Losing power when switch lights on?
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Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 192
Likes: 1
From: Lake Butler, FLA
Losing power when switch lights on?
Hey all, I know its a wiring issue but ive been told to look all over the place and have for a short. New battery, regulator etc. I can start bike up and leave switch at run position runs fine. I can be riding and switch to lights and its like i knocked a cylinder out. Then it may catch and go fine, go to stop, pull clutch in, hit brakes and idle changes. I changed all relays/breakers and cleaned all connections going to them and changed the ends on them. I check voltage at coil its 12.6 running on run, then change to lights it drops to in the 11s. Still, that shouldnt be enuf drop when the book says it will run on 5.
Last edited by billzflhtc; Mar 28, 2013 at 08:20 AM.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 2,747
Likes: 419
From: Vermont
Just a guess but that's pretty low voltage. Sure its chargin? It should be around 13.8 - 14.2 with just running high idle nothing on? 11 volts its gonna skip most likely. Head lights function not running OK not one light out or shorted?
Check all the grounds Most times it comes down to them in almost all stuff we fix electrical.
Could also have a bad diode and be only charging a bit
Check all the grounds Most times it comes down to them in almost all stuff we fix electrical.
Could also have a bad diode and be only charging a bit
Club Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 5,804
Likes: 7,831
From: SE Louisiana
This is an option, I would do this (and did) anyway, on our old bikes.
Could have high resistance in the handle bar kill switch, for example.
http://www.daytona-twintec.com/downl...structions.pdf
Could have high resistance in the handle bar kill switch, for example.
http://www.daytona-twintec.com/downl...structions.pdf
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 2,747
Likes: 419
From: Vermont
This is an option, I would do this (and did) anyway, on our old bikes.
Could have high resistance in the handle bar kill switch, for example.
http://www.daytona-twintec.com/downl...structions.pdf
Could have high resistance in the handle bar kill switch, for example.
http://www.daytona-twintec.com/downl...structions.pdf
Club Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 5,804
Likes: 7,831
From: SE Louisiana
I agree, something else is going on, needs to check for correct charging, then compare batt voltage to whats at the coil.
Jump a wire from the coil to the battery, see what happens.
Still, I can't see a downside to full current to the ignition system.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7,495
Likes: 3,705
From: Santa Klaus County, Cali
Think with that stated the first thing I would do is to check your switch for a short. They are pretty basic. Contacts at light portion may be bad, corroded or just need cleaning.
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Road Master
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 957
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From: Carlsbad Springs Ontario
electrical ?
Hey all, I know its a wiring issue but ive been told to look all over the place and have for a short. New battery, regulator etc. I can start bike up and leave switch at run position runs fine. I can be riding and switch to lights and its like i knocked a cylinder out. Then it may catch and go fine, go to stop, pull clutch in, hit brakes and idle changes. I changed all relays/breakers and cleaned all connections going to them and changed the ends on them. I check voltage at coil its 12.6 running on run, then change to lights it drops to in the 11s. Still, that shouldnt be enuf drop when the book says it will run on 5.
This is a time consuming and bitch of a process , so cold brews are essential.
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Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 192
Likes: 1
From: Lake Butler, FLA
light circuit.
Well I know that whoever used to own it before the person I bought it from, wired the spot/fog lights into the main switch and did away with the toggle. It is still there, just not hooked up and all lights come on when you turn the headlight on. I have always thot that would/could be a prob down the road. I have a complete main wire harness i bought from pinwall already and have what they called the front wire harness on the way from same bike I won on ebay last nite. (Figure may as well go with a known than trying to hunt down. Hopefully that will solve my problems. Thank you all for the insight. Only other thing I can think of is find an ignition switch. as someone said. I dont think I can take this yr apart and clean contacts tho.
Last edited by billzflhtc; Mar 28, 2013 at 09:45 PM.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 2,747
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From: Vermont
Before you mess with ignition switch run a hot wire like somebody already said and see if that kills the problem.Pull the other + wire off the coil so no bike wiring. But i am telling you VOLTAGE is too low. Short would have blown a fuse or burned a wire. Start unpluging lights one at a time. But i still think your going in the wrong direction till you see 13.8 to 14.2 voltage at high idle.