Left hand switch stator wires melted

[gssmitty]

Hi all. Great site!

I looked at several of the posts reguarding the stator wire running to the headlight switch.

I have an 81 GS650 that happens to have the on off for the headlight. As I was cleaning all the electrical terminals, I found that the wires in the switch that run from the stator to the switch and back to the R/R got hot and melted the solder. Both wires were no longer connected to the poles.

I assume this would affect the charging of the battery and possibly point towards a resistance issue somewhere in the electrical system (more searching of course).

My question is would it be harmful to just solder those two wires together and bypass the switch?

[Redman]

gssmitty,

Welcome to GSR.

I am surprized that your 81 650G (or any 81) has the headlight switch. My 82 GS650G did not have a headlight switch. I thought that 79 was the last for any of that.
Although even if didnt have the headlight switch (80 and later), those two wires still went thru the wiring harnes to headlight shell, but not to left controls, just had a jumper in the connector in headlight shell (as if headlight switch always on). SO the most of the wiring was there for the headlight swich, but I think an 81 did not have a headlight switch. I wonder if someone swapped out the 81 stock controls with one from prior to 80 cause they wanted a headlight switch.

Yah, if the conenctions got hot, then there was some resistance there (current thru resistance makes heat) that should not be there. Alsoseems strange that both wires melted the solder. Seems that once one of them came loose the current would stop and then not heat up any more.


You are asking if can just connect wires together, rather than reconnect to the switch. Yah, you could. Maybe then check the voltage when headlight is turned off to verify that the charging system does not overcharge (which is why the headlight switch switched off the stator leg) with engine at mid to high rpms.

Rather than connect the wires togheter there by the headlight switch, you could bypass both of those wires all together, so the stator output current doesnt have to go up and back down thru all that extra wireing. Find where those two wires go. Which would be the conenctions between the stator and the R/R. Disconect those those 2 wires down there, and then connect the wire from stator directly to the wire to the R/R.

<<Later note. Oh, you said you had GS650, you didnt say GS650G. My expereince is with GS650G (and 850G and 1100G) ... okay. Maybe GS650 didnt change the headlight switch till later than others.>>

[Steve]

Another .

And a recommendation to connect the stator directly to the r/r. Feel free to use clean connectors, if you wish, but DEFINITELY bypass that switch.

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[gssmitty]

Thank you Redman and Steve.

I got trigger happy when reading the stator papers and ordered the electrasport solution but I may hold off on those until I do a full Diag.

my gut says bypass that switch before the wires ever enter the harness. Any reason why that wont work. and also should I lock the switch so the headlight is always on or not worry about it?

still concerned on why it got so hot to melt solder but I will continue to pry.

[BassCliff]

Greetings and Salutations!!

Hi Mr. gssmitty,

I'm glad you found us. Also feel free to wander over to my little website for lots of GS lovin'. Here's how I say, "Howdy!"...

Here is your very own magical, mystical, mythical, mind-expanding "mega-welcome". Please take notice of the "Top 10 Common Issues", the Carb Rebuild Series, and the Stator Papers. Now let me roll out the welcome mat for you...

Please click here for your mega-welcome, chock full of tips, suggestions, links to vendors, and other information. Then feel free to visit my little BikeCliff website where I've been collecting the wisdom of this generous community. Don't forget, we like pictures! Not you, your bike!

Thanks for joining us. Keep us informed.

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[gssmitty]

Sorry Redman I didn't clarify. Sometime you jump on these sites and sray and pray for an answer.

My Suzi as registered is an 81 GS650G. Even has the matching GS650G side covers.
She has 14,000 miles. and was stored in a Hanger for 4 years while a family of rats (mice actually but rats makes it sound dangerous) made her a nice home.

Anyway thanks to GSResourses and Bikecliff's,, I got her running and she ran beautiful. Until I pulled over to the side of the road to take a break and the battery was dead. ( Pushed her 2 miles in the heat... gotta get her back alive so she can say thanks)

I imagine with that 3rd leg disabled the staor cant keep up with charging.

As far as why it still has the switch...shrug prolly was built on a friday!!! LOL

[tas850g]

my 81 GS650L has an on/off headlight switch too. It doesn't seem to be a canadian model b/c the speedo is in mph. My headlight leg from the stator seems to be fine, so far. I was wondering the same thing, running the stator leg straight to the stock r/r.

[gssmitty]

I wonder if the switch got dirty enough to cause enough resistance. When looking at the black cover on the harness wires as they enter the switch, the cover is torn. could have allowed all heck to take place.

Glad to hear no probs with your switch Tas

[BassCliff]

I wonder if the switch got dirty enough to cause enough resistance.

Corrosion and bad grounds cause extra resistance and heat. I always encourage everyone to check and clean every electrical connection and ground on the entire wiring harness, from the headlight bucket to the tail light, including the fusebox and the ignition switch. You'll be glad you did. Take off your tank and clean the connections under there. Take your blinkers off and clean the grounding rings or stalks where they contact the frame. Clean the engine ground that runs from the negative battery terminal to the back of the engine. Use a little wire brush, some sand paper, your favorite contact cleaner (De-Oxit, Naval jelly, etc) and have a party. Check the "Electrical Odds and Ends" section on my website for more suggestions.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[Steve]

... my gut says bypass that switch before the wires ever enter the harness. Any reason why that wont work. and also should I lock the switch so the headlight is always on or not worry about it?

You must have missed part of my post.

And a recommendation to connect the stator directly to the r/r.

Yes, feel free to go directly from the stator to the r/r input wires. Some will use solder and heat-shrink, but I prefer to use good, clean connectors to make it easier to remove if it should ever be necessary.

Concerning the headlight switch ... feel free to leave it operational. I did that with my son's 650L that he had for a while. I would make sure the light was OFF while starting the bike, but turning it ON before riding. One advantage of that arrangement is that the battery will charge a bit quicker before you start riding. It also gives you the option of turning it off to keep the battery from discharging so quickly if you get stuck in stop-and-go traffic.

A word of caution, though, if you or anyone else out there leaves the stator wires connected to the headlight switch, be aware that the battery actually charges better with the headlight ON and the third stator leg in the circuit. This only applies if the stator wire still goes to the headlight switch and the headlight can be turned ON and OFF. If the headlight is always ON, as in the newer models, the stator wire that disappears into the harness never makes it to the headlight switch. It only goes to a connector under the gas tank, then is re-routed back to the r/r.

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