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headlight low beam terminal melting plug

T

the draggin

Active Member
I got this problem. The low beam terminal of the headlight plug is heating up and melting the plastic of the terminal plug. I checked for good ground and that seems OK. Voltage is in the 12VDC rage. Has anyone encountered this before? I'm not thinking its the bulb. It checks out as far as ohms goes. Running output voltage at cruise speed is about 13.75VDC. That's in the acceptable range as well. Thanks for any help in advance.:newsmile091:
 
The terminal tension could be working it's way loose. Creating a high resistance in that terminal, which a by product of high resistance is heat.
 
Apyle is correct the socket has lost it's tension and is causing the heat. Are you using a bulb with higher output than stock?
 
On my 2001 Electra-Glide the plug for the headlight had to be replaced about four or five years after new. I blamed it on washing the bike and condensation inside the fairing. One of the low points when the bike is on its jiffy stand is the headlight plug inside the fairing. Changed out the plug using waterproof butt connectors and it never happened again. I traded the bike in at ten years.
 
Any dirt, corrosion, or anything less than a tight connection will cause heat. Replace it with a new heavy duty plug, and you should be good to go.
 
Vibration, water intrusion all add to a loose connection adding to increased resistance and more current to the plug, this will cause the melting over time
 
The only time in 30 years of riding and having a headlight plug melt is when I replaced the O.E. headlight bulb with a brighter blue bulb which was a higher wattage.
 
Weel guys thanks for all your input. The bulb is a factory spec bulb so I'm going with the plug connections losing their tension and vibrating loose and then heating up. I cleaned everything last night and tightened the metal clips inside the plug and rode today and had no issues. I'm thinking waterproof individual connectors is probably the best route since I ride no matter the weather. Again thanks.:D
 
If you use the dielectric grease as mentioned above, you should have no water problems. I would not change the terminals, but that is just my.02.
 
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