Electrical assistance required

Message

Falco9 · #1 Post by **Falco9** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 11:39 am

Hoping one of you electrical wizards might be able to help me out. Firstly I must state I am nigh on useles at anything electrical beyond the basics

So the problem...... attached a set of Otimate leads directly to the battery this lunchtime. I did have a minor issue with connecting the negative lead back to the battery as the bolt wouldn't catch on the captive nut, I did see a spark but thought it should be OK

I've now come to reset the clocks and as I tried to set the clock I noticed the pass light wasn't working. After checking further I appear to have lost all the lights & the horn. Everything else is OK (indicators, brake lights , kill switch) and she starts up fine. No issues with the EFI light flashing or anything either

Checked the fuses and they are all OK. I replaced the fuse for the lights as a matter of precaution but still no joy.

Wondered if it could be the switchgear? but the indicators still work fine so the connector should be OK.

So.................anyone any ideas please?

Sods law dictates that the MOT is booked for Saturday so any assistance gratefully recieved

F9

Falco9 · #2 Post by **Falco9** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 12:50 pm

I've found the problem. I have a broken wire approx halfway between the switchgear and the connector.

I'll have a go at looking for the break this weekend, I can hopefully bodge it enough to get it through the MOT

Wierd coincidence though?

If anyone has a spare lefthand switchgear they'd be looking / happy to sell please get in touch. It may be a neater, quicker and overall less hassle just to replace the whole thing

F9

Olig7475 · #3 Post by **Olig7475** » Wed Apr 13, 2011 4:53 pm

Hi there F9, I've got a one knocking around the shed somewhere, if I can find it, it's yours.

Oli

HowardQ · #4 Post by **HowardQ** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 11:34 am

Thought you said you were useless at electrics Rich.
Fixing it quickly yourself before anybody gets a chance to reply would indicate otherwise.

Glad you got it sorted quickly!

I had a similar coincidence, when I had my recent staring problems.
Seems that when I fitted the new battery the tip over switch managed to end up going back on upside down, making it impossible to start, even with a new battery!
Then again I'm old and stupid.

Falco9 · #5 Post by **Falco9** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 3:17 pm

Olig7475 wrote:Hi there F9, I've got a one knocking around the shed somewhere, if I can find it, it's yours.

Oli

Cheers mate, I'd really appreciate that

F9

Falco9 · #6 Post by **Falco9** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 3:20 pm

HowardQ wrote:Thought you said you were useless at electrics Rich.
Fixing it quickly yourself before anybody gets a chance to reply would indicate otherwise.

Glad you got it sorted quickly!

I had a similar coincidence, when I had my recent staring problems.
Seems that when I fitted the new battery the tip over switch managed to end up going back on upside down, making it impossible to start, even with a new battery!
Then again I'm old and stupid.

To be honest Howard it was the power of the "search" function. I found an old thread where a broken wire was found by moving the bars from lock to lock. I immediately went down the the garage and tried it and "volia" problem found!

Like you mate, I'm also old & stupid but once again the forum came to my rescue

F9

Falco9 · #7 Post by **Falco9** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 5:18 pm

OK, so took 10 mins to remove the switchgear and open up the outer plastic protection to have a look at the wires to see if I could spot the culprit. It couldn't have been easier to find the problem

For those of you that don't know (and I didn't) all the wires for horn, high beam, low beam and pass light are connected together and attached to a single wire with an OEM crimp within this outer plastic sheath

Mine had sheared right off at the end of this crimp and to be fair it didn't look like the best connection in the world even as OEM fixing. But on the plus side, even I can put all the wires into a bullet connector and repair it, so it was an easy fix.

Now I just have too make it look good again which could be a bigger issue of course as lots of wrapped insulation tape never looks that professional does it?.

Olig has very kindly offered me his spare switchgear but it the earlier version that has the indicator switch in the middle and I never got on with that set up. Another contact has offered me some switchgear from a later Aprilia. But this switchgear is for a "lights on" full time bike and there is only the high & low beam option, no "off" or "side light" settings

Would this switchgear fit my Falco and work?? I don't mind having the lights on full time as I ride with them on all the time anyway?

Any ideas, or has anyone upgraded to later switchgear?

F9

Aladinsaneuk · #8 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 6:15 pm

i believe that it is still a straight switch - BUT i have not done it myself....

reason why i do not like the always on lights is drain on starting....

joecrx · #9 Post by **joecrx** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 6:17 pm

they both work fine im looking for an old style one ,

Falco9 · #10 Post by **Falco9** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 6:19 pm

Aladinsaneuk wrote:reason why i do not like the always on lights is drain on starting....

Yes, good point well noted,

I'm currently looking for some heatshrink and I reckon if I can get some 22mm bore stuff with 3:1 shrink ratio it should be OK to go over the connector block and still shrink down enough to do a good job and look OK

F9

Nooj · #11 Post by **Nooj** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 6:37 pm

Aladinsaneuk wrote:i believe that it is still a straight switch - BUT i have not done it myself....

reason why i do not like the always on lights is drain on starting....

On pressing the start button, does this not cut power to the other circuits until the button is released, as the ignition switch on a car does?

anzacinexile · #12 Post by **anzacinexile** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 7:54 pm

Nooj wrote:
Aladinsaneuk wrote:i believe that it is still a straight switch - BUT i have not done it myself....

reason why i do not like the always on lights is drain on starting....
On pressing the start button, does this not cut power to the other circuits until the button is released, as the ignition switch on a car does?

No, Falco electrics are not that intelligent

The dimming of the lights etc when starting is caused by the volt drop when the starter pulls HUGE currents

Aladinsaneuk · #13 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 9:30 pm

nod

is why i don't leave my lights on when i start - even with my hid unit

D-Rider · #14 Post by **D-Rider** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 9:48 pm

Aladinsaneuk wrote:nod

is why i don't leave my lights on when i start - even with my hid unit

Same here - plus the fact it's often daytime ...........................

Falcopops · #15 Post by **Falcopops** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 11:03 pm

I did wire in a 12v relay that cut the lights when I pressed the starter, but it was a mechanical one that draws a bit of power away from the starter switch circuit to fire the relay. I'm pretty sure that was the culprit for my intermittent starting problems, so don't go that route unless you use an electronic relay.