrams I have seen - every single one of them - the charging circuit is entirely separate from the lighting circuit. They each get their original current from a different coil in the stator, then go to separate circuits within the rectifier/regulator. The wires may go to the same module but they still go to separate circuits within that module. Basically, the R/R must have two separate rectifiers and two separate regulator circuits, one each for the lighting and charging. I haven't seen the internal circuit diagram, but by basic R/R design, there would be no reason to have the power come off the stator via two separate wires with two different voltages if they were then combined within R/R to then produce two different voltages again at the output.

Therefore, it is entirely possible for the lighting circuit within the R/R to have gone bad while the charging circuit remains good, or vice-versa. So, it perplexes me as to why I have seen so many people insist that one must check the voltage across the battery when troubleshooting lighting problems. Yes, if one circuit within a module totally fries, it often takes all other circuits within that module with it. But those are only possible side affects. Checking those other circuits should not be the preferred troubleshooting method. When troubleshooting a lighting problem, one should check the voltages within the lighting circuit.

Now, this advice probably arose because not damaging the battery is much more important than not damaging the headlight. So, if one is checking the regulator to see if it is bad one must make sure to check the voltages across the battery. Not instead of checking the voltage at the headlight, but in addition to that. Two circuits packaged up in the same module means you have to check both circuits to make sure that all of the module is working.


I promise I did not join the forum just to go around correcting people. But I have seen a lot of bad advice spread around (not just here, but on many different forums) and I hate to see people led astray. I have been on-line since long before there was an internet and I have seen the same phenomenon many times. People pass around advice that they have heard elsewhere without completely comprehending the meaning of the advice. It eventually gets morphed around and applied generally when it was meant for a specific situation or it no longer applies because the technology has changed, or something. Once the advice gets spread around enough and enough people are repeating it then enough people have seen it from enough different sources that it practically becomes canon. Just Google "Three men make a tiger."

So, while my intent is NOT to make other people wrong, when I see bad or inappropriately applied advice, I will try to correct that and give an adequate explanation. If something is unclear, I may grill someone to try to figure out what they really mean. And if I am wrong about something I certainly want to know about it. All I want is for everyone to enjoy their scooter more. And it is easier for everyone to do that if they have accurate information about how it works. I try to be polite but I know that some people see any correction as terribly rude. I also tend to write in a very formal manner sometimes, which may sound condescending to some. It is probably just because I have been reading some scientific journal recently. Please do not take it personally. I hope everyone here can take my contributions in the spirit in which they are intended. I just want to help the most people get the most enjoyment from their scooters. If someone occasionally has to be "wrong" in the process - even if that someone is me - then so be it.

Everyone have a good night, and ride safe.
Grant

[agrogod]

So Doc, what your telling me is, we can't get home without the Flux Capacitor?

[teabow1]

I don't understand much of the technical details in this thread but I want to say I find much of it, especially GrantSR's humor, rather enjoyable and funny. Maybe it's because I went to an engineering university (but majored in the humanities)! Carry on!

[viney266]

Remember to check your voltage directly at the battery terminals with the bike running to see if its over 14.5..if its over 15 the regulator is out for sure...

I feel I have to talk about this advice which I have seen in many places. From all of the diagrams I have seen - every single one of them - the charging circuit is entirely separate from the lighting circuit. They each get their original current from a different coil in the stator, then go to separate circuits within the rectifier/regulator. The wires may go to the same module but they still go to separate circuits within that module. Basically, the R/R must have two separate rectifiers and two separate regulator circuits, one each for the lighting and charging. I haven't seen the internal circuit diagram, but by basic R/R design, there would be no reason to have the power come off the stator via two separate wires with two different voltages if they were then combined within R/R to then produce two different voltages again at the output.

Therefore, it is entirely possible for the lighting circuit within the R/R to have gone bad while the charging circuit remains good, or vice-versa. So, it perplexes me as to why I have seen so many people insist that one must check the voltage across the battery when troubleshooting lighting problems. Yes, if one circuit within a module totally fries, it often takes all other circuits within that module with it. But those are only possible side affects. Checking those other circuits should not be the preferred troubleshooting method. When troubleshooting a lighting problem, one should check the voltages within the lighting circuit.

Now, this advice probably arose because not damaging the battery is much more important than not damaging the headlight. So, if one is checking the regulator to see if it is bad one must make sure to check the voltages across the battery. Not instead of checking the voltage at the headlight, but in addition to that. Two circuits packaged up in the same module means you have to check both circuits to make sure that all of the module is working.


I promise I did not join the forum just to go around correcting people. But I have seen a lot of bad advice spread around (not just here, but on many different forums) and I hate to see people led astray. I have been on-line since long before there was an internet and I have seen the same phenomenon many times. People pass around advice that they have heard elsewhere without completely comprehending the meaning of the advice. It eventually gets morphed around and applied generally when it was meant for a specific situation or it no longer applies because the technology has changed, or something. Once the advice gets spread around enough and enough people are repeating it then enough people have seen it from enough different sources that it practically becomes canon. Just Google "Three men make a tiger."

So, while my intent is NOT to make other people wrong, when I see bad or inappropriately applied advice, I will try to correct that and give an adequate explanation. If something is unclear, I may grill someone to try to figure out what they really mean. And if I am wrong about something I certainly want to know about it. All I want is for everyone to enjoy their scooter more. And it is easier for everyone to do that if they have accurate information about how it works. I try to be polite but I know that some people see any correction as terribly rude. I also tend to write in a very formal manner sometimes, which may sound condescending to some. It is probably just because I have been reading some scientific journal recently. Please do not take it personally. I hope everyone here can take my contributions in the spirit in which they are intended. I just want to help the most people get the most enjoyment from their scooters. If someone occasionally has to be "wrong" in the process - even if that someone is me - then so be it.

Everyone have a good night, and ride safe.
Grant

^^^ Grant, not to pick on you ( one of my best friends is an engineer)..But I have worked most of my life in motorcycle shops, and I could have diagnosed the stator and replaced the volt. reg. in the time it took you to type that post!!(at least at my hunt and peck typing speed) LOL

Yes, many sytems have multiple coils and circuits..Some bikes have as many as 4...and some only have 1 ..Honda and Yamaha can't even build the same type more than 5-6 years in a row...BUT, I try to apply the K.I.S.S. principle to most of my internet advice...as most people can barely figure out which setting to put their multimeter on

AND I do find that 99% of the time if the reg. is bad, its ALL BAD and the easiest way for a neophyte to find that is at the battery

[GrantSR]

I could have diagnosed the stator and replaced the volt. reg. in the time it took you to type that post!!

Ah, but using information and being correct often enough to earn a decent living at it and explaining that information to people who don't already know it and need to receive accurate information to avoid confusion are two entirely different skills. I have been doing the latter for quite some time now, and it ALWAYS takes longer to explain something than it takes to just do it. That doesn't mean the latter is less valuable. It is just a different process with a different purpose.

Have a good night. I'm gonna Skype with my son now.

[Syd]

In other words, viney, you would know what to replace, but Grant would be able to tell you why you know that. Different skills, is all.

[GrantSR]

Well, folks, I have determined that my problem probably isn't the regulator after all. After closely examining the wiring diagram (which I obtained directly from Genuine via a helpful dealer and uploaded here ) it is plain to see that the headlight on the Buddy is NOT powered via the regulator at all. The headlight gets its electricity directly off of a coil on the stator. The yellow wire goes directly up to the high-beam switch which then goes directly to the headlight. (Yes, the yellow wire goes to the regulator too, but that is an input not an output) This is why I was seeing an AC component to the juice at the headlight socket. The DC component can be explained by the fact that the stator grounds to the frame but the headlight grounds to the regulator's ground. Perhaps not the best design but not necessarily life threatening when I really remember my electronics training.

I now understand why everyone says to check the regulator at the battery rather than the headlight. That is because it is one of the only two places that the regulator output can be tested on a Buddy, and probably the only place on many scooters with this design. However, on the Buddy there is also the 12v socket which provides a super handy way to check the exact same voltage as is applied across the battery. The big problem with the check-at-battery advice for Buddy headlight problems is that it assumes the regulator has anything at all to do with the headlight, which it doesn't.

So, why is my headlight going out so fast? I can't rightly say yet. I am currently going with a combination of three theories:

• - The headlight reflector assembly is, in fact, rattling around like crazy in those two lame mounts on either side of the thing. So I definitely need to get in there and reinforce the mounting for the thing.
  - My new stator may be putting out more or noisier voltage than the old one. But my readings on my meter do not indicate anything that should produce the torture I was telling Batman about in my earlier post. (Sorry, Batman, go on about your day.)
  - All the available headlight bulbs for the Buddy are CRAP! I have never had to replace headlights on any vehicle as often as I have had to do so on this Buddy even when it was brand new. Two bulbs per year is way, way too many.

I am almost of a mind to simply replace the entire headlight assembly and put in one from a real motorcycle. At least there is plenty of room in there to do it. A little plastic epoxy and some jury-rigged mounts should do the trick.

[CROSSBOLT]

What I learned in the field AFTER engineering school was, "When you hear hoofbeats, look for horses not ZEBRAS." Which means most of the engineering grads do it the other way around until they get a little experience.

Karl

[jrsjr]

The headlight gets its electricity directly off of a coil on the stator. The yellow wire goes directly up to the high-beam switch which then goes directly to the headlight. (Yes, the yellow wire goes to the regulator too, but that is an input not an output)

I keep forgetting that. And it's been discussed here many times. Sorry.

P.S. The wire that feeds the regulator also bifurcates and powers the auto choke heater element.

[DaBinChe]

I don't know about the buddy but many bike's headlight use AC not DC, so yes the AC side of the regulator could be bad if the charging (DC) is still good.

[GrantSR]

I don't know about the buddy but many bike's headlight use AC not DC, so yes the AC side of the regulator could be bad if the charging (DC) is still good.

Please explain to me how there can be an "AC side" of the regulator. The yellow wire goes directly to the headlight (via high-beam switch). I don't think I have ever learned about an AC regulator. Especially one where the regulator regulates the voltage at the input. What would it do, short to ground any voltage over 12 vAC?

I gotta tell ya, I think this Buddy electrical system is the weirdest thing I have ever heard of, and it just keeps getting weirder.

Well, I fixed the rattling headlight assembly. And I have a 55 watt motorcycle bulb in there (though not that Sylvania Silverlight). So we will see what happens.

[PeteH]

Hopefully it was just vibration causing the appetite for bulbs, rather than something hokey in the stator or rectifier/regulator. It pains me to say, therefore, that you may have to open her up yet again.

The Buddy may not be able to support your 55W bulb. Anecdotal evidence from around the forum comes to a consensus that the Buddy only has about 1.5 to 2A reserve. Stock bulb is 35/35W, if I recall correctly, and the anemic charging system may not be able to provide the extra 1.7A or so, in which case you'll be in deficit, meaning frequent trips to the battery charger.

The People's Choice for higher light output is the PIAA HS1 - a 35/35 that throws a good bit more light than the stock halogen.

See some of the "deadlight" threads for more.

[GrantSR]

It pains me to say, therefore, that you may have to open her up yet again.

Ha ha. I've been leaving it open the past few days and going without any speedo.

The People's Choice for higher light output is the PIAA HS1 - a 35/35 that throws a good bit more light than the stock halogen.

Thanks for that tip. I will see if I can get one of those. I just want one that is durable and legal. I have kind of gotten used to the dim bulb problem, in more ways than one.

[Tazio]

The Buddy headlight is AC, which is why it doesn't light when the key/ign is switched on. The Vespa is DC and the light is on when the key is on.

If you purchase a headlight modulator, Kissan makes a plug and play unit that works great with the Buddy. I was really confused when I first started trying to use a DC modulator on the Buddy and it wouldn't work.

By the way, I'm still using the original bulb/lamp at over 8000 Buddy miles.

[SuperFlyBuddy]

Alternators (stators) generate AC power and it's converted (rectified) to DC. Generators generate DC power.

[CROSSBOLT]

Actually, in my opinion, the Buddy 150 is a pretty straight forward electrical system....

Karl