Electrickery

[tripleripple]

So a few weeks ago I had a bit of a "hiccup" on my slightly modified 1973 Honda CB750. My rear fender/taillight assembly dropped off the bolts (on the expressway) and got all mangled and stuff by the tire. Fast forward to tonight, tracked down a blown fuse, motor back up and running strong as ever, just needed to rewire the taillight.

For some reason the taillight was burning bright as if the brake was always activated, then not working at all. Then it all worked great for a second, then only when I was holding it with one hand and the other hand on a beer can that was sitting on the frame (shyt you not). Then the headlight didn't work and now it's being powered by the turn signal somehow so it flashes on and off, which is hilarious. The starter was never working but now it does, but only when the brake happens to be activating the headlight. You get the idea.

Right now I hate motorcycles, or electrics or just old stuff. I'm not seeking advice because this would be impossible to diagnose over the interwebs. I eventually had enough of those beers and gave up. Good times. Ride on.

(Saddest of all, payday isn't until tomorrow, so the beers were mere Budweisers...I'll class it up this weekend for all you ale hounds out there!)

[Kenneth_Moore]

Bite the bullet and do what I did with my '77 Low Rider: buy a new wiring harness and get the soldering iron out.

Those 37 y/o wires, switches, and connectors are just going to drive you nuts until you do.

[The_AirHawk]

Eh. Bud. Pour that back in the Horse.

Ken's got his finger on it here - I'd just find a wiring diagram, and start over.

[tripleripple]

The new wiring harness is definitely the way to go. A lot of what's in there has been rigged up over the years, and I'm just doing more rigging. Fortunately, I have the best short term fix.

Ride the other bike.

[sarnali2]

Originally Posted by tripleripple

The new wiring harness is definitely the way to go. A lot of what's in there has been rigged up over the years, and I'm just doing more rigging. Fortunately, I have the best short term fix.

Ride the other bike.

Hey Budweiser isn't bad..when it's 100 degrees/100 % humidity...and you're in the middle of nowhere....walking...with nowhere to buy beer and no money anyway....hell I'd drink it!!

As far as the bike... yeah, just ride the other one. Wiring isn't that hard specially on a rat, stock bikes have way too much wiring. All you really need is a power wire and a ground to the headlight, tail light and brake switch and starter and a positive, negative and neutral from the alternator to the regulator/rectifier to the battery. Nothing to it...

[The_AirHawk]

Originally Posted by sarnali2

Hey Budweiser isn't bad..when it's 100 degrees/100 % humidity...and you're in the middle of nowhere....walking...with nowhere to buy beer and no money anyway....hell I'd drink it!!

As far as the bike... yeah, just ride the other one. Wiring isn't that hard specially on a rat, stock bikes have way too much wiring. All you really need is a power wire and a ground to the headlight, tail light and brake switch and starter and a positive, negative and neutral from the alternator to the regulator/rectifier to the battery. Nothing to it...

And a few Fuses interspersed, just to keep the Magic Smoke inside the wiring. Unless you like Cannon Fuse.

Today was brought to you by Leiver Technical Services - the Experts in Arc-Flash Safety Training Programs.

I've seen enough charred human-beings for one day, I think I'll go home now and Kiss my Wife, 'cuz I still can. All of you that work on Electrical Equipment with an HRC of #1 or higher should do the same.

Give her 2 Kisses if it's HRC #3+.

[mscuddy]

I had the same thing happen to an old CB350 four cylinder. The tail light fell off, and it smoked the wiring harness, caused some weird stuff like you relayed. I fixed it by re-wiring all the devices that were affected to some un-used hot circuits, with toggle switches on the left hand side panel. Looked kind of trick. I even used a motor-starter button for the starter switch. You don't have to get a new harness, it's a royal pain to hook up.

[tripleripple]

Turns out I came up with the best solution of all, an unemployed friend with time on his hands. The beast is back to normal, though I might miss that modulating headlight. Heading out to terrorize the neighborhood tonight if I ever get off the couch and stop watching this damn Mecum Auto Auction (very addicting).

Sorry again about the Budweiser.

[sarnali2]

Originally Posted by The_AirHawk

A

Today was brought to you by Leiver Technical Services - the Experts in Arc-Flash Safety Training Programs.

I've seen enough charred human-beings for one day, I think I'll go home now and Kiss my Wife, 'cuz I still can. All of you that work on Electrical Equipment with an HRC of #1 or higher should do the same.

Give her 2 Kisses if it's HRC #3+.

No kidding, I get to watch those from time to time because our pumps and fans runs off 480, in fact my office sits right under a 13,800/480 transformer, with a 5000 gallon Condensate return tank and a 5k gallon 230 degree D.A. tank next to it on the same mezzanine, the door to my office opens into a 480 volt MCC. and It's on an earthquake fault line on reclaimed tide flats....I try not to think about it, really...

Some of those movies could make a dog puke, I especially like the "microwaving" casualties where the current uses your bone marrow as a conduit and basically cooks you from the inside out.....(urp)...