Newbee Electrical Questions…

Perhaps your fuse box wiring emanates from the harness itself rather than having a block connector as shown in pic
I think that is a peculiarity os the XS650SF - 2SF
So, to overcome that, one option Mike's offers a harness that includes fuse box:
I'm going to cut back some of the electrical tape where PO spliced in the fuses. See what's going on in there...
 
OK. I'm going to start by checking if I have 12V at the headlight Low Beam. I know headlight should be on when engine starts. Is it supposed to be on when key is in ON position but engine is not started?
No only if charging system is working about 6 volt AC on the yellow wire.
 
That's the function of the headlight relay, to keep the headlight off until the bike starts. Unfortunately, it doesn't work quite as well as that. Sustained engine cranking will get the alternator spinning and producing current, and that will send voltage down that yellow wire and trip the relay. So, the headlight can come on before the bike actually starts. I did away with that relay on both of mine. The battery on these is rather small and doesn't have a lot of reserve power. I don't want the lights on robbing some of that power from the starter and ignition system. I have factory on-off switches for the lights on both of mine .....

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I like to paint the inside of the bucket with something light (I use Rustoleum white primer with a brush). Not only does it ward off corrosion, it also makes the wiring easier to see .....

BucketInside.jpg


Once the safety relay is tripped, power for the headlight runs out on a blue/black wire to the RLU. From there it is sent up to the hi/lo switch. So, if you find no power at the headlight, it might be that RLU or the hi/lo switch even.
 
I like to paint the inside of the bucket with something light (I use Rustoleum white primer with a brush). Not only does it ward off corrosion, it also makes the wiring easier to see .....



Once the safety relay is tripped, power for the headlight runs out on a blue/black wire to the RLU. From there it is sent up to the hi/lo switch. So, if you find no power at the headlight, it might be that RLU or the hi/lo switch even.
I have 12V at Hi and Low terminals of the headlight connector (when I switch between Hi and Low). Must be the bulb! Recomendations
I like the paint idea. I may soak this housing in some Evaporust and then paint.
 
Did you check with other probe on black wire or bare metal between terminals; remote possibility black is not grounded properly.
 
I switch to H4 headlights on all my 650s and, in fact, the one in my '83 that I got off eBay came from an early '80s 850 triple. Scored the complete bucket, chrome ring, lens, and bulb for about $25.
 
H4 is halogen. That's what that H6024 is but I'm not sure it's a dual beam. It may just be a low beam. Also, it's for a car, made to work in pairs, so the lens fluting isn't ideally suited for a single light motorcycle. For that price, you can get an actual motorcycle one. The nice thing about many of the motorcycle ones is they're not a sealed beam, you can replace just the bulb if it burns out for less than $10 usually.
 
Thanks Guys. Really appreciate your feedback and passion for the XS. Very inspiring!

Moving #1 up to college this weekend but lots of pics coming!!!


You can't afford an XS. :)
Welcome to the madness
 
H4 is halogen. That's what that H6024 is but I'm not sure it's a dual beam. It may just be a low beam. Also, it's for a car, made to work in pairs, so the lens fluting isn't ideally suited for a single light motorcycle. For that price, you can get an actual motorcycle one. The nice thing about many of the motorcycle ones is they're not a sealed beam, you can replace just the bulb if it burns out for less than $10 usually.

Damn I have a lot to learn about these 2 wheeled vehicles!!! Thanks (AGAIN!!)
 
OK. I'm going to start by checking if I have 12V at the headlight Low Beam. I know headlight should be on when engine starts. Is it supposed to be on when key is in ON position but engine is not started?

Have a look at 5T's headlight bucket and mine and compare them to the pis of your bike.
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All the red wire and green wires do not make sense. Red from indiators go to Ch, (chocolate), and Dg (dark Green) is the power wires and the Green wires are the earth. All those othe green wires don't make sense. Some go to the L, (blue), wire, (Power to gauges and tail light), so there is a lot of sorting out .................Just throw the loom away and buy a new one. ...........Keep the old loom for learning and parts.

All those exposed wires means a Fire extinguisher is in your future..............
 
The signals have 2 "hot" wires (r, g); guessing PO wanted running lights and blinkers. Did a hack-job on the installation though. It's certainly been messed with. Other than fuse box and signals, the rest of the harness (loom) appears ok thus far. Judgement call:shrug:
 
JP is right as a judgment call. Its not as bad as it first looks.

Being a novice ther is just as much work if not more to do replacing the harness compared to fixing the existing. Fixing it means you need to buy a good set of crimps and the correct bullet connectors to do the job properly.

I have posted up what needs to be done and look at to bring it back to factory specs

At the top where the yellow arrows point to needs to be dismantled remove the green wire and rejoin the 2 L, (blue) wires.

Red arrows indicate the main power source to the indiv-cators buy a Ch, (chocolate), wire on the right and a Dg, (dark green), wire on the right. These go through the indicator shaft to the light socket. From the factory they are black in the indicators and have a bullet connector joining them to their prospective colours, See the pic of my Bucket

Purple arrows show the earth/ground contact point under the indicator shaft nut. That black thing is where the wire was. This also shows on the Black arrows where the Earth/ground wire should be going to in the harness..............Usually they both will go into a triple bullet connector, but as long as they both are connected to the earth/ground circuit thats ok

Green dots.....this conglomeration needs to be removed.........(and nothing should change, meaning everything should be back to factory specs for the harness/loom)...................... if all the other coloured arrows are followed


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@jpdevol.

My concern is where the green joins the blue..did the OP also splicet this to the indicator relay circuit or as you mentioned the indicators are powered all the time and wouldn't they flash???
 
My concern is where the green joins the blue..did the OP also splicet this to the indicator relay circuit or as you mentioned the indicators are powered all the time and wouldn't they flash???

@650Skull Thanks for that and for putting in the time. I will check on the splices for the indicator lights and the state of the lights, etc.
 
The signals have 2 "hot" wires (r, g); guessing PO wanted running lights and blinkers. Did a hack-job on the installation though. It's certainly been messed with. Other than fuse box and signals, the rest of the harness (loom) appears ok thus far. Judgement call:shrug:
Confirmed, blinkers do stay on and seem to act as "running lights."
 
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