ducatipaso.org

rocket_man wrote:What do you mean by load up?

What I mean is that the engine will begin to loaded up with unburnt fuel from the very weak spark due to the low voltage and maybe a poorly adjusted carb. At idle with the voltage dropping the coils will have barely enough juice to cleanly fire the spark pulgs. As it gets more rich in the cylinders it will get harder to fire and so on. So a good solid spark is key to a sweet idling engine.

If you read the wiring upgrade thread you saw that during the key on and prior to hitting the starter my coils were seeing like 9.2 volts. This is fully 25% lower than the battery. This low voltage causes a very weak spark and hard starting.

You could also throw a realy in that will turn the headlights on once the bike has started.

It is all clear now. Thanks

I will keep you posted on any progress.

how about just turning the headlight off during starting

I am little way down the road from even contemplating the starting issue. My goal is to first keep the battery charged and the bike running at idle. Then I can start thinking about that...appreciate the tip though Johnnie.

Here are the most recent developments, to give you an idea of where I am at:

- First decided to figure out what those loose wires were, with the help of my new wiring diagram. It turns out they were the Blue wire running to the control panel and the Green-Black connected to the 'turn flasher'. I had originally hooked my regulator up according to the Electrix instructions (two years ago): green to (-) battery terminal, red to (+) battery terminal. Being that I am having charging issues, I decided to rewire these RR leads, according to the wiring diagram. Green to the Green-Black wire, and Red to the (+) solenoid terminal, and White (previously loose) to the Blue wire. Well, I turned the ignition key and everything lit up normally, so I started the engine -- click...click...clack...pow! I blew the 7.5A fuse

- Now I knew something was up, especially being that the generator light still hasn't come on. After replacing the fuse, I repeated the amperage test at the battery terminals:

Locked: 0.01A (previously 0.00 A)
Park: 1.7 A (previously 1.2 A)
Off: 0.01 A (previously 0.00 A)
On: 8.4 A (previously 4.8 A)

I didn't pick up on the low amps at first, because my 200mA range had blown out (need new fuse). So, although I still haven't pinpointed the cause, it does seem that there could very well still be an issue with a wiring short. Any takers on the actual circuit at fault?

Well, I will take another look at the related circuits tomorrow evening.

Michael

Green to the Green-Black wire, and Red to the (+) solenoid terminal, and White (previously loose) to the Blue wire. Well, I turned the ignition key and everything lit up normally, so I started the engine -- click...click...clack...pow! I blew the 7.5A fuse

I think you`re shorting the regulator due to your green to green/black connection.
The green wire on the Electrex regulator should be connected to -.
If you look at the schematic of the Paso and start off at the battery (red wire) going to the fuse box and then follow the green/black wire to the stop light switch and then to the flasher relais you`ll see that there`s 12V on that wire so green should go to black (the wires that were connected to the original reguators housing). The green/black wire that ran to the regulator is not used any longer.

G.

'G' - I took your recommendation and switched back to the RR Green lead @ the (-) battery terminal. It still was drawing high amps with the engine off -- Switch Off: 0.01 A, On: 8 A. On the other hand, the voltage across the terminals seemed to be holding steadier than before: 12. 7 V (pre-start), ~12.5 V (running); although it did appear to be dropping slowly@ ~ 0.02V/min. So, connecting the RR Red lead to the Red & Pink wires @ the Solenoid and keeping the Green at the (-) battery terminal appeared to be a step in the right direction.

Here is an interesting development though...with the ignition in the 'On' position, I was just about to check the voltage at the coils; and although I'm not sure what spurred me to do it, I attempted to turn the turn signal blinkers on beforehand (which I have done before in the past). This time -poof!!- I blew another 7.5A fuse! Another clue....

I am beginning to suspect the circuit beginning with the Pink connector, connected to the RR Red lead. It wasn't until I made this change that the amperage draw changed, and fuses began to blow when operating the turn signal switch. My biggest challenge is interpreting the control panel electrical diagram, but I should get it eventually.

Now I just need more fuses...speaking of fuses. The wiring diagram states two 7.5 A fuses and one 15 A. The manual states two 15A and one 7.5A, which one is correct? Or put another way, what is the amperage rating of the middle fuse? Also, what is up with the fuse connected to the orange wire, that just terminates in limbo? I don't get that...

Thanks

Does anyone know if the middle fuse should be 7.5A or 15A? I have been using 7.5A lately, but it continues to blow when I operate the left handlebar switches (turn signal (L) & (R), horn, so far)...and viewing the schematic wiring I would think it should be 15A, but the manual and schematic callouts are in conflict on this particular fuse.

Thanks

The middle fuse on my 750 is 15amp, and my electrics have functioned perfectly since I added the relays into the starting/ignition circuit according to the Jon Slocum/Gerhard modification three years ago.

Thanks Skins!

I will give the system another shakedown with a 15A fuse. As for the electical mod., I am betting I will be doing the same here soon. Glad to hear your electrics are doing fine.

Michael

Quick Update:

I replaced the 7.5A fuse with the 15A, and most everything is working 'fine'. But, my problem of the battery discharging faster than it is being recharged still persists (RPMs < ~1,400)...and all of my past 'clues' are now gone.

An interesting check had been done on the amperage draw, across the battery terminals, with the Kill switch in the Off and Run positions:

On: 8.3 A (same as before)
Off: 5.3 A

I am assuming the additional 3 Amps may be due to the coils being energized? The 4.8A reading I obtained when I first started this quest has not been repeatable; but I am thinking it may have been when the switch was in the Off position...? As it stands, I seem to be drawing about 1 Amp more than the system should be in Park and On, and 0.1 A when Off or Locked.

Also, I did check the coil voltage. It was so low though I think I may have done it wrong: 1V !? I will check again later, but if this is true than the electrical upgrade may help!

My plan is to continue searching for a possible short, failed component, or point of high resistance...

If anyone could explain the large circle (1) and rectangle components (2) in the panel electrical diagram, that would be helpful too.

Thanks

I think the large circle is the clock, and the rectangles could be terminals. I wish I could help with your other questions, but I'm no good with electrics.

Your probably right Skins. I may have the opportunity to verify this for the both of us, soon enough.

(internet connection went down)



I just finished going through with my plan today...and I found the primary root of my charging problem

It all boiled down to a bad ground -- the ground located under the frame near the top of the steering column -- my first look at it with a flash light, being the cruddiest contact I had seen yet, gave me a solid feeling that it was the cause. It was difficult to find (I ran into when investigating my temperature gauge); and just as difficult to get to. I ended up taking my gas tank off to access it for cleaning.

Once I had cleaned it...sanded it...cleaned it...sanded it...cleaned it..and then put electical contact sealant on it, I then commenced to start my baby up. It idled for 15 minutes at ~ 1,300 RPM (automatically increased), with 12.5 V at the terminals. It wasn't until the engine warmed that it began to misfire , so this is still an issue (will look into carbuerator & electrical fix). But, when I turned off the engine the battery had 12.8 V across the terminals This was the first time it has held its charge at idle in two years!!

So, I still have some work cut out for me. Alternatively, I now know I will be up and running soon. Thanks for all of the tips and support, as I probably would have just given up otherwise.

Now, it is beer time!!