No power, arg!

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  • ShootersHoliday
    XSive
    • Aug 2011
    • 73
    • Arvada, CO.
    #1

    No power, arg!

    So,

    The endless "PO find and fix" has become a full time job...

    While wiring in the new fuse block (a couple of the connectors were busted, and I hate glass fuses) something popped under the gas tank and I now have no power to anything. I also finished the wiring for the tails, and before blowing whatever it was up, I still had no brake lights.

    The battery is good, the engine kicks over if you cross the input and output on the starter, and the fuses are good.

    I found the relay under the gas tank (square relay, with 4 inputs), and it has some noise in it. so something in that is probably broken. Also, I have no idea what the other "box" under the tank is. I opened it up and it has a U shaped bar, with a sliding ring on it. Yes, that is a super newbie explanation, but three days of this crap has me a bit miffed....

    I had power, and now there is nothing...

    So here are the issues...

    1) Any idea what could have caused this sudden loss?

    2) How do I remove/adjust/check the brake light actuator on the handle bars and rear brake? I tried pulling it off the handlebars and couldn't get it.
    Tags: None
    • cywelchjr
      XS-XJ Super Guru(Deceased)
      • Oct 2008
      • 4450
      • Sacramento, CA
      #2
      That part with the U shaped bar is the tipover switch. Many of us consider it to be an important safety switch, it kicks in if the bike falls over more than about 60 deg (and being in a turn doesn't count because centrifugal force negates that lean) and short out the TCI killing the ignition and stopping the engine so it doesn't keep grinding on your leg . If you suspect a problem with it, you can simply unplug it from the harness, but I recommend that you retain it long term.

      But, I'm guessing that you blew the main fuse, which is in a rubber holder just in front of the battery box. Kind of an inline fuse holder. If you went to a blade type fuse box, you might consider moving that fuse to the new fuse box as well, it's more convenient, I haven't yet, but that is just because I'm lazy about it and mine is still working fine, some day I'll do it though.
      Cy

      1980 XS1100G (Brutus) w/81H Engine
      Duplicolor Mirage Paint Job (Purple/Green)
      Vetter Windjammer IV
      Vetter hard bags & Trunk
      OEM Luggage Rack
      Jardine Spaghetti 4-2 exhaust system
      Spade Fuse Box
      Turn Signal Auto Cancel Mod
      750 FD Mod
      TC Spin on Oil Filter Adapter (temp removed)
      XJ1100 Front Footpegs
      XJ1100 Shocks

      I was always taught to respect my elders, but it keeps getting harder to find one.

        Comment

        • ShootersHoliday
          XSive
          • Aug 2011
          • 73
          • Arvada, CO.
          #3
          Originally posted by cywelchjr
          That part with the U shaped bar is the tipover switch. Many of us consider it to be an important safety switch, it kicks in if the bike falls over more than about 60 deg (and being in a turn doesn't count because centrifugal force negates that lean) and short out the TCI killing the ignition and stopping the engine so it doesn't keep grinding on your leg . If you suspect a problem with it, you can simply unplug it from the harness, but I recommend that you retain it long term.

          But, I'm guessing that you blew the main fuse, which is in a rubber holder just in front of the battery box. Kind of an inline fuse holder. If you went to a blade type fuse box, you might consider moving that fuse to the new fuse box as well, it's more convenient, I haven't yet, but that is just because I'm lazy about it and mine is still working fine, some day I'll do it though.
          i didnt know what it was. will definitely not remove any safety stuff.

          i knew there had to be another somewhere... will post update

            Comment

            • CaptonZap
              XS-XJ Guru
              • Jun 2010
              • 1748
              • Denver
              #4
              Originally posted by ShootersHoliday
              So,

              The endless "PO find and fix" has become a full time job...

              While wiring in the new fuse block (a couple of the connectors were busted, and I hate glass fuses) something popped under the gas tank and I now have no power to anything. I also finished the wiring for the tails, and before blowing whatever it was up, I still had no brake lights.

              .
              Since you didn't say, and it sounds like you were doing repairs without disconnecting the battery, let me advise you that it is always a good idea to disconnect the ground terminal to the battery before doing any electrical repairs.
              CZ

                Comment

                • cywelchjr
                  XS-XJ Super Guru(Deceased)
                  • Oct 2008
                  • 4450
                  • Sacramento, CA
                  #5
                  Originally posted by CaptonZap
                  Since you didn't say, and it sounds like you were doing repairs without disconnecting the battery, let me advise you that it is always a good idea to disconnect the ground terminal to the battery before doing any electrical repairs.
                  CZ
                  Good point, and one that I should have noticed and caught. Yes, even if working on something that is not hot you SHOULD disconnect the battery, even though I don't always follow my own advice. I have been known to work on circuits by merely removing the fuse that protects the circuit first. And sometimes not even doing that if it's a switched circuit and there are no constant live circuits near it. But that's a BAD practice to get into, and you should do as I say, not as I do . I do however refuse to wear jewelery (such as rings etc) when working on vehicles and electrical stuff. I'm still in hot water however 34+ years later for taking my wedding ring off less than a week after our wedding because the car snapped the driveshaft yoke at 2am Jan 1st 1977 on the side of the road (ok, it didn't do it on the side of the road, but I managed to get the car there, and that's where I had to work on it). And I took my ring off and put it in my pocket, and it fell out in the gravel. For all the looking we did, and we knew pretty close where it had to have fallen, we never found it. But you don't want to see what can happen to a finger that gets a ring across say the terminals of the solenoid. It's not a pretty sight . So lets be safe out there folks.
                  Cy

                  1980 XS1100G (Brutus) w/81H Engine
                  Duplicolor Mirage Paint Job (Purple/Green)
                  Vetter Windjammer IV
                  Vetter hard bags & Trunk
                  OEM Luggage Rack
                  Jardine Spaghetti 4-2 exhaust system
                  Spade Fuse Box
                  Turn Signal Auto Cancel Mod
                  750 FD Mod
                  TC Spin on Oil Filter Adapter (temp removed)
                  XJ1100 Front Footpegs
                  XJ1100 Shocks

                  I was always taught to respect my elders, but it keeps getting harder to find one.

                    Comment

                    • DGXSER
                      Doctor of XSology(Deceased)
                      • Nov 2008
                      • 12001
                      • Cincinnati, Ohio
                      #6
                      The tip over only has two wires, the relay with four wires is the headlight relay, should be directly above the coils in that very front pocket of the frame.

                      Does sound like you might have blown the main fuse. And yeah, I always disconnect the battery completely when working on the electricals. If you get the smoke generator out of the system you can't let the magic smoke out.
                      Life is what happens while your planning everything else!

                      When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt.

                      81 XS1100 Special - Humpty Dumpty
                      80 XS1100 Special - Project Resurrection


                      Previously owned
                      93 GSX600F
                      80 XS1100 Special - Ruby
                      81 XS1100 Special
                      81 CB750 C
                      80 CB750 C
                      78 XS750

                        Comment

                        • ShootersHoliday
                          XSive
                          • Aug 2011
                          • 73
                          • Arvada, CO.
                          #7
                          Originally posted by CaptonZap
                          Since you didn't say, and it sounds like you were doing repairs without disconnecting the battery, let me advise you that it is always a good idea to disconnect the ground terminal to the battery before doing any electrical repairs.
                          CZ
                          Yah... I've never pulled that mistake before...

                          I have no idea what I was thinking. But, the problem is solved, and how reading/re-reading/cryin/re-reading the wiring diagram I didn't catch the main fuse is beyond me. I feel shame, and that I should tuck my tail and leave the site now

                          Thanks guys for the advice. Not sure I would have caught that before tearing the entire thing apart.

                            Comment

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