Topic: Colorblind

[Phoenix]

I disconneThere was a 3 bundle and a 2 bundle.  So 3 = yellow.  I thought I hooked up the 2 bundle correctly.  I took a 30 mile ride with no problem.  The next day the battery was dead.  Would the bike even run if I hooked up the two wires incorrectly?  I'm getting ready to get into it again but am wondering if I'm on the right track with the two wires.

[bryanj]

What bike, what model, what year and a better description of what and where you disconnected wires would help

[Phoenix]

Sorry.  My note is corrupted.
71 cb 750
Went to reconnect the altenators 5 wires.  They are made up of to bundles of 2 and 3 wires.  The colors are screwed up on my bike.  The bundle of 3 must be yellow.  That leaves the bundle of 2.  They should be green and white.  I took the bike for a 30 mile trip with no problems.  The next day the battery was dead.  My thought is that I switched the green and white wires and the battery discharged during my ride.  Would the bike even run if those wires were switched.  That's the only thing I can think of to discharge the battery.  Sorry for any confusion.

[bryanj]

It shouldnt matter which way round those two wires go as one is fpower feed the other ground BUT it is common for the connectors by the alternator to fail then you get nothing

[Phoenix]

I put a vm on the battery it showed a good charge when I turned it on and let it run a couple of minutes.  I checked again ten minutes later and it went from 12.3 to 12.4.  Does that mean that the battery is fully charged and the rest is being bled off or does it mean it's not working?

[bryanj]

Are you lights permanently on?

[Phoenix]

No.  Charged the battery today and took another 30 ride.  When I got home it was still fully charged.  Doesn't make sense.

[bryanj]

If you ride with lights on it will not start to charge till about 3500 rpm

[pjlogue]

As Bryanj said, check the 3 yellow wire connector coming from the alternator.  The current that goes through this connector is quite high and ANY corrosion on the terminals causes a resistance and then the connector gets hot.  This heating of the terminals causes the metal connector (female part) to loose their temper and the terminal becomes soft which further reduces the current carrying ability of the connector.  With vibration and dirt this can cause the connection to open which can then drain the battery since the full alternator output is no longer available to charge the battery. 

If this connector is in good shape i.e. each connection has a good "bite" on its spade lug and the terminals are bright and clean then I would start checking your wiring harness for shorts, worn insulation etc.  I would also check the rectifier with an Ohm meter to be sure you don't have a bad diode. 

-P.

[Phoenix]

It seems to be running properly which would make what happened a hickcup.  In the meantime, I will check out that junction as you suggest.  Thanks.