Post by wayne on Jun 2, 2019 23:42:25 GMT -5
Fried wires under the seat are fairly common on the RE5.
If you are chasing these issues, read this entire thread, there are a number of useful points.
A local electrical guru who also has spanner time on many RE5's commented that in his experience, it's often the white connector block itself (under the seat). Char marks on the connector or overheated wires are common and the problem is poor connections in the block. You can pull it apart, clean everything up and try again or get yourself a kit from this company and replace the connector yourself. The kits are excellent and will go well beyond just repairing that wiring block. If you haven't already got one, by their crimping tool. It makes superb connections.
It can also be something as simple as a bad earth on the rectifier connection. Or the Rectifier itself. Replacements are available and it's an inexpensive solution.
One more thing that's been cropping up:
In my case, the under seat wiring was fried and discoloured when I bought it in 1980 with 5000 miles on it. About 15 years ago I discovered a problem with the ignition switch (overheating to the point the solder would melt underneath the unit and all electrics would fail).
After replacing the switch, lo and behold, no more warm/hot or fried discoloured wiring under the seat. I had no idea it may be related but was certainly the issue on my bike. Has remained good for the subsequent 16 years.
I've had someone else on this board say that they too had the problem and it was solved by fixing the ignition switch.
Three times the charm. I had a bloke call me the other day. Frying wires under his seat. He said that he recalled reading the comment re ignition and took the bike to the Auto Electrician. Turns out the ignition switch block was shorting. The guy repaired it and resoldered all the connections.
He tells me the under seat wiring issues are now solved.
EDIT: one more comment has come in from Tim J: "I first had to bypass the red terminal at the ignition switch connector. Some time later I replaced the switch..."
I've suspected a run of faulty ignition switches may be behind some of our under-seat wiring issues and the evidence is growing.
If you are chasing these issues, read this entire thread, there are a number of useful points.
A local electrical guru who also has spanner time on many RE5's commented that in his experience, it's often the white connector block itself (under the seat). Char marks on the connector or overheated wires are common and the problem is poor connections in the block. You can pull it apart, clean everything up and try again or get yourself a kit from this company and replace the connector yourself. The kits are excellent and will go well beyond just repairing that wiring block. If you haven't already got one, by their crimping tool. It makes superb connections.
It can also be something as simple as a bad earth on the rectifier connection. Or the Rectifier itself. Replacements are available and it's an inexpensive solution.
One more thing that's been cropping up:
In my case, the under seat wiring was fried and discoloured when I bought it in 1980 with 5000 miles on it. About 15 years ago I discovered a problem with the ignition switch (overheating to the point the solder would melt underneath the unit and all electrics would fail).
After replacing the switch, lo and behold, no more warm/hot or fried discoloured wiring under the seat. I had no idea it may be related but was certainly the issue on my bike. Has remained good for the subsequent 16 years.
I've had someone else on this board say that they too had the problem and it was solved by fixing the ignition switch.
Three times the charm. I had a bloke call me the other day. Frying wires under his seat. He said that he recalled reading the comment re ignition and took the bike to the Auto Electrician. Turns out the ignition switch block was shorting. The guy repaired it and resoldered all the connections.
He tells me the under seat wiring issues are now solved.
EDIT: one more comment has come in from Tim J: "I first had to bypass the red terminal at the ignition switch connector. Some time later I replaced the switch..."
I've suspected a run of faulty ignition switches may be behind some of our under-seat wiring issues and the evidence is growing.