Author Topic: HELP! Full battery but NO lights, starter, nothing  (Read 10009 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Vince

  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,693
  • Karma: 0
Reply #15 on: January 19, 2011, 06:18:57 pm
     I have to agree with Greg. A store I worked at in the '70's carried Triumph and Norton. 99% of the electrical problems. were customer induced. Everyone "knew" that Lucas wiring was trash, so everyone and their buddy "fixed" it. No one could understand the concept of positive ground. "Those Limeys are DUMB, man." The finned Zener Diode in the breeze under the head light was "ugly", so it was often removed or put under a side cover. It regulated voltage by dissipating excess voltage as heat. The wiring was fixed with house and/or speaker wire. Connections were twisted together with house wire nuts, or taped. Left stock, with clean tight connections, the Lucas system was pretty good. Not as good as modern Japanese stuff, but good enough.
     Even on modern Enfields, most of the electrical issues I get are a maintenance issue. As part of my PDI I tighten and clean connections. When I modify something I use proper gauge and type wiring with quality connectors or solder.
     Taken a step farther, most of the electrical issues on the Japanese bikes I get through here suffer from the same customer induced "fixes". I don't know how some of these bikes avoid lighting on fire.


prof_stack

  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,115
  • Karma: 0
  • Ride carefully - You are invisible.
Reply #16 on: January 19, 2011, 07:25:43 pm
OP here.  The problem with my C5 was not owner induced.  The wire bundle under the headlamp box needed a firm "wiggling" to get the power to come back on. 

Two things come to mind about this situation:
1 - Recent rains in Seattle made my garage pretty damp.  Moisture maybe?  It was 2 weeks since the previous ride.
2 - The shop put the 7-inch headlamp in place and commented that it shorted out when they first installed it.  Apparently there is not much room for the wiring.  Being the first customer at Ducati/Royal Enfield Seattle makes my Bullet their "test mule" as they learn more about it first hand. 
A Royal Enfield owner's cup is always half full.


Ducati Scotty

  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 7,038
  • Karma: 0
  • 2010 Teal C5
Reply #17 on: January 19, 2011, 07:59:55 pm
I've heard elsewhere that the clearance is tight with the 7" headlamp.  Don't worry about being the test mule, you get perks for that as well.  Vespa PDX treats me very well. :)

Scott


ScooterBob

  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 2,559
  • Karma: 0
  • Yeah - I get it ....
Reply #18 on: January 20, 2011, 11:34:41 am
Vince - I had forgotten about the moved Zener diode with the five feet of double extension cord wiring -  carefully twisted and scotch taped together ... Hahaha!! Unreal .... And GHG - and I quote "Paw-see-teef ground?? Why hail - the leck-trissidy will go BACKWERDS in that sumbitch ...."

Yeah - I loved English stuff (still do) because they are made to be repaired easily - by someone with a few kidneys between their ears .....  ::)
Spare the pig iron - spoil the part!


r80rt

  • C5 Pilot
  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 2,986
  • Karma: 0
  • R.I.P Papa Juan, Uncle Ernie
Reply #19 on: January 20, 2011, 01:56:52 pm
Zenier diodes? thanks for that horrible memory :P  I found The lucas stuff was pretty good, the connections were the weak link to me.
« Last Edit: January 20, 2011, 02:02:40 pm by r80rt »
On the eighth day God created the C5, and it was better looking than anything on the planet.
Iron Butt Association


gashousegorilla

  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 4,485
  • Karma: 0
Reply #20 on: January 20, 2011, 03:47:35 pm
l .... And GHG - and I quote "Paw-see-teef ground?? Why hail - the leck-trissidy will go BACKWERDS in that sumbitch ...."

Zenier diodes? thanks for that horrible memory :P  I found The lucas stuff was pretty good, the connections were the weak link to me.
You were there Scooterbob, when I saw my first triumph? Probably peek'in in the garage window and snicker'in  :D
 r80rt, thank the almighty for that Tympanium gyzmo ;)
And to be honest, the vintage Honda charging system and connectors were no better. I think because it was a negative ground system, and guys in the states were familiar with the system, that it did not get a bad rap. Bad grounds are a common problem with the the old CB's and etc.
An thaibhsí atá rattling ag an doras agus tá sé an diabhal sa chathaoir.


Ducati Scotty

  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 7,038
  • Karma: 0
  • 2010 Teal C5
Reply #21 on: January 20, 2011, 04:01:29 pm
IIRC, the Honda v45 had a dodgy voltage regulator and bad oil supply to the rear camshaft which was sloppy anyway because the journals weren't milled on the engine.  Even Honda had a few lemons.

Scott


ScooterBob

  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 2,559
  • Karma: 0
  • Yeah - I get it ....
Reply #22 on: January 20, 2011, 08:18:27 pm
Zenier diodes? thanks for that horrible memory :P  I found The lucas stuff was pretty good, the connections were the weak link to me.

Usually the smoke would escape from the green connectors ....... green doesn't seem to be able to retain smoke as well as shiny brass or gold .....  ::)
Spare the pig iron - spoil the part!


prof_stack

  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,115
  • Karma: 0
  • Ride carefully - You are invisible.
Reply #23 on: January 22, 2011, 09:41:52 pm
Conclusion to this thread:

I picked up the C5 this morning.  The wiring was checked for connections and all things were then snapped tight. 

Also, the front brake caliper was lubed and massaged to keep it from sticking open and continually braking. 

A 20 mile ride confirmed all is well.  Now, after lunch and warming up, another ride is in order!
A Royal Enfield owner's cup is always half full.


enfield freddy

  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 695
  • Karma: 0
  • old man riding an old bike
Reply #24 on: January 22, 2011, 11:04:51 pm
Vince - I had forgotten about the moved Zener diode with the five feet of double extension cord wiring -  carefully twisted and scotch taped together ... Hahaha!! Unreal .... And GHG - and I quote "Paw-see-teef ground?? Why hail - the leck-trissidy will go BACKWERDS in that sumbitch ...."

Yeah - I loved English stuff (still do) because they are made to be repaired easily - by someone with a few kidneys between their ears .....  ::)

scooterbob , just for you , http://www3.telus.net/bc_triumph_registry/smoke.htm


i need 2 ???
arthritis hurts at my age!


GreenMachine

  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 3,155
  • Karma: 0
Reply #25 on: January 22, 2011, 11:05:50 pm
what was their final conclusion??  NTF...Glad to c they lubed your front brake cable..
Oh Magoo you done it again


prof_stack

  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,115
  • Karma: 0
  • Ride carefully - You are invisible.
Reply #26 on: January 23, 2011, 01:28:29 am
what was their final conclusion??  NTF...Glad to c they lubed your front brake cable..
It was the CALIPER that they lubed.  The cable is fine.

100 miles for the day.  My old m/c mittens got me an extra 50 miles compared to my thick gloves. 

Bike is running sweet.  So nice to be out again.

Photo shows the Duwamish river with LOTS of water due to our rains lately.
A Royal Enfield owner's cup is always half full.


ScooterBob

  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 2,559
  • Karma: 0
  • Yeah - I get it ....
Reply #27 on: January 23, 2011, 05:11:36 pm
scooterbob , just for you , http://www3.telus.net/bc_triumph_registry/smoke.htm


i need 2 ???

Hahaha! I posted the same link in another thread ..... Who ever thought that up is a TRUE believer in the British Way of vehicle maintenance.  ;) I learned through the years of repairing British stuff (and I quote the ScooterBob Theorem of English Vehicle Repair)

"That on the English vehicle, each part is composed of yet three smaller parts - two of which will be available at your local hardware store and the third will never have been worn out."  ;D Proof of this is my old trusty Triumph bike - it has probably 200K miles on it and LOTS of regular maintenance ... and it's still going. Gotta love that.
Spare the pig iron - spoil the part!


singhg5

  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 2,785
  • Karma: 0
Reply #28 on: January 25, 2011, 12:19:05 am
I picked up the C5 this morning.  The wiring was checked for connections and all things were then snapped tight. 

A 20 mile ride confirmed all is well. 

@Prof:

Glad to hear that your bike is back and running well.

What was the cause of power failure ?  Where was the loose connection ?  Did it cure itself because it has magical powers  :D?
1970's Jawa /  Yezdi
2006 Honda Nighthawk
2009 Royal Enfield Black G5


prof_stack

  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 1,115
  • Karma: 0
  • Ride carefully - You are invisible.
Reply #29 on: January 25, 2011, 12:51:52 am
@Prof:

Glad to hear that your bike is back and running well.

What was the cause of power failure ?  Where was the loose connection ?  Did it cure itself because it has magical powers  :D?

I guess when I tugged on the wiring harness that the loose connection magically got tight again.  The shop went through it and made sure all was correct. 

I carry my cellphone with me on all rides, just in case.   ;)
A Royal Enfield owner's cup is always half full.