Lights always on! resolved & update info

[buckeyescoot]

Hi Everyone. New to the Forum Just received my Roketa Bali 250 scooter yesterday and got her set-up last evening. Strangest thing. Dropped in the battery and connected up the leads. All the lights come on. Key is not int he key switch. Scooter will start, lights all work normally from what I can tell. I turn the scooter off and remove the key, the lights stay on. 5 mins, 10 minutes, lights are still on. The only way I can get the lights off is to disconnect the positive lead on the battery.

Anybody seen this one before?

Thanks

Joe

[Jacine]

Some bikes have a light switch (3 position) on the right handle bar. Make sure this is not in the on position. Otherwise there may be a short.

[buckeyescoot]

Hi Jacine -

Let me take a look. I thought on the Bali 250 on the right hand side, all there was was the emergency flasher, kill switch and starter. On the left hand, I believe, the light/high beam pass/ switch, turn signal and horn. If there is not a lights on switch, what is the best way to to hunt down a short?

[Jacine]

You'll have to trace it back from the headlight (I am assuming that the headlights are staying on). Pull the connector plug from the headlight and trace back each individual wire. One of them should go to the fuse box so check the fuse. Theorectically you can now pull the fuse to turn off the lights. If it is bypassing the fuse, THen the wires may be switched. However most european and foreign made bikes do have a slide or lever like switch for the lights which may be shorted.

[buckeyescoot]

Got it. Thanks. I have a friend here at work that indicated that it could be a switch or relay that is also failing. (motorcycle rider) I assume the same process that you shared earlier; Start at the headlights and trace back the wires including anything it passes through....

[scooterollie]

When you say ALL the lights come on, just which ones do you mean? Besides the headlights, there are small running light bulbs in each headlight, turn signal bulbs - front & rear, tail lights and brake lights. No back up lights! (just being funny)

Obviously, something is wrong. Even with the ignition on, engine not running, no lights should be lit. The brake lights will light if you squeeze either lever.

My guess is a short somewhere or something improperly wired. If it is only the headlights, maybe they were wired incorrectly. You might pull the front panel and unplug every connector you can find. Visually inspect inside each for bent/flattened pins. If you find any, carefully straighten so as not to break them off.

[monty57]

I have read many of you say and even complain that the headlights don't come until you start the engine and go off if the engine dies. This is the way it is on my 50cc but on the RR250TLX the headlights come on as soon as you turn the key to "ON" even when the light switch is in the "OFF" position.

When you push the switch to the first (running lights ?) position or the second (Headlight?) position. the only thing that happens is everything else (dash, tail, running lights) comes on.
I thought this was OK as every Jap bike I have owned, the headlights always came on with key as a "Safety" measure. Do you think something is wired wrong on this scoot?

[scooterollie]

monty57;
Perhaps not. Seems you have a scoot that is a little different in more than one way.

[buckeyescoot]

Thanks everyone for thew help. Scooterollie, questtion on lights; head lights, dash lights, tail running lights. When I insert the key and turn the ignition to "on" turn signal, emergency flasher, hi/low beam andf radio join in( which should be normal when the key is on)

I was on the phone last evening with Customer service at All New Sports. After talking through the process again with them, they feel it may be the ignition switch. They are shiping me out a new ingition switch along with the key set for the seat latch and fuel cover so I do have twio sets of key to fool with.

I will keep everyone in the loop on the outcome. Jacine, your recommendation to check for shorts did help me find one of the leads to the coupler to the electric cooling fan not seated properly so I eliminated a later issue now. Thanks-

[monty57]

Ollie,

Yes, there seems to be differences. Some seem like improvements...... others??

I have started really looking at things closer and for the most part things seem to be pretty well put together. One thing that did impress.me was size and material used in the vacuum fuel pump. Metal housing and much heavier than what I have seen on yamaha golf carts for instance.I have read about a lot of issues and people replacing them with electric units.

Back to the lights, I would like to be able to turn them off for starting. I think the extra load may be a problem when it gets colder.

[Javarod]

Hey Buckeye, what part of the world are you in? I'm fairly good with electrical work, and ifn you're in my neck of the woods, I'll be happy to see ifn I can't fix it for you.

[Aaron]

With the FLY-SCOOTERS Cadenza once the key is on the lights are on too. No off switch. Yours however is not cool. If you can't find it you may have to put a switch in so you don't have too pull the battery cable every time. I hope the new iginition switch fixes it!

Aaron

[Gary]

Joe,
Hope you get your parts. I purchased from Allnew also and have been promised some replacment parts, but so far have received nothing....
Gary

[Jacine]

Monty in order to have your lights turn off with sarting, you can put a relay switch in line with the lights.

[buckeyescoot]

Hey Jarvarod, Buckeyescoot here. Live around the Cincinnati, Ohio area. Yes, scooters have made there way to the Midwest!

Gary - On All New Sports. So far they have been good at answering the phone when I call. THey indicated that it may take till 5/17 to get a new ignition switch. I am take Arron's advice and add a inline switch between the batter and the volt recitifer to toogle off and on when I ridwe and when I park until I can get the problem resolved.

Thanks everone for the advice.

[monty57]

Jacine,

Good idea. I would like to find an accurate wiring diagram and re-wire the lights to work with existing switch but if I can get a hold of that the relay would be an easy fix since all the necesary conection points would be under the front cowl. I have taken that off and on several times and have that figured out. The light switch will be a bigger challenge inside the handlebar cover.

[Javarod]

buckeyescoot said:

Hey Jarvarod, Buckeyescoot here. Live around the Cincinnati, Ohio area. Yes, scooters have made there way to the Midwest!

Thanks everone for the advice.

Chuckles, "Silly boy, I'll admit I forgot what state was the Buckeye state, but we have a Buckeye, AZ which isn't all that far away, hence my question. Too bad though, I'd've been happy to help nail down the problem."

[buckeyescoot]

Hey Javarod - Wow, I learned something new. Buckeye AZ. I appreciate the offer though. Waiting for parts and got the Certificate of Origin yesterday, so I installed and inline switch just to make the process easier until I can figure out the problem. To my first real ride last evening. 12 miles. Got a new problem. $18.00 part, raditor fill neck, I thing the air hose nipple broke off. No one in town has one on the shelf ( honda part 19039-KM1-004) so I am back on the wait to ride list! Bummer. Dealer is shipping me a replacement, could be a week.

[Gary]

Hey Buckeye -
I had the same fill neck problem - broken nipple. I reattached the nipple with a high-strength polyester resin paste a week or so ago. It seems to be holding up just fine. This is at least a temporary fix until the replacement part comes in.

The particular material I used is made by 3M for boat repair and has chopped up fiberglas strands in it, but probably any sort of hi-strength bondo will work.

[wvlonglegs2x2]

Hi! I'm a newbie to forum. Been reading forum about electrical problem on buckeyes scooter. I am looking at a used 2007 Rocketa Bali 250cc in the mineral wells, wv area, that has same problem but also found out today after going back to maybe purchase it, that it also is not charging and battery going dead. Now not sure what to do. Anyone else having problems like that? Any info on the rocketa bali 250 would be most helpfull!

[Gary]

There seem to be a bunch of us out there with non-charging 250s. My theory is that the guy in charge of installing the charging system at the chineese scooter factory had some family problems and as a result we all got a bad batch. Hopefully, the company he works at has good health coverage so he'll get some counseling and the china scooter factory will go back to making scoots with charging systems that actually work.
Cheers.

[buckeyescoot]

Hey Gary -

Thanks for the idea on the high-strength polyester resin paste. I may give that a try. I tried epoxy but it only held for a bout 10 minutes after I put it back on the scoot and took it for a ride. Sitting idelling was fine, no leaks. But I noticed anti-freeze dripping when i was waiting for a light change. I found that the local Honda dealer will order me the part for $18.00 ( Honda part number 13909-km1-004 if my memory servces me right, part number is written down at work) Should be in by Wednesday. Found a part number on the Tank web page , parts list documentation. Roketa's web page just had the Roketa part numbers. The high-strength polyester resin paste may get me on the scooter for the weekend, which my kids would love. They are chopping at the bit to get their first ride! Anyplace special I should look? A marina store maybe? ( yes we have thoses in Cincinnati, too)

The little bit that I have ridden it seems that the battery has been charging. I will have to check real quick with a volt meter to see if I to have the same non-charging issue. Any part replacement or quick fix tips to resolve the charging issue?

[wvlonglegs2x2]

The previous owner of the rocketa bali 250 that I am looking at could not figure out the lights on problem so he installed a toggle switch under the seat to kill all the power when he shut it down. That seemed to solve the problem for him at the time but don't understand if he has a two year warrenty why he didn't have it fixed correctly. Now when I went back to look at it again because the battery was dead the first time.......after battery recharged, it started right up but I had him put a meter on it to see if it was charging and it wasn't. Does anyone have a dollar figure at what it might cost me to fix the charging problem? I'm not to good at this computer stuff yet.....newbie to it too so having problems looking up parts!

[Gary]

Buckeye -
I got the stuff at West Marine. Its a 3M product, comes in a can about the size of a can of car wax. Its not cheap (nothing about boats is) but works very well. Its a polyester resin product, not an epoxy. So you have a small squeeze tube of catalyst, not a one-to-one mix.

3M actually makes two types of polyester marine fillers. One is a lightweigt low-strength filler that sands easily - you don't want that. The other is the hi-strength filler with chopped fiberglass strands. That's what I used. I'm sure there are similar prioducts out there.

I cleaned the the parts thourhghly first and sanded them a bit to remove the sheen. I also stuck a nail in the broken nozzle to keep it lined up and make sure I didn't close the hole when I bonded it together. Then I built up a good fillet all the way around the main part. The stuff sets up in about 10 minutes and is ready to use in an hour or two, especially if you let it sit out in the sun. So its pretty much instant gratification.
Gary

[buckeyescoot]

Gary - Sounds great. I am taking a 1/2 day off from work to go find the product at a local marina along the Ohio River. I could be scooting around before dinner!

Thanks -

[buckeyescoot]

Gary - I got the marine grade fiberglass patching material we talked about yesterday. Worked great. Toook about to hours to do the whole repair and clean up the tools. Rode 125 Km without a leak. engine temp gauge below the half way point.

Thanks for the great tip!

Joe (Buckeyescoot)

[buckeyescoot]

Lights always on update: I received a replacement ignition switch from the internet dealer. Replaceing the ignition switch did not reslove the problem. I also noticed that after a day of riding the battery does not have enough power at the end of the day to start the scooter. Could these problems be related or do I yet have another problem to address.

Joe

[wvlonglegs2x2]

hey buckeyescoot....the one I am looking at has same problem. Lights stay on unless you kill all power by switch previous owner installed. Then when we went to start scooter found dead battery. Battery recharged and put back on scooter.....started but checked to see if it was charging and it wasn't. I haven't purchased the scooter yet so have no idea what is wrong exactly cause don't have it here were we can tinker, but if you find out......PLEASE share info with us! I was suppose to give the guy an answer early this week, but have since run accross a CF Motto V5. It has some slight damage to gas tank and radio doesn't work. Its brand new, never tittled. Guess some kids knocked it over and they haven't sold it and now I was offered a pretty good deal on it........decisions....decisions! Only thing it looks like a motorcycle and I was looking for a scooter, plus I don't know anything about this type either! Anyone want to jump in with info to help me decide.....You are more than welcome! Roketa bali 250 or CF Moto V5 250?? Talking $125 difference with the V5 being higher.

wvlonglegs2x2

[wvlonglegs2x2]

oh forgot to mention that roketa is a 2007 and v5 is either a 2005 or 2006 not totally sure but never tittled.

[buckeyescoot]

Wvlonglegs2x2 -

I put a in -ine switch to get around the problem for now ( wanted to ride instead of troubleshoot) I did replace the battery when it was not holding a charge for more then a day. Took the battery to a Honda shop and they said it was bad. Second day with a new battery so we will see what happens. I should put a volt meter on the leads to see if it is being changed while the scooteris running. Great idea.

Jacine and others recommend that I trace the wires to see if something is wired wrong, so that will be my next step. Ride or troubleshoot, ride or troubleshoot.

I will have to look up the CF Moto V5. I have not seen one. I was most interested in the touring style look of the Bali 250 or the Tank TT 250 De or the Roadrunner 250 (260?) or the Vista 250.