Re: electrical problem - nothing works but the clock,/ Main Fuse Starter Relay.

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. I'll be working on this over the weekend and I'll report back with the solution (I hope).

Don

>From: mrydr@xxxxxx
>Date: 2008/08/13 Wed AM 10:36:16 EDT
>To: don.vt@xxxxxx, vfr@xxxxxx
>Subject: Re: electrical problem - nothing works but the clock, / Main Fuse Starter Relay Area....

>Welcome to the world of VFRC, C=Charging...... as this is the only weakness of the VFR.
>
>You're gonna have to begin diagnosing the electrical system so here's some summer school reading:
>
>Elextrosport (formerly known as Electrex USA) has a great diagnosis chart:
>
>http://www.electrosport.com/technica...ding-guide.php
>
>Note the 2nd paragraph of the text on this page:
>
>"When you find that there is a problem, keep in mind that the number 1 problem with any charging system are bad connections."
>
>Next read this tech article from Bruce Wilson:
>
>Track down the charging system wiring with the help of this article:
>
>http://web.archive.org/web/200308042...aintenance.htm
>
>As mentioned it would help if you could post some VDC readings of the battery, battery while starting and while running (velcro a VM to the tank while riding and make some mental notes of VDCs).
>
>I've had clock resets in the past and the most recent one, excluding the bad battery charging adventures, were from the connectors around the 30A main fuse around the starter relay.
>
>Good luck.
>
>Hope this helps.
>
>Fred in CT w/ Ver. 96 and i4C returning back to normal........... w/ 12.8-9VDC @ rest.......
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: don.vt@xxxxxx
>To: vfr@xxxxxx
>Sent: Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:00 pm
>Subject: electrical problem - nothing works but the clock, and that ain't doing so well
>
>I have a 2000 VFR with about 28K miles. About 2 months ago, I had 4 or 5 episodes where when I started the bike, it didn't immediately start, and the clock and the trip odometers were set back to 01:00 and 0, respectively.I did some research in the archives and found that several people have experienced this problem. There were a number of theories on why this happens, including a bad cell in the battery or an R/R that was about to fail. I checked my battery and it had a good charge but not full power. I fully charged it and I had no problems for about 4 weeks, until about 2 weeks ago.On that day, when I went to restart the bike after a 20-mile ride and then sitting for 10 minutes, nothing happened when I pushed the starter button. The clock and odometers were reset and there was no noise from the starter at all.I was out of town for the last 2 weeks and while gone, I fully charged the battery even though the lights on the charger indicated that it didn't need a charge. Whe!
n I then put the battery back in the bike and turned the key on, the indicator lights glowed dimly and then slowly faded. I heard a fading whining noise from the instrument cluster area, like something electrical was discharging. I heard one click from the mid-section of the bike (may have been the fuel pump?) and then everything was dead.At this point the clock is working, but when I turn the key to the 'On'position, the clock disappears after a couple of seconds. It comes back on when the key is turned off, but it has been reset to 01:00. Pressing the starter button does nothing. All fuses are OK.Any suggestions?Thanks in advance for any help.Don_______________________________________________vfr mailing listvfr@xxxxxxor subscription and delivery options:https://lists.cs.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/vfrIt's time to go back to school! Get the latest trends and gadgets that make the grade on AOL Shopping.




_______________________________________________
vfr mailing list
vfr@xxxxxx
For subscription and delivery options:
https://lists.cs.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/vfr

Apparently it was simply a battery that had gone bad. Thanks to everyone for sharing a lot of good information - I'll be ready next time when the fix may not be so easy.

Don

>From: don.vt@xxxxxx
>Date: 2008/08/14 Thu AM 08:09:26 EDT
>To: vfr@xxxxxx
>Subject: Re: electrical problem - nothing works but the clock, / Main Fuse Starter Relay.

>Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. I'll be working on this over the weekend and I'll report back with the solution (I hope).
>
>Don
>
>>From: mrydr@xxxxxx
>>Date: 2008/08/13 Wed AM 10:36:16 EDT
>>To: don.vt@xxxxxx, vfr@xxxxxx
>>Subject: Re: electrical problem - nothing works but the clock, / Main Fuse Starter Relay Area....
>
>>Welcome to the world of VFRC, C=Charging...... as this is the only weakness of the VFR.
>>
>>You're gonna have to begin diagnosing the electrical system so here's some summer school reading:
>>
>>Elextrosport (formerly known as Electrex USA) has a great diagnosis chart:
>>
>>http://www.electrosport.com/technica...ding-guide.php
>>
>>Note the 2nd paragraph of the text on this page:
>>
>>"When you find that there is a problem, keep in mind that the number 1 problem with any charging system are bad connections."
>>
>>Next read this tech article from Bruce Wilson:
>>
>>Track down the charging system wiring with the help of this article:
>>
>>http://web.archive.org/web/200308042...aintenance.htm
>>
>>As mentioned it would help if you could post some VDC readings of the battery, battery while starting and while running (velcro a VM to the tank while riding and make some mental notes of VDCs).
>>
>>I've had clock resets in the past and the most recent one, excluding the bad battery charging adventures, were from the connectors around the 30A main fuse around the starter relay.
>>
>>Good luck.
>>
>>Hope this helps.
>>
>>Fred in CT w/ Ver. 96 and i4C returning back to normal........... w/ 12.8-9VDC @ rest.......
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: don.vt@xxxxxx
>>To: vfr@xxxxxx
>>Sent: Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:00 pm
>>Subject: electrical problem - nothing works but the clock, and that ain't doing so well
>>
>>I have a 2000 VFR with about 28K miles. About 2 months ago, I had 4 or 5 episodes where when I started the bike, it didn't immediately start, and the clock and the trip odometers were set back to 01:00 and 0, respectively.I did some research in the archives and found that several people have experienced this problem. There were a number of theories on why this happens, including a bad cell in the battery or an R/R that was about to fail. I checked my battery and it had a good charge but not full power. I fully charged it and I had no problems for about 4 weeks, until about 2 weeks ago.On that day, when I went to restart the bike after a 20-mile ride and then sitting for 10 minutes, nothing happened when I pushed the starter button. The clock and odometers were reset and there was no noise from the starter at all.I was out of town for the last 2 weeks and while gone, I fully charged the battery even though the lights on the charger indicated that it didn't need a charge. Wh!
en I then put the battery back in the bike and turned the key on, the indicator lights glowed dimly and then slowly faded. I heard a fading whining noise from the instrument cluster area, like something electrical was discharging. I heard one click from the mid-section of the bike (may have been the fuel pump?) and then everything was dead.At this point the clock is working, but when I turn the key to the 'On'position, the clock disappears after a couple of seconds. It comes back on when the key is turned off, but it has been reset to 01:00. Pressing the starter button does nothing. All fuses are OK.Any suggestions?Thanks in advance for any help.Don_______________________________________________vfr mailing listvfr@xxxxxxor subscription and delivery options:https://lists.cs.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/vfrIt's time to go back to school! Get the latest trends and gadgets that make the grade on AOL Shopping.

_______________________________________________
vfr mailing list
vfr@xxxxxx
For subscription and delivery options:
https://lists.cs.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/vfr