electrical help
Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 3:15 pm
While riding a new-to-me KLR last week I encountered some electrical
problems. The lights went out, the tach stopped working and my heated
vest stopped heating. The bike still ran, but no juice. At the coffee
stop folks commented on my lights being out, and when I tried to start
the bike there was no reaction when I turned the key (no dash lights,
etc) or pushed the start button. We were able to bump start the bike
and I headed home.
At home, I checked the fuses and battery. The fuses looked good and a
check with a circuit tester showed they were ok. The battery was warm
to the touch, and some of the cells were very low on fluid. I'm not
sure if this is a cause of the problems or a symptom?
I replaced the battery with a known good battery, but it hasn't
helped. Still no dash lights when I turn the key, no horn, no starter,
etc. I replaced the fuses but that didn't help either. (I've also
ordered a blade fuse conversion kit to replace the glass fuses).
I've got 12.7 volts at the battery. I've got 12.7 volts where the
white wire plugs into the ignition switch. When I put a circuit
tester to the white and brown wires at the ignition switch the circuit
testing light goes on and off when I turn the key on and off; none of
the other wires complete a circuit with the white wire However, with
the key on I don't have any voltage at the brown wire or blue/white
wire at the 10-amp fuse - I expected to see 12.7 volts here.
Is there any reason at this point to bump starting the bike to check
the charging system? I'm thinking the best course is to solve the
problem of why there isn't any juice to the lights starter, etc.
first.
I'm muddling along here folks. Anyone have any suggestions? Oh, can
anyone point me to the locations where the wiring harness is grounded
to the fram so I can check and clean the ground?
--
Kevin Powers
White Bear Lake, MN