Refitted battery after charging. When turn ignition key on amp meter normal deflects slightly to left but today nothing and no sign of life on kicking. Turned light switch to on position to check lights but no lights. Pressed horn to check and proved is working (ignition key in any position) leaving light switch in on position (pilot or main beam) these lights came on immediately the horn is pressed with meter reading on to left or far left of amp meter. Kicked over a few times and bike started. Went to restart no deflection no start and no lights. Pressed horn and this cycle starts again. If when ignition is on press rear brake pedal that light comes on but nothing happens to lights when in pilot or beam position on switch (i.e. stay off).. Bike revs OK and amp meter registers charging when I can start it but stops when revs drop to normal tick over but suspect ignition has been cut out by whatever problem is although obviously no time to warm engine up. The horn switch is making a good contact with the handlebars and the combined dip switch seems to be working. With key in ignition position no lights majority of times (pilot or main beam) on simply putting ignition key to on although rear brake light always works and lights will come on occasionally although not triggered by brake light. The obvious is the horn and dip switch (Wipac from 25 years ago when restored) but as horn hardly ever used and never use lights when out I wonder what can go wrong with it and why it kills ignition circuit? There is no kill switch. Any ideas where to start? Any help appreciated since as you probably appreciate a novice in terms of understanding electrics (and all other areas!). Hugh
To start with I would run a…
- Log in to post comments
Headlamp shell DOES NOT need earthing.
The head lamp shell does NOT need an earth. The connector at the rear of the headlamp bulb does. Along with the side light (common earth point) but the headlamp-shell does NOT, ignore it. Earth to rear of headlamp connector run back to head steady and on to a bolt in the ares of the tool tray/battery box/rectifier. And bring another earth from the rear light to the same place, AND a single wire to battery Earth/positive. Single wire on each battery terminal! If you have several wires on each then one will be forgotten or put n the wrong terminal next time-result is confusion and expensive smoke.
- Log in to post comments
Back to original post.
IF after charging the battery and refitting, then the first area of 'dodgy' is the connectors from the battery to the bike or even the battery it self. Easy sort out, get a test lamps on two wires-clips or probes. When bike is dead, place across battery if it doesn't light then battery has died inside. If it does light up then follow one lead at a time until you find or lose the electricity. Simple.
- Log in to post comments
I use...
... a 5/16 bolt in a convenient place near the battery earth and run individual earth wires to that - each with its own ring terminal so they're "stacked". No stereo fitted so no chance of earth loops!
Unlike Al and others I have a fuse in the earth lead (negative on the ES2) to the earth point.
- Log in to post comments
If you have a distributor ,…
If you have a distributor , it relies on bolted engine parts and painted plates to carry the current these can have 60 years of rust, grease and corrosion or maybe a nice thick powder coat. Give me a wire and connections that can be cleaned and protected with a bit of vaseline. The orriginal layout on my 99 had the lighting earths connected to the headlamp shell with the speedo bulb earthing on the shell only and all earth current going through the head bearings or control cables. ERGO one decent earth to the shell worked for me and provided a path for the speedo bulb which will otherwise still have to use head bearings.
- Log in to post comments
Starting issue 99 Dommie- electrics?
Thank you all. I will let you know how I get on although I have a bad back at moment which is slowing everything down (all sent o try us). The dip switch has now given up and not even the horn press is lighting anything up now. Hugh
- Log in to post comments
Yes Robert
In your case and a lot of cases the head shell is used as a convenient 'earth point' fine.
But the head-shell it self does NOT need an earth, it is just often a convenient earthing point. I have always taken the headlamp connector as the earth from the rest of the bike and used it to loop to side light, and speedo lamps if you need them.
- Log in to post comments
I converted to 12v 25 years…
I converted to 12v 25 years ago and so did away with the PRS8 switching arrangement (but kept the switch) ,this meant that there were redundant substantial (orriginal) cables in the loom up to the headlight shell.,(although the wrong colour) ,a bit of red sleeve both ends gave me a dedicated earth wire through the bike with no extra cabling or the bother of threading it through the loom. Thrifty and lazy !.
- Log in to post comments
Might be
You said you removed the battery, then charged it and then refitted it. Did the bike run normally before that?
If you didn't do anything else, I'd suggest bad contact in battery connections. When you push horn button the big load breaks up the corrosion and everything starts to be normal for a while. So I think that cleaning battery connections will solve the problem. I usually put star washers on bolted electrical connections as they dig into the metal giving better contact..
If the bike has not been ridden for a long time, some other connection could be the culprit.
- Log in to post comments
As you have a distributor …
As you have a distributor you may wish to go for an orriginal look ?, in which case a PSR8 switch will work. fine . But its not always really needed and is a bit complex. If you are not going for a modern rec/regulator or zener then the PSR8 switching is usefull to avoid overcharging the battery even if the control is a bit basic. At least it gives you an ignition and lighting switch.
- Log in to post comments
The PSR8 switch does turn…
The PSR8 switch does turn up for sale, Orriginal ones can have a damaged thread which makes them hard to secure and the 2 part knob securring screw is a bit delicate . They are also a bit vulnerable to water ingress if the rubber key seal is poor or missing . Proper bezels are elusive too. They can be stripped and cleaned with care but its a fiddly job. Pattern ones are easily found but quality may be suspect ?. Mine has a couple of wire screw terminals that have rusted solid so I may have to do some delicate surgery.
- Log in to post comments
My PRS8 is just fitted for…
My PRS8 is just fitted for show, not a single wire going to it. My lighting comes from my ignition switch installed just below the seat.
- Log in to post comments
Strangely my PRS8 has…
Strangely my PRS8 has always worked fine , the knob got a little loose but a rubber shim cured that . I would like to fit a new HL shell but the seized terminals have put me off ,I could always cut the wires and solder/sleeve them back. I could also drill out the screws and tap the threads clear ,for new screws , wonder what the threads would be , B A ??
- Log in to post comments
PRS8 again....
There is details on my web site (AOServices.co.uk) of how to strip and rebuild this switch. I also have some spare parts. Yes they are 2BA and 4BA on the original but of course likely to be Metric on the new far eastern copies. Robert's words above are very true.
- Log in to post comments
To start with I would run a couple of extra earth wires. One from the headlamp shell back to the frame near the battery. And an earth from the engine to the same point.