Hi all. I'm David, first post here. I have had an ST1100 for over 20 years and never had this problem. Currently own a 1994 with about 20k miles in very good condition, always stored indoors. After riding to a friend's house across town, I went to start up the bike to get home. Turned the key and lights came on for a second, then everything was dark. No headlights, no panel lights. Engine would not turn over. Nothing working except for the clock. Borrowed a volt meter, the battery seems fine, 12.8 volts or close to it when the ignition is off. When I turn the ignition on, it drops to under a volt and even the clock goes blank. I checked the fuses, main and the subs, and they are all good. I am by no means a mechanic, but am not afraid to get my hands dirty. Any idea what is going on? Wondering if I should have it towed to my house or to a shop. Thanks in advance.
Help Please - No electrical power when ignition turned on
- Thread starter DRose
- Start date
Hi David, welcome to the forum. 
Someone with an 1100 will be along shortly I'm guessing to give you some help!
I'm guessing it could be the battery. How old is it?
Someone with an 1100 will be along shortly I'm guessing to give you some help!
I'm guessing it could be the battery. How old is it?
Sunday Rider
Site Supporter
Welcome David.
I had this happen to me a few years ago, along with many ST 1100 owners here.
Have a look at post #7 here:
www.st-owners.com
That wire is usually suspect so is the starter relay below it.
Edit: meant to add, tow it home. You will get many suggestions here and after you’ve tried them and something will work, you will have learned lots and you will be sucked in to all the shenanigans that go on here and become a long term member.
I had this happen to me a few years ago, along with many ST 1100 owners here.
Have a look at post #7 here:
Electrical issues. | ST1100 Related
Can someone please help me. I have a 2002 st1100, i suddenly lost all electrics whilst riding, having done some easy voltage checks I have come to the conclusion my rectifier is fried. I ordered a new one so when it came I decided to fit it. This is where the confusion starts, my service manual...
That wire is usually suspect so is the starter relay below it.
Edit: meant to add, tow it home. You will get many suggestions here and after you’ve tried them and something will work, you will have learned lots and you will be sucked in to all the shenanigans that go on here and become a long term member.
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If you are putting your voltmeter across the battery terminals to measure the voltage, it should not drop to under a volt when you turn on the ignition.
When trouble shooting, progress in a logical manner, from one end to the other, either upstream or downstream. Start with the easy things first. After checking the connections and fuses, I'd pull the battery out and load test it - take it to your friendly gas station and they will clamp a meter to the terminals and put a resistive (a heater) load across the battery. That is the definitive test for a bad battery. Note that even new batteries fail sooner than expected. My money is on the battery. (Good thing it's this verbal kind of money.
)
Uncle Phil
Site Supporter
Sounds like a plate shorted out in the battery.
kiltman
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Red wire in the main relay connector. More than likely the connector is melted.
Dear new best friends...
Thanks for the quick reply. New battery on order, will arrive in a few days and I will let you know if that is the solution.
I looked at all the obvious wiring and nothing seems under stress, let alone melted. I have read up on the red wire modification, and that does not seem to be an issue at this point.
I have done a bunch of maintenance over the years, replaced the thermostat a few months ago and rebuilt the brakes and such, but never had an electrical problem. I will let you (and future searchers of information) know if this is the solution. Yay sidewalk repairs!
Thanks for the quick reply. New battery on order, will arrive in a few days and I will let you know if that is the solution.
I looked at all the obvious wiring and nothing seems under stress, let alone melted. I have read up on the red wire modification, and that does not seem to be an issue at this point.
I have done a bunch of maintenance over the years, replaced the thermostat a few months ago and rebuilt the brakes and such, but never had an electrical problem. I will let you (and future searchers of information) know if this is the solution. Yay sidewalk repairs!
A new battery is the easiest of fixes even if it's more expensive. Plug and play repairs are always the best in my books.
Slydynbye
Will ride for Pie
It's probably that Battery but, if not you can contact me and I can help if you need. I'm on the RAN list
Jeff
Jeff
Thanks Jeff! I definitely will. As soon as I figure out what the RAN list is...
one more vote for dead battery, and vote against needing the red wire bypass, at least for now.
The corrosion across the red connector shouldn't be able to cause the battery internal voltage to drop, so if he has the leads directly on the battery terminals, that would suggest the battery itself is dead. The scenario you describe where the battery is fine one minute (rode over to a friends house), stone dead the next, has happened to me a couple times over the years of riding motorcycles. Agree with Uncle Phil, something failed internally and the battery is dead as soon as any kind of load is applied.
If the red wire corrosion problem were present, it can only cause a large voltage drop ACROSS that connector. In that case the voltage between the battery ground and the DOWNSTREAM side of the red connector could be much lower than 12v, but the voltage between battery ground and the UPSTREAM side of the red connector should still be 12v.
The corrosion across the red connector shouldn't be able to cause the battery internal voltage to drop, so if he has the leads directly on the battery terminals, that would suggest the battery itself is dead. The scenario you describe where the battery is fine one minute (rode over to a friends house), stone dead the next, has happened to me a couple times over the years of riding motorcycles. Agree with Uncle Phil, something failed internally and the battery is dead as soon as any kind of load is applied.
If the red wire corrosion problem were present, it can only cause a large voltage drop ACROSS that connector. In that case the voltage between the battery ground and the DOWNSTREAM side of the red connector could be much lower than 12v, but the voltage between battery ground and the UPSTREAM side of the red connector should still be 12v.
Sunday Rider
Site Supporter
Can you push start the ST1100 with a bad battery or use one of those portable lithium boosters to get it started and get home?
EDIT: This is a question for those with knowledge about the electrics of the ST1100, am curious about this as I was able to do it with an older Honda 400 to get home at one time.
EDIT: This is a question for those with knowledge about the electrics of the ST1100, am curious about this as I was able to do it with an older Honda 400 to get home at one time.
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kiltman
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- Joined
- Apr 27, 2013
- Messages
- 3,282
- Age
- 68
- Location
- Stratford, Ontario Canada
- Bike
- 2002,ST1100ABS
- STOC #
- 8826
The bypass isn’t really necessary as long as there’s good contact. That connector can be deceiving, you have to take it apart and inspect the spade attached to the red wire. It may have a burn’t patina, and the copper strands may be black. If that’s the case peel back the insulation on the red wire till you get to the shiny copper and or splice in a new clean piece of wire with a new female spade connector.
As for the voltage drop, mine drops to 11.7 every time I turn on the ignition and press the starter. Once the engine is running it will resume the charging rate of 14.1
Does the clock go blank when you press the starter and come back on when you release the starter? If so, that usually indicates a bad red wire than a poor battery. The headlight will turn off when you press the starter and resume once the starter button is released.
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If the battery doesn't fix it, give me a shout as my '94 did the same thing. Loose all power, just like you'd turned the key off, then mysteriously it would come back on . I thought it was a short of some sort and it took me awhile to track down the problem. Turned out it was a bad 4 prong green connector plug behind the right side of the instrument panel. I believe it might go to the kill switch on the right handlebar. One of the connector prongs came loose inside the plug. It would run fine for awhile, hit a bump and it would die. Left me stranded once, luckily I was only a block from home. I replaced the green 4 prong plug behind the instrument panel and the problem was fixed.
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Andrew Shadow
Site Supporter
Or the battery is dead because it is not being recharged. A discharged battery will react the same way.
Even if you replace the battery, I would suggest that you test the charging system as well.
Replacing parts is not a good way to troubleshoot, including batteries. A charger or jumper cables can provide power temporarily if needed to track issues.
To find open or poor connections, check for voltage between points that should be at the same voltage, such as battery + and terminals that should be +12v.
Likewise, you can check for poor grounds by checking for voltage between battery -- and terminals that should be at ground. These are called fall-of-potential tests.
To add, you can also temporarily bypass suspected connections with jumper wires to see whether power is restored to components missing power.
To find open or poor connections, check for voltage between points that should be at the same voltage, such as battery + and terminals that should be +12v.
Likewise, you can check for poor grounds by checking for voltage between battery -- and terminals that should be at ground. These are called fall-of-potential tests.
To add, you can also temporarily bypass suspected connections with jumper wires to see whether power is restored to components missing power.
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Especially if you don’t do things one at a time.
True. If you want to know exactly what is causing an issue, make only one change at a time between tests.
agreed.
OP, can you jumpstart the bike and verify the charging system is putting out something around 14V to the battery??
With his description of 12.8v unloaded and 1v loaded (he didn't say if that drop was immediate, or over time, I'm assuming immediate) I'm more inclined to think its a dead battery rather than a charging system failure, but wouldn't rule it out.