SuzukiSavage.com - Stranded at the moment...help (electric failure?)

Prophet_10

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Stranded at the moment...help (electric failure?)
08/15/08 at 07:30:53

I just rode in to work and after a bit I decided to run out for a cup of coffee, I got down the street a bit, and upon shifting into 2nd the whole bike went dead.

Right now turning the key produces no lights or any other functions (won't start)

Can you folks please give me an idea of where to start looking so I can go home tonight? - not to mention I have a lunch meeting that I would like to make (I hope!)

Thank you

-Matt

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-Matt

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Sandy Koocanusa Serious Thumper Offline Don't blame me. I didn't vote for him. Posts: 1878 Bigfork, MT Gender:	Re: Stranded at the moment...help (electric failur Reply #1 - 08/15/08 at 07:41:35 I would start at the battery connections and move on quickly to the kill switch. I've been having trouble with my kill switch lately. If I use it to shut the bike off, I sometimes have to flip it back and forth a few times to get things going again. Time to open it up and look around, I guess.
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Moofed Full Member Alliance Member Offline ...and the engine just gleams... Posts: 148 Bloomington, Indiana Gender:	Re: Stranded at the moment...help (electric failur Reply #2 - 08/15/08 at 07:45:33 Sudden loss of lights probably means a fuse blew. Should be an extra in the toolkit cover. The kill switch doesn't affect lights.
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Jimmer Senior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 497 NewportPa. Gender:	Re: Stranded at the moment...help (electric failur Reply #3 - 08/15/08 at 07:45:50 I'd check the fuse first. If it is blown you will get know no power to the ignition switch. Install a new fuse, if it blows start checking for a wiring short. Possibly wire cover rubbed through,contacting bikes frame. Good Luck Jimmer
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Prophet_10

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Re: Stranded at the moment...help (electric failur
Reply #4 - 08/15/08 at 07:56:32

Moofed wrote on 08/15/08 at 07:45:33:

Sudden loss of lights probably means a fuse blew. Should be an extra in the toolkit cover. The kill switch doesn't affect lights.

Thanks, I tossed my toolkit in the shed months ago. Can you tell me what the fuse would be rated?

And where is it, under the seat?

Thank You!

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-Matt

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Moofed Full Member Alliance Member Offline ...and the engine just gleams... Posts: 148 Bloomington, Indiana Gender:	Re: Stranded at the moment...help (electric failur Reply #5 - 08/15/08 at 08:03:32 My extra fuse is glued to the inside of the chrome toolkit cover, not in the toolkit itself. I think it is a 20 (yellow?). And yes, the fuses are under the seat. Edit: Yes, it is a 20A fuse. Manual says so.
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Prophet_10

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Re: Stranded at the moment...help (electric failur
Reply #6 - 08/15/08 at 08:08:18

Moofed wrote on 08/15/08 at 08:03:32:

My extra fuse is glued to the inside of the chrome toolkit cover, not in the toolkit itself. I think it is a 20 (yellow?). And yes, the fuses are under the seat.
Edit: Yes, it is a 20A fuse. Manual says so.

Cool, yeah I think I remember seeing one in there.

And I did just RTFM - fuses pg 66 under the seat.

Thank you!

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Prophet_10 Full Member Offline TANSTAAFL Posts: 169 Dekalb, IL Gender:	Re: Stranded at the moment...help (electric failur Reply #7 - 08/15/08 at 08:23:07 OK, the top fuse was shot, I put in a new one, turned the key to ON, and instantly blew the fuse again. Sucks being at work and not in the shop. Can anyone tell me where to start looking being that it is the TOP fuse that is blowing? Thanks!
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mornhm - FSO

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Re: Stranded at the moment...help (electric failur
Reply #8 - 08/15/08 at 08:35:13

Look for shorted wiring along the frame. There may be some evidence of arcing or sparking. The larger the fuse rating, the more chance for damage (arcing/sparking). If not, look for worn or missing insulation.
Just moving the wires around may eliminate the short, but if you don't find the problem and fix it, the problem will revisit you. (Probably around 2 am on a Saturday night, when you're riding through the South side of Chicago.) Roll Eyes

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T Mack 1 - FSO

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Re: Stranded at the moment...help (electric failur
Reply #9 - 08/15/08 at 09:29:42

Ok.... not sure who first suggested this but it works. And, as a electronics tech type, the science behind it is valid.

Use a light bulb in the place of a fuse then jiggle the wiring until the light goes out. That spot will be the "general" area of the short. The light has "resistance" to control current flow so that you don't create a dead short and burn up the wiring.

I know they have a type of Auto light bulb that is all glass and the wires are bent over the flat bottom part. It's the type that get pushed into a flat looking socket and sometimes a holder that then twists in (a bigger version of our Speedo light bulbs). Well, if you bend the wires, I believe one of those could be made to go into the fuse holder...... Other wise, buy a socket and wire up something.....

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Sandy Koocanusa Serious Thumper Offline Don't blame me. I didn't vote for him. Posts: 1878 Bigfork, MT Gender:	Re: Stranded at the moment...help (electric failur Reply #10 - 08/15/08 at 09:37:17 Would a cheap probe-type current tester do the same thing? That would be easy to insert in the socket, and could be used again for other purposes later. I'm not the electonic tech type, so maybe it isn't the same.
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T Mack 1 - FSO

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Re: Stranded at the moment...help (electric failur
Reply #11 - 08/15/08 at 09:53:23

Sandy Koocanusa wrote on 08/15/08 at 09:37:17:

Would a cheap probe-type current tester do the same thing? That would be easy to insert in the socket, and could be used again for other purposes later. I'm not the electonic tech type, so maybe it isn't the same.

Depends, if it's the type made to check house current, NO. They use neon bulbs and that requires AC voltage to work. Well..... if you have high enogh DC voltage, you can get one of the electrodes to glow, but 12 v isn't high enough.

Bulbs are fairly cheap, 2 for three of four bucks.

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Engineers design things, Technicians make them work.
---
30% of being mechanical is confidence/30% is knowing to go slow when needed/30% is looking repeatedly at what you have/10% is dumb luck Wink

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