Wiring Problems

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Hello,

Just added a Sparx 3 unit to my 74 commando.

Currently my turn signals only work when the brake is NOT engaged. As soon as a touch either brake it stops blinking. Also, my brake light stays on until i touch the brakes. At that point it shuts the brake light off. It's backwards.

Any help will be appreciated. I thought i wired it exactly to the directions but obviously made a mistake.

thanks,
 
jsouthard said:
I thought i wired it exactly to the directions but obviously made a mistake.


So, can you describe how you've wired it up (not what it says in the directions, but how you actually did it)?
 
All three yellow to yellow.

Red from to the frame (ground)

Black to the blue yellow wire.
 
jsouthard said:
Black to the blue yellow wire.



Black connects to battery negative which should be Brown/Blue ("NU" on wiring diagram)?

Blue/Yellow [UY] is normally the power wire from the ignition switch to the headlamp (headlamp switch).
 
i apologize.

I looked again and it is in fact Brown/Blue that the black is hooked up to.
 
Also,

Just to be clear. When either brake is engaged although the turn signals stop blinking they do come full on while the brake light goes out. Obviously the brake and the turn signal wires got switched. I just don't know how the Sparx 3 wiring would effect that?
 
jsouthard said:
When either brake is engaged although the turn signals stop blinking they do come full on while the brake light goes out.

Are you sure the new Sparx system is charging? If the battery isn't fully charged then operating the brake light could result in the voltage dropping below the level the flasher relay needs to operate?
 
The simplest installation is to wire the output of the Sparx regulator to the 2 spade lugs that were attached to the old rectifier, and disconnect the zener diode. Nothing else needs changing. I suspect you "cleaned up" some wiring while you were in there.
 
The Sparx unit is working properly. Even going for a long low RPM ride i come home with almost a fully charged battery. Today i charged the battery and kept it plugged in and the issue still remains.

One more finding.

With the key in the second position (on with no lights) the brake light will come on when engaged. However it still trumps the flasher causing the front turn signals to fully engage (no blinking).

With the key in the third position (on with lights) the brake light stay on and when engaging the brake it turns the brake light off and the turn signals on.
 
maylar said:
The simplest installation is to wire the output of the Sparx regulator to the 2 spade lugs that were attached to the old rectifier, and disconnect the zener diode. Nothing else needs changing. I suspect you "cleaned up" some wiring while you were in there.


My understanding was that the regulator that come with the Sparx 3 unit replaces the "old rectifier"?
 
I made sure all the grounds were flush and everything was tight. Currently all it's doing is blowing fuses. The electrical system won't even turn on right now.

Here's some pictures of the current set-up.

Wiring Problems


Wiring Problems


Wiring Problems


Wiring Problems


I appreciate your help guys.
 
Hi There
should you not disconnect the zenor diode,have you joined the box before the ignition switch or after?
 
Yes, the wire to the zener MUST be disconnected. I just taped mine up and left it hang behind the z plate.

The regulator does indeed take the place of the old rectifier plus the zener.

I wired the Sparx unit with spade lugs such that I could leave the old rectifier in place and revert to stock charging in an emergency.

But if you're blowing fuses, something else is going on. Disconnect the zener diode wire first, you might have burned it out.
 
Yes the Zener diode must be disconnected (and the Zener brown/blue wire taped up).
 
I disconnected the Zener Diode.

The fuses continue to blow. When the key is turned to the 3rd position (lights on) the fuse lights up and burns out almost immediately. Honestly the the only change i made from yesterday when the bike was running great but had the turn signal / brake light issue was moving the ground to a better grounding position on the frame.
 
jsouthard said:
The fuses continue to blow. When the key is turned to the 3rd position (lights on) the fuse lights up and burns out almost immediately.

Something is shorting in one of the lighting circuits - pilot/tail/instruments = brown/green wire(NG), or headlamp blue/yellow (NU) to headlamp switch, blue (U) to handlebar switch and either blue/red (UR) or blue white (UW) to headlamp bulb.


jsouthard said:
Honestly the the only change i made from yesterday when the bike was running great but had the turn signal / brake light issue was moving the ground to a better grounding position on the frame.

Can you give some more detailed information? Which ground wire (Sparx box?)? Where was it connected, and where is it connected now?
 
The ground (from the sparx unit) was grounded off the bracket that is connected to the frame that holds the side panel on. Now it's located directly to the frame. In the pictures i put up you can see the red wire directed attached to the frame. That the ground from the Sparx Regulator.
 
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