Need ign. help

[donebysunday]

Good Morning XSers,
I'll explain what's going on, someone stole the bike and it appears they hammered a screwdriver into the ign., now it's doing strange things. Suddenly the headlight stays on when the key is turned to off, the ign. will no longer turn to the lock the fork.
This is an 81LH, I ordered a new ign. from Mikes but the one they sent has only 3 wires the original has 4.
I checked the schematic for a 79SF and it only shows 3 wires to the ign., wonder if the red power wire and the red w white stripe could be soldered together so this Mikes ign. could be used ?
Thanks, Don'e

[3Phase]

Hazard Circuit

Don,

1978/'79 models and '80/'81 models have similar wiring but the '80/'81 models added the Red/Yellow wire for the Hazard warning lights. Except for the Lock position in the ignition switch, the Red/Yellow wire is always hot so the flashers will work without leaving the key in the ignition.

You can splice the Red and Red/Yellow wires together. The only thing you'll lose is the 100% power disconnect when the ignition switch is turned to the Lock position so the Hazard circuit will always be hot.

[donebysunday]

so the flashers will work when the steering is locked ?
I never noticed

Thank You Very Much !!!!!

[3Phase]

so the flashers will work when the steering is locked ?
I never noticed

Thank You Very Much !!!!!

Normally, the flashers are not supposed to work when the ignition is locked.

Keeping the Line/Load wires separate also keeps 'stupid' from happening if you unplug the ignition switch connector and accidentally short the Red/Yellow wire under the seat at the Hazard relay.

[donebysunday]

Normally, the flashers are not supposed to work when the ignition is locked.

Keeping the Line/Load wires separate also keeps 'stupid' from happening if you unplug the ignition switch connector and accidentally short the Red/Yellow wire under the seat at the Hazard relay.

How stupid does one get if they do that ?

[3Phase]

How stupid does one get if they do that ?

Pretty much every kind of stupid, ranging from a full acid facial with embedded plastic and lead bits and permanent blindness when the battery explodes after sparking a screwdriver/wrench on one of the Hazard relay terminals, all the way down to replacing the 30A Main fuse or just scaring the be-haysoos out of yourself.

Always disconnect the Negative battery terminal before you do any work that requires removing the seat.

The XJ1100 has a nifty quick disconnect on the Red wire from the battery that's just before the Main fuse but it's not as safe as disconnecting the battery.

[donebysunday]

I know better but often fail to disconnect the battery or remove it to a safe place. I have a bad habit of working on bikes and using the top of the frame as a place to put my tools. I've put back on the road over 70 XS1100s and 650 twins and so far I've gotten away with stupid, now saying that from now on I'll do it right/safely. Thanks for reminding me stupid is as stupid does

[3Phase]

Edit: I just looked at my bike and it's the Lock position that's a 100% disconnect, the flashers will work every other position:
On
Off
Park.

I discovered the hot Hazard relay with a 12mm wrench while I was working in the garage. I removed the fuel tank bolt and set the wrench on the frame while I raised the tank and disconnected the fuel lines.

I bumped the wrench, it slipped off the frame and sparked on the relay, popped the 30A fuse and scared the be-haysoos out of me so I should probably add, "Homeless Human Torch" to the list of stupid.

[TopCatGr58]

It also depends on with what you short the battery. Dry Human skin has a fairly high electrical resistance, but sweat, blood have electrolytes that are quite conductive. It only takes 1/10 of an amp across your heart to cause it to STOP, V-Fib, etc.. The Code paddles used by EMT's to jump start folks who've suffered a heart attack/stopped heart has a max power rating of 360 Joules. The amperage delivered varies due to resistance, time to deliver the shock but is in Milliseconds, so it's not necessarily that many, but one source said could be up to 45 Amps.

Note the power rating on your typical bike/car battery....300 COLD CRANKING AMPS.

I have a nice pair of 3rd degree burn scars on my left wrist on both sides of my WATCH BAND area. I was working on a car trying to evaluate a loss of charging. Was reaching around the engine compartment and ALT, and felt a little "bite" on my arm, but it didn't hurt so I reached in again and felt a second "bite" and think I saw a spark. Turns out the charging wire from the ALT to the battery had come loose from the ALT but was still connected to the (+) terminal of the battery, and my Wrist Watch Band connected with it and apparently the ALT casing/ground and gave me the 3rd degree burns. 3rd degree burns don't actually hurt because they are so bad and deep they kill the nerve endings that send pain signals!

This is one of the reasons why "THEY" recommend removing watches/bracelets or other metallic jewelry before working around cars/batteries, along with disconnecting the (-) lead.

T.C.

[3Phase]

ZZzzzzzzt!

Bingo: it's the current, stupid. 12V can mess you up, burn you or kill you.

Apropos of nothing to do with XS11s but RF transmitters are not your friend either and dogtags make great antennas for microwaving your head. When I was going to Commo school, one of our drill Sergeants would sing out at every formation, "Take off all watches, rings, and dogtags!" and then they'd all make sure we did it before we could go inside for class. Anyone caught wearing metal or making any other safety violation had to sit after class and write a "Dear Mom and Dad" letter or letters that explained what you'd done wrong and why you and possibly everyone around you died.

[donebysunday]

I've learned the hard way 12V can burn but kill ?

[3Phase]

I've learned the hard way 12V can burn but kill ?

Death from low voltage DC, below 32V, is rare but it can happen. There's a time constant to the voltage/current rise and even when wet or sweaty, standing in water or touching metal, most people can just let go or move away.

It's a lot more likely that something else will get you besides the current, like falling or pulling/knocking over a 600 lb motorcycle.

[TopCatGr58]

I've learned the hard way 12V can burn but kill ?

Hey Done,

Like Scott said and that I pointed out earlier, it's the CURRENT=AMPS. If you short the battery with one hand and then across your chest to the other hand/arm, the current is running THRU your chest/heart, and it can cause the heart to go into Ventricular fibrillation, an ineffective quivering of the heart muscle so that it essentially stops pumping blood=you die!

T.C.

[donebysunday]

Outcome

I see, I learn every day.

I took the old ign. apart, took the Mikes ign. switch apart and swapped the contact plate with the four wires and plug from the old ign. into the Mikes ign. switch that had only 3 wires.
Every thing is working as it should even though the contacts were a bit longer on the old contact plate.

Thanks for your patience with me ! Don'e
P.S. Now the rear caliper is sticking where is the best place to buy a rebuild kit ?

[3Phase]

Now that's a great mod', who knew the contact plates would interchange!