lewkmiller
chop chop
Battery is brand new.
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Switch Keyed Ignition to Toggle Switch
- Thread starter lewkmiller
- Start date
Those wires look pretty bad on that switch did you fix them.A open positive shorting out on ground could cause the problems you having.also theres some wiring diagrams on my thread ignition problem which may help you.Take a look at all the wiring and do a trace on all the wiring.Look for bad spots also as previously mention since your battery is new a possible bad voltage regulator.You just have to love electrical problems
XSLeo
XS400 Junkie
With a fully charged battery it should read 12-13 volts as minimum. Any less and it's not fully charged.
When you turn on the key power is sent to the field coil of the alternator and the ignition coil Both of these draw a lot of current. This can draw the battery voltage down a volt or two.
If your headlight comes on when you turn the key on it can draw the voltage down even more.
I would first start by charging the battery.
Once charged test for voltage at the battery, this will give you a baseline. Next check voltage at the red wire on your toggle switch. It should read the same as the battery. if not you have problems between the battery and switch.
Now with the switch on, check voltage at the brown and blue wires, It may read a bit less than the battery. At this point recheck the battery. Compare this reading with the reading At the brown and blue wires. If low the switch is bad. Being a new switch it should be ok.
Now check voltage at the ignition coil, engine stop switch in the run position of course. The voltage should be the same as battery voltage, or at least with in .2 or .3 of battery. If not you have problems between the toggle switch and the coil. Often the fuses or engine stop switch. The engine stop switch can be taken out of the housing and cleaned. Fuses if they are the stock round glass fuses are crap. they were crap when new. Change them for blade type fuses. Either a new fuse box or individual inline fuse holders.
Another thing you can try is to unplug the voltage regulator. This stops the current flow through the field coil of the alternator. This should decrease the voltage drop.
I might suggest starting at one end of your bike and working to the other. Checking each connection in the electrical system. Pull them apart inspect for corrosion and dirt. Clean them On the female side of the connectors you can pull them from the housing by releasing the locks. A bit of a squeeze will tighten them. When reassembling a bit of dielectric grease will prevent corrosion.
Leo
When you turn on the key power is sent to the field coil of the alternator and the ignition coil Both of these draw a lot of current. This can draw the battery voltage down a volt or two.
If your headlight comes on when you turn the key on it can draw the voltage down even more.
I would first start by charging the battery.
Once charged test for voltage at the battery, this will give you a baseline. Next check voltage at the red wire on your toggle switch. It should read the same as the battery. if not you have problems between the battery and switch.
Now with the switch on, check voltage at the brown and blue wires, It may read a bit less than the battery. At this point recheck the battery. Compare this reading with the reading At the brown and blue wires. If low the switch is bad. Being a new switch it should be ok.
Now check voltage at the ignition coil, engine stop switch in the run position of course. The voltage should be the same as battery voltage, or at least with in .2 or .3 of battery. If not you have problems between the toggle switch and the coil. Often the fuses or engine stop switch. The engine stop switch can be taken out of the housing and cleaned. Fuses if they are the stock round glass fuses are crap. they were crap when new. Change them for blade type fuses. Either a new fuse box or individual inline fuse holders.
Another thing you can try is to unplug the voltage regulator. This stops the current flow through the field coil of the alternator. This should decrease the voltage drop.
I might suggest starting at one end of your bike and working to the other. Checking each connection in the electrical system. Pull them apart inspect for corrosion and dirt. Clean them On the female side of the connectors you can pull them from the housing by releasing the locks. A bit of a squeeze will tighten them. When reassembling a bit of dielectric grease will prevent corrosion.
Leo
lewkmiller
chop chop
xsleo! hey man thanks for all the info. I have basically started on your prescribed method with my multimeter. I need to charge the battery though. Scorpio, I am on the fence on rewiring, if this problem goes on much more i might go that direction. I am going to try and assess then problem further. Does anyone know how to give the bike a 12 volt supply from a constant source, like a 12 volt plug in converter? do they make those? where do you get them?? Thanks again to the xs community for all the love!
DARKMIDKNIGHTWARRIOR
XS400 Addict
Yes They do but why would you want to do that?
lewkmiller
chop chop
Guys, got it working. I missed a ground connection. DOH! I'm going to start it tomorrow and be sure. The constant supply would be good for checking for volt leaks and not kill a battery every 15 mins. any way probably not needed now 
motoTrooper
XS400 Addict
Do you have a car you can hook it to with jumper cables? That will help your process. If you need more than three start attempts, start the car so you don't draw that battery down too much either or just leave it on and have the car help recharge your bike battery as you work.
tx500
XS400 New Member
if you get the toggle switch to work i would like to buy your ignition assembly -- Just bought a 400 on the weekend and the original owner has lost the key over the years
lewkmiller
chop chop
xschris: I am going to test my coils to make sure they are not fried. Do you know the allowable rages for the readings? I will be testing with this method:
TX500: not quite ready to get rid of the ignition just yet. keep bugging me though.
lewkmiller
chop chop
Guys, Just checked rectifier and I'm not sure but I don't think it's good. I followed the instructions in the manual and probed red probe to red connector. only the terminal right below it gave a reading. Then I probed red probe to black connector. Got readings on all connection terminals. Does this mean the Rectifier is toast? If so where do I get a new one? Which one should I get? Any and all help very appreciated!!!!
lewkmiller
chop chop
xschris! this is perfect! Thanks! Now to figure out how to detach those cables!
lewkmiller
chop chop
so..... Thoughts on how to test?
lewkmiller
chop chop
Xschris, can you help me with how to test the regulator?
XSLeo
XS400 Junkie
hooking the bike to a car battery is a good idea, just DON"T start the car. A car alternator has an output reaching to as much as 100 amps. When you have the car running and you try to crank the bike the car senses the voltage drop and starts to charge to over come this drop. A car battery can handle this very large charge rate.
Your bikes battery and electrical system can not take this high a charge rate. It can blow up the battery, burn out wiring, ignition systems, and any other sensitive electronics.
For charging I recommend you get a charger designed for charging small batteries. Wal Mart has a good one for around $20. Schumacher is the brand. . It has a motorcycle on the box.
It is a 1.5 amp charger that has a computer in it, that as it charges the battery it checks the charge voltage and stops charging once it reaches around 13.5 volts. At this point it drops from the full 1.5 amp charge rate to around 1/10 amp. This holds the battery at the 13.5 to 13.8 range. This prevents damage to the battery.
I have a spare car battery I use for testing. I set it next to the bike and hook cables from it to the bike. No car involved.
Leo
Your bikes battery and electrical system can not take this high a charge rate. It can blow up the battery, burn out wiring, ignition systems, and any other sensitive electronics.
For charging I recommend you get a charger designed for charging small batteries. Wal Mart has a good one for around $20. Schumacher is the brand. . It has a motorcycle on the box.
It is a 1.5 amp charger that has a computer in it, that as it charges the battery it checks the charge voltage and stops charging once it reaches around 13.5 volts. At this point it drops from the full 1.5 amp charge rate to around 1/10 amp. This holds the battery at the 13.5 to 13.8 range. This prevents damage to the battery.
I have a spare car battery I use for testing. I set it next to the bike and hook cables from it to the bike. No car involved.
Leo
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