Dead electrical.......ignition switch?

[CoachDoc]

Hope you guys can help me with electrical troubleshooting. I have a well maintained '97Standard. It's always been an Arizona or SoCal bike, so corrosion has been almost nonexistent on this bike. I use it regularly.......been running great. A couple of years ago I replaced the starter/cutoff switch, and the bike's been fine ever since. Today I rode to work in the morning and it cranked and started fine. At noon I turned the key to start it and I heard a different sound- sort of a soft pffft..... and then all the electricals
were dead. No power anywhere when the key is turned. Took the ride of shame riding shotgun on the tow truck to get the bike home. Checked with the voltmeter and the battery is at 12.94V. The wishbone fuse appears intact visually and has 12.94V on both sides of it. On the face of it I'm thinking the ignition switch has gone bad. Seems like an easy fix. What say you all? Anything else to check? If I buy a new switch, I am supposing it comes with a new key and I'll forever be a 2 key guy. Thanks in advance for any help proffered.

[Jruby38]

Tighten the battery terminals.

[John Schmidt]

I'd be surprised if it's the ignition switch. As suggested, check all your connections to the battery and to ground on the engine. There's also a 30A fuse on the starter solenoid, might check that while you're poking around in there.

[The emperor has no clothes]

I'd be surprised if it's the ignition switch. As suggested, check all your connections to the battery and to ground on the engine. There's also a 30A fuse on the starter solenoid, might check that while you're poking around in there.

+1

[Gryphon Rider]

If it's the ignition switch, usually one of the two independent circuits it switches fails and the other circuit is fine.  Here's what is powered by the switch:

IG1:  Fuse B (top fuse) - Turn, Stop, Horn
       Fuse D (5th from top) - Starter, Ignition

IG2:  Fuse A (6th from top) - Acc. Term.
       Fuse C (3rd from top) - Headlight
       Fuse F (2nd from top) - Taillight, Meters

Note that having a full 12.94 volts at a particular location can still mean that an upstream connection is bad.  If there is virtually no current going through a poor but not completely disconnected connection, it will still show full voltage, but when the connection is asked to carry a current, i.e. supply a load, the resistance will reduce the voltage.

[Valkpilot]

My money is on the battery or the connections as stated.

Measuring the voltage with the battery at rest won't tell the tale.  Measure it under load, i.e., with the ignition switch on and cranking.  If it drops dramatically, the battery has a bad cell.  Or the connections are loose or corroded.

[Blackduck]

The last time I had no power it was the connector on the start relay.
Quick check, side cover off, key on and shake the connector and see if the lights come on.

[mrgeoff]

CoachDoc...There is a Starter Relay Mode On this site that has worked for me...My Starter Relay messed up and I did the Mod...Gave me peace of mind...Same thing happened to me, key On, nothing...shook the Starter relay wires...Headlight came on...Key On....Nothing again...I feel it is the Starter Relay...My opinion...!!!
Good luck...and let us know what you find...!!!

[CoachDoc]

Thanks for all the replies. Consensus suggests loose battery connections, bad battery or perhaps loose starter relay wiring. Last night I hooked up a small rechargeable jump starter to the battery cables and the bike started right up and ran fine with alternator output at 14.10V. Switched off the ignition and everything was dead again when switched back on. The battery cable connectors are tight, so I'm guessing there is an internal short in the battery, i.e. bad battery. You guys concur?

[The emperor has no clothes]

Thanks for all the replies. Consensus suggests loose battery connections, bad battery or perhaps loose starter relay wiring. Last night I hooked up a small rechargeable jump starter to the battery cables and the bike started right up and ran fine with alternator output at 14.10V. Switched off the ignition and everything was dead again when switched back on. The battery cable connectors are tight, so I'm guessing there is an internal short in the battery, i.e. bad battery. You guys concur?

Sounds logical to me. 

[da prez]

  Since you may have found it , another $.02 worth (before taxes) , remove and clean all battery connections , grounds and push connector wiring. Silicone dia electric should be used. It creates an air tight electrical connection. Tightening connections is a temporary fix. Remove and clean is the best option. Do not forget about the engine grounds.

                                                 da prez

[CoachDoc]

My money is on the battery or the connections as stated.

Measuring the voltage with the battery at rest won't tell the tale.  Measure it under load, i.e., with the ignition switch on and cranking.  If it drops dramatically, the battery has a bad cell.  Or the connections are loose or corroded.

You were 110% correct. When I attached my volt meter across the battery terminals, got 12.8V. Turn on the ignition switch  and voltage fell to tenths of a millvolt. Good call.

[Valkpilot]

My money is on the battery or the connections as stated.

Measuring the voltage with the battery at rest won't tell the tale.  Measure it under load, i.e., with the ignition switch on and cranking.  If it drops dramatically, the battery has a bad cell.  Or the connections are loose or corroded.

You were 110% correct. When I attached my volt meter across the battery terminals, got 12.8V. Turn on the ignition switch  and voltage fell to tenths of a millvolt. Good call.

Even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes.


Seriously, I learned this lesson several years ago. 

Ride the bike to get a haircut, come out and push the start button. 'Pop' no lights, no crank, no juice.  Wait awhile, lights recover, push the button, lather, rinse, repeat.

Check fuses, jump starter relay, clean starter button, all in a parking lot with the sun setting.  Multiple call-outs to folks that talk me through troubleshooting.

Finally get a jump from a friend.  It starts right up and I ride it home.  Take the battery to have it tested.  It's bad.

Batteries don't give any warning anymore.  No slow crank, dim lights, just there one minute and gone the next.