Stupid Lighting Question

[Pep]

Ok, early Ace 90, fresh connections, new charged battery. Spark, running brake light, brake switch, and horn all working - but not headlight. Headlight filaments look good, also hooked up two good headlights to test - still no light. These are stock 90 6volt lights.

The wiring diagram has me scratching my head on this bucket. Usually, there’s a speedo bulb and a high beam bulb (dot at 12:00 on speedo). This bucket has a speedo bulb and a strange fitting in the bucket, outside the headlight. The bulb in there seems permanent (sealed?). I didn’t think leaving it out would cause a headlight issue, but that’s the only deviation from the wiring diagram.

With a charged battery, I would think the light would work (doesn’t need juice from the engine) - but maybe I’m wrong there. Bike is not finished to run yet, so can’t try that at the moment.
Any tips would be appreciated...

[Dale]

Laurie, It will work once the motor is running and the magneto is generating AC. The magneto supplies AC to the dimmer switch which will have three positions. 0=off, 1=highbeam and 2=lowbeam.
Dale

[Zyx]

You can bench test your sealed beam by jumping power from battery to lamp contacts. If it works when provided power direct, it will work in circuit if the mag is providing power to the headlight. But at least you will know the lamp is good without waiting until the bike is running.

[Pep]

Ah, thanks Dale and AZ!
The last couple of street bikes I did this winter (wiring nightmares), I did a fair amount of testing in the shop.
Apparently I never used to worry about a Hodaka not lighting up...
Thanks for the help!
As an aside, does anyone know: is this bucket just one of the variants used on the Ace 90's?

[Charlie R]

Guys, when I go to swap meets I've learned to take a small multimeter with me. For what? Testing bulbs, switches, harnesses, etc. Using a typical Hodaka 6V bulb for example, set the meter to tone while checking continuity from blue to yellow. If the filament is good (intact) you will get a tone. Then check blue to light blue. Same thing. Checking at the bulbs terminals works best as occasionally the wires terminals have a light film of corrosion or may be broken inside their sheathing. Its amazing how many "works perfectly" bulbs I've found that had one (or both) filaments bad. Keeps my money in my pocket where it belongs too. I hope this tip is helpful to at least one other enthusiast!

Charlie R

[Dale]

Good tip Charlie!

Laurie, I would suggest giving Bruce Young a call to find out about the various Ace 90 buckets. I know that he has some details about the various speedo units that they came with and guess he would know about the buckets as well.
Dale

[Pep]

Thanks Charlie, that's a great tip!
Dale, I'll take your advice and see what I can learn from Bruce.
Laurie

[Zyx]

Is the "strange fitting" you refer to the large dull silver socket which appears to service the light on top of the bucket in front of the speedo? That looks like the high beam indicator. See if it is co- connected to the high beam headlight wire. Probably not a sealed unit, but hard to tell from the photo. Does the silver socket unscrew?

[Pep]

"Strange fitting" was probably an overstatement - just strange to me, I guess. I have not seen a bucket like that.
It does not come apart. The wire exiting the socket was not (and is still not) connected to anything.

[MTRob]

Hi Laurie
I build harnesses for most all Hodakas there on EBay and sell lots also sell them to Bruce. I have never seen that light on the bucket, Send me an email and I'll send you a new complete
harness for that 90 at no charge. The harness fits from the back to the front and most wires are marked so you can mount them where they fit.
Anything to help.
Thanks
MTROB

[Zyx]

From what I can see of the interior photo, the silver socket has a threaded body. On the narrower part of the barrel of that assembly, there are two raised bumps on opposing sides, probably for traction. It appears that if you hold the outside the bucket part of that assembly so it won't turn, you should be able to turn the inside the bucket barrel assembly counterclockwise and unscrew it. I can't think of any other reason to stamp screw threads into the body of the socket.

[Pep]

Yes, the whole assembly came out, just no dice getting the bulb out of the body.

[Zyx]

Now that's strange. If it is apart can you post a photo?. Unless it is glued in or swagged, there would be little reason to make it able to come apart if the bulb is not removable.

[Dale]

Laurie,
Just curious as to the outcome with your lighting once you had the motor installed?
Dale

[Pep]

Hi Dale, you were right (of course) - once there was power to the dimmer, the stock headlight performed perfectly.
Thanks for the advice!
Laurie