Still having charging issues!!!!!!!!!!

I have a 1980 Z1-R. I've went through all the connectors and wiring, and they checked out ok. The issue I think is with the headlight. I have added a switch to turn off the lights during the day, so as not to run the battery down. I have notice on the wiring diagram that there is a resistor tied into the reserve lighting and the hi/lo beam. The resistor is missing. My question is this resistor required. And is there a way around it.

I have searched the forum, last topic was over 2 years ago, and didn't provide much info.

I have replaced the stator and reg/rectifier, all have tested within range.

Does anyone know what this resistor is and what is it's purpose?

No clue. But I don't understand your resistance to put in the resistor:lol: . Sorry! Is it the cost or availability of the resistor that makes you hesitant on getting one and installing it? If you have been through everything else and that is the last thing I wouldn't hesitate to get it. just saying it makes sense cause I would guess they didn't just pop a electrical component in-line cause they had a few laying around. Might be the cause or might not.

When I purchased the bike, I knew it was a project, missing parts and had to redo the wiring harness. When I found the diagram, thanks to the sites filebase, I noticed the resistor was not there. Now if I could find this resistor, or a possible work around, I could futher troubleshoot the issue. I haven't a clue what it looks like, I know its has 4 leads coming from it.

Royal1MC wrote:

...1980 Z1-R...issue...with the headlight...added a switch to turn off the lights during the day...notice on the wiring diagram that there is a resistor tied into the reserve lighting and the hi/lo beam. The resistor is missing. My question is this resistor required. And is there a way around it...

As known, the headlight system is designed so if either beam fails, the other beam automatically turns on, whereby dim activates upon failure of bright, and vice versa. When bright automatically activates upon failure of dim, the bright is supposed to be less intense (i.e., a little less light emission on bright under this circumstance).

Will venture a guess that the resistor serves to reduce intensity of normal high beam when low beam failure automatically switches to high beam. Am thinking the reduced high beam brightness is a safety feature to avoid blinding oncoming traffic where the bright suddenly comes on upon failure of the low beam.

Am uncertain about what if any impact the added manual on-off switch might have on the reserve light system. But believe it could be wired so as to be invisible to the oem system when switched on.

Thinking the missing resistor is allowing the high beam to operate at its normal full brightness intensity when it suddenly comes on upon failure of the low beam.

This may not occupy top billing on the worry list. :lol:

Absent such oem headlight backup feature, I believe most of us when riding at night would upon failure of low beam instinctively switch to high beam, and let the chips fall. :whistle:

All speculation on my part until more confident advice arrives.

Good Luck!

As to the charging issue ---

If not already done, would first assure full charge on a known good battery with fluid to proper levels in all cells. Then assure good solid ground connection where negative battery cable attaches to engine or frame. And of course assure clean tight connections of both cables to battery terminals.

Thereafter, perform the standard basic charging system test with engine running and measuring voltage across the battery terminals (with a decent voltmeter).

Look for 12+ volts at idle and 14+ volts at 3000-4000 rpm. Such voltage input into the battery means the charging system (alternator, rectifier, regulator, and associated wiring), is indeed charging the battery. Substantially lower voltage casts suspicion first on the regulator or rectifer, and eventually the alternator.

If the battery is being charged but won't hold a charge, likely it has failed, so would perform a specific gravity check on each cell (the little floating balls method), and also have it load-tested.

Good Luck!

Thanks all, but I failed to think about the magnetic rotor, have a spare. Will try that, after replacing everything else. Will let you know.

An update!!!!!!!!!!!
Rotor was good. Changed the ground wire from the battery to the frame, and used 10 gauge wire from frame to harness ground point. Will road test, post results.

UPDATE


Charging issue finally resolved. I replaced everything electrical on the bike from the harness, stator, reg/rec, battery, and the fusebox. I also replaced the altmeter with a led battery gauge from kuryakyn, it really makes a difference to see that the system is performing. Only problem is the HID I purchased from XenonLink.com, I still have a flicker, might try another company (poor tech support).

Do you have a schematic for this model you can post?

If the resistor is in series then it would be used dropping some of the supplied voltage across the resistor...

Example, +12Vdc fed to the resistor and let's say the value is of one that would drop +6Vdc across it... Then you would only have +6Vdc supplied to the reserve lighting which may only be designed for this voltage or for dim lighting...

Welcome to Voltage divider theory....

OMR

I actually swapped out the '80 Z1r harness for a standard '78 KZ1000a. I removed the reserve lighting and self cancellation switch, the harness was in bad shape from PO, plus I know I didn't make things better.


I had found the resistor @ a salvage yard, but never used it, cause the plug was missing from the harness. A whole lot of things were missing actually. This the reason for using a standard harness, got a really good deal on a excellent conditioned harness.