Kawasaki Concours Forum
The C10, aka Kawasaki Concours - The Original => Accessories and Modifications - C10 => Topic started by: George R. Young on December 02, 2015, 09:29:16 AM
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http://web.ncf.ca/ag136/dashLEDs.html#Potting (http://web.ncf.ca/ag136/dashLEDs.html#Potting)
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The same thing happened to my C10 several years ago. I went through three sets of dash LEDs before I found the problem. The cause turned out to be voltage spikes due to a corroded battery ground cable connection. The cable connects to the right side of the engine case below the air box where it is difficult to reach. I think I had to remove the air box to get to it. While the engine is running check the voltage with a digital voltmeter. Don't use an analog meter. On mine, the voltage rapidly varied between 5 and 19 volts. Cleaning that connection corrected the problem and gave an even 14.5 volts. Check all the wiring harness connections too. I do that at each valve adjust. Good Luck
Eric
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My bike has a digital voltmeter installed on the dash, no variations, always around 14.2V
see http://web.ncf.ca/ag136/volthermometer.htm (http://web.ncf.ca/ag136/volthermometer.htm)
I also thought reverse spikes may have caused problems, so I stuffed in a reverse-biased diode across the LED power line. No change, they all died anyway.
see http://web.ncf.ca/ag136/dashLEDs.html (http://web.ncf.ca/ag136/dashLEDs.html)
Anyway, the LEDs and the epoxy are pretty cheap. If they were easier to replace, I wouldn't care as much, but to change a dash LED, you have to undo both the fairing side pockets, remove the windshield, remove the dash bezel, remove the instruments including the damn speedo drive, then the bracket and you're there. Assembly is the reverse order of disassembly (CB160 Service Manual jargon).
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My apologies. When I said digital voltmeter, I should have said digital multimeter. I had a voltmeter plugged into my 12v power outlet which read a constant 14.5 but the multimeter voltage was all over the place. I finally gave up and went back to incandescent bulbs on the dash. I installed LED bulbs on my Tengai at the same time and after 10+- years and about 60k miles they are still working fine.
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What were you using the epoxy for? I have LEDs that plug into the stock lamp sockets. I'll be checking all my ground wires while the bike is apart after reading this though!
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While you're checking ground wires take a look at this.... http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=15994.0 (http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=15994.0)
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It's on my agenda, as well as running the ground from the coils straight to the battery. I want to pick up matching wire before I get started though.