No electricity...

Joined
Feb 19, 2017
Messages
40
Location
Chewelah, WA
Bike
1995 Honda ST1100
A few weeks ago my 95 ST1100 with 140,000 miles died. I waited a while and made it another 15 miles at which point it died again. I had some help and charged the battery. It worked fine. I stopped and bought a new battery. It ran perfectly for a few hundred miles. This weekend I wanted to go to an event 300 miles away. For the first 180 miles it ran perfectly. Then it died. My road service got a tow truck and had it brought to a motel.

Today I checked everything and it looked good so I started out again. 20 miles later, it died. No electricity. The road service got another tow truck - the closest they could find was 120 miles away. So here I am back in the motel.

I only noticed one problem - the insulation on the wires connecting to the starter relay showed signs of melting. (I had replaced the relay in July because of a similar issue.)

HELP!!!



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Joined
Mar 20, 2016
Messages
1,201
Location
Auckland, New Zealand
Bike
2005 ST1300
STOC #
8901
Sounds like you are not charging the battery while running, so that would be a failed alternator, or regulator/rectifier, or just the 30A fuse that is part of the relay mechanism. Basically all of the bike's power runs from the battery through the 30A fuse then out to through the ignition switch to the fuse panel and onwards, so any discontinuity around the relay wiring is going to stop the bike running. The red/white wire is the power supply from the R/R that is charging the battery, if that is the burnt wire then my guess is that would be the problem. If you can get the bike running and have access to a multimeter, you could check the voltage across the battery terminals, and it should be around 14v when the engine is running. If around 12.5 then there is no voltage reaching the battery from the charging circuit.

I have read that if you charge the battery well overnight and then keep electrical use to a minimum (e.g. pull the headlight fuse) you can run for many hundreds of miles at a time before the battery needs to be recharged. Good luck.
 

Mark

Gotta make tracks
Moderator
Joined
Jan 19, 2005
Messages
6,133
Age
70
Location
Apache Junction AZ
Bike
KTM 525exc
STOC #
3768
I can't tell if you made it home...

If you're still on the road you can buy a car battery, attach it to the rear seat and run wires to the existing battery cables.
You'll have to charge it at night; but, you'll be able to ride most of the day... (unplug your head lights and don't use any other electrics).

I'll bet that when you get it home and start checking you'll find your 28 amp alternator has given up the ghost.
 
OP
OP
Joined
Feb 19, 2017
Messages
40
Location
Chewelah, WA
Bike
1995 Honda ST1100
No, I'm not home yet. I found out that there is a Honda dealer about 40 miles from here so I will get it towed there. Hopefully, they will be able and willing to check the alternator or identify the problem. I will be about 120 miles from home so if it isn't something that can be fixed easily I will get a battery, pull the light fuse and head for home. Thanks for your comments.


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OP
OP
Joined
Feb 19, 2017
Messages
40
Location
Chewelah, WA
Bike
1995 Honda ST1100
Thanks for your comments. I was glad to find out the path for the electricity. The last time this happened the voltage across the battery had dropped to about 11.6 volts. After charging, it had increased to about 13 volts. I will get it towed to a Honda dealer. I hope the dealer can at least identify the problem. I will probably get a battery and pull the headlight fuse. I only need to go 120 miles.


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Joined
Oct 9, 2012
Messages
81
Location
Singapore
Bike
ST1100Y
My 2000 40A alt went dead all of a sudden few years ago(voltmeter usually shows 14-14.2V when riding) and only show 12-12.2V when it went. I have a spare batt charged up so every 3days I'll have to alternate between the 2 batt until my new 40A alt came in abt 1-2weeks later. If the batt voltage drop to below 11.6 range, you might have difficulty starting the bike.

We have headlight on/off switch here so turning off the headlights will last ~150km until batt is too weak(signal & other electrics) due to draining.
I kind of swear that when my alt went dead with no charging, the bike spark timing runs smoother & hence bike cruises a heck of alot smoother when running only on batt power, weird phenomenon.
 
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