Electrical nightmare

[Dastommy]

Ill start out with my bike is a 78 xs650 special, the rest of it goes down hill. I was taking a trip a couple days ago when I noticed the brake light on my indicator tree was flashing on and off and then stayed solid red. Now it normaly does that when I first turn the bike on before I start it. Then I noticed the turn signal indicator on the tree stopped working but my blinkers still worked. So I went home and garaged it for the weekend and went back at it yesterday. I checked all the connections and wires leading from the signal/brakes/headlight and none were loose. I check all the fuses and none were blown. I pulled the battery and found it was 3/4 empty of fluid. I noticed the headlight on/off switch would turn the lights off when it was running (didn't mod it for that yet).

I took the battery into work, refilled and recharged and it held well. Put it back on the bike with a volt meter and when running holds around 12.6v and with the lights on drops to 12.3v. I've done a quick inspection of the wires and nothing seems loose. The best way to describe it is the bike thinks its off when it's running.

When I first got it the regulator wasn't working right and cooking the battery but when I went to get it inspected the shop redid 2 wires for the brake and when I did a volt reading a week later, it seemed to be working fine.

I'm wondering if anyone's had something similar happen to them and can give me suggestions on where to start looking for a short or if a modual went bad. Also Yes I have been looking at the wire diagrams on the site but can't find something that would do all that. I will continue to stare at them until I go blind or pass out on beer.

 

[Grinder]

What is your battery voltage at 3K rpm's? Should be around 14-14.5. if you are not charging the safety relay could be the problem with your lights. When the bike is charging properly the safety relay allows the lights to come on only after the bike starts and only if it's charging. The relay gets it's juice from the stator via the yellow wire.

 

[5twins]

I knew that P.O.'s tangle job for wiring and his attempt to use the later solid state reg/rec was going to get you eventually, lol.

 

[Dastommy]

Haha 5twins. Yeah it got me good. Thanks grinder. Yeah at 3k rpm it never broke 12.8v. Should have listened to ya 5twins in the first place. Connections look good so I'm assuming I fried the unit.

 

[Dastommy]

Hmm. So if that PO hack job blew the reg/rec unit. Shouldn't my volts go way up or since its shot, it's telling the alternator not to send juice or the electricity is not making it past the reg/rec unit? Or did I fry my altinator as well?

 

[5twins]

Well, let's hope you didn't fry the alternator. Although with so many people doing PMA conversions, you should be able to find a used replacement for a reasonable price if need be. I think we should try to go back to stock or near stock. I have a VR-115 auto voltage regulator I bought for mine but haven't installed yet. All we need do is make a plug for it and it's supposed to be a direct replacement for the original.

Boiling the battery low on water is a sign of over-volting. Even though you say the charging rate checked out after that tail light repair, maybe it was still over-charging at other times and under different conditions. And remember that burnt ground wire we found under the tank attached to the coil mount? Check that, maybe it burned or broke right off.

 

[Dastommy]

Sounds like a plan 5twins. Wondering how much of the system I've fried. Time to walk away and do some theraputic wood chopping mixed with a side of beer. Kicking myself in the ass for not replacing it in the first place but can't fight that urge if it runs I want to ride.

 

[5twins]

I have several old wiring harnesses we can scrounge plugs and wires from, and hopefully put your wiring back to near original. Oh, if only I were king. I would bring back flogging for P.O.s, lol. Maybe a little rack time, too.

 

[gggGary]

I nominate 5twins for King of all 650dom.