My choice of words may be misunderstood. My point being that he should find the cause of the meltdown rather than just replacing the housing and moving on. If it was simply an oversized bulb then replacing the housing and the correct bulb will be the proper repair, but that needs to be determined first. In that case however, the melted socket is still a "symptom" of running too hot a bulb in that housing, rather than the cause.
-Kyle On Sat, Mar 21, 2009 at 8:55 PM, Gene Henry <[email protected]> wrote: > No, not *everyone* agrees that the melted socket is a symptom and not the > problem. The socket is metal-probably brass-and cannot melt. It is the > plastic parts around it somewhere that are melted. And that is due to > heat. Although that could be a wrong/oversize/overcurrent bulb, it is more > likely to be a bad connection between the socket and the bulb that created a > high resistance and heat producing point. It could be limited to the bulb, > which would be eliminated when the bulb was replaced, but I would carefully > check the socket for a bad contact, and replace it if at all in doubt. > Automotive supply stores have sockets that would probably work, at least > temporarily. Be sure there is a grounding method/wire on any improvised > socket. A short/grounding in the wiring would cause heating at the point of > the short/grounding, and not at the socket. Heating in the socket/bulb is > caused by the socket/bulb. > > Trust me. The check is in the mail. I will respect and call you tomorrow. > > Gene > > F.Y.I. (None of these definitions are the same nor interchangeable.) > Short: A "shortened" electrical path that allows > excess/unintended/undesired current to flow. Sometimes accompanied by > heat/fireworks/excitement etc. > Ground: A path that allows current to flow to the ground or common side of > a circuit. Sometimes deliberate and planned. Sometimes > unintended/undesired. See "short". As in short to ground. > Open: For electrical current to do its job, it needs an outgoing path from > the power source and a return to the same source. Along the way it will > encounter control devices, switches, etc. and pass through the intended use > of the power, a light, a motor, the coil of a relay, etc. An open is any > break in this circuit that prevents the current flow. > > ----- Original Message ----- > > *From:* Kyle Munz <[email protected]> > *To:* [email protected] > *Sent:* Saturday, March 21, 2009 6:42 PM > *Subject:* [Nighthawk Lovers] Re: Tail light melted > > If the point is just to get the bike inspected as quickly as possible so > you can register it and then troubleshoot the light later, why not try > taking it to another shop? As long as it still lights up, medium while the > bike is running and full bright when you apply either brake, it should pass. > I'm sure there's a shop somewhere near you that is too busy to look too > closely at the bike and just wants to see it shine and that's it. I'm not > suggesting that you don't fix it eventually though, everyone on this list is > right in saying that the melted socket is the symptom, not the problem. > > -Kyle > > > On Sat, Mar 21, 2009 at 7:21 PM, Javier Garcia <[email protected]>wrote: > >> >> Hi Dick... well the light does work, however I haven't check the socket. >> The guys that did the inspection told me about it. Unfortunately I don't >> have any tools with me, or a nice place to work on the bike... I'll try to >> buy at least some screwdrivers to check the tail light for myself. >> Nevertheless I haven't found a replacement yet. Do you know where can I look >> for it? >> Thanks >> Javier >> >> >> On Sat, Mar 21, 2009 at 2:32 PM, Dick MacInnes <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Javier >>> >>> Does the bulb work, and does it look like it was in there when the socket >>> overheated? If so, it could be an earlier bulb shorted and overheated the >>> socket, then the previous owner just replaced the bulb. >>> >>> Dick >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
