I hate intermittent electrical faults!

[mr_magicfingers]

Yesterday I was riding home from central London in the rain when, for the first time ever, the battery/alternator warning light came on. I immediately turned off everything electrical I could, and kept an eye on the battery monitor I have fitted.

Stuck in traffic on Marylebone road I was starting to get concerned as the battery gradually got worse, wondering if I could make it over the westway to the nearest garage.

Then, a few minutes later it just started working again, charged back up and carried on as if nothing had happened.

I pulled the tank off this morning, checked the battery terminals were all tight and clean and that there was no obvious wiring issue. Now I'm wondering where to start with figuring out what the problem was as I'm concerned that next time I'm out it might do the same thing again and, of course, it'll do it at night in the rain most likely.

It may never happen, but what should I start checking or do I just leave it until it happens again so I have something that's wrong to trace.

Intermittent faults, they're a bastard aren't they.

Bike is a 2000 1150GS with 88k on the clock.

 

[Keith Chapman]

Just a thought. Isn't there a small earth on the alternator, maybe it, or the other alternator connections got damp and just needed time to dry out.

 

[warmshed]

If the warning light came on and the voltage fell it seems that the alternator would be suspect. The wire from the small diodes inside the alternator feeds the ignition light and the main output comes from the main bank of rectifiers. It could be the wiring/connectors but I would also suspect the brushes inside the alternator.

The old wiggle the wires to bring on the fault might be worth a try first.
Best of luck.

 

[JPR]

Intermittent faults are there just to grind you down and give you sleepless nights.

 

[AberdeenAngus]

It happened in the rain.....get the hose pipe out and see if you can get it to reoccur.

 

[Steptoe]

First check the alternator belt. Simple to do and it can then be ticked off the list.

And remember - a big problem is easier to find than a small one.

 

[Kenny]

Who do you think you are, Confucious !!









Confucius Say A Penis is the only thing that a woman hopes she will find hard to handle.

 

[t'other dave]

I had the battery light come on the other week in the rain only and then it progressed to when in nuetral, after a fiddle and search located the problem to this.


post 4 int his thread

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=44325

Worth a look if you've not had these wires messed with before simple to check.

 

[Canuck]

Maybe a long shot but my intermittent faults ended up being a ignition electrical switch wiring. First symptom was the servos shutting off and no brakes... then all of the warning lights coming on... bike switching off etc etc. It was easy to diagnose.... just wiggle it around when the bike was running! You'll be able to tell pretty quick if it is this part.