Electrical Problems,, Please Help!!!

[Venture Steve]

Here is the story, Cruising along, bike (2001 22,000 miles RSV) acts like it needs to be switched to reserve. Twenty seconds later, engine quits, I pull over to the side of the road and stop. No nutrial light and no response from the starter button, then no electrical at all. Towed to the Dealer (my mech. on Vacation!!) late Saturday afternoon. Late Tuesday afternoon dealer said Dead Battery (only one month old gel cell!!!) and blown ignition fuse. Wednesday first thing I replaced the Battery. Thursday Afternoon, they said the fuel pump is bad ($310), new one comes in on Tuesday. Wednesday afternoon the bike is ready to go!!! Pay the bill ($510. And I forgot,, the towing was $135), did a quick pre-flight (5 min. from a big down pour in Naples, Fl) hopped on and got on the main road and noticed the speedometer not working!! turned off the highway, back to the dealer I started checking things!! Audio no power, turn signals not working!! Pulled into the Dealership and very calmly asked,, "Did anyone check this frikin bike?????. The Sky unloaded!!!! And I went home.

Now it is Monday Oct the 7th and the do not know what the problem is!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here is the list,,, Three turn signal bulbs and the low beam head light are burned out! The audio system does not work, and a fuse blows as soon as you plug it in!! The Dealer thinks there is a bad relay and the Audio system is bad! They cannot tell me if the speedometer works.

Any ideas??????????

Thanks,

Steve

[Flyinfool]

With all of those unrelated things blowing, I would start with a voltage check to see if the RR is no longer regulating. Without the RR working the stator can put out 20 to 100 volts, this can cook a lot of things.

[Condor]

Here is the story, Cruising along, bike (2001 22,000 miles RSV) acts like it needs to be switched to reserve. Twenty seconds later, engine quits, I pull over to the side of the road and stop. No nutrial light and no response from the starter button, then no electrical at all. Towed to the Dealer (my mech. on Vacation!!) late Saturday afternoon. Late Tuesday afternoon dealer said Dead Battery (only one month old gel cell!!!) and blown ignition fuse. Wednesday first thing I replaced the Battery. Thursday Afternoon, they said the fuel pump is bad ($310), new one comes in on Tuesday. Wednesday afternoon the bike is ready to go!!! Pay the bill ($510. And I forgot,, the towing was $135), did a quick pre-flight (5 min. from a big down pour in Naples, Fl) hopped on and got on the main road and noticed the speedometer not working!! turned off the highway, back to the dealer I started checking things!! Audio no power, turn signals not working!! Pulled into the Dealership and very calmly asked,, "Did anyone check this frikin bike?????. The Sky unloaded!!!! And I went home.

Now it is Monday Oct the 7th and the do not know what the problem is!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here is the list,,, Three turn signal bulbs and the low beam head light are burned out! The audio system does not work, and a fuse blows as soon as you plug it in!! The Dealer thinks there is a bad relay and the Audio system is bad! They cannot tell me if the speedometer works.

Any ideas??????????

Thanks,

 

Steve

 

I'm taking a wild guess here, but if your original battery was only a month old, you have a huge short in the system...or you're rectifier is bad, or the stator isn't putting out.??? Have the dealer check the charging system. I bet you didn't need the fuel pump, and $310 bucks is way too much. $210 to $225 is more like it....

[eusa1]

Unplug any added lamps before you look farther.

Rule out non factory items first.

[Venture Steve]

With all of those unrelated things blowing, I would start with a voltage check to see if the RR is no longer regulating. Without the RR working the stator can put out 20 to 100 volts, this can cook a lot of things.

 

 

I have asked about the charging system twice!! They do not seem to know!

[Flyinfool]

I'm taking a wild guess here, but if your original battery was only a month old, you have a huge short in the system...or you're rectifier is bad, or the stator isn't putting out.??? Have the dealer check the charging system. I bet you didn't need the fuel pump, and $310 bucks is way too much. $210 to $225 is more like it....

 

Unplug any added lamps before you look farther.

Rule out non factory items first.

 

None of these things would burn out 4 bulbs on 2 different circuits, and cook the radio and fuel pump also on separate circuits, all at the same time. A short could toast the battery but not everything else.

 

I have asked about the charging system twice!! They do not seem to know!

That is the easiest test that can be performed on the bike, If it takes them more than 1 minute, they are milking it. Just hook up a voltmeter across the battery and read the voltage with the bike running at over 2,000 RPM, it is either right around 14 Volts DC (+/- 0.5V) AND 0 Volts AC or not.

 

It almost sounds like they are just fixing the symptoms and not looking for the real problem. High voltage and/or an AC component getting thru is the only thing I can think of that would impact so many unrelated things all at once. If it is a blown regulator that is letting the full stator voltage thru, or if the rectifier is letting AC power thru, it WILL very quickly fry everything electrical on the bike $$$. You need to verify this BEFORE you pay to fix or replace anything else.

Edited October 8, 2013 by Flyinfool

[MiCarl]

The R/R won't work properly without a battery to damp the system. If the battery failed open it's possible for the R/R to send voltage spikes that damage components.

 

It needs to have a good, fully charged battery installed and the charging system checked. Once the charging system works properly every electrical system on the bike needs to be checked and repaired/replaced as necessary.

 

The fuel pump is probably one of the least susceptible electrical components. If you got a spike that cooked that you're probably going to find lots of stuff damaged.

[Venture Steve]

Well,, I found that the voltage regulator is BAD!! Replaced it,, and voltage is stable!!

But I still have the problems with the turn signals, Instrument panel, and the Audio system!

 

Steve

 

 

The R/R won't work properly without a battery to damp the system. If the battery failed open it's possible for the R/R to send voltage spikes that damage components.

 

It needs to have a good, fully charged battery installed and the charging system checked. Once the charging system works properly every electrical system on the bike needs to be checked and repaired/replaced as necessary.

 

The fuel pump is probably one of the least susceptible electrical components. If you got a spike that cooked that you're probably going to find lots of stuff damaged.