Fixed my electrical problem (headlights, dash lites,horn, turn signals, windshield)

[doylej6]

60 miles from home yesterday the ground circuit problem happened again. The bike quit at a stop sign and from then on basically nothing electrical in the front half of the bike worked and the bike would not start with high beams on. The engine would start and run with the headlight dip switch on low beam although there were no headlights and I was able to ride it home. This problem is detailed in this earlier thread:

https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?120747-Location-of-main-chassis-frame-ground-Ground-circuit-fault

When I got home I stripped off the tupperware and began reading all the threads again with similar problems. The ground wire out of the bottom of the 24 pin connector on the front left of the motorcycle above the cylinder head tested good continuity to the ground but because other similar problems with 1300s centered on this ground circuit I made a 14 gauge wire test lead with a pointed metal tip and inserted it into the plastic connector so it made contact with the connector's terminal for the green wire, bypassing the wire, and touched the other end to the frame while the key was on. All the lights came on brightly and the fuel pump spun up. Alright!!!!! To fashion a low resistance ground I cut the old ground wire in two and twisted and soldered a piece of the new wire onto it and crimped a ring terminal on the end. I grounded it to one of the 8 mm bolts that secure the left side coil.

Thanks to all of you that contributed in earlier threads I was able to get right to it and affect a repair.

I have an old 84 jag and that was an electrical nightmare I would have never found this repair for the st1300..thank you again

 

[dduelin]

I have an old 84 jag and that was an electrical nightmare I would have never found this repair for the st1300..thank you again

This is a great forum isn't it? I have learned so much here and happy to help

 

[doylej6]

This is a great forum isn't it? I have learned so much here and happy to help

It’s people like you that make it great.

 

[Ajcole85]

Im trying to follow alot of these posts and I need help with my st. Somewhere in the 24 pin connector forward is a short that keeps blowing a 10 amp fuse labeled position meter light tail in the fuse box on the left side of the bike.... I can't seem to find anything that show what wires that fuse supplys power to. My cluster won't work untill this is sorted... Any help would be great...

 

[Larry Fine]

Im trying to follow alot of these posts and I need help with my st. Somewhere in the 24 pin connector forward is a short that keeps blowing a 10 amp fuse labeled position meter light tail in the fuse box on the left side of the bike.... I can't seem to find anything that show what wires that fuse supplys power to. My cluster won't work untill this is sorted... Any help would be great...

How about an electrician's troubleshooting tip? This is from one of my posts on the Mike Holt NEC forum:

When troubleshooting a circuit with a direct short circuit to either neutral or ground, it's difficult to find the fault because you can't keep the power on, so the only way to find the offending undesired connection is visually, box by box. Start by unplugging everything on the circuit.

I typically use a rubber socket with a 150-watt bulb screwed into it, and wire it in series with the problem circuit at the panel. I disconnect the circuit's hot wire from the breaker terminal, connect the socket's black wire to the breaker, and wire-nut the circuit's hot wire to the socket's white wire.


With the high-wattage bulb in series with the circuit, the breaker will stay on because the most current that can flow is that of the bulb, so it acts as a current limiter. It also functions as an indicator, steady bright for a direct short, flickering for an arcing fault, etc., with you or a helper watching it.

In this case you would wire the light in place of the fuse. Obviously, you would need to use a high-powered 12v light, such as a non-LED headlight bulb, and you might even wire both filaments in parallel to make sure the bulbs resistance is lower than the normal loads of the circuit.

Please let me know if you need more help. I'm happy to message my cell number if you would like to talk.

 

[Ajcole85]

How about an electrician's troubleshooting tip? This is from one of my posts on the Mike Holt NEC forum:


In this case you would wire the light in place of the fuse. Obviously, you would need to use a high-powered 12v light, such as a non-LED headlight bulb, and you might even wire both filaments in parallel to make sure the bulbs resistance is lower than the normal loads of the circuit.

Please let me know if you need more help. I'm happy to message my cell number if you would like to talk.

The Gods are merciful and the forum is wise! Praise to the ST knowledge bearers!!!! found the short in a connector. It was a bridge wire thats not factory. Dont know why it was put there. Will have to check with previos owner (my beloved nerd brother - more computer geek than anything)

Its now mid night and been working on this since since I got home around 4:30 ish... Well worth the struggle. Now I have to fix the original cluster that got pulled cuz my brother cut a few connector wires before he realized he could just pull the connector... God bless all our beautiful "special people" lol

Thank you so much for the help... Now... Any idea where I can get a left side engine cover cowling?lol

 

[Nashcat]

found the short in a connector. It was a bridge wire thats not factory

That sounds like the previous owner tried to install the jumper fix, but did it incorrectly. Glad you found the problem.

John

 

[Ajcole85]

That sounds like the previous owner tried to install the jumper fix, but did it incorrectly. Glad you found the problem.

John

Super relieved about that... Now to Fab up a mount for the cluster that will look somewhat nice... And I noticed I need to do the fork seals...