why does light switch kill all power

[richyrich]

its the same with two different lightbulbs

no fuses blow, the breaker button thing doesnt move

the ignition switch works , i can see 12.3 volts each side of it when its on, so theres power into the loom

starts and runs with lights off

this started after replacing the connectors to the cdi box cos a coil one had broken. but i didnt test the lights after that just that it ran.  Then i took out the headlight lens to slack the bolts to add a screen . That was when i tested the light and found this problem.

As far as i understand things. i mjustve disturbed a headlight wire which is now shorting .  I'm not an expert and feel i'm missing something obvious

with no bulb in it ive got 12v at the connector and the switch works without killing everything. so maybe not a short in in the loom, looks like dodgy bulb, but does it with different bulbs. 

anyone have any idea what gives and what and how i should be looking for  ?

[Sam-Jaffa]

check the wiring going down the side of the headstock, over time the wiring is prone to chaffing so may have rubbed through

[Gixer1460]

Without the bulb in place there won't be a complete circuit so not surprising nothing happens. There should be (as far as i'm aware) no direct interaction between ignition and lighting circuits - each separately fused. As fuse don't pop it's unlikely a short but I can't explain the symptoms. Is it side light or main headlights...... could it be a rear lights issue?

[richyrich]

its hard to explain what happened ,   to clarify what i wrote i meant that with the bulb in,  the light switch switched off all the electrical things.   but after a couple of hours i just went for a ride and the light then worked.  so maybe its cos 12.3 v in a 6 ah battery isnt realy enough and those were the symptons.  it was weird , like something was locking me out. but theres no electical component that would do that. dodgy circuit breaker maybe so used a fuse instead of that but it was still the same lights on, bulb doesnt light , everything goes off and wont come back on for five minutes.  gotta be the small battery, gives me the willys ; if that happens at 0500 i will be upset.  Its charging at 13.8v i think thats good . 

[Gixer1460]

Hmmm  - you didn't mention what bike but assuming a GSXR ? - a 6Ah battery is less than half the recommended 14Ah!  The charging system kicks out about 300w so @ 13.8v thats approx 21A which will easily run the bike with everything on.......................but could be cooking the battery when not - possibly?

Edited September 23, 2018 by Gixer1460

[wraith]

You have a good one there ?

could be battery 6Ah is small but I'm using a Varta 8Ah battery on my bike (gsx1100f in kat) and have for years (the miss used the same size battery as well on her gsxr1100) with no problems.

this dose ring a bell but I can't remember why  that was it, a bad wire in the switch gear it was just holding on by 3 threads of wire.

[richyrich]

thanks guys, rh swtch has lights and ignition wires close together but it looks ok in there.  i beleiev my 750L engine is a good 0ne, but this kinda thing knocks my faith in it, and we gotta have faith or i'm gonna have to gat a 21st century euro3 orange coloured one FML .

it looks so much better here without 'devon' conversion massive mudguard extender, screen and luggage rack / top box .  Its teling me to take that shite off lol