1934 VL lighting issues

[1934VL]

I have bee trying to sorting out some lighting issues on a 1934 VL with a 32E generator. The problem is that the head lamp comes on when the bike is running even though the light switch is in the off position and its dim at an idle and get brighter an the motor revs and burns out the bulb after a while. With the bike not running the head light operates normally turn the switch on it connects to the battery and hit the dimmer switch and the hi/low beam works fine. I have verified the wiring to the print including the ground from the amp meter to the frame but it seems to be back feeding some how any ideas ?

Thanks

[Steve Slocombe]

Could be the lighting contact spring is intermittently touching the switch stem. Take off the cover and check the position of those contacts.

[1934VL]

M

I have bee trying to sorting out some lighting issues on a 1934 VL with a 32E generator. The problem is that the head lamp comes on when the bike is running even though the light switch is in the off position and its dim at an idle and get brighter an the motor revs and burns out the bulb after a while. With the bike not running the head light operates normally turn the switch on it connects to the battery and hit the dimmer switch and the hi/low beam works fine. I have verified the wiring to the print including the ground from the amp meter to the frame but it seems to be back feeding some how any ideas ?

Thanks

Thanks Steve,

Contacts are fine. We took dash apart everything is as it should be.
Light runs continuously even without switch on. Should this be happening? Eventually light burns out. Light does increase brightness with increased rpm's. Should all this be happening?

[harleytoprock]

It sounds like the headlight is also being fed from the generator directly and not from the switch.

[Steve Slocombe]

Yup, looks like a wiring problem more than a dash problem now. The wiring diagram is in the Riders Handbook and it is not a complicated system to check through. Incorrect wiring of the dimmer switch is something I've done before which might have this effect.