200s,,is the tail light needed for CDI health?

[rustyhondas]

I've read some things about how the resistance of the
bulbs regulate the voltage.

But this is just lighting coil /lighting system voltage rite?

I'm thinking all that happens with out a tail light is the headlight is
A little brighter.Is this correct?

I love 3 wheelers and this site.
Thanks everyone

[ps2fixer]

I'm about 99% sure you are correct, it wouldn't be a reliable design to make the CDI require regulated voltage, then make the regulator the light bulbs. Generally there is a dedicated coil for the CDI circuit of what I have seen.

Had to look at the service manual to be 100%, Black/red wire is dedicated to the CDI power supply from the alternator with a dedicated coil.

https://gyazo.com/e4dba640876aec042b9d9f33657027d7

[Hopper055]

I have two 185s one has no working headlight or taillight and and I have never had any problems with the CDI. And never thought it would be a problem afterall when they are off it wont hurt anything. On my other 185s I dont have a taillight and within a few laps arround my yard after buying it I had burned out the headlight. I read that Howdy use to sell what I believe was a moose voltage regulator to fix this problem and I planned to pick one up. Maybe he will post in your thread to give you some advice.

[ps2fixer]

I have two 185s one has no working headlight or taillight and and I have never had any problems with the CDI. And never thought it would be a problem afterall when they are off it wont hurt anything. On my other 185s I dont have a taillight and within a few laps arround my yard after buying it I had burned out the headlight. I read that Howdy use to sell what I believe was a moose voltage regulator to fix this problem and I planned to pick one up. Maybe he will post in your thread to give you some advice.

I suspect if the headlight bulb was from the 80s, it would be rather dim and high resistance, which would draw less power causing the voltage to get too high at high revs and burn out. I could be wrong, just my viewpoint on what likely happened in your case. Pretty sure new bulbs can be source from Honda yet for these machines too, never hurts to have nice new bight lights =). I do agree that the tail light and headlight should both have bulbs though, unless like you said, there is a regulator to sink the extra voltage to ground.

[Flyingw]

The ignition and lighting circuits are independent of each other. One does not effect the other. The trikes without a voltage regulator use the harness wiring and bulb filaments to regulate voltage.