12v motorcycle wiri...
 

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12v motorcycle wiring headache

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Hello.

I'm having another concerted effort to sort out the wiring on my Suzuki GSX750 Inazuma Y2000, but just as I was when I first tried to sort it, more than a year ago, I am once again flummoxed so could use a few pointers if anyone can help.

Before I started sticking my oar in, the bike was completely standard and everything worked as it should.

I decided to fit an aftermarket headlight and speedo, the 1st of a series of changes i was going to make to it, and that's where the issue started.

Basically, everything works just as it should, except, I just cannot get the neutral light to show, when I'm in neutral.

That's it.

When I first did it, I spent so long pouring over the wiring diagram, not truly understanding it but getting everything working. But I just couldn't get the neutral light no matter what I tried.

I know essentially what happens is that it has power to it, and when in neutral the switch in the crankcase completes a circuit and it should light up. So I know what should happen but I can't quite get it to work despite trying the wires that the diagram suggests are right, and others too on the off chance.

As a result, I've been riding it around with a mess of wires, tucked inside a tool bag, that used to live in the old headlight, uncut because it's not sorted.

Once its working, I can neaten everything up and house the wiring inside the headlight and we're golden.

I'm confident that the actual light on the Speedo works as it comes on with the ignition briefly as do the others, and also is permanently on with certain combinations of wires.
Also, I'm fairly sure the actual neutral switch is ok because it all worked fine up until I made it not fine by changing things 😬

So, can anyone suggest what I should try to get to the bottom of it?
It could be that the wiring diagram supplied with the Koso Speedo is wrong somehow maybe, but armed with my multimeter, what might I try to get to what I need?

A few pics of the bowl of spaghetti below.

Koso Speedo at key turn. All lights coming on for a few seconds.

Koso Speedo wiring diagram

Wiring diagram for the bike from Haynes manual

Wires coming from the Speedo.
The purple one is supposed to be the neutral light. Have tried so many combinations with it. Can get it to light up, but not go off when I select a gear.

General view of the mess

P.s. Don't judge me on the janky connectors. It was something quick to test the system, but they'll be changed to better ones when I have it wired up right.
There's bits of masking tape on most of the wires from me labelling them over a year ago.


 
Posted : 02/06/2023 8:59 am
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Also, I’m fairly sure the actual neutral switch is ok because it all worked fine up until I made it not fine by changing things 😬

Can you electrically test that the neutral switch is okay?
I barely know one end of a motorbike from the other, but that voltage test would be my first thought in gear and then in neutral


 
Posted : 02/06/2023 9:26 am
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The wiring diagram isnt that well readable. Can really see the 'orange/black' wire which is upon further looking, looks to come from the ECU as the lamp test, which would explain why it comes on at the ignition on cycle. However the wiring doesnt explicitly show an earth.

The neutral switch, as does the neutral indicator, goes through the turn signal relay/side stand relay.

If youve only messed with the neutral light at the indicator panel, there are only 2 wires to the indicator. The bike functions as it should? I.e wont start of not in neutral/side stand down/cuts out if engage gear with side stand down?

Youve tested the neutral switch itself, by itself (continuity) and the neutral lamp continuity on the wires - taking resistance readings?

Making sure at least the basic inputs/outputs are functioning? No bad joints/high resistance with your connections


 
Posted : 02/06/2023 9:26 am
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I was going to suggest the switch might be neutral (earth) switched, and your wiring diagram appears to confirm that. Does that help? I've not got a clue about motorbike electrics.


 
Posted : 02/06/2023 1:05 pm
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I'd try and re-wire the neutral light as it was, and measure what voltage is going into it, when.

Then see what voltage is needed to turn on the new light. You may get some idea about what's not going right.


 
Posted : 02/06/2023 1:30 pm
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Bear with me on this one...
I have a Renault Trafic van. Its started cutting out just after starting. I checked a few things but couldn't find anything. I got a mechanic mate to come over with his diagnostic reader .Nowt.
Got Recovery also ran diagnostic and again nothing showing.
I went to a local garage that I use and described it to them. They didn't have any ideas but recommended an auto electrician they know. I rang him up and got him out. Apart from him chain smoking in my van he was very good and traced the problem to a faulty switch that I would have taken months to find. He charged me about 30 quid. Maybe a bit steep for the amount of time he was there but very, very worth it in the big scheme of things.
Moral of the story is - if you are struggling and you want to get a job done, sometimes it's worth getting the Pro's out.


 
Posted : 02/06/2023 1:44 pm
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I was going to suggest the switch might be neutral (earth) switched, and your wiring diagram appears to confirm that. Does that help? I’ve not got a clue about motorbike electrics.

+1

Looking at that diagram I'd say the orange/black is the switched/ignition live? In which case it's not looking for 12V on the blue wire, it's looking for an earth.

The speedo diagram seems to confirm that, it's labeled ad "neutral (-)"

Test it by starting it up and earthing the purple wire and see if the light comes on. If it does then you've either got a break in that circuit or the switch is duff.


 
Posted : 02/06/2023 1:57 pm
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Is the light in the speedo/dash unit a bulb or a LED?
Obviously if it is a LED it will need to be wired in the correct polarity.


 
Posted : 02/06/2023 2:08 pm
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Moral of the story is – if you are struggling and you want to get a job done, sometimes it’s worth getting the Pro’s out.

Yes I would do but can't find anyone. The only auto electrician I found near me said he didn't do motorcycles. 😐

Might have to branch out.

Is the light in the speedo/dash unit a bulb or a LED?

All LEDs.


 
Posted : 02/06/2023 2:33 pm
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All LEDs.

Late to the thread and not read everything or studied the wiring diagram, but LEDs, unlike filament bulbs are polarity sensitive. Might be a daft question and apols if so, but is it possible you have got the input wires to the neutral indicator LED the wrong way round somewhere along the line?


 
Posted : 02/06/2023 3:11 pm
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The neutral LED will have a permanent live remember, and only come on when neutral gives it an earth


 
Posted : 02/06/2023 4:05 pm
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So I hooked up the old Speedo according to the original wiring, and the neutral bulb lights up, and goes off as it should when I select a gear.

However, if I then connect those two wires concerned with neutral on the original Speedo up to 12v positive (red)  and neutral negative (purple) on the new Speedo, the Speedo turns on but no neutral light appears.


 
Posted : 02/06/2023 4:43 pm
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With ignition on you should have 12v between purple and neutral/neg/earth.

If you short purple to earth the neutral light should come on.

With ignition on in neutral you should be measuring very low/short resistance between the blue of the bike wiring and earth (few ohms, there will be some resistance in the switch and relay.

If both of those are true, purple and blue together should make your neutral light work as required.


 
Posted : 02/06/2023 4:43 pm
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Little crocodile clip on the purple wire and neutral light off.

When I earth the wire it comes on (but doesn't go off when a gear is selected)

Possibly lining up a bike mechanic to look at it


 
Posted : 02/06/2023 11:07 pm
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Ok, so that proves the wiring on the speedo unit.

Do you have a multimeter to test the blue wire from the bike end - according to the bike wiring diagram when in neutral with ignition on, you should get a closed/short circuit (30ohms or less i would expect) from blue to earth. When you select a gear it should show an open circuit (infinite resistance or multiple MOhms).

You could test this with a 12v bulb if you don't have a meter - one side connected to the blue wire, the other to battery positive. In neutral ignition on the bulb should light, select a gear the bulb should go off.

If this doesn't happen, the problem is on the bike side of the wiring, it's just coincidentally stopped working while you were trying to sort the speedo.


 
Posted : 02/06/2023 11:16 pm
kayak23 reacted
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Sorry i missed a post where you wired the old speedo up and it works correctly, which proves the neutral switch and relay is working.

However, i'm confused about the connections you highlighted in your post, the image with connections on top of the wiring diagram shows a green and yellow from the bike to red of the speedo?

It's pretty hard to read but looks like the pos supply from the bike should be on orange/green?

If the colours are different from the diagram this won't be easy to fix 😂

I would try with the multimeter - does the resistance from the bike blue wire to earth head toward zero when the neutral light is on, and head to infinity when it is in gear. If so, that's the correct connection for the purple speedo wire. Whether it's possible to have ended up with everything else working or seeming to work but other connections mixed up, I'm not sure.


 
Posted : 02/06/2023 11:50 pm
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Thanks a lot Retromud.
Massively appreciate you trying to help.

I've got a good few things to try today I think.
I do have a multimeter but have never really fully known what I'm doing with it particularly 😬


 
Posted : 03/06/2023 4:10 am
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From what you've shown both the dash and the neutral switch operate as intended.
Since the only difference between the two set ups is that one as a filament bulb and the other a LED, I suspect that is the issue. Possibly the lower resistance of the LED is causing it to behave differently, especially as the neutral switch isn't simply a switch, it goes through a relay, which also has two diodes in it, plus is wired via the side stand. There is probably a simple solution, but you'd have to carefully work through the circuit to identify which wires are positive and negative under different conditions. If you can't use a multimeter you are going to struggle to solve it.

One simple solution might be to replace the LED with a standard bulb if possible?


 
Posted : 03/06/2023 11:05 am
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Try the neutral light with a filament bulb wired in series. If that works, an in line resistor may provide a permanent fix by imitating a 'real' bulb


 
Posted : 03/06/2023 2:15 pm
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the only difference between the two set ups is that one as a filament bulb and the other a LED, I suspect that is the issue.

That being the case, you'll likely need a resistor on the back of the LED. You say it stays lit but does the brightness change?

[EDIT: damn, that'll teach me to refresh a thread before posting!]


 
Posted : 03/06/2023 2:37 pm
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Thanks for all the replies people.

I THOUGHT I had got it sussed and went in today with fresh enthusiasm after finding the below video which seemed to be describing my issue exactly.

Off to Halfords I went and bought a relay.
I then watched the video a few times and to be honest he seems to muddle up what he's saying and confuse the issue later on in the video and so my brain started hurting and I couldn't figure it out.
I tried several combinations and unfortunately blew a fuse so had to fit a spare.

Then, discarding the relay I attached (if I can remember rightly now) the original wire to the neutral bulb to the purple neutral on the new Speedo, and...um... Something else, and lo and behold, the neutral light came on, and also went off in gear!

However, although it works, it appears to be a bit flakey and doesn't always come on. Sometimes if I give the gear selector a bit of a wiggle it'll come on, sometimes not.

But anyway, I don't think I can take any more at the moment 😂
Working intermittently is a win on not working at all.

Thanks to you all for trying to help. 😊👊


 
Posted : 03/06/2023 4:53 pm

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