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By johnboy53
#96874
My 2003 ES500 was going great, only problem was the indicators on the right hand side. When I flicked them on both bulbs very weak and ammeter flicking to negative. Left hand side working fine. I couldn't find where it was shorting. I have the small plastic/rubber indicators that Hitchcocks sell. I thought it might be left hand switch so I took it apart, cleaned contacts and reassembled. I switched on ignition, horn worked, left hand indicator worked but if anything the deflection on the ammeter was worse. I fiddled at both connections front and rear and could find nothing wrong. Tried again, this time indicator on left not flashing and I though I detected smell of electrical stress. Checked flasher and it's dead as is all the electrics, no horn, no sidelights, nothing! I've checked the wiring in the headlight and I have power to the ignition switch and the ignition switch is working when I put the meter on it. Battery is full and the single fuse is okay with power downstream of it. I have power at the ammeter contacts. So, as you can imagine, I am perplexed. Have wires in the loom burned cutting power to the systems or has something else been shorted by the indicator black-green wire? You tell me, one minute I had power and the next, without a crack or a sound, nothing just a very slight smell of something overheated. I'm now wondering if I'll have to buy a new loom to sort it out. Any ideas welcome.
User avatar
By Nitrowing
#96876
You're using a multimeter to check for power?
My immediate thought was a bad earth connection...
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By Exile
#96877
Try looking at the earth connector under the back mudguard... I had some problem like this some time ago. Cleaning that one earth cured it..
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By Chris [Stockport]
#96879
Are you quite sure there isn't another fuse elsewhere?
I found one in the normal place on mine, and after a problem, discovered another under the seat....
Good luck,
Chris
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By johnboy53
#96881
Thanks for the suggestions. I did wonder about the earth so I bought a new cable from Halfords and fitted it to a bolt on the frame holding the battery carrier after scraping through the paint to get a good contact. Unfortunately it didn't make a difference. I have the circuit drawing number 560173/a and after hours studying it I'm now wondering if the yellow/red output that joins to the red/white wire is the issue. The red/white wire seems to supply power to most of the ancillaries like lights and horn. I plan to check it tomorrow if I can. I'm also wondering if the ammeter could have been fried by the fault.
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By Adrian
#96882
The wire from the battery to the ammeter could have broken. I've had this happen where the wring loom flexes around the headstock of the frame, the insulation had gone brittle. Try running a new wire from the positive terminal on the battery to the ammeter. If the ammeter itself has died, it's easily bypassed for checking that the rest of the electrics still work, just join the two ring terminals together.

A.
User avatar
By johnboy53
#96905
Hi everyone. I've worked on at my ES500 and eventually sorted the lack of electrical power. As Adrian remarks, the power was going to the ammeter via a red wire from the ignition. It is then wired in series through the ammeter. My bike has a two pin natural connector for these wires. After much studying of the wiring diagram, I decided to use a little loop of wire to isolate the ammeter by jamming the ends into the female side of the connector. Hey presto, power was restored. So I ordered a new ammeter from Hitchcocks. By the time I managed to drift the old ammeter out of the casquette, using a piece of wood and a rubber hammer, it was looking rather second hand. Strangely though, I could still get continuity through it. The new ammeter comes with a four pin connector so I had to swop over my leads, again I could get continuity there, so no broken wires. The ammeter is a tight fit in the casquette so I used red rubber grease to ease it in with a new rubber seal. All connected up and with a little trepidation I turned the key. Everything works and the mysterious gremlin has disappeared. With the new flasher unit, the indicators are working too! So although I'm relieved and hopefully MOT'd on the 1st of June, the shorting of the right hand indicator that started this whole episode is fixed(for now) but I don't really know how. Divine intervention? Anyway, I hope this tale helps somebody and thanks Forum for the suggestions.
User avatar
By Chris [Stockport]
#96909
Good news.
You can also use talcum powder to help slide the ammeter in. Works a treat and the smell is lovely....
User avatar
By Adrian
#96910
I am informed that talcum powder (magnesium silicate) has now been branded as a cancer risk! :shock: Don't inhale TOO deeply!

A.

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