[2bikebill]

2010 G5 -
I installed the tacho today, wired up correctly, self test functions ok, but the neutral light now doesn't light up and the starter wont turn. If I take the bulb out of the speedo and hold the metal side of the bulb holder against something metal, it grounds and lights up, and the bike will start - as long as I hold the bulb so that it grounds! With the light installed in the speedo, it fails to light, and the engine wont start. When I turn off the ignition, and only if the kill switch is ON, the neutral light flashes briefly and there is a click from under the seat. I've checked everything in the casquette - I guess something somewhere has been dislodged, but I can't find anything amiss, all the connectors are good, & no blown fuses. I even disconnected all the tacho wires and put everything back as it was, but same problem persists.
Any thoughts? I'm baffled by electrics, and I don't have any testing gear. Have I missed something obvious?
Thanks in hope & anticipation.....
Will

[Ekatus Atimoss]

Hi Will,
still not working with the Tacho detached? Looks like if something in the short harness has gone wrong. Have you checked the plug? Are you using the WAGO? Try to temporarily replace them with lustre terminals. How about insulating tape?

kind regards
Michael

[2bikebill]

Hi Michael,
I tried re-connecting all the wires directly - I'm sure it's not the WAGOs. All the other panel lights work as they should. It seems to be something to do with the grounding of the neutral light. But it does flicker briefly as described previously, which makes me think something more complicated is stopping the current. I can force it to light, as I described, and then everything works as long as I hold the bulb holder to ground. Puzzling...

[gashousegorilla]

   Will, is your bike in neutral ?  If not make sure it is.

[2bikebill]

Yes definitely in neutral. Don't forget - the bike will start as long as I hold the neutral bulb holder against ground.

[gashousegorilla]

 I know.... make sure the gear selector is in neutral and the bike will roll. It may not be, and you may be bye passing the neutral switch .... without looking at schematic....by grounding out the bulb housing. Your gears may be in a wonky position and it's not hitting the neutral switch correctly. 

[gashousegorilla]

 D 'OH !  Sorry Will, thinking about it here. Does that bulb only have one wire running to it ?

[2bikebill]

GHG - Bless you my good fellow.
If ever we meet, as much beer as you can drink, on me 

My unerring capacity for overlooking the blindingly obvious never ceases to amaze......

[2bikebill]

Two wires.
You were bang on.

[gashousegorilla]

  LOL !... Yeah, sometimes my brains get in the way as well, and on rare occasions they kick in ! And i'll hold you to that Pint.... as long as it's that good home made cellar brew

[2bikebill]

Definitely. And no need to stop at a pint...

Great little tacho - and credit to Michael for
a) turning me on to it in the first place
b) providing step by step wiring instructions and two brilliant installation vids on Youtube.

[Ekatus Atimoss]

In this forum I've learned: it did not happen without a photo evidence 

Soooo....it's working now?

kind regards
Michael

[2bikebill]

Fully working. And as a bonus, the mess inside the casquette has been inspected and tidied to within an inch of its life! There'll be no trouble from in there for a while methinks... 

[Arizoni]

You never should say things like,
"There'll be no trouble from in there for a while methinks"

Next time you try to start it you better take a good fire extinguisher with you just to be on the safe side.

[2bikebill]

  You're right - will I never learn..? 
In my car tinkering days I never quite got to grips with the strange shift in the laws of probability whenever mechanical trouble came along. There is a much higher likelihood of strange coincidence at these times, something else going out of whack to confound and mislead you over the first thing - a condenser fails while investigating a dodgy sparkplug, a fuel gauge stuck on quarter full leads to the fuel running out and a stuck SU fuel pump failing to whirr in that tell-tale way (an all day adventure on the way to work which cost me my job), a never before false neutral on a freely moving parked RE, which wont start after messing with the electrics.......
There are mischievous gods, alerted by the clatter of spanners and the whiff of anxiety, always ready for a bit of sport...... 
well that's my excuse...