Dead electrical

[MisterE]

I have a '96 GS 500. Bought it used in January. It's my first bike. I had to replace the battery about a month ago. Since then, it's been great. I've been riding it a couple of days a week. I rode it Saturday. I was going to take it out Sunday afternoon. I turned the key to "ON", opened up the fuel valve, turned the starter switch to "RUN", then pressed the button. It turned over, but was cold and stopped. I can't recall if the electrical died at this point, or I just turned the key off and on, turned on the choke and then tried again...but it was completely dead. No electrical. No lights on the gauges. No headlight/taillight. No click when I push the starter.

Took the seat off. Checked battery connections. They look good. Looked for any obvious loose wires/connections. Nothing that I could see.

I thought maybe it was something with the ignition or the particular key, so I switched keys, but still nothing. No power whatsoever. Any ideas?

The battery's been charging fine since I swapped it out. No other problems until yesterday.

--EK

[bombjack]

How's the fuse?

[MisterE]

Doh! I should have thought of that. I had no idea where the fuse was, but a quick search on the forum found this helpful post:

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=52150.msg589086#msg589086

I'm going to check it when I get home tonite. Thx!

--EK

[MisterE]

Fuse looks fine (and the spare does, too!). Battery is putting out 12.64 volts. No loose/bad connections under the side panels, but I disconnected/reconnected them anyway. Everything looks copacetic, but it's still dead as a doornail.

Can't run the charging system tests as most require running the engine then checking voltages at various locations.

I'm wondering if the switch in the key mechanism has pooped out. Not sure where to go from here...

--EK

[bill14224]

Fuse looks fine (and the spare does, too!). Battery is putting out 12.64 volts. No loose/bad connections under the side panels, but I disconnected/reconnected them anyway. Everything looks copacetic, but it's still dead as a doornail.

Can't run the charging system tests as most require running the engine then checking voltages at various locations.

I'm wondering if the switch in the key mechanism has pooped out. Not sure where to go from here...

--EK

Starting drill:  Key on, stand up, kill switch on, engine in neutral, petcock on.  Kill switch wouldn't explain no lights, so main fuse it is.

[Toledo Jim]

This may help. 

http://wiki.gstwins.com/index.php?n=Main.WiringDiagrams

http://wiki.gstwins.com/index.php?n=Main.USEKModel

[sledge]

I would start with the simple stuff first and check the main negative ground connection. Get a jump lead and connect it between the negative terminal on the battery and any clean metal point on the frame and then see what happens when you turn the ignition on.

[MisterE]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I pulled the ignition connector (behind the headlamp) and tested it per the manual. It checked out ok. I then reconnected it, but the headlamp was dangling. Also, I pulled the cylindrical thingy that the fuse plugs into, so it was connected, but hanging loose. I turned the key and I had power again. I was jazzed, so I put everything back where it belongs, screwed in the headlamp, and it's dead again. So, I must have a bad connection in either the cable running from the ignition switch to the headlamp connector, or from the headlamp connector, to the fuse.

What is that cylindrical thingy?

--EK

[bombjack]

What is that cylindrical thingy?

I'm pretty sure that thingy is the starter relay. The fuse box is part of this. I had a loose connection in the fuse box that was driving me crazy a few days ago. Just fiddle with the fuse when the ignition is on, and listen for the starter relay to go 'click,click'.

[MisterE]

I finally tracked it down. The cable to the positive terminal on the battery was (slightly) loose. When I torqued the screw down, all the problems went away. It makes sense since I had replaced the battery a few months ago. The screw must have vibrated loose. Also, when I took that starter relay/fuse assembly out, I was pulling the short cable that goes to the battery which probably re-made the connection. When I put it all back together, it would fail again.

All is well and it was really simple (and cheap!) Now for some summer riding!

--EK

[bombjack]

I'm glad you solved the problem. 
I hate electrical problems. Mechanical issues tends to be more logical, IMO.