Lighting done backwards?

I am working on my 1980 KZ650. The prior owner put some new front lights in. I did some basic testing and determined that the outside of the housing is electrified and the wire running into the housing is the ground. So potentially I could shock myself by touching the light housing and the bike at the same time if the blinker is on. Does this sound right? It just seems backwards to me.

I am also having an issue with the turn signal indicators being illuminated at all times except when the signal is on. I am guessing its a related problem. Any electrical experts in here?

neil1492 wrote:

I am working on my 1980 KZ650. The prior owner put some new front lights in. I did some basic testing and determined that the outside of the housing is electrified and the wire running into the housing is the ground.

Wouldn't that make the light shine into the headlamp instead of out?:laugh:

That needs to be fixed.

neil1492 wrote:

So potentially I could shock myself by touching the light housing and the bike at the same time if the blinker is on. Does this sound right?

You can't get a shock from 12V, in fact you need more than 60V. But I still would be afraid of that blowing fuses with such a screwball wiring setup if two parts accidentally touched.

neil1492 wrote:

I am also having an issue with the turn signal indicators being illuminated at all times except when the signal is on. I am guessing its a related problem. Any electrical experts in here?

The blink indicators on the dash are supposed to be wired directly in parallel with the turn signal lamp filament. So, if the TS lamp blinks on, the indicator will too.

Whoa... I guess it's possible but seems highly unlikely due to the following...

Frame, handlebars, trees thus forks etc... all grounded, would most likely blow a fuse if the shell itself is truly energized/carrying current... but since you did indeed mention PO had this all dicked up, I guess anything is possible...

Rubber/plastic mounting HL hardware?...:S

DVM set on 20Vdc range...
With HD turned on, measure for the following...

Black probe to battery (-)
Red probe to HL shell...
Measure +12Vdc, yup, it'd be energized (carrying current) somehow.... Possibly loose connection inside the shell...

@ 2.9amps, be careful...

The lights are on rubber bushings. So in theory the rubber is actually making this possible on my bike.

Actually how I found this out, I was testing to see if there was any resistance (ohms) from the light housing to the engine block (ground) and there wasn't. But when I checked to see if there was voltage from the light housing to the engine block it showed up at 9 volts. Thats how I knew something was wrong. I haven't done any bike electrical work up until today, but I have done some work on cars. I just wasn't sure if bikes were wired different or something.

I have been riding this for a couple of weeks actually without any real problems. I will make it my rainy day project to fix the wiring.

Here's link to downloadable wiring diagram:

Click > kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_docman&...d&gid=103&Itemid=108

Good Fortune!

Can't say for your setup obviously but isn't your shell grounded... This is not one to ride in the rain... :blink:

Whoa, I guess this goes into the WTF PO folder.... :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: