Several XS650 (G?) wiring questions - no headlight, no indicators and more!

Your alternator looks original but the wire windings inside look new. I mean, look how clean they are compared to the rest of the thing. Also, the original windings were coated with epoxy, yours look bare .....

LHaRQi2.jpg


So, maybe your stator was rebuilt, rewound, and if that's the case then they could have very well left that yellow wire out. Also, your slip rings are terribly dirty and should be cleaned.
 
Thanks - sorry, but which parts are the "slip rings"?
Also, any idea why someone re-winding a stator would leave out the yellow wire - as has been pointed out, several times, this is a pretty important wire....
The bike was pretty much standard when I got it, other than having been sat (in the Californian sun) for some years.
My point is, it seems unlikely to me that a bike with 13k miles on it, that was left sat and a bit neglected, would have had a stator rewind - recent enough, for the windings to still look fairly new.
It's all too voodoo for me.
 
The yellow wire doesn't effect the operation of the stator. It's not required for it to work, it's just a sensor wire added to operate those safety relays. If the P.O. didn't inform the rewind shop about this wire and it's function, they very well may have left it out because they didn't see or know of the need for it.

The slip rings are the copper rings on the rotor that the carbon brushes make contact with. As the carbon brushes wear away, they turn the rings all black. The brushes don't make good contact anymore once the rings get real dirty and eventually may lose contact completely. When that happens, charging stops. Here's the rings on mine. I've cleaned the outer one but the inner is still dirty .....

GHoeRsM.jpg


And here's both clean .....

jrGGd3G.jpg


To clean them, I simply "polish" them clean with a rag dipped in Chrome cleaner. They clean up quickly and easily.
 
That's really helpful (both about the yellow wire's purpose and the stator cleaning tips and photos) - thank you
 
So, only a year later, I finally sorted out the electrics and all it took, was a new loom.
And a new indicator relay.
And a new battery.
Now I just have to work out why my battery isn't being recharged and fit a headlight switch so that there's less drain on the battery (and charging) because of a permanently lit headlight.
And stop my clutch from slipping.
And adjust the idle/throttle setup.
etc
 
On the charging, have you read the charging system guide. It can be found up in the TECH section.
Just click the TECH button and scroll down. You can find a lot of stuff in there.
Leo
 
Sounds like the new loom was a good choice. Reading through these posts, made me think of all the alterations I have made to the harness on my bike. I have kept notes for myself but I guess I should pity the next owner. Hang in there.
 
Hi all,

Thanks in advance for any pointers.
I am in the UK and have a US import XS650 with plastic side panels, single tap tank and take off seat - G model? Special / Special II?
I am using a stock loom, that is in OK condition, but many of the connector blocks are brittle and broken - I presume from sun baking, but otherwise, decent.

I am using Clymer manual with its black and white coded wiring diagram.
I have several electrical problems

  1. Indicators/Turn signals
    Clymer says my indicator cable should be Dark Green - it's totally a light green, almost mint colour at top and tail of the bike
    My right hand turn (not) dark green wire terminates in a double female bullet connector - why would the turn signal need to flow onto somewhere else other than the bulb and which wire is supposed to connect to the other female socket here?
    With the ignition on, and all indicators wired correctly (as far as I can see!) I get only one front indicator lit and it does not flash - there is no sound from the indicator relay under the tank and I've swapped the relay already to no effect.
    Also, the indicator switch on the left handle bar control does nothing - the front right hand turn lights up, solid and only turns off with the ignition switch !

  2. Headlight does not come on after ignition - strange yellow wire near alternator wiring block
    There is an unconnected yellow wire with a male bullet connection, coming out of the loom, next to the bundle that connects via a block to the alternator wires.
    I can see no female bullet yellow wire anywhere in the vicinity to connect this yellow wire to.
    If I jump this yellow wire to the 12v positive battery - the headlamp comes on, stays on until ignition goes off.
    This does NOT affect the turn signal operation - it remains as 1.
    I have tried to read up and understand the safety relay behaviour but nowhere have I seen a reference to a lonely yellow male connector next to the alternator block, that would turn my headlamp on, as above - why?

  3. Headlamp bowl wiring - front brake switch etc
    Clymer says my front brake light switch is Br and G/Y
    but my brake light does not come on when I pull the brake lever and anyway, the colours leading from my front brake switch, are black and black yellow and connect to a green connector block in the headlamp bowl, that certainly appears to be OEM and comes up inside via the main loom plastic shielding.
    (This front switch does NOT currently work the brake light but the rear brake switch, works fine via brake pedal)
    I DO have a brown wire in the headlamp bowl but it presents to a dual connector and I currently have the other brown wire connected to that dual connector - is that correct and if so, what connects to the second female bullet socket?
    I also have a Green/Yellow wire, not connected to anything
    And I have a very dark green (?) wire not connected to anything.
    View attachment 164096


  4. View attachment 164094 View attachment 164095
 
The yellow wire doesn't effect the operation of the stator. It's not required for it to work, it's just a sensor wire added to operate those safety relays. If the P.O. didn't inform the rewind shop about this wire and it's function, they very well may have left it out because they didn't see or know of the need for it.

The slip rings are the copper rings on the rotor that the carbon brushes make contact with. As the carbon brushes wear away, they turn the rings all black. The brushes don't make good contact anymore once the rings get real dirty and eventually may lose contact completely. When that happens, charging stops. Here's the rings on mine. I've cleaned the outer one but the inner is still dirty .....

GHoeRsM.jpg


And here's both clean .....

jrGGd3G.jpg


To clean them, I simply "polish" them clean with a rag dipped in Chrome cleaner. They clean up quickly and easily.
Another year passes!
The bike is now charging properly, (thanks all for the suggestions).
I cleaned up the rings as advised but more importantly, replaced the totally knackered brushes. They looked literally like they'd been underwater - the springs had disintegrated and the brushes themselves were quite badly worn.
 

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The yellow wire doesn't effect the operation of the stator. It's not required for it to work, it's just a sensor wire added to operate those safety relays. If the P.O. didn't inform the rewind shop about this wire and it's function, they very well may have left it out because they didn't see or know of the need for it.

The slip rings are the copper rings on the rotor that the carbon brushes make contact with. As the carbon brushes wear away, they turn the rings all black. The brushes don't make good contact anymore once the rings get real dirty and eventually may lose contact completely. When that happens, charging stops. Here's the rings on mine. I've cleaned the outer one but the inner is still dirty .....

GHoeRsM.jpg


And here's both clean .....

jrGGd3G.jpg


To clean them, I simply "polish" them clean with a rag dipped in Chrome cleaner. They clean up quickly and easily.
I'd like to clarify here a bit.
@TwoManyXS1Bs did a deep dive on the life and times of carbon brush slip rings. (you'd be surprised how much of your world depends on this technology)
And found that this system DEPENDS on a layer of carbon scrubbed off the brushes and deposited on the copper ring to function correctly (conduct AND not wear out the brushes too quickly) and live long. I'm all for a clean up after YEARS of neglect in what can get to be a filthy environment with oil and dirt mixed into the carbon layer but don't make a regular practice of scrubbing your rings. if you do clean up resist the temptation to use a coarse abrasive, a bit of chrome polish or such, remove any residue. Then let the brushes recoat the rings with carbon through use, done.
@Jim
 
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