520h electrical problems

[yzf450motoxrider 20]

I have decided to go through the 520h and try and fix its electrical problems. none of the lights work, its not charging the battery, the tachometer only works at low rpm and the vacuum gauge doesn't work. Any suggestions on where to look first for the lights I tested the connections and got .25 volts at all connections. As for the charging issue I'm not sure I attached some pics of the fuse box and what I believe to be the regulator. It looks like someone messed with the wiring.

 

Thanks

[Ed Kennell 39,426]

Well, it appears the right pair of wires needs plugged on to the right lug on the  RR to start.

The fitting is probably broken off the back of the vacuum  gage and the hose is probably hanging loose.

Usually cleaning every wire terminal,  fuse block,  and connector solves most of the electrical problems.

Unplugging and re connecting these connections at least three times us usually enough to clean them.

Edited March 21, 2016 by ekennell

[Save Old Iron 1,568]

this will give you a good start with the charge / tach wiring.

 

note all the wiring must be attached to the reg as shown - lugs on reg facing you.

 

the red charge wire does go thru other connections before reaching the battery - refer to your particular model year wiring diagram for exact routing.

Edited March 21, 2016 by Save Old Iron

[Phatboy 565]

Also if i can put my 2 cents in here ,, Buddy get or borough or steal a steam cleaner and with low pressure clean that engine off ,,Cant expect a machine to operate the way its supposed to when it's not  maintained the way its supposed to... Just saying,, esp with a onan motor they are great engines ,, but dirt is , as anyone here will tell you their enemy,,, to not keep that motor clean is like putting dirt in the oil.. ,, just my opinion buddy,, hope ya get it fixed...

Edited March 21, 2016 by Phatboy

[squonk 41,739]

Looks like you need to start at your battery cables and work your way to the engine.

[woodchuckfarmer 333]

Better check the 9 pin connector in the main line from the engine.

[yzf450motoxrider 20]

For the regulator does it matter which side the tachometer goes on? It looks like a connector fell off the vacuum sensor well see if that fixes it. The fuse box has me more confused no that I can see the connections under it. I'm thinking the lights are controlled by the yellow wires? At a minimum I'm going to replace the box and all the butt/splice connectors and see if that solves the problem. Any comments on the wiring in the last pic diffidently not stock?

 

If anyone has a pic of there 520h wiring around the fuse box and regulator that would be great! I assume the po put in the splice and butt connectors to work around a bad fuse box.

 

Thanks

Edited March 22, 2016 by yzf450motoxrider

[Phatboy 565]

There is a pic of mine,, coming from firewall it goes grey red black..and if you enlarge picture it looks like the black is looped from the first connection to the 3rd.. And if ya look at my 9 pin conector you will see the 2 red wires that were taken from the harness and connected directly to each other that is a problem that all 520 have and need done.. If you dont the will start to burn connector ,,you can see where it started to on mine..hope this helps.. 

Edited March 22, 2016 by Phatboy

[Rob R 970]

You can see from the pics you supplied the white Mulinex connector is toast with burned connections due to excess current drain. I fixed one that had the same issue(s) and it was that connector.  Since I replaced (actually I spliced and soldered every wire).... Zero probems since and everything works.

[yzf450motoxrider 20]

Thanks guys. The pictures definitely help. I took another look at the demystification guide and I'm now convinced the splicing was due to the bad fuse block. I'm also guessing the lights didn't work because the white wire had fallen out of the butt connector. Anyway once the fuse block gets here I can rewire it and see if it works.

[Save Old Iron 1,568]

wire the tach and stator connections EXACTLY as shown in the diagram I posted. If you place the tach connection on the right side AC terminal, it will not function.

 

Use the search feature to search old posts for "520 fuse block".

In one post, I diagram how to rewire the fuse block connectors into separate stand alone fuse holders.

Some folks may find this method handy as an emergency fix while they gather up the correct fuse block, terminals, etc.

 

 

[yzf450motoxrider 20]

 

Do any of the red wires in this diagram go directly to the regulator? or do they go through the 9 pin connector then to the regulator?

 

Thanks

[cleat 6,789]

From the factory later 520's passed all current through the 9 pin connector to and from the engine.

 

The earlier 520's ran the charge wire from the regulator right down to the battery cable on the starter solenoid with a 30 amp inline fuse just before the solenoid connection.

 

This took the charge load off of the 9 pin.

 

My machines are now all wired this way.

 

Wheel horse 520H wire diagram.pdf

[yzf450motoxrider 20]

well I redid all the butt connectors and wired it with single fuses and still no lights also all the gauge lights don't work exept for the tach

[WNYPCRepair 1,923]

One of those fuses has a jumper to another. unfortunately, I don't remember which, but I'm sure someone here does.

[cleat 6,789]

Here is the wiring diagram for the later model 520 like yours.

 

Later model 520 wire diagram.pdf

 

You can see how one side of both the 25 and 30 amp fuses tie together and go to the red wire which in turn goes to the battery connection on the starter solenoid via the 9 pin connector.

[yzf450motoxrider 20]

thanks I have seen that. On mine the red wire is cut on the engine side and run directly to the fuses bypassing the 9 pin connecter completely. Ill have to start it tommarow to see if it is charging. For the lights I assum the guage bulbs are bad since one still lights up. Also for the lights I figure the switch is the next place to look.

[Bow_Extreme 544]

I put this together some time ago.  This is what I do to all of my 520's.  I also remove and replace nearly every electrical connector, or flush it out with CRC Electric Cleaner and pack it full of Di-Electric grease.  It takes a few hours to do all this but it's worth it.  I also solder and shrink wrap everything.  Here is the link to what I did:

 

 

[Save Old Iron 1,568]

15 hours ago, yzf450motoxrider said:

 

Do any of the red wires in this diagram go directly to the regulator? or do they go through the 9 pin connector then to the regulator?

 

Thanks

 

 

 On second look, I think this diagram may have made sense to the original poster, but let me take a second try and answer your question. Btw - the 15 amp fuse holder is totally independent of the 25 and 30 amp wiring so is not included in the diagram below.

 

Edited March 27, 2016 by Save Old Iron

[Save Old Iron 1,568]

[Save Old Iron 1,568]

 

and for the 15 amp lights circuit

 

Edited March 27, 2016 by Save Old Iron

[buckrancher 2,694]

Not sure why everybody is so quick to hack up their wiring. there is nothing wrong with the standard fuse block but you must keep it clean and that means blowing it out with a air gun

every so often, dirt and chafe from mowing and use fill in around the fuses and if it gets wet this is when the burn out happens Glen Peitt makes a cover to help stop this the Delta fuse block is readily

available on e-bay

I have replaced the 9 pin connectors with new ones with gold plated pins and sockets you can buy all the pieces from Newark electronics or you can get a non gold plated one from Rmaynard a member here

he sells a kit

 

Brian

[Save Old Iron 1,568]

Not sure I would call the repairs or mods discussed here as "hacking" up the wiring. Relocating the charge wire outside the 9 pin connector to the starter stud is a substantial improvement in reliability. Use of good quality, weathertite fuse holders beats the open air Delta fuse holder in a "molex meets manure" type environment.  Covering the top of an older original fuse block is like closing the barn door after the horse is out. Also note the bottom of the Delta fuse holder still remains completely open to dirt, water and chaff.

[wrightorchid 261]

reliability and and a more robust design are improvements, and not hacks in my book.  Some may want original, but that is not always the best, especially when there are better products available, now, than when originally designed.

[buckrancher 2,694]

On ‎3‎/‎27‎/‎2016 at 9:23 AM, Save Old Iron said:

.Covering the top of an older original fuse block is like closing the barn door after the horse is out. Also note the bottom of the Delta fuse holder still remains completely open to dirt, water and chaff.

great thing about gravity dirt doesn't flow up hill