Headlight Mod-need help

[0leman]

I have a '99 I/S, acquired in 2008,  It has 132K miles on the clock.  It has a headlight Modulator installed before got her. 

It has been working great, no problems until a couple weeks ago.  started Noticing a clicking noise when had the radio on listening thru helmet earphones.    Especially when I was going over 3k rpms.   Then last week problems really started happening.   when changing from High beams (it is setup to flash on High beam) to low I would see changes to the screen where the time/radio shows up.  Also noted that the trip meter had reset.  I covered up the sensor for the Mod.  No problems. 

I figured the Modulator was having issues.  So today tried to find it.  Assuming that it was somewhere in the fairing.  Well couldn't find it.  Did figure out the Modulator system had a different set of plugs going into the headlights.  Or at nab least looking at the picture in the online manual.    Just couldn't find the Modulator itself.  I traced the wires to where they went into the main wire bundle.  Even pull the right side panel off to see if it was in there.   I disconnected the sensor from the headlights so can at least go for ride. 

So where should I look for the Modulator itself?

[luftkoph]

The modulators I’ve seen have a daylight/ night  sensor usually a black wire with a little nub on the end, usually mounted on the handlebar or someplace where it can sense light, follow that to the modulator, its a rectangular box about a 1/4 size of a pack of cigs.

Oops my bad its a brake modulator that is a rectangular box, the headlight modulator was a blue plastic thing a bit bigger than a bottle cap, sorry it’s been 10 years or so since I had one of them

[Madmike]

the one I have on my standard inserts between the stock bulb and the harness right in the headlight bucket

[Jims99]

I removed one from an interstate I purchased that wasn’t working. It was taped to the back of the fairing, about an inch square with lots of wires. Sensor was mounted to the side of the headlights facing the front.  They may have tucked in up in there to keep it dry.

[0leman]

After I wrote the post,  went on line to see what was out there on the market.  all of the Mod's had some sort of rectangular box that was associated with the wires that plugged into the headlights.   Since I spent a bit of time looking (well feeling ) for the box, I am thinking maybe Mike hit the nail on the head.  The Mod unit is on the left headlight plug.   

I had mounted the sensor on the gauge side of the fairing.    I did  cut this wire which went to the left headlight plug.   There is also a small wire running  to the right headlight.  If I remove that wire, the right high beam won't work.

So, right now I am pretty sure the Mod is the plug as it seems different from looking at the picture of the plug(s) in the manual. 

Thanks for the help.

[gordonv]

The head light modulator plugs between the main wire harness and the head light. Being an IS version, there might be 2, one for each light.

I tested out a Y connector from one modulator box to both head lights for a guy about 10 yrs ago. No problem. But his ran the low to higher beam light.

Sorry, but I forget how my current modulator is. But I'm fairly sure it only has one box.

All of them have a photo cell to see the lighting.

You should be able to just unplug from the bulbs and follow the wires towards the main harness, to find the end.

[0leman]

The head light modulator plugs between the main wire harness and the head light. Being an IS version, there might be 2, one for each light.

I tested out a Y connector from one modulator box to both head lights for a guy about 10 yrs ago. No problem. But his ran the low to higher beam light.

Sorry, but I forget how my current modulator is. But I'm fairly sure it only has one box.

All of them have a photo cell to see the lighting.

You should be able to just unplug from the bulbs and follow the wires towards the main harness, to find the end.

Gordon,  I did pull the speaker panels off again after asking the questions on the Headlight Mod.  while I couldn't see if the wires connected to a box or not,  I did feel them from the light connector to where they went into the wire harness.  I came to the conclusion that the Mod was the socket.   No box.  This Mod was put in prior to 2008 when I acquired the Valk.  As I said above there is a wire running from the left headlight plug to the right one.   If one unplugs that wire the right high beam does not work.   thanks for the comments.

[gordonv]

As I said above there is a wire running from the left headlight plug to the right one.   If one unplugs that wire the right high beam does not work.   thanks for the comments.

The original dual headlight mods required a box for each light bulb. They must be in sync, so that wire between the 2 boxes keeps them in unison.

Most likely then all you need to do is replace with a newer unit, or remove and replace the OEM wire harness.