testing lighting coil
 

my 2000 300ec headlight is very dim has been since i bought the bike few months ago, how can i test it to see if the lighting coil on it has gone, the bike starts & runs fine

i fitted a new voltage regulator but still very dim

The lighting coil is a series of windings. The number of windings depends on which type you have. The wires for lighting are usually yellow or white. Takes the side cover off and look for damage. Make sure the windings are dry with no corrosion. You should be able to get a resistance measurement across the windings. I don't know about your year bike, but it would be something like .7 ohms white to ground or .6 ohms yellow to ground (wires disconnected from the regulator). No reading means an open circuit, but that is unlikely since you are getting some power to the headlight.

A dim headlight is usually the result of broken strands inside the wires to the headlight. This is from all the flexing as the bars turn back and forth. I would run a jumper wire from your regulator directly to the bulb thus bypassing all wires and switches. Do the same thing for the ground wire too. This is the first step before looking at the stator.

ok thanks i'll have a go at jumping the cables, i did test the voltage at the headlight & had 5 volts on both positive wires

as a reference... my 01 300 with the 2k2 has a very dim headlamp.. it is barely enough to ride with.. so is my buds 02..
been that way since new.

bit stupid GasGas selling bikes with lights that hardly work.... but saying that KTM sells bikes that hardly work aswel so must be right lol

If you have the smaller lighting coil which only puts out 35watts? You could try a low watt halogen bulb like from a Suzuki rmx. Not sure if this would fit the headlight socket but I used one of these before. It's a 25 or 30 watt halogen. Gives more light than the incadecent bulb and only cost like $12. I would run these in my kdx's as they had the 35w coils too.

Dim lights on the older bikes were often caused by bad regulators. Disconnect the regulator and try it, but replace with a Moose, Trailtech, or later OEM part to avoid blowing headlight bulbs.

sorry to dig this back up but finaly got round to doing it :eek:
the bike is a 2000 300EC

when testing the stator for ohms reading with a multimeter which ohms does it need to be set? 200 or 2k ?

if its set on 200 i get:
white 00.9
yellow 00.8

if its on 2K i get nothing on both

here's a pic of the stator as im not sure which one it is i think its a 2k-3 ignition exit the engine cases at the 2 o'clock position.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u...90877059_o.jpg