Wire shorting?

[bradleymaynar]

I've been doing a search of bad regulators and it seems when they go bad they overcharge the battery? Is this correct? I've been having an issue where the bike has been losing all power lately. Last Friday it nearly died on the way home from work and when I pulled into the drive everything went out.

All the fuses were good and I just recently checked and cleaned the fuse box, front and rear. I've cleaned most of the connections, plan to go out and finish that tonight. I recently had to replace the headlight bulb when the low beam went out. First time I've ever replaced it since buying it years ago. After doing that the battery light started to come on and off. Hasn't done that since. And the other issue is that while I'm riding is that lights dim and brighten. It's been doing that for a quite some time, but since the headlight change it's gotten much worse. Which brings me to the thread title. Do I have a wire shorting somewhere in the bucket causing these blackouts and dimming lights? Any help is greatly appreciated. Plan to pick up a multi meter tomorrow from Harbor Freight.

Brad bk

 

[JEEPRUSTY]

Did you go with a higher wattage headlamp bulb?
It would seem that your regulator is marginal.
Did you test all teh components?

 

[bradleymaynar]

I would have to assume it is a larger wattage bulb (Sylvania Silverstar) since the bike had just over 8K on the clock when I got it and the old was likely original. That was something that crossed my mind.

As for testing, not yet. Need to get the multi meter first.

Brad bk

 

[tom203]

Time for those tests to find the weak spot! A R/R could fail and not charge at all or could overcharge and cook lots of stuff! Lights dimming and brightening is a message- get that multimeter!

 

[Bill Alexander]

What you are decribing certainly sounds like at least one bad connection somewhere. If you've got a short it is either intermitent or through some sort of component. If it were a "dead short" you'd have either a blown fuse or some burned out wiring by now.

I would begin my search on the main power feed circuit (that is the main wire to the ignition switch - probably red and the wire from the switch - probably orange). My bike is a bit older than yours so the colours might have changed (I doubt it though) On mine (both original and donor bike) I found that the block plug from the ignition switch, which is inside the headlight shell, was too light and had burned out. That would be my first stop on the hunt.

 

[bradleymaynar]

Thanks guys! I'm thinking that eliminating the loop that I keep reading about and seeing what that does. And have a nice new multi meter for the help. I'm thinking there may be an issue with the fuse box, d*mn the look of it after cleaning.

Oh, and whether this helps or not, I've never had an issue with the battery dying on me. Started the bike with zero issues after it sat for nearly a weak. It seems the new issue, power cutting out, came after installing the new battery. The old issue, lights dimming, has only worsened since the bulb change. Leads me to believe I could have a worn wire in the bucket. Which would make sense since that is a pivot point on the harness against the frame and steering stem.

Brad bk

 

[Bill Alexander]

Thanks guys! I'm thinking that eliminating the loop that I keep reading about and seeing what that does. And have a nice new multi meter for the help. I'm thinking there may be an issue with the fuse box, d*mn the look of it after cleaning.

Oh, and whether this helps or not, I've never had an issue with the battery dying on me. Started the bike with zero issues after it sat for nearly a weak. It seems the new issue, power cutting out, came after installing the new battery. The old issue, lights dimming, has only worsened since the bulb change. Leads me to believe I could have a worn wire in the bucket. Which would make sense since that is a pivot point on the harness against the frame and steering stem.

Brad bk

This I why I would look at that ignition switch block plug in the headlight. My problem started when I noticed the plug was a little charred on the orange wire connection, I gave it a bit of a wriggle and noticed that where the orange wire exited it was brittle and frayed. Also turned out that the terminal inside was quite erroded and almost gone - in certain positions it wouldn't make a connection. I think it would be quite possible that when replacing the bulb this plug was repositioned in such away as to have a weak connection. The red and the orange wires feed the entire power for the running of the bike (excepting the actual starter) so they carry the maximum current. The headlight will be the biggest single load on the circuit too so it stands to reason that any interuption will be noticed in the headlight.

 

[bradleymaynar]

Well it could be a combo of that and the reg. check the pic.

Could be a problem here. Melted connector shielding. And they're all coming of the regulator.

Brad bk

 

[Bill Alexander]

Yep, that certainly needs attention.

 

[bradleymaynar]

Started the bike up with the multi meter on the battery terminals and the voltage before startin was under 12 before starting the bike. Revved it, as per the stator papers and it never came close to the nominal rate. Looks like the whole thing is toast, stator and all. Not to mention I had another "black out" within a minute.

Brad bk

 

[bradleymaynar]

Think I've narrowed it down to one of those melted connections. I was able to pull them all apart except one. The female end broke and stayed with the male end. turned on thr power and nothing. Cut the ends and spliced and I had power. Going to the auto parts store to pick up connectors and new wire.

Brad bk

 

[bradleymaynar]

Okay, rewired the ground off the reg to the neg on the battery and fixed the problem wire. New possible issue pointing back to the charging system is that the wires from the reg with the melted connectors are still getting hot after a minute or so.

Brad bk

 

[Bill Alexander]

Okay, rewired the ground off the reg to the neg on the battery and fixed the problem wire. New possible issue pointing back to the charging system is that the wires from the reg with the melted connectors are still getting hot after a minute or so.

Brad bk

That certainly doesn't sound right - can't think what would cause that except maybe more bad connections elsewhere :?:

 

[bradleymaynar]

That certainly doesn't sound right - can't think what would cause that except maybe more bad connections elsewhere :?:

I'm hoping it's just resistance caused by the melted connectors. Plan to replace them today. Did ride to work this morning and the bike fired immediately to life like the battery was brand new. So that one connection I replaced was obviously causing some issues. Let you know what happens after I get to the others.

Brad bk

 

[terrylee]

I would start with charging your battery first, that way you start with full voltage. And then finish the stator paper tests, may not be both, might be r/r or stator. Or just bad wiring, check all wires around r/r and stator especially. terrylee

 

[bradleymaynar]

I would start with charging your battery first, that way you start with full voltage. And then finish the stator paper tests, may not be both, might be r/r or stator. Or just bad wiring, check all wires around r/r and stator especially. terrylee

The battery was charged completely last night. Just replaced all the bad connectors and the wires off the reg are still getting warm. May be PMing Duanage soon for a replacement. Granted this was from just idling. Makes it tough to check the voltages when the battery is under the airbox. Dawn refused to put her hand in front of the carb intake last night so I could keep both hands on the multi meter leads. :lol:

The positives so far: The bike idles nicely after warming for a few minutes. And, so far, I seem to have lost the dimming light issue. Also discovered my left rear cheapy, aftermarket bliker was out because the wires in the light had broken. Any suggestions for a good source for replacements?

Thanks again
Brad bk

 

[bradleymaynar]

I took the bike out after getting things buttoned up. The fluctuating lights are gone, but the headlight dimmed for a few minutes and then came back up. It was a short ride, about 10 minutes. I checked the wires from the reg and they were warm, not hot, like before.

Waiting on a new tach cable to do the stator test. With the bike revved (roughly 3K by ear) voltage on the meter was just shy of 14 volts. Battery voltage, not running, was 12.4.

Brad bk

 

[Guest]

Makes it tough to check the voltages when the battery is under the airbox. Dawn refused to put her hand in front of the carb intake last night so I could keep both hands on the multi meter leads. :lol:

Most battery tenders (like the ones at Wally World) come with a quick disconnect plug on a short set of leads that stay attached to the battery - you simply tuck the QD plug under the sidecover & you don't have to remove that PITA airbox... also provides a nice place to stick your mulitmeter leads when the bike is running as well.

I've got the '81 1100E (same as yours) and I'm running a Duanage RR with good results, although you'll have to connect the sense wire to the rear brake light. Get rid of that stupid wire loop that runs into the headlight bucket from the stator & just comes back to the RR - wire it directly at the source instead.

 

[bmac]

Hello Brad, Just a note here, why don't you just bypass that assembly and wire the stator leg's all three directly to the r/r and run new ground's to the battery and frame. Not sure if you did that though. The plug where the loop goes to is maybe melted as which is always a certainty. In some cases not sure if your's is but the reg's and rec. are separate. Just throwing that out there. I have bought a few r/r's from Duane and they are a great deal. Bob

 

[bradleymaynar]

While I still haven't done the stator paper tests, yet, I do believe I fixed the dimming headlight. After having a brake light issue, different thread, I went ahead and replaced all the fuses. Two of them, while looking good, actually had one end slip right off the tube. No issues as far as I could tell this morning on the way to work.

Brad bk