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electrical Q: tail light bulb keeps burning out

Started by ♣ McKraut ♣, June 12, 2009, 05:27:41 AM

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♣ McKraut ♣

June 12, 2009, 05:27:41 AM
i noticed my tail light was burned out a few weeks back, and went to autozone to find a close replacement (don't have the bulb part # in front of me) and after popping it in, thought i was good to go.  but a few days later i noticed my tail light was out again... brake light was still fine though.  so, thinking it was just the incorrect bulb to be using, i stopped by my ducati dealer, and picked up the OEM ducati bulb.  popped it in and again everything looked fine.  last night after dinner, i went to start up the bike and once again noticed that the tail light was non operational, but the brake light was fine.

so what gives?  what is causing my tail light filament to keep blowing like this?  someone last night suggested a bad regulator... but before i order up $110 part from ca-cycleworks, i wanted to get other opinions.  it's worth noting that all blinkers work just fine (LED), as does high and low beam headlight.  the bike does have a scorpio alarm system...but it's plugged directly into the wiring.
2001 M600 Dark  2005 S2R Dark  2001 M750  1996 900 SS/SP  2005 S4R
-  Dallas, TX

ducpainter

#1
June 12, 2009, 05:43:52 AM
Have you chopped the tail?

It sounds like a vibration issue to me.
"Once you accept that a child on the autistic spectrum experiences the world in
 a completely different way than you, you will be open to understand how that
 perspective
    is even more amazing than yours."
    To realize the value of nine  months:
    Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.
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herm

#2
June 12, 2009, 06:16:57 AM
Quote from: ducpainter on June 12, 2009, 05:43:52 AM
Have you chopped the tail?

It sounds like a vibration issue to me.

+1 on this. i have had this happen to me on several occasions, and i think it is due to the tail chop and vibration (maybe caused by bumpy roads, etc...)

my solution was to install an LED tail light.
If you drive the nicest car in the neighborhood, work in a cash business, and don't pay taxes, you're either a preacher or a drug dealer...

♣ McKraut ♣

#3
June 12, 2009, 06:19:57 AM
i have indeed chopped the tail...  i would have thought that wouldn't make any difference though, since you're not moving the light around, just chopping off a little tubing...  i don't have any ambitions to go to an LED setup, so i really hope that's not the cause...   :-\
2001 M600 Dark  2005 S2R Dark  2001 M750  1996 900 SS/SP  2005 S4R
-  Dallas, TX

ducpainter

#4
June 12, 2009, 06:31:56 AM
Quote from: ♣ McKraut ♣ on June 12, 2009, 06:19:57 AM
i have indeed chopped the tail...  i would have thought that wouldn't make any difference though, since you're not moving the light around, just chopping off a little tubing...  i don't have any ambitions to go to an LED setup, so i really hope that's not the cause...   :-\
If you are using the stock mounting then it shouldn't be an issue.

I don't think it's a regulator because the excess voltage would overcharge the battery and cook it also.

I suppose a loose connection could be causing a voltage spike, but I'd check to make sure everything is tight.
"Once you accept that a child on the autistic spectrum experiences the world in
 a completely different way than you, you will be open to understand how that
 perspective
    is even more amazing than yours."
    To realize the value of nine  months:
    Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.
"Don't piss off old people The older we get, the less 'Life in Prison' is a deterrent."


Howie

#5
June 12, 2009, 06:34:10 AM
Tail chops will shorten bulb life.  Unless you see the filament is broken, check the filament with an ohmmeter.  Another common problem is the copper tab that touches the bulb looses contact.  A 2057 may last a little longer at the expense of a slightly dimmer tail light.

Porsche Monkey

#6
June 13, 2009, 11:52:30 AM
Its caused by excessive vibration. The factory beer tray acts as a vibration damper. I had this same problem and it went away when I relocated my license plate using the tail light mounts. Or you could just get an led tail light.
Quote from: bobspapa on July 18, 2009, 04:40:31 PM
if I had a vagina...I'd never leave the house

aaronb

#7
June 13, 2009, 11:57:09 AM
the life of tail light bulbs could be measured in hours on my old enduro due to vibration, i picked up an led 'bulb' at the local autoparts store (in the 'fast and the furious' isle).  had no problems for the rest of the summer before selling the bike. 

Milwaukee, WI
'07 s2r1k, '81 honda cb400t

DucHead

#8
June 13, 2009, 02:21:53 PM
Quote from: Ducaholic on June 13, 2009, 11:52:30 AM
Its caused by excessive vibration. The factory beer tray acts as a vibration damper. I had this same problem and it went away when I relocated my license plate using the tail light mounts. Or you could just get an led tail light.

ding ding ding!
'05 S4R (>47k mi); '04 Bandit 1200 (>92k mi; sold); '02 Bandit 1200 (>11k mi); '97 Bandit 1200 (2k mi); '13 FJR1300 (1k mi); IBA #28454 "45"

caboteria

#9
June 13, 2009, 04:52:55 PM
I had this problem and it turned out that my "ghetto chop" left about 1/8" of space between the tail light lens and the bottom of the seat so the lens was free to shake.  I just bent the brackets up a bit so that the seat pushes down on the lens and it's been fine since.

corndog67

#10
June 13, 2009, 09:00:28 PM
I'm not sure if the Ducs use a standard automotive 1157, but the cure for my old Bonneville was to use a 1257, which is a heavier duty version.  They would last 3 months instead of 1. 

caperix

#11
June 14, 2009, 02:09:01 PM
The factory bulb on mine had some sort of support in the middle to help with vibrations.  When the factory one gave up I tried auto parts store long line bulbs, but could only get about a week out of them before the vibration killed them.
If you got one at the Ducati dealer it should have been the same style as the factory one & I am surprised that it did not last longer.
I am going to have to agree with every one else, LED is the way to go to avoid failure.  Clear alternatives makes a nice kit, the integrator is a good thing depending on what you did with your signals after the tail chop.

Howie

#12
June 14, 2009, 09:42:23 PM
Quote from: caperix on June 14, 2009, 02:09:01 PM
The factory bulb on mine had some sort of support in the middle to help with vibrations.  When the factory one gave up I tried auto parts store long line bulbs, but could only get about a week out of them before the vibration killed them.
If you got one at the Ducati dealer it should have been the same style as the factory one & I am surprised that it did not last longer.
I am going to have to agree with every one else, LED is the way to go to avoid failure.  Clear alternatives makes a nice kit, the integrator is a good thing depending on what you did with your signals after the tail chop.

My bike came with one of them too.  It lasted about 6 years and over 40K miles, though it was getting pretty dim from all the tungsten deposits on the glass.  Good luck finding another one.

♣ McKraut ♣

#13
July 27, 2009, 04:05:05 AM
well, i've been running the LED bulb (pictured above) for just a few days now, and so far so good...  i don't think it's as "bright" as the incandescent bulb...as in it doesn't seem to "fill" the space inside the plastic all around as good, but from directly behind it's plenty bright i think.  i went with the 1157 version... little on the expensive side (about $17 for a pair of them) but for now at least, it looks like my problem is fixed!
2001 M600 Dark  2005 S2R Dark  2001 M750  1996 900 SS/SP  2005 S4R
-  Dallas, TX
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