Comagination Headlight Modulator

[Violione]

Greetings,

I purchased the Comaginations' VisiPath headlight modulator after reading all the forums, including this one at to how easy they are to install and how well they work. However; I am experiencing failures with them. I have a 2006 FJR1300 AE (auto clutch) and I am now sending back the second unit to Comagination. The first unit failed by lighting up both bulbs low & high filaments and modulation one bulb and I had no control over the high/low function. This second unit lights only one bulb in the low setting and then light up the other bulb when switched to high AND lights the bulb that was on low with both filaments on, again only one bulb modulating.

Comagination wants to blame the bike, that there is something wrong with the wiring, but I have confirmed and video documented that the plugs are wired correctly, there is no issues with high voltage or wrong polarity on the factory plugs and that there are no voltage spikes or bleed - over in that electrical system.

What I need to find out is: Is there any members on the forum who are using the Comaginations' VisiPath headlight modulator on an 2006 or newer FJR1300-AE (auto clutch)? I ask this because when doing my research I noted that all that have installed the Comaginations' VisiPath headlight modulator were on non-AE bikes. Have I discovered an incompatibility?

And let me go further with this idea - Are there members out there who ride the AE bike with the Kissan modulator installed as well? Are/did you having/had issues with an AE bike and the Kissan?

Thanks,

Violione

 

[Flyguy]

Vio -

While I can't give you specifics on the application you're having trouble with I can tell you that the AE is wired differently from the A model. The jumper locations are different on the bus since the electronic clutch has imput into the throttle and I believe the timing also. Even the widely used Barbarian mod cannot be done as per standard instructions.

 

[bramfrank]

While I ride an 'A', the bulbs on both bikes are absolutely standard. Note that they are polarised, but are not protected against a reversed installation . . . no damage, just that one of the filaments won't light when reversed. You have to be careful about the sense of the connector.

Sounds to me like you have two problems;

1. You may have managed to plug one of the connectors in backwards to the bike's harness - the bike has both sockets wired in parallel and so does Visipath. If you plug the Visipath harness into the headlight harness with one of the two reversed you will cause a 'short' between the high and low beam filaments - and they will both be on full time in one mode and work sort-of properly for one buld in thr other - not sure how that would impact the modulator, but from your report, it sounds about right..

2. If you plug the Visipath sockets into a headlight bulb reversed you will have one beam, but not the other on that bulb.

A combination of the two sounds like what you report for the second set. The first reversal only for the first.

 

[Violione]

FlyGuy,

Thanks, I was aware that there are minor differences in wiring because of the auto clutch, however; the Barbarian Jumper mod is the same on the AE as with the A models, Ive been running the mod for almost the life of the bike (21 months) now.

Bramfrank,

Thanks but the VisiPath is almost full proof to plug in. There is a left channel and a right channel and before this last unit was install I made sure that I had the channels paired correctly, although Comagination said it really didn't matter. The bike uses a three prong female connector; the top is a green wire for the low beam +, the left plug is yellow for the high beam + and the right side of the plug is black for the - ground for either filament.

The VisiPath has a male plug which plugs into the bikes female light plug/socket. The corresponding wire colors are blue (top; low +), red (left high+) and black (right ground) in the same pattern as the factor plug on the bike. The VisiPath is not in parallel, it is a series circuit with a sync/timer circuit that syncs both bulbs together. The wires run up to the modulator circuit which is housed in an epoxy filled cup and a second set of blue (top; low +), red (left high+) and black (right ground) wires come out BUT with a female plug that is plugged into the back of the light bulb on the bike.

Now today as well as last week I checked the bikes wiring and system and everything is as it should be according to the shop manual for the 2006 AE. I saw no spikes in voltage nor anything that would burn up the VisPath. If the factory female plugs set up *** backward then the green and yellow wires would be the grounds and the black is the HOT or + wire? But that did not check true when I but the volt meter on it for my black (-) prob was in the ground wire (black) and the red prob was tested in the green and yellow wire plugs. I don't see how anything can be backward in the installation that would cause what you are saying. Unless, because the factory wiring is parallel, but the VisiPath in series; what I need is a single bulb model VisiPath with a Y splitter in parallel to drive both bulbs? That still not making sense for this is the same unit that is sold for the FZ bikes as well as many other brands of bike with two head lights. I guess I need to look at an A models wiring schematic and a AE models wiring schematic side by side to see if there is truly is a difference. This is kinda why I asking if any one on the forum has a VisiPath on an 06 + AE model bike, if so did they have an issue?

I am so stumped on this one - anyone know where I can view an A & AE models wiring schematic on line?

V.

[Edit - added] I found the wiring schematics in the Bin - O - Facts (got to love this place) for both A & AE bikes! :yahoo: The headlights are wired exactly the same and they are parallel. Which brings up the question as to why there needs to be two seperate circuts with a sync circut on the Comaginaion unit? If both bulbs are powered by the same power souce; then why not one power connection to the modulator with a parallel connection to the two bulbs, just like Yamaha did it?

I am really thinking at this point that I received two defective unites of the VisiPath modulator from Comagination LLC. I will say that their costumer service has been good, not great but good. I say good because they are insisting that my bike has the problem and I can't find a problem. Now understand that I am a FCC licensed Armature Radio Operator, General Class so I know a little about circuits and electricity, ...ya think?

 

[Nikk]

OK, here is a another experience on a 2006, mine is standard shift.

After installing the Comagination D115H4 on my 2006 Yamaha FJR1300 I get the following behavior:

Dashboard high beam indicator light (blue) stays on regardless of low/high beam control switch.

Headlights modulate, regardless of light switch position.

Modulator does respond to darkness, lights stop modulating.

 

[Violione]

July 31 UPDATE:

Well after 4 unites sent the 4th unit is working like a charm. I went to NAFO and back and the modulator still works. It appears that most users do not experience any problems with the VisiPath; however; it appears that there are some of us out there that have had problems with bad unites sent to us. My advice it to not give up, keep calling Comagination until you get one that works. Apparently they know that there are "bad apples" in their stock. Besides, looking at what parts are actually in them, they have about $3.50 worth of wire, plugs and CMOS chip involved and another$5.00 labor to assemble them (assuming it is assembled in the USA, if not then $0.75 in China). So at $89.00 USD, they are making a killing and can afford to send you replacements until you get one that works. I really do not believe the claim that "each unit is checked twice before leaving the factory" other wise I would not have received 3 bad unites, dang! :angry: