Lights aren't working right: By richardthescooter3 (Read 2,453 times)

[cruiser]

Scooterdad, this site has a variety of connectors:

.newmotorcycleparts.com/electrical/connectors.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">.newmotorcycleparts.com/electrical/connectors.html

[scooterdad154]

[replyingto=cruiser]cruiser[/replyingto]Cruiser

Thanks for the additional info.

I need to research this site for possible reasons why these plugs coming from stator have overheated.

Can you or anyone else offer any possible explanantions?

Thanks
scooterdad

[richardthescooter3]

In my case the connector came loose enough and wasn't making good connection, that will cause them to heat up and if not fix, they will melt.

[richardthescooter3]

If you look at my plug you can see the right side (top) came loose and then the melting process began.

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[scooterdad154]

I dont think that was what happened in my case. Both the three prong plug and the two prong plug were melted in place, locking tab and all. The two prong plug was not as badly melted as the three prong plug.

1) I removed all of the molten/unmolten plastic from both sides of the five stator connectors. (I uniquely marked them before doing this to make sure I could reconnect properly when done). I then reconnected each of the Bladed conductors and scooter started up and ran fine. However, the three yellow stator wires and two other plastic connectors (the ones that make connections to the R/R) were warm to the touch while engine was running. See attached photo.

Is this "normal"?

2) I stopped engine and disconnected each of the three yellow stator wires. Started the engine back up and measured the AC voltage between them, it was 57-59 @3000 RPM.

Is this voltage measurement high enough?

3) If the temperature of connectors is not considered an issue and I proceed with repair,
a) Can I use Radio Shack connectors with specs below in place of the connectors recommended by others earlier in this thread? (I already have the connectors in hand)

• Contact resistance: 0.0025 ohm
  
• Maximum current per circuit: 8 amps
  
• Maximum voltage circuit: 250 volts
  
• Voltage drop: 2.5mV at 1A
  
• Min Operating Temperature -40 Fahrenheit
  
• Max Operating Temperature 221 Fahrenheit
  

or

b) can I simply place shrink wrap over each of the five stator connections and be done with it?

Thanks to all for offering guidance!

scooterdad154

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[richardthescooter3]

I'd put electric tape on them.

[cruiser]

The warm wires and the voltage measurements you noted are normal. Shrink wrap should be OK as long as the connections do not get overheated. If they overheat, then no connectors or normal forms of insulation will work. The secret is to prevent overheating in the first place. Crimps are the weak points in electrical connections. Most people will also solder the crimp so that thermal expansion and vibrations will not degrade the connection. Make sure the terminals are a good grade and fit together tightly. Depending how you insulate them, make sure they are mechanically secure so they don't rub against anything.

[scooterdad154]

I replaced the 3 prong and 2 prong plugs and corresponding male and female terminal connectors.

Started engine and let idle for ~10 minutes to make sure the new connectors would not melt. The new connectors barely felt warm.

However, the two 3 prong connectors coming from the Rectifier/Regulator (R/R) were hot to the touch (one 3 prong has three yellow wires coming from the R/R and the other 3 prong has a red, green and black wire coming from the R/R).

I figured the hot connectors would be my next failure but I was not sure exactly what to do next. I came across rapidjim's post for "Testing a Charging System on a 300cc Trike 3Phase Stator". JR indicated it would be applicable to the 257cc Linhai as well so I preceded with tests.

Performed Steps 1 thru 6 with normal results for all except step 2 reprinted below (including link to rapidjim's original post).

Step 2 – With the engine idling, connect the meter’s black lead to the battery’s positive post and the red lead to the red output wire on the voltage regulator. The voltage reading should be less than 0.2 vdc. If the voltage is above that repair the broken wire between the voltage regulator and the positive post of the battery then repeat Step 1. If the voltage is less than 0.2 vdc then go to Step 3.

Read more: .thescooterprofessor.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=3wheel&action=display&thread=797#ixzz2TlivSOFI" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">.thescooterprofessor.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=3wheel&action=display&thread=797#ixzz2TlivSOFI

My results for step 2 were as follows:
(A) - 2.8v dc when radiator fan was off
(B) + 0.7v dc when radiator fan was on

Note: Before turning engine on the step 2 reading was -12.87v dc.

I was looking for feedback on my results before tearing the wiring harness apart to replace this voltage regulator to battery connection.

Does anyone know if these results indicate "just" a broken wire between the voltage regulator and the positive post of the battery?

Thanks
scooterdad

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[cruiser]

It sounds like you are performing the test with the blocking diode in the circuit. In order to perform the test that you referenced, you will have to pull the plug on the diode and jumper the connector that comes out of the wiring harness. Your headlights will be on when the jumper is in place.

[scooterdad154]

Cruiser

Thanks, I will give a try.

Is the Blocking Diode the other heat sinked device mounted aft of the R/R? (Upper Left Hand Corner on the picture I posted)

scooterdad154

[cruiser]

Yes.

[scooterdad154]

The step 2 voltage reading was 0.3-0.35v dc.
Step 2 fix says to replace broken red wire btwn R/R and pos battery terminal if reading is above 0.2v dc. Can someone explain how this could be broken if the battery is getting charged?

Thanks
Scooterdad154

[cruiser]

I would consider your readings to be within passing limits. The reason your readings are higher is because you already have a broken connection at the connector for the blocking diode. You are using a jumper to bridge the "break", but it isn't going to be as good as a solid piece of wire. This will show as a slightly higher voltage reading in this particular test.

The voltage reading represents the loses in the wiring due to wire resistance and resistance at the connectors themselves. Adding more connections, using an undersized wire or a longer wire run, will increase the total resistance and this shows as a higher voltage.

[scooterdad154]

Thanks Cruiser, are there any other tests I can perform to isolate why the two 3 prong plugs coming from the R/R get very hot to the touch?

[scooterdad154]

[replyingto=scooterdad154]scooterdad154[/replyingto]Well

Someone had informed me that hot regulator wires indicate too much draw or the regulator not handling the draw.

I gambled and ordered and installed a new $48 six wire R/R.
Unfortunately, the two R/R plugs are as hot as they were with the original R/R.

Besides gambling again by replacing the entire wiring harness ($126), are there any trouble shooting steps I can try to determine if there is a component drawing too much current?

Thanks
scooterdad154