electrical frustrations

[redwood]

I got this 79xs11 not too long ago, put a new battery and it would die within 2 minutes, I replace the starter solenoid relay and it seemed to work so i rode it for a couple days when I was on the highway I felt it wanted to die so I got off the freeway and at the first stop light it was all over, took it home and looked at the battery, drained out, so I smacked myself on the head and thought I should of had checked the voltage regulator. replaced the battery , v reg and starter solenoid relay. I got power to the main fuse but nothing to any other fuses,I got power out of the v reg but as soon as turn the ignition key on I get nothing out of the v reg, 10 seconds later I have power again until I turn the key on. There are no illuminations lights at all.

[CatatonicBug]

Did you add acid to the new battery? If so, how are the levels now? Did you do the proper 1.5amp overnight charge on it prior to attaching it to the bike?

[bikerphil]

Electrical problems

Redwood, If you have the glass type fuses, check them with a meter to see if they're OK. I'd get rid of the glass type fuses and put in the spade type fuse box asap. Clean all your ground connections at regulator, one by the middle drive rubber boot, one by the left of battery, ones at all turn indicators. Go thru every connector on the bike and clean and di-electric grease. Don't forget the ones behind the fuse block mounting panel. Replacing that old fuse block with a new one will eliminate many electrical gremlins. HTH

[dbeardslee]

When your cleaning your connections as per Phil's suggestion, keep an eye out for burned/shorted wires - particularly in the headlight bucket, and behind the fuse block. I had 'em burned through in both locations, and have talked to several other owners with problems in the same areas. Also, be gentle with those old connectors - they break easily. If you find yourself in need, Z1 sells the connectors.

[redwood]

Thanks for the replies, I had the battery charged and I do have over 12 volts out of the battery, I had cleaned all the grounds, I will go back to clean more connectors. I still do not understand why I am powerless out of the voltage regulator as soon as I turn the key on, one more thing is that I am not getting power on the connection out of the starter solenoid going to the starter or the two wire connector. Do I have a bad starter solenoid and that's why I am not getting power to the fuses other than the main.

[81xsproject]

When testing those fuses, test both across the fuse itself AND across the fuse holder. During my initial resto, I had fuse test good that due to corrosion wasn't making a connection with the holders.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Redwood,

I'm going to borrow a photo from Garth's recent post:


The Solenoid is in the upper left of the picture, the Positive cable to the battery is the upper right cable, and the large Red wire should coming out of the Battery side cable should be hot ALL THE TIME. The RED/WHITE wire on the solenoid will only be energized during starting. The blue/white wire is the switch/ground wire for the solenoid, it's activated by the starter button which completes the circuit to ground, energizing the solenoid and causing the big power to go from the battery terminal side to the other LARGE connector to the starter. When the starter button isn't engaged, power will NOT be measured from the cable going directly to the starter.

See recent thread on Starting problems by RANDY, and the benefit of extra ground cables. Ensure the battery ground cable's connection to the frame is clean, as well as the frame to ENGINE ground strap/connections.

Another point for problems is the MAIN IGNITION/KEY switch assembly, have been known for wires to come unsoldered inside there!? It can be taken apart and inspected, resoldered if need be!

I'm no electrical guru, but do know that the Reg/Rect grounds to the frame via it's mounts, taking off the screws, cleaning the frame contacts and the other cable eyes at the REG/RECT may also help! Also large white plugs behind fuseblock for ALT can corrode, heat up and even MELT!
Yes, definitely check the fuse holders and fuses, not just visually inspect!
T.C.

[tarzan]

Hey Redwood ,an XS I worked on this summer for a friend had the same symptoms you have.It turned out one of the white wires coming up from the stator was melted and grounding out on the frame.That fried the reg/rec. Fixed the short,and then the thing would start and run but the reg wasnt working.Replaced it and problem fixed.As everyone has said,its probably a connection or short.
Oh,and if you do get it running and the light and tach dont work,that tells you the reg/rec is burnt out.
Hope that helps.Good luck
Welcome to the friendliest forum on the net.Just my humble opinion!

[redwood]

clean baby clean

I had not checked the replies because I was cleaning & inspecting the wires & connections like bikerphil had suggested and yes I will be switching to the spade type fuses very soon. I got power but it's a little too late to start it up so I'll just have to wait till' tomorrow, everything TC said makes sense, my new saying from now on is clean baby clean. Sandpaper, wirebrush and some kind of sharp pick was all I used, it is all back together ready to push that button, thanks to all of you for your support, I 'll let you know how it goes tomorrow "knocking on wood as I speak"


Redwood,

[redwood]

xs11 back on the road " rain or shine "

Thank you everyone for all the moral support, it's been about 15 years since I put my original xs11 in storage,I will be bringing it back to life soon. Yes it was one of the connectors behind the fuses, which one I do not know because I cleaned everything back there. It started on the second try.

Redwood,

[Geezer]

Now go and do likewise on every other connector in the bike's electrical system. Later on you will be glad you did and slather on the dielectric grease...
http://www.oregonmotorcycleparts.com...ionRepair.html
http://www.oregonmotorcycleparts.com/GWstatorplug.html

Geezer