That'd be right! No electrics - HELP!

gyp23 · Post by **gyp23** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 4:01 pm

Got home from a nice 2 hour blat on the new bike today, jumped on the forum and read a post about chain maintenance, got all inspired and spent an hour getting filthy with kero and a rag taking off gunk collected over the past 9000k for what looks like the very first time.

Watered the chain down with a hose to get rid of excess build up (low pressure hose - managed to avoid the miltant water police neighbours!), sprayed on a bit of chain lube, went to go for another quick ride to warm up the chain to finalise the project, and WHADDYA KNOW - no frickin power!

When I first turned the key on, the electrics switched on for a split second (red panel light came on) then it just disappeared. Tried again, nothing. Tried a third time a few mins later and again the electrics switched over for a nano-second before dying. Electric fuel pump didn't even have a chance to kick in.

Can anyone help me troubleshoot this? I'm thinking it's something to do with the battery (trusting it to go bung on a Sat arvo when the bike shops shut!!). I'm a complete girl when it comes to mechanics so feel free to spell out your responses to me like a 2 year old.

Thanks heaps
G

gyp23 · Post by **gyp23** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 4:03 pm

Grrrrrrrr that'd be right! Just after I submitted that post I went out to try the key again and everything now works again! Murphy's law...

So what do you think that might have been the problem? Worth getting anything checked out?

gyp23 · Post by **gyp23** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 4:23 pm

#&*!@()&#!@*) I spoke too soon.

Just put the seat and pillion cowl back on, went to go for anoterh blat, and I'm now back to square one - no electrics.

zzzak · Post by **zzzak** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 4:27 pm

Let it dry out and it should be fine,spray some wd40 around as well.

gyp23 · Post by **gyp23** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 4:38 pm

OK I have an update (and now a beer in my hand as I type this - I'm over it!!)

I took the seat all off, very professionally "jiggled" the fuse junction box, and tried the key again - we have power. I then went to run the engin and it all died.

Turned it all off, tried the key, nothing. Tried a few more times, nothing. Jiggled the junction box, we have power. Everything died again though as soon as I went to ignite.

Do you reckon this is still a battery problem, or perhaps a fuse one?

Looking like I know what I'm doing (but really having no clue) I checked all of the fuses in the junction box, plus the two 'blue 15' ones to the right of it, and none of them are broken....

gyp23 · Post by **gyp23** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 4:40 pm

zzzak wrote:Let it dry out and it should be fine,spray some wd40 around as well.

Hi zzzak - thanks for responding.
At risk of sounding like a complete idiot, I'm to spray WD40 around 'what' exactly? Under the riders seat? This area is not wet at all - the only area that got wet was the chain and back sproket.

gyp23 · Post by **gyp23** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 4:59 pm

Mystery solved (never underestimate the power of 1 beer!!)

The problem was that the contact on one of the battery terminals was loose. Once tightened, it powers up and kicks over every time as before.

Thanks for letting me vent here guys! Yet another lesson learnt

ttc · Post by **ttc** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 5:05 pm

georgia.. looks like you did most of it by yourself anyway

Felix · Post by **Felix** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 9:22 pm

The best lessons are those hardest learnt

BTW...you are allowed to use water for essential mechanical maintenance such as cleaning your chain

zzzak · Post by **zzzak** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 10:06 pm

Spray the ignition switch barrel with the key half in with WD40 so as to waterproof your electrical system.

MrStompy · Post by **MrStompy** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 10:16 pm

beer makes all my problems go away too

ttc · Post by **ttc** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 6:23 am

zzzak wrote:Spray the ignition switch barrel with the key half in with WD40 so as to waterproof your electrical system.

um how does that work to waterproof the electrics?

Post by **robracer** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 1:31 pm

ttc wrote:
zzzak wrote:Spray the ignition switch barrel with the key half in with WD40 so as to waterproof your electrical system.
um how does that work to waterproof the electrics?

Im with you Tanya.... how does this work

O and gyp congrats on working it out yourself, it will give you more confidence with basic maintenance of your bike

Post by **Wattie** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 1:41 pm

oil does not conduct electricity, if there is water there, it might push it out, or help disperse it.

wd40 is of course oil.

not saying this works, but if you were stuck (which your now not) i would give it a go. cant hurt anything, as long as you dont miss and spray slippery stuff on something thats not meant to be slippery...

Post by **robracer** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 1:53 pm

Wattie wrote:oil does not conduct electricity, if there is water there, it might push it out, or help disperse it.

wd40 is of course oil.

not saying this works, but if you were stuck (which your now not) i would give it a go. cant hurt anything, as long as you dont miss and spray slippery stuff on something thats not meant to be slippery...

Never heard of water in an ignition block being a prob as the barrel moves pins across connections & even if there was water present it should make no diff ,The theory behind WD being a water repellant works, it just wont waterproof "your electrical system" with a quick spray in the key hole... must be the way zzzak has worded his post sounds like he was meaning the whole electrical system... spose its in the way you read it