Canadian Mark III asimilator and voltage leak

I was experimenting with LED bulbs for my clocks and notoiced they still slightly glowed when the key was off. I checked with multimeter and was getting 6 + or - volts. I suspected a faulty or dirty main switch (and it may still be) but when I followed the wiring I found if I unplug the brown and green from the TL connection on the assimilator i get no voltage leak. If I am understanding the manual correctly, you cannot mix and match Canadian and USA assimilaors and key switches. This is the way the bike came to me. Is there a way to tell if the key switch is Canadian or US as the assimilator is clearly Canadian. Could this cause a voltage leak? Faulty assiminilator or might I have a short? My red warning light has never worked on this bike so maybe just unplug and forget about it.

Hi, I had some trouble too with current leaks , so in my case it was due to a new "llokalike" podtroncic leaking 50mA, I replace it with a true Podtronic , and now it's OK only 0.5 mA, so just to say that the best method to check your wiring is to use your multimeter in serie , on A scale , disconnect the ground ( whatever it is + or - ) and plug one side of your meter on the battery end you had disconnect , the other side of multi on the free wire ( previously coming from that battery end) , or check in Internet if I was not clear enough or not speaking a proper intelligible language (which is possible , as I am on the frog side of the sea!!!)

brokeneagle said:

If I am understanding the manual correctly, you cannot mix and match Canadian and USA assimilaors and key switches. This is the way the bike came to me. Is there a way to tell if the key switch is Canadian or US as the assimilator is clearly Canadian.

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According to the Mk3 wiring diagram, the terminals are connected internally at the various key positions, as follows:


Canadian switch
Key at-
Parking lights: 1-3
Off: None
Ignition: 1-2-3
Ignition and Lights: 1-2-3-4

Standard switch
Key at-
Parking lights: 1-3
Off: 2-3
Ignition: 1-2
Ignition and lights -1-2-3-4

brokeneagle said:

Could this cause a voltage leak? Faulty assiminilator or might I have a short?

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If as you say, disconnecting the brown/green stops the leakage then that seems to pinpoint the assimilator as the cause.

brokeneagle said:

My red warning light has never worked on this bike so maybe just unplug and forget about it.

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Yes, you could do, or fit a battery status monitor or charge warning kit?

http://www.aoservices.co.uk/data/bsm.htm
http://www.improvingclassicmotorcycles.com/products.htm

Canadian assimilators are availble from AN and other suppliers:
https://andover-norton.co.uk/en/shop-de ... it-canada-

One thing that's puzzling me is where the voltage is actually coming from, as with the ignition OFF, there shouldn't be any battery voltage reaching the lighting circuit, so it could be worthwhile checking the rectifier wasn't leaking current to the assimilator.

Thanks for the replies L.A.B. I wonder the same thing, and why only 6 volts and not the 12+. I will bench test the rectifier per manual and check my key switch positions. The batery warning light looks like a good option as well.

I checked the rectifier per work manual and checked fine with bulb funtioning in only one diredtion. The key switch tests as "Canadian" . Each of the asimilator AL wires test 12+ volts to earth with the key off. Is this as it should be? The TL post tests 6+ volts to earth with key off. Can I assume the asimilator is leaking and bad? Or could i have the rectifier wired incorectly. I have batery to center blade and green alternator wires on top and bottom blades.

brokeneagle said:

I checked the rectifier per work manual and checked fine with bulb funtioning in only one diredtion. The key switch tests as "Canadian" .

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Ok, good.

brokeneagle said:

Each of the asimilator AL wires test 12+ volts to earth with the key off. Is this as it should be? The TL post tests 6+ volts to earth with key off.

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I don't know much about the internal workings of the Canadian assimilator, but that does seem odd, as with the key at 'off' there shouldn't be any logical way for battery voltage to reach the assimilator as far as I can tell from the wiring diagram, or provide any clues as to where the problem could be, but I will continue to think about it.

brokeneagle said:

Can I assume the asimilator is leaking and bad?

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I suggest you assume nothing at this stage.

brokeneagle said:

Or could i have the rectifier wired incorectly.

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Well, it can't be ruled out that something isn't connected correctly.

brokeneagle said:

I have batery to center blade and green alternator wires on top and bottom blades.

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That sounds correct.

I'm still thinking the rectifier may be faulty even though it passed the light bulb test. I re-tested today. With + to center blade (2) and neg looping through bulb, it would light up on the other two (1 & 3). With Neg in center and + looped through bulb, no light on 1 or 3. When back on the bike and the batery to center. I get 12+ volts from blade 1 and 1+ volts from blade 3. Should there be voltage out of 1 & 3 or is this suposed to be a one way alternater to batery only flow? The alternator wires spit in a two bullet connector, one goes to the rectifier/zenor and the other to the asimilator. so if there is voltage comming out of rectifier 1 & 3 there is voltage to the AL blades of the asimilater as well.

Although it may not be the cause of your voltage leak I would suggest disconnecting the asimilator and installing a voltage monitor in the place of the red light as the red light in itself tells you only that the alternator is putting out AC and tells you nothing about DC; in my opinion - useless.

The voltage monitor tells you there's DC and if it's of a high enough potential to keep the battery charged.

http://www.sparkbright.co.uk/sparkright ... onitor.php

brokeneagle said:

I'm still thinking the rectifier may be faulty even though it passed the light bulb test. I re-tested today. With + to center blade (2) and neg looping through bulb, it would light up on the other two (1 & 3). With Neg in center and + looped through bulb, no light on 1 or 3.

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Does your multimeter have a diode test setting?
http://en-us.fluke.com/training/trainin ... meter.html


If so, disconnect the wires from the rectifier and test in both directions between 2 & 1 and 2 & 3 on the diode test setting.
With + probe on 2, I think you should get readings of approximately .550 -.570 for each, and 'infinity' in the other direction (- probe on 2) if the rectifier is good.

brokeneagle said:

When back on the bike and the batery to center. I get 12+ volts from blade 1 and 1+ volts from blade 3. Should there be voltage out of 1 & 3 or is this suposed to be a one way alternater to batery only flow?

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If you are checking between the 1 & 3 terminals and earth/ground (or battery positive) then I can't offer any explanation why you are getting voltage readings.