HELP: Wiring problem

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Bike is DEAD, electrically speaking.

I can run a wire from the negative battery terminal to forward of the ignition switch area and power is restored to the head light, horn, etc.

But the problem seems to be no power from the battery to the ignition switch, 73 commando.

There are three sets of wires plugged in to the ignition switch. Am I correct that one of them is the live power lead from the battery?

If so, which one, what color? All three show no voltage when I unplug them and put my volt meter on them with the other lead to the positive battery.

Help ?
 
highdesert said:
There are three sets of wires plugged in to the ignition switch. Am I correct that one of them is the live power lead from the battery?

If so, which one, what color? All three show no voltage when I unplug them and put my volt meter on them with the other lead to the positive battery.


The main power wire between the battery negative and the ignition switch (terminal 1) should be the Brown/Blue wire ('UW' [Edit: Brown/Blue is actually 'NU'] on the wiring diagram*)?

This wire also connects to the rectifier, Zener diode, and 2MC capacitor (if it is fitted?) so check the Brown/Blue wire and its connections back to the fuse and battery negative terminal.

*Wiring diagram: http://www.classicbike.biz/Norton/Repai ... mmando.pdf pdf page 118.
 
Ok, replies help, here is where I am at now. Checked fuse, it is good.

The blue and brown set of wires going to terminal one on the ignition switch are dead, no juice to those wires.
So, can I assume I have a problem between the negative terminal on the battery TO these brown and blue wires?

MAYBE this is the issue:
There are two brown and blue wires coming out of the norton wiring harness that rests on the front of the rear fender, one of them appears to
be "live", per my volt meter. I don't know for sure about the other one right now.
Now, I have installed a boyer power box back there, it has a red wire going to a frame ground, and a black wire going to the negative battery,
and two sets of yellow wires hooked up to the alternator wires ( I presume).
Should there be a "live" feed in that area? Should perhaps one or both of the brown and blue wires there be hooked to something?
Is this were I break down between the battery and ignition blue brown wires, which are dead?
OK< I will come clean, I am SO embarrassed, I was "cleaning up" the wiring there on the rear fender, and I cut off what I thought were
useeless turn signal wires, and I MAY have cut off some other wire(s), can't remember I am so mad.
SOMETHING tells me the two blue/;brown wires just sitting there MUST be connected to something? CRAP< please help!
thanks
 
Ok, next question.

Can a run a test wire directly from the negative battery terminal to the male number one terminal on the ignition switch, the one
that is supposed to have the live feed green and brown wires going to it? Those wires are dead.

Would this test action blow up, short, anything, ok to try this?
 
The brown/blue wires in the battery area are (were) running from the battery to rectifier to zener to capacitor to the keyswitch. Since you have installed the Boyer Power box, you eliminated the rectifier and zener. I assume you disconnected all connections to these. You connected the electronic rectifier/regulator (Boyer Power Box) directly to the battery, but it sounds like you disconnected/cut the feed from the battery through the fuse to the ignition switch.

I would suggest that you run a new connection from the negative side of the battery through a fuse to the No. 1 terminal of the ignition switch. This will insure that any wire you inadvertently snipped will not short. Also remove the capacitor if you haven't already. You can re-use the fuse holder if you like but I would not trust the brown/blue wires in your harness at this time.

Note, if you want to use your power point, you would need to run a wire from the #1 terminal to the power point as well (removing the old brown/blue harness wire.

Just my suggestion.
 
I'd do as Ron suggests but I'd install a circuit breaker in the circuit. I don't have much electrical load on mine and I just used a 20 amp plug in.
 
Ron, I just tried to run a test wire with an inline fuse from the negative battery direct to the number one ignition switch male lead.
I had the switch in the number three headlight on position to see if the headlights, ie power forward of the switch, would come on.
When the touched the wire to the number one, it sparked and the wire got real hot very quickly, no headlight on, so I removed it quickly.

Any ideas?
 
highdesert said:
Should perhaps one or both of the brown and blue wires there be hooked to something?
Is this were I break down between the battery and ignition blue brown wires, which are dead?

The Brown/Blue wires probably need to be connected to each other?

As the 2MC capacitor (which I presume is no longer there?) terminals act as a junction for the Brown/Blue wires.
 
highdesert said:
Ok, replies help, here is where I am at now. Checked fuse, it is good.

The blue and brown set of wires going to terminal one on the ignition switch are dead, no juice to those wires.
So, can I assume I have a problem between the negative terminal on the battery TO these brown and blue wires?

MAYBE this is the issue:
There are two brown and blue wires coming out of the norton wiring harness that rests on the front of the rear fender, one of them appears to
be "live", per my volt meter. I don't know for sure about the other one right now.
Now, I have installed a boyer power box back there, it has a red wire going to a frame ground, and a black wire going to the negative battery,
and two sets of yellow wires hooked up to the alternator wires ( I presume).
Should there be a "live" feed in that area? Should perhaps one or both of the brown and blue wires there be hooked to something?
Is this were I break down between the battery and ignition blue brown wires, which are dead?
OK< I will come clean, I am SO embarrassed, I was "cleaning up" the wiring there on the rear fender, and I cut off what I thought were
useeless turn signal wires, and I MAY have cut off some other wire(s), can't remember I am so mad.
SOMETHING tells me the two blue/;brown wires just sitting there MUST be connected to something? CRAP< please help!
thanks

Hi re my post your the other thread 'Simple Wiring Diagram Needed' I can PM a colour coded wiring diagram if you want one :) makes life a lot easier :D :D dont be embarrased we all make mistakes when fettling our Nortons makes life interesting :roll:
 
L.A.B. said:
highdesert said:
Should perhaps one or both of the brown and blue wires there be hooked to something?
Is this were I break down between the battery and ignition blue brown wires, which are dead?

The Brown/Blue wires probably need to be connected to each other?

As the 2MC capacitor (which I presume is no longer there?) terminals act as a junction for the Brown/Blue wires.

This is correct they have junctions at the 2MC Capacitor and the Zener Diode so take all the Brown and Blue pairs/triples you have and connect them you can twist and solder or use bullet connectors if you have them. One of the Brown and Blues goes to a redundant Interpol circuit (Blue Flashing Lamp this goes to a connection under the tank.
 
Just been thinking at this time you could find and tape up all Brown and Blue cable ends seperate any sections that are connected and tape them all off then as some one said run one wire (I use white) to the Ignition terminal from the negative battery terminal. Do not switch the headlight circuit on when you do all this lets just get the bike running and check Power Box input/output and connection to ignition switch.
 
HI everyone!
Thanks again for the help.
This morning I will connect the two blue/brown wires TOGETHER and then see if I have juice to the ignition switch!
Plj850, I tried to send you an email using the forum but I guess it disappeared in cyberspace.
I am thinking a would definately like you to email me a color coded simple wiring diagram I could use.
I would like very much to strip all this stuff of and start fresh.
It would be really nice to have a kill button working again also!
Boyer power box, boyer electronic ignition, battery, headlight with push button only highbeam, tail and brake light (front brake activated only), thats all
my email is nmhighdesert@comcast.net
I will try the connecting the two wires and report back this morning, they are both nicely cut off, so I MUST have cut them back there
thanks again
 
IT'S A MIRACLE !!

LAB got it, connect the two brown/blue wires together did it. Power now restored to terminal one of ignition switch. Thank you.

Now, I do have headlight and horn, but when I hold a plug to the head and kick over, no spark.

I will examine a boyer wiring diagram and see what I don't have connected.

Thanks again, to all of you who helped me with this embarrassing disaster.
john

edit: and plj850, yes, if you have a color coded simple wiring diagram please email it to highdesert@comcast.net
I would very much like to rewire everything forward of the ignition switch, what a mess under the tank~
 
highdesert said:
Now, I do have headlight and horn, but when I hold a plug to the head and kick over, no spark.

I will examine a boyer wiring diagram and see what I don't have connected.

Is there a ground/earth wire connected directly between the engine and the frame, and Red positive return wiring? (a wire connected to one of the cylinder head to head steady bolts running to a coil braket bolt,-for instance?). Because the plugs also need a return circuit to the battery, and Isolasitc mountings are poor conductors of electricity.
 
LAB, NO there is not an engine to frame ground.
I will install one now and see if they secures power to the plugs. THANK YOU.
 
highdesert said:
NO there is not an engine to frame ground.
I will install one now and see if they secures power to the plugs.

There's no guarantee that adding the wire will cure the problem, but it is needed anyway.

If it doesn't cure the problem, then check that battery power is actually reaching the Boyer ignition box White wire, and that the box Red wire has a good ground connection?

The second ignition coil (in series) positive terminal must also connect to a good ground (see your Boyer instructions).


Boyer Diagnostics: http://www.tioc.org/boyertest.htm
 
LAB, I have now secured a wire from the head to the frame, and will now begin the boyer connections examination.
Thanks again, and for the boyer link, will report back.
You guys are GREAT.
 
LAB and all. It is done. Norton starts and run beautifully.
CRISIS of Biblical proportions averted !
THANK YOU
 
highdesert said:
LAB and all. It is done. Norton starts and run beautifully.
CRISIS of Biblical proportions averted !
THANK YOU
This is why you have to love this forum.....the Internet is good for something.
 
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