It's official, I have electrical issues.

[bennnn]

This relates to the things I have posted in other threads about my Zong zs200gy-a,


Here's what I know;

The headlight is very dim, only burns when engine is running.
The horn barely squeeks, again, only when engine running.
The front brake lever does not burn the back light, ever.
The bright switch clicks the headlight (something happens) but no change.

I don't know if I should have a "running light" in the back on this bike or not, but the tag light stays on all the time, and the "brake light" doesn't do anything except light up bright when the back brake is pushed.


Blinkers all work nice and bright, but when I hit the switch (either direction) it seems like it lights once, a bit dim, then there is a delay, and when it blinks again it burns strong and bright front and back.

It makes it a pain in the butt to ride in the heavy traffic around here, I only ride back and forth during the day so the headlight isn't a big deal, with my family situation and out schedual I never leave the house after dark, but this stuff has me irked,

My own labor is free and I can do anything, but this being my first bike and finding out that I have one that isn't a very common one has me headscratching where to start. Attacking it with a test light just proves what I already know,

but, where do I start to get this crap straightened out?

The battery is brand new, the fuse (I have ten more on hand) is brand new,

WTF?

[Weldangrind]

I think you have two problems: the front brake switch is done, and the battery power isn't getting anywhere, despite the intact fuse.

Measure the battery voltage with the bike off. Start the bike and measure the voltage again; let us know both values.

[SpudRider]

I agree with Weldangrind on all points. I strongly encourage you to do as he suggested.

Spud

[Banditz]

Agreed, battery MAY be shot, and the gen is almost certainly shot...Of course you could have a short somewhere too...hence why we need your stats on the voltage!

[bennnn]

The battery is about two weeks old (from brand new at batteries plus), and what do you mean by the "gen"? I just took it off the charger and it's 100% right now,

My time to work on it is always limited and has to be planned, I use this bike as transportation and my schedual is so tight that when it's time to go, I just fire it up and go.


I stepped on my el'cheapo multimeter last weekend, so I need to get another one, all I have is my old trusty test light untill Monday when I can get to wally world. It sucks, I live in the middle of a big city, but the way our schedual is set up I never have time to just run out whenever I want. I'm either working, doing schoolwork or changing diapers,,, feeding the baby,,, changing diapers,,, feeding the baby,, argh,,, lol..

SO,

I will get you guys the voltage #'s as advised, But Banditz has me thinking, a short hmm. The guy I got it from had the fuse out of it when I went to go check it out, he put it in before he started it. I have just left it in, if there was a short he knew about but never bothered to find, could that be why he had the fuse out?

[Moonbloodsflow]

Originally Posted by bennnn

But Banditz has me thinking, a short hmm. The guy I got it from had the fuse out of it when I went to go check it out, he put it in before he started it. I have just left it in, if there was a short he knew about but never bothered to find, could that be why he had the fuse out?

It hasn't blown any fuses with you? I can't think of any reason to keep the fuse out other than pretty much what you already said. That would lead me to believe there is probably a known short and thus previous blown fuses.

You really need a meter to check DC voltage on the battery and charging circuit, also to test for grounds. It could be as simple as one of your wires/connections grounding itself out on the bike or being loose. If you can find the time you should check and clean all of the connections, but I'd meter the battery and stuff like as been mentioned and see if it's outputting the right voltage. If not... and you've already checked all of your connections, I'd check your stator(3 phase generator)

Find the stator connector, usually 3 yellow or white wires and switch your meter to Ohms since you're taking a resistance reading. You want to check the reading across all 3 wires, 2 wires at a time, so you'll essential be taking 3 different readings. They should all be the same, what they read can vary depending on the stator. If that meters out okay then you'll want to take a an AC voltage reading of the stator because it could still be bad.

Switch your meter to AC voltage and start the bike, rev it up to about 5k rpms, it helps to have a hand. Take another reading on all 3 legs, two at a time again, they should all be the same and probably shouldn't be under 50volts. Again that can vary depending on the stator. I think my Qlinks output was like 70volts at that rpm.

If all of that meters out okay then the next step I believe is checking the regulator/rectifier which is a diode test. Probably a little more difficult and is easier with an analog meter. I highly doubt your rectifier is bad but it's a possibility.

There's some good info on all of this in some of the links here, just incase I butchered that info and it doesn't make sense, I'll link them below :P But that should give you an idea on where to start so you aren't just checking one thing at a time and running back to the forums asking where to go from here.

It's important to make sure your battery is 100% charged and okay before you do any of this. If you aren't entirely sure you should take it to an auto place and have them do a load test on it. It's possible to have a bad battery that reads the correct voltage but is bad under load. Again, check your connections too. Electrical trouble shooting sucks in general. Lots of things can short out, sockets/bulbs, relays, wires etc...

http://www.4strokes.com/tech/fault_find.pdf
http://www.hooperimports.com/showpages.asp?pid=1013
http://www.electrexworld.co.uk/pdfs/...P-PMG-&-RR.pdf

[bennnn]

Something else, I noticed that the "N" light doesn't light up when I start the bike, or when it's sitting running, but that when I'm on it riding it works, but kind of flickers.

So from what you guys have said and what I am looking at, I have about half the juice (or less) I need going to have, going to anything past the front of the seat, sound right?

I just started it and checked. This thing starts up so easy its crazy.

1. headlight on but very dim.
2. Tag light and headlight on, tag light bright.
3. Blinkers all work strong and very bright, Front and Back....
4. front brake lever does not burn the back light.
5. Back brake pedal burns the light bright.
6. green N light not on, but sitting running in neutural.
7. when running in gear, N light will burn, but go off when I hit the front brake.

I think I'm starting to know where to look,

Having a plan when I get to work on it will realy speed me up, any logic advice welcomed.

[bennnn]

Originally Posted by Moonbloodsflow

It hasn't blown any fuses with you? I can't think of any reason to keep the fuse out other than pretty much what you already said. That would lead me to believe there is probably a known short and thus previous blown fuses.

You really need a meter to check DC voltage on the battery and charging circuit, also to test for grounds. It could be as simple as one of your wires/connections grounding itself out on the bike or being loose. If you can find the time you should check and clean all of the connections, but I'd meter the battery and stuff like as been mentioned and see if it's outputting the right voltage. If not... and you've already checked all of your connections, I'd check your stator(3 phase generator)

Find the stator connector, usually 3 yellow or white wires and switch your meter to Ohms since you're taking a resistance reading. You want to check the reading across all 3 wires, 2 wires at a time, so you'll essential be taking 3 different readings. They should all be the same, what they read can vary depending on the stator. If that meters out okay then you'll want to take a an AC voltage reading of the stator because it could still be bad.

Switch your meter to AC voltage and start the bike, rev it up to about 5k rpms, it helps to have a hand. Take another reading on all 3 legs, two at a time again, they should all be the same and probably shouldn't be under 50volts. Again that can vary depending on the stator. I think my Qlinks output was like 70volts at that rpm.

If all of that meters out okay then the next step I believe is checking the regulator/rectifier which is a diode test. Probably a little more difficult and is easier with an analog meter. I highly doubt your rectifier is bad but it's a possibility.

There's some good info on all of this in some of the links here, just incase I butchered that info and it doesn't make sense, I'll link them below :P But that should give you an idea on where to start so you aren't just checking one thing at a time and running back to the forums asking where to go from here.

It's important to make sure your battery is 100% charged and okay before you do any of this. If you aren't entirely sure you should take it to an auto place and have them do a load test on it. It's possible to have a bad battery that reads the correct voltage but is bad under load. Again, check your connections too. Electrical trouble shooting sucks in general. Lots of things can short out, sockets/bulbs, relays, wires etc...

http://www.4strokes.com/tech/fault_find.pdf
http://www.hooperimports.com/showpages.asp?pid=1013
http://www.electrexworld.co.uk/pdfs/...P-PMG-&-RR.pdf

Going out to start it a few times while writing that had me post it right after yours, thanks for the good info. I am going to go look at something,

[bennnn]

Well, no matter what else I find out, seeing this just gave me a reason not to ride it untill I fix the other issue..............................

Could this have happened from that other day I mentioned in the other post, when I got cut off and had to stop hard? I've been to the chiro three times since that day.

[Moonbloodsflow]

Sounds like it makes sense to me. Stalled out hard, the bolt could have been loose? Did you rev the engine hard by accident when you stalled out? Maybe something else happened in all of the commotion.

Sorry to hear about your troubles. I know next to nil about mechanical stuff but I can work my way through electrical stuff most of the time heh. I work in a field where I do a lot of low voltage and some high voltage applications. Just never had the opportunity to work on anything mechanical, so I am learning myself.

Be thankful you discovered that, that could have been bad. Maybe this electrical problem ended up being the least of your concern. It made you go check something you may have otherwise over looked.

[Weldangrind]

The area around the motor mount looks rough. Perhaps it was laid down by the PO, and you just never noticed the missing bolt before. No matter; just buy a new bolt and use blue Loctite on it. In fact, blue Loctite should be used on every bolt on the bike.

[bennnn]

Well fellas, I am no longer a chinarider. I really got to love my bike, and I will miss it for what it was. I'll have another dual sport again the future, but I switched bikes to good effect.

I gave my Zong up for $930, and bought this awesome pristine Honda Hawk for $1,000... It's all original, and it was a one owner bike when I got it.

So, now I am a Japan Rider I guess, CB400T Hawk, strangely enough, even though it's twice the engine, this bike is really really quiet, and I love it.

[SpudRider]

Congratulations on acquiring your Honda Hawk. My first motorcycle was a 1979, Honda Hawk II, which looked very similar to the bike you just bought! If you have time, please start a new thread on your Honda Hawk in our Other Stuff Forum. I am getting nostalgic looking at your Honda, and I would love to see more photos of it!

Spud

[katoranger]

We just move you to the Other riders now. :wink:


Those 400 hondas are great.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by katoranger

We just move you to the Other riders now. :wink:


Those 400 hondas are great.

Indeed, I had a lot of fun on my Honda Hawk; it was a great bike, and I miss it! More photos, please!

Spud