I disconnected the high beam on my '07 D Tracker to use high beam as the headlight off switch, because the bike had no Off switch.

Now and then-even before I did that my battery wasn't up to starting the bike. So I stopped the local battery shop here in the Philippines..

He said he gets bikes in with owner complaining of battery troubles who have added a ON/OFF switch to their bikes (usually scooters/underbones) 'headlight always on' system which causes their battery to overcharge by doing something to the rectifier..

What about on these KLXs? I do ride with low beam on 99% of the time, but will often start it up and let it idle with the headlight switch set to HI (off)

 

The bike has a shunt type regulator. It essentially shunts any current to ground that is not being used by the bike. This shunting to ground of the current causes heat in the regulator.

So, the fewer electrical items that are in use (like a disconnected headlight), the more current is shunted to ground through the regulator. Thus, more heat has to be dissipated by the regulator. Sometimes that can be too much for the regulator to handle and it burns out.

Ron

 

Yeah, makes sense. However, I've had a headlight off switch on my '06 KLX just about forever. I do that for off roading where I'm stopping and starting the bike quite a bit to do sightseeing. I've never had a problem as a result, so maybe the heat dissipation is well within the regulator's capacity. I end up pretty much leaving the headlight off all the time...both beams. In Texas we don't have to run with the headlight on...and besides, I don't do that much commuting...day or night.

That said, I doubt Richard's issue as described here has anything to do with his switch.

 

Good feedback.

The battery's been doing okay lately, so maybe the Off switch is a non issue. I've been reading thru the old battery thread here and see the Shorai and RC battery packs yield good results.

The bike is 6 yrs old, but this gel battery that is in this Thailand assembled bike may/may not be that old. Still, sooner or later I may have to opt for a new one.

 

So... is the "headlight off switch" officially a non-issue? I live in an area where a headlight on in the daytime can provoke the police into a stop. I'm looking at getting this as a kill switch for daytime riding but don't want to make problems elsewhere electrically.

 

After disabling my hi beam immediately after starting this thread there's been adverse effects-but I turn the headlight now and then for my own safety

 

There has or had not been adverse action by installing an on of switch for the headlight?

 

No adverse effects that I know of is what I meant to say.

 

Thanks for the clarification.