Triumphrat

rash_powder · 07-24-2006, 10:55 PM

Ok, so I wanted an accessory outlet I could use on my bike (specifically for my Magellan Gps) instead of that goofy european plug thing. So I went to Radio Shack and bought an accessory outlet and a wiring harness so I could plug into the pig-tail of my battery charger/trickler that is attached to the battery. Got everything hooked up all nice and clean looking - you can't even see the plug receptacle - and plugged in my Gps DC adapter. It smoked. Pulled it out, checked things and all *looked* fine, so I started the bike. Runs fine, just have the check engine light on now. So I unhooked the battery and touched leads for a few seconds and tried again. Check engine light. So now I check everything again and find I installed the plug that mates to the trickler plug wrong. Wrong in that it is a polarized plug and I used the wrong end of the harness. + to - and all. So I figure the smoke was the LED and diodes inside the adapter burning up. However, I do not know where to start looking for what I did to the bike.

Could it be a voltage regulator? I don't think I could have killed the battery but not sure. Any ideas or thoughts you may have will be appreciated.

thanx,

rash

speedjunkie · 07-24-2006, 11:14 PM

With a check engine light I'm afraid your pretty much gonna have to take it to the dealer to have it diagnosed. It doesn't sound like you hurt the battery, it wouldn't have started. It also doesn't sound like a ECM, as the bike wouldn't have started. Now, you could have taken the voltage regultor or stator out. Could also be a sensor causing the light. Don't know for sure. If you have a manual you could probably start ringing wires and components out. You could also hook a voltmeter up to the battery to check to see if it's charging. Best of luck.

Mike

vinnyf · 07-24-2006, 11:58 PM

It's certainly possible you did some damage, but more likely the ECU check engine will go out after a few complete hot/cold cycles.
BTW, it's REALLY a good idea to put an inline fuse in any wiring you add - (ask me how I know...)

tony2 · 07-25-2006, 06:28 AM

If the battery has been disconnected, the check light will illuminate. After three full warm up / down cycles it will reset itself.
When I fitted a new battery to my bike the check light stayed on, so I contacted the Triumph dealer and he told me of the three cycle thing. Sure enough while riding the bike one day it reset and has been ok since.

Regards from the West Country........Tony.

rash_powder · 07-25-2006, 05:41 PM

This afternoon on my lunch break I put the tank back on the bike to do the three warm up/cool down cycles to see if the engine light would go out. Thats when I noticed a small white plug on the left side of the tank that I must have missed when I put it together the first time. So now it is plugged in and I have just finished the third warm up. Now just waiting for it to cool down so I can check it on a ride.

As an aside, this problem really perplexed me as the power outlet I installed had an inline fuse, so it should have prevented any feed back to the bike. The charge system also appears to be operating fine, according to my volt meter. Will check amps of charge a little later.

I think all will be well in a few hours. I hope!

rash

Stlakid · 07-25-2006, 06:20 PM

Quote:

As an aside, this problem really perplexed me as the power outlet I installed had an in-line fuse, so it should have prevented any feed back to the bike. The charge system also appears to be operating fine, according to my volt meter. Will check amps of charge a little later

Not hard to figure......

You most likely 'fused' the hot side of your adapter not the ground side. If you crossed the lead as you say hooking it up backward, you had the hot side of the battery grounded through the adapter ground lead which is 'un-fused'. Direct short. This would also give the ECU a false code (probably) as the direct short would let the computer see such a low voltage from the battery (because of the direct short) that it would act as if you dis-connected the battery or it was considered dead by the ECU.
The three heat cycle code clear will let you know if there is more serious damage. (if it fails to clear)

CLB · 07-25-2006, 11:49 PM

I doubt the hot lead of the battery shorted to chassis through the ground terminal of the added receptacle. I suspect that the added receptacle had a case or mounting method that isolated the (supposed to be) negative connector contact from chassis.

Had the connector shell contacted chassis when reverse wired, the connector (supposed to be) negative lead would likely melt and/or burn open. "rash_powder" would have likely noticed this.
Also the fact that his Magellan adapter smoked when plugged in indicates that power was present and nothing shorted in the wiring.
The fuse remaining OK in the mis-wired positive lead indicates that it doesn't take a great deal of reverse current to smoke a Magellan adapter.

It also sounds like the white connector you left off was the fuel gage sender. It probably wouldn't run too well if that was the fuel pump connector.

My Keihin controlled '06 is different than your Sagem controlled '03 but I know I will get a light and code if I leave the fuel sender disconnected. I reset the code with an OBDII reader so I don't have any experience with the 3 cycles thing.

Now that you've read all this drivel, here's the bottom line:
I don't suspect you've hurt your bike in any way. The thrown code is likely a result of the forgotten connector and nothing to do with the backward wiring.

Your Magellan adapter on the other hand is history.

[ This message was edited by: CLB on 2006-07-25 21:55 ]