Switch failure

[gpink]

Well, WoOk would be correct in that regard.    You guys seem to feel the effects of corrosion more on your bikes.  Must be the climate.  I know it damn near killed me that last time I was over there.

The corrosion or the climate?

[PaulB]

The ignition switch is still faulty so need to strip that out too, don't know if it was coincidence all going at once or not.

Are you referring to the "cooker knob"? i.e. the switch you depress to bring the ignition system to life which will then let you turn it?

If so, the whole thing hinges on a microswitch. If that sticks, then the bike appears to be dead. The switch itself is reliable, it's the plastic block and spring that activate it; they can get stuck down due to road grit getting in there. (I know this from bitter experience. It happened to me when I was some 2500 miles away from home.)

If a "forceful blow" doesn't activate the microswitch, then you can disconnect then reconnect the electrical harness connector under the rubber boot on the left (the same place you wire a Sat Nav into). That *should* bring the ignition system to life, letting you turn the key.

Maybe I was lucky but I cured mine with a pressure washer. Ordinarily, no sane person would blast high-pressure water into/around the ignition switch system, but I figured as mine was already broke, I couldn't break it any more. Then a can of compressed air to blow out any water (I don't own a compressor and airline) and that fixed it!

I'd already ordered one of these: http://www.incontrolne.com/incontrol_9_mar_2014_005.htm which I've left fitted in case it happens to me again.

Best of luck with yours.

Cheers,

Paul B.

[virginiajim]

The corrosion or the climate?

both..

[Charlie747]

  both..

That's why we have beer and malt 

[Wookie]

Fankoo Uncke Jim for the confirmation on black wire 
As for the climate ... its all down to those damn Yankees ... creating loads of warm polluted air that drifts owa here .. sucks up the pond and dumps most of it in Carlisle 

[gpink]

...and here I thought all that warm polluted air came from East Anglia University Climate Research Unit. 

[Wookie]

Aye ah forgot about them rofl

[virginiajim]

Fankoo Uncke Jim for the confirmation on black wire 
As for the climate ... its all down to those damn Yankees ... creating loads of warm polluted air that drifts owa here .. sucks up the pond and dumps most of it in Carlisle 

And from the US....you're quite welcome!

[steveb19]

Steve, I suppose some water ingress could have taken place, but I don't know if that would damage the rectifier

It sounds to me like you have got to the root of the problem already.  Hope the Kawasaki sourced part isn't too expensive

I know sometime has passed , sorry not been on here a while.
My repair worked - for a few months,then the rectifier failed! Replaced it and she ran for another few months, a few weeks back total electrical failure again ,had to be recovered. Starter relay had melted again! Now it could be the old rectifier damaged it before it totally failed but a pal thinks it more likely too much current through relay which means maybe starter sticking in mesh and back charging to relay. Certainly seemed to work ok before ,no noises or anything .the saga continues!

[O.C.]

I'm most definitely not qualified to provide any useful suggestions,  but I do think you need to get the bikes electrical system fully  professionally checked out. 

I know that sounds obvious but it's the way to go