electrical problem

Message

ofblong · #1 Unread post by **ofblong** » Wed May 16, 2007 4:13 pm

Ok while riding down the road all my lights dim and go bright and go dim again. I am thinking stator motor since I cant find any loose/broken/corroded wires. However the other day I went to start it the lights went on but as soon as I hit the starter the electrical system died. Meaning no lights no starter sound nothing. I turned the switch off for a couple minutes to think about the issue. turned the key and the lights came back on. Odd I thought so I hit the starter and the bike started right up. The battery is fully charged and the wires for the terminal are totally tight cause that was my first guess. Any other suggestions or should I just replace the stator motor? I should mention I didnt have the dimming light issue until after this happened but about 6 hours before the no power thing happened I had washed my bike with soap and hose. I figured the losing power was cause maybe I got something wet I shouldnt have. but here it is almost 2 weeks later and im getting the dimming light thing.

#2 Unread post by **Sev** » Wed May 16, 2007 4:50 pm

I would...
double check the ground, then try again. Also make sure that things are tight through the entire circuit. battery - live wire - solenoid - wire - starter motor - ground

The only thing your alternator does (it's not a motor) is provide a charge while the bike is running, it keeps your battery from draining itself. If any part of the alternator died your bike would run fine until the battery discharged, then it would stop completely, and the battery would be dead. You could bring it back with a trickle charger.

The Stator (not stator motor)- is the stationary part of the alternator - usually the coils of wire. There are tests for this, you need a multimeter and a wiring diagram to check/diagnose the coils. Doesn't sound like a stator issue to me - an issue with the stator or alternator would be evidenced by a dead battery.

Either your ecu has "poo poo" the bucket, or you've got a loose connection. I loose connections are far cheaper to diagnose... so I'd start there and hope that you don't need to replace one of the most expensive individual parts on the bike.

flynrider · #3 Unread post by **flynrider** » Thu May 17, 2007 2:14 pm

I favor the loose connection theory. The fact that you see your lights go dim, then back to normal as you ride, indicates (most likely) an intermittent connection.

ofblong · #4 Unread post by **ofblong** » Thu May 17, 2007 3:43 pm

ill go back over the wires but I really didnt find anything the first time. Though that doesnt mean I couldnt have missed something. I should mention that it was 65+ when this is happening. Tonight its 40 out and it only happened when I hit the brakes. Didnt have to hit them hard either just tapping them would cause everything to dim. I should mention that I have a fused line to plug in my heated gloves but I havent used them in about a month and a half now.

#5 Unread post by **Sev** » Thu May 17, 2007 4:50 pm

All I can tell you is that if your battery is fully charged 12.9Volts + then it's not a problem with the alternator, regulator, rectifier, or any of the related wiring, unless of course your bikes headlight runs on alternating current? Which would be indicated by it not turning on with the key, and it would get brighter as RPM's increased.

It is possible that your battery is dieing literally - as in it cannot handle the loads being placed on it. But the fact that it's intermittent and Flyin' said sounds like a loose connection somewhere.

ofblong · #6 Unread post by **ofblong** » Tue May 22, 2007 3:50 pm

Well it was a short. Didnt realize there was a connector that was hiden by my battery. Somehow the clips on the connector broke and it was coming apart. Pushed it back together for now and will use some electrical tape to keep it tight together but I havent had any "blips" of power since. Everything still dims, its not really noticable but you can see it happen, when I hit the brakes. Not like it was riding down the road though.

flynrider · Wed May 23, 2007 12:46 pm

A very slight, almost imperceptable dimming of the lights when you apply the brakes is normal. Particularly at lower rpms. It's just the load of the tail light on the whole system.

#8 Unread post by **Sev** » Wed May 23, 2007 2:31 pm

Good thing we didn't shell out for a new alternator

!

ofblong · #9 Unread post by **ofblong** » Wed May 23, 2007 4:18 pm

Sev wrote:Good thing we didn't shell out for a new alternator !

hehe and I thank you very much. I never thought about looking behind and around the battery compartment for connectors lol.