Lost main beam

[johnboy44]

Hi, I have a 2012 M696 and for about a couple of months I've not been able to get the main beam to work either on the main switch or the pass, I've checked the bulb, I've checked the fuse, I've changed the relay, I've temporarily disconnected the battery and I've sprayed contact cleaner in all the connections yet It worked for 2minutes a couple of days ago then reverted to its previous state I'm running out of ideas does anybody have any suggestions please
John

[Darren69]

I've seen another post recently with this issue, I think on an 1100 which may be the same issue you have. Sorry can't remember who posted it or if it was resolved. So you may have to search for it.

[Darren69]

I think it may have been this one, which I see you already posted on: -

http://www.ukmonster.co.uk/monster/s...1100+headlight

Sorry if that was no help whatsoever :/

[johnboy44]

Thanks, I've been following and trying the advise but still none the wiser to my problem

[Darren69]

Yea, I have to say I've never owned one of those bikes and that generation of Monster has an added extra level of complexity which offers no incentive for me to do so, it doesn't add anything of value to the experience in my mind, just pain. I have no need of ABS or of a bike that needs to be ridden 500 miles before it decides how it will behave. Luddite is you guy on those bikes if you've tried everything mentioned maybe he will know.

[slob]

Got to say Darren, they ride really nicely compared to the v1.1 Monsters

[Darren69]

Maybe one day, you never know. I do have a soft spot for the 1100S as you know It's just the more complex electronics and the practicality of that put me off. I mean running the headlight from the ECU, what madness is that? Maybe save some wiring and a few grams of components. The early IE bikes are complicated enough for me but there are benefits that I can see more clearly for them, and it is not just for the sake of it so it makes a lot more sense to me.

Can you imagine what the latest ride by wire Panigale based bikes are gonna be like 10 years from now with all that robust Italian electronics and wiring? OMG

[slob]

The reason for the ECU controlling the headlights is that all bikes produced in/for Europe have the lights permanently on from 2004, the ECU kills the headlight when the starter is pressed, to reduce drain and supply everything to the starter motor, then turns the headlight back on.

[Darren69]

If Ducati had put better wiring for the starter circuit then it wouldn't be really needed? You've gotta hate those dictating Eurocrats but it does get around the issue I had with a car driver saying I didn't have my lights on in the dark when he pulled out on me. I got stung for 40% of the blame for that little incident because they couldn't prove it either way. BTW I did have them on but as I had pulled out a lorry that was behind me flashed him so he pulled out.

[slob]

wrong on two counts:
UK politicians are no different ;-) it was an agreement between manufacturers unless I’m mistaken.
The battery on Monsters is too small to start a big twin, for cosmetic/space reasons, no amount of ‘better wiring’ is going to fix that.

[Luddite]

You seem to have eliminated most of the components in the system, John, so there aren't many potential culprits left.

As the hi-beam won't work in either its steady or pass state, try checking the earth from the bulb. The connector will have a yellow/black (power) wire and a black wire, which is the earth. At the same time check you've got power in the yellow/black wire when the switch is energized.

If there's no power to the yellow/black wire, the problem could be the switch itself. Open it up, clean the contacts and check for power on the appropriate terminals.

[Darren69]

Originally Posted by slob

wrong on two counts:
UK politicians are no different ;-) it was an agreement between manufacturers unless I’m mistaken.
The battery on Monsters is too small to start a big twin, for cosmetic/space reasons, no amount of ‘better wiring’ is going to fix that.

Yea, it may well have been, I don't know. I know Triumph had tril it on some of their bikes which did I believe cause some starting issue. but from 2011 it is now law under European Directive 76/656/EEC

https://www.gov.uk/government/public...running-lights

I don't think it is the battery that is too small, that's would indicate a storage issue which the current size of battery is fine if sufficiently charged and will be adequate enough but that's another well documented reg/rec issue altogether.

It is my understanding that the battery wiring gauge is too small. Many have reported improved starting by either bi-wiring or installing better quality battery cables. You can put as big a battery as you could but the amount of current flowing through to the starter is limited by the wiring, if the battery is that much too big then the wiring will probably break down or melt if the current can flow but the issue is that it can't. As any owner of any late 90's Ducati will tell you they know of Ducati expertise with wiring which is why much of it is underrated for its intended use and will burn out and melt given any chance of flowing sufficient current. Sorry for the highjack, rant over, back to our scheduled programming!

[Darren69]

*trialed it on some of their bikes...

[johnboy44]

Originally Posted by Luddite

You seem to have eliminated most of the components in the system, John, so there aren't many potential culprits left.

As the hi-beam won't work in either its steady or pass state, try checking the earth from the bulb. The connector will have a yellow/black (power) wire and a black wire, which is the earth. At the same time check you've got power in the yellow/black wire when the switch is energized.

If there's no power to the yellow/black wire, the problem could be the switch itself. Open it up, clean the contacts and check for power on the appropriate terminals.

I did check for power at the bulb but I used the earth cable for the other ide of the tester which wouldn't work if the earth was faulty ...... Better check that cheers

[Darren69]

Originally Posted by johnboy44

I did check for power at the bulb but I used the earth cable for the other ide of the tester which wouldn't work if the earth was faulty ...... Better check that cheers

It's probably a good idea to fit some fly leads for a trickle charger to the battery as most do anyway and if you've not already done so. At least then you won't have to take half the bike apart to get to the battery.