Author Topic: electrical trouble  (Read 8496 times)

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jonapplegate

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Reply #15 on: February 20, 2008, 05:00:08 pm
I know this isn't really helping at all but somewhere in last years catalog it says something about thoroughly checking ALL the ground (earth?) connections as these are notoriously weak connections. I haven,t had any issues on mine yet but I have seen it be the solution to many mysterious starting and drained battery issues on older cars. the ground connection gets corroded, loose, grimy, whatever, and suddenly out come the gremlins.  Too much money later someone finds that a simple check and cleaning up of that connection(s) was all it would have taken.   


LotusSevenMan

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Reply #16 on: February 20, 2008, 06:13:50 pm
I agree Jon as I had an 'interesting' fault of either no tail light or no headlight (and got pulled by the police because of it!) where it was just the earth point of the rear light attachment bolt/earth ring terminal where it fits onto the mudguard creating the grief.
If it ain't broke-------------------------- fix it 'till it is!

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geoffbaker

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Reply #17 on: February 25, 2008, 03:28:15 pm
I had a phantom electrical problem on a car once that turned out to be a cracked wire rubbing on a metal edge under the dash... it would simply ground out at times, causing a surprising range of electrical issues including radio failure, doorlock failure, starter motor failure... it took two years to find, as every time I would take it to a dealer or an electrical shop, they would find nothing wrong.

The good thing in your case, with RE electrics is they are so simple in comparison.
Check your wiring wherever it might rub... up in the headlamp casque on the front fork seems a likely candidate; but also where the wires enter the rear mudguard, or go into the toolbox, or exiting the primary from the alternator.

 


cowboysculptor

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Reply #18 on: March 16, 2008, 05:43:27 pm
Found it!

Sure enough, the connection of that little black wire behind the battery was the culprit. Thanks to everyone who mentioned this.

That little sucker was hidden really well back there! I couldn't find it when I had troubles before, but after a while the trouble would go away so I forgot about it. I was left stranded last night (in the middle of Chicago, hardly "stranded", really) so today I started feeling around back in there. Between grasping around with my pinky finger and looking at the reflection of wires on the chrome air box, I found it and pushed the connection together. She started right up, like she's been waiting for me to get my act together.

Thanks again everyone.

Peter
2007 Royal Enfield Bullet Deluxe
1978 cb750f


LotusSevenMan

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Reply #19 on: March 16, 2008, 10:36:35 pm
Glad you found it!
Replace that bl%dy connector with an in-line crimp and it'll be fine from here on in and one thing less to worry about!!!  ;D
If it ain't broke-------------------------- fix it 'till it is!

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Honda VTR FireStorm (SuperHawk) 996cc 'V' twin
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geoffbaker

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Reply #20 on: March 19, 2008, 05:21:07 pm
I did some wiring work in the past few days (wiring in a cylinder temp gauge) and I was surprised to find that my splices were not conducting properly. A direct connection (wire to wire) was fine, but the butt splice thingies were just not conducting properly. Either they didn't cut through the wire properly (most likely) or the metal was of such poor quality as to not conduct as well as it should... either way, I ended up getting out the magic soldering gun and fixing it that way. Nothing works quite as well or lasts quite as long as a real soldered connection!


Ofcalipka

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Reply #21 on: March 21, 2008, 04:41:19 am
There are several of those connections just below the coil between the battery and the air filter.  On my Military 500 I ended up replacing them all with a higher quality connectors that I picked up from the local Auto Parts store.  I got tired of having to keep plugging the factory ones back together.  No matter what I did they seemed to come loose.  Anyways once they were replaced I've gone over 2000 miles with no more problems.
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