Lights stay on when battery connected-even with key off

[bradmeehan]

I picked up TWO Sprees yesterday for $200 - an 85 and 86. The 86 looks like it'll be a parts bike. The 85 is in decent shape. I had her running on starting fluid for a second so tonight the carb comes off for a cleaning.

When i hook up a battery or charger, the headlights, panel lights are all illuminated even if i turn the key to the off position. I have to disconnect the battery to turn them off. Any ideas on where to start looking?

[mousewheels]

The headlight and panel lights should not come on unless the engine is running. When on, they are powered not by DC from the battery, but AC from the stator output. Try unplugging the voltage regulator, and then putting on the charger or battery. If your headlights now do not light, run the regulator and stator coil resistance checks. Other than that - possibly the previous owner did some rewiring?

There is a Spree service manual, which will have wiring diagrams on this site.

[Wheelman-111]

Greetings:

First, welcome. Nice buys on those Sprees. Sounds like you have the fixin's for at least one nice ride. Unneeded parts sales can finance whatever you must purchase.

Second, old Scooter ownership presents a series of challenges. I enjoyed meeting them, one by one, until Flash I sprang back to life after a 7-year coma. If you're patient, you will overcome all these obstacles too. There's great satisfaction in hearing that 2-stroke heart thump again. OK, well... buzz anyway.

Wiring woes will tax anyone's patience,especially the dreaded Intermittent variety. Fortunately there are people with similar experiences who are always willing to help. Listen especially to whatever MouseWheels kindly bestows. He ar smart.

[Lunytune]

I'll scotch what Wheelman sez about Mousewheels. He may have mice running around in his belfry but he knows his electrical and has helped me most recently as I chase down a lighting problem.

You shouldn't be having headlights without the engine running. I would think a regulator would "die" instead of short out allowing feedback from DC. I'm more inclined to think former owner did some monkey wiring. That's different than mouse wiring.

[mousewheels]

I would think a regulator would "die" instead of short out allowing feedback from DC

There have been several members who have had failures of the regulator, in which DC voltage did get applied to the stator coils. Some had blown fuses that were replaced either by previous owners, or themselves. Wire harnesses have melted, and stator coils damaged (failed with a short) from this failure.

One cause of regulator failures in this mode (leaking current back through the stator coil) is by accidental reverse polarity application of either the battery, or an external jump start. The failure is not always spectacular. In some cases, a charged battery dies overnight, with the ignition switch off.

Link to a reverse polarity failure with sage advice:
http://www.hondaspree.net/phpBB3/viewto ... oke#p33751

Link to a longish, but interesting dive into a regulator failure resulting in a dead battery:
http://www.hondaspree.net/phpBB3/viewto ... or&start=0

For the current poster, regulator could be bad plus the stator coil opened or disconnected by the previous owner. That would turn on the headlight/dash lamps whenever the battery is connected. Or as we've suggested, the previous owner may have preformed some rewiring.

[bradmeehan]

I had it running for the first time last night via a jump start from my tractor battery. As you said, once it's running the battery is out of the picture and the alternator does the work. As soon as i removed the jumper cable from the battery, it stopped running.
I'll bet you're right - something is reversed.

I'll start digging through the posts you referenced unless you know of a place where that reversal could easily be mistakenly made.

B

[bradmeehan]

Resolved (mostly):

It was a hack rewire job by the previous owner. The regulator was smoked and they removed the inline fuse and replaced it with a regular-ol wire.

I bough a 6.5 am fuse/holder from radioshack and a regulator and *fixed* that issue.

I think i blew my headlamp, though. It's out (when before it was stuck on).

[Bear45-70]

Resolved (mostly):

It was a hack rewire job by the previous owner. The regulator was smoked and they removed the inline fuse and replaced it with a regular-ol wire.

I bough a 6.5 am fuse/holder from radioshack and a regulator and *fixed* that issue.

I think i blew my headlamp, though. It's out (when before it was stuck on).

The headlight on only when engine is running.

[bradmeehan]

Yeah. It was running

...three regulators later...


First one: running but no lights
Second: lights but no AC. Watched battery go down to about 10 v before I killed it.
Third: lights and around 12.79 vdc. Is that enough?

[mousewheels]

First one: running but no lights
Second: lights but no AC. Watched battery go down to about 10 v before I killed it.
Third: lights and around 12.79 vdc. Is that enough?

If you rev up the bike does the 12v go to more like 14 and up? 12.8 is too low to put a charge on the battery.
Second regulator shows failure similar to those which have seen a reverse polarity battery connection. Not sure about the first regulator - which lights are not working?

[bradmeehan]

The head/dash lights were not working.

Didn't check when revving. I felt guilty running without an air filter all day so i'll wait to mess with it until Tuesday when my filter comes in. Engine started to sputter towards the end of the day. I might be fouling up my new plug already.

I'll report on Tuesday.