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[Wopalot]

I have a 2008 CVO Ultra trike with a problem. When I turn on the ignition headlamp comes on as normal but as soon a I crank the engine and it fires up out goes the headlamp and will not come back on until you switch off and start again with the same results. I suspect the ignition relay (lighting relay) as this is the only thing in the circuit. The feed for the relay coil comes direct from the ignition switch and when it energizes it pulls in a pair of contacts which go directly to the Lighting fuse and Headlamp fuse nowhere else. Plus I cannot locate the ignition relay, it's not on the LHS with the other relay's and fuses. Can anybody help with the location of the relay or has anybody had a similar problem.

[grc]

You don't happen to have an HID headlamp conversion do you?  Your problem sounds similar to what many others experienced in the past when converting to HID.  If I remember correctly the issue had to do with the ballasts.

Just a thought.

Jerry

[ultrafxr]

You don't happen to have an HID headlamp conversion do you?  Your problem sounds similar to what many others experienced in the past when converting to HID.  If I remember correctly the issue had to do with the ballasts.

Just a thought.

Jerry

Also my first thought because that is exactly the problem I had with HID headlight.  I mounted a toggle switch to the low beam HID and just turned it off until I got the bike started then turned it back on.  Worked fine and even if I forgot I could toggle it off then back on to get it going.  Finally found a pre-owned LED headlight and solved the problem for good.   

Jerry

[Wopalot]

Well thanks for the info on HID lights yes mine has them. After much thought and a couple of cold beers down the pub I looked at the problem logically, what happens when we energise an HID lamp, we get an initial current rush due to the filament and the ballast, but tat should not create the problem of the light going out when the engine is cranked, yes there will be an initial voltage drop and due to this a slight rise in the current flow, enough it appears to momentarily drop out the lighting relay. That said now for the rectification of the problem.
First check the Lighting relay which only feeds the headlight. The relay is situated on the frame cross member behind the battery under the seat, a little hard to see as it sits in a rubber sleeve. I checked the relay an sure enough there was a problem with it.
1 the coil resistance was low 77ohms, this type of relay fitted by Harley has a diode across the coil for suppression purposes, that said time to try a new relay of a different type I had in my workshop a bit of connector mod and hey presto on and working as normal. To prove a point I cut out the diode on the old relay and it worked. I gave more thought to the matter and found I had some solid state relay's. The control voltage (coil) was 3 - 32vdc so good there and the handling current is 25 Amps that is plenty. I fitted one of these and again up and running, with the control voltage so wide the voltage can drop on cranking with no problems. For you information the Solid State relay is an OPTO 22 model number 240 D25   made in the USA.
Thanks again for the information and I hope my solution is of some good to you all.