Headlights issue!!!

wal1809 · March 01, 2010, 10:53:49 AM

Thank you RV safety man. I was unable to open the peg. I can however see in my photo the numebers which you are talking about. I will run a continuity test on all of them when I get home. Thank you Luvrbus because I was actually a little worried about it's state.

I think I am either failing to understand or failing to explain what is happening. The lights on the bus are strong on one side and not on the other, very bright. The other side is very dim. When I click the dimmer switch then the complete opposite happens. The side that was very bright is now dim after clicking the dimmer switch. The low beam and high beam are shining on one side and the other is just a above a glow. You can actually look at the glowing wire in the bulb. Hit the dimmer and it is the complete opposite, the other side low and high beam will then come on and what was the brighter side will then become a only a glow.

If the power source is at the panel what is next? Panel to the wire and the wire to what I assume would be the dimmer switch, then to a quick connector and on to the light assemblies from there. If I am right about this wouldn't the problem be in the dimmer switch, that is if the fuses all show continuity of course. I suspect they are good because I am getting full power to every bulb depending on what position the floor dimmer switch is in.

Last thought for this reply. The bulb assembly can be removed by way of 4 bolts on the front. 4 bolts and it will fall into your lap. The wire from each assembly goes to a very small panel with quick connector pins (it looks what the wires are plugged into on the pic only smaller). I am not sure if that is called a buss or not. I had to reach in and unplug the wire from that quick connector. When I went to put is back I figured green wire to the green wire and white to white. If I have them backwards, meaning white to green and green to white, would this cause what I am experiencing?

This is not a hard problem I just can't seem to get my brain wrapped around it.

Again I thank you all for the help.

Just Dallas · March 01, 2010, 11:18:37 AM

Removed

wal1809 · March 01, 2010, 12:25:37 PM

Hello NDJ I am in the same line of thinking as you. I know the headlight assemblies are not original and they look fairly new as in almost brand new. I am thinking they put them in and got the lights to come on, then moved on without finishing the project IE tested them completely. I am goign to tear the front off again tonight and leave it off until I get it fixed.

Everything except the dimmer switch is easy to get to. The dimmer switch might even be easier than I am imagining. I thank you for the offer to help. I might just see you Saturday.

wal1809 · March 01, 2010, 12:28:04 PM

Oh and BTW. On dim which lights should be working and on bright should all 4 be working? The outside two are three prong and the inside two are two prong. tHe two prong has jumper wires from the three prong so I am assuming they should all be shining while the high beam is on and only two wehn the lows are on. I aint quite sure.

Jeremy · March 01, 2010, 02:56:30 PM

A solution?

Jeremy

PCC · March 01, 2010, 03:09:57 PM

After regaining my vision from looking at Jeremy's post, if the ground is wrong, you will be feeding voltage through both filaments before going to ground, on the dim side, which ever side is dim when in low, or in high beam.

I think the grounds will be your issue, so check that before you tear the front end off the bus, or restrict yourself to daytime only driving.

Keith
PCC

wal1809 · March 01, 2010, 03:23:22 PM

Alright now we are closing in. The wire harness is: From the panel to the quick disconnect-then a set of 2 wires to the headlight assembly- From the assembly the ground goes straight to the frame. It is about a 6 inch pigtail from the headlight assembly and it is screwed to the frame. I cleaned that really good, grease it and put it back. Should I be grounding somewhere else?

Just Dallas · March 01, 2010, 03:38:38 PM

Removed

wal1809 · March 01, 2010, 05:26:40 PM

I want to thank you all for trying to help me. I know it is hard to take a typed description from a bus rookie and figure out a problem. None the less you guys are great. I wish some of yall were my neighbors.

Anyhow I got it figured out. The white and green wires come to the front of the bus and go to a quick connector. From there it is a short harness which goes to the headlight assembly. From the headlight assembly is a short 6 inch pigtail for a ground, right to the frame.

Here is the problem. I am convinced the ground was corroded and started all this to begin with. When I fixed it and went to put the harness back in I put the green wire from the harness onto the quick connector that coupled with the green power coming into the connector. It made sense to me, green to green and white to white.

The problem came in on the other end at the headlight assembly. The new headlight assembly does not have green and white. It has black and white. The two wires should have been connected one to the other. This made the quick disconnect end backwards. Meaning I should have put the white wire to the green post on the quick disconnect and the green to the white post on the quick disconnect.

I knew it was a simple thing but it had me beat for a little while. I checked the main fuse and it was good. I checked all the breakers and they were good. I knew something was up. I had mentioned the reverse wire thing earlier in the post. It wasn't until today when I was taking the headlight assembly out that I wondered exactly how old the assembly was because they look brand new. Bingo in started to go down hill from there. I took it apart and just reversed the wires and bling.

On the road again.