Electrical short??

[Hazenson]

K just searched tech section on electrical shorts and says read only- guess I need to ask here. Went to start bike after sitting for 2 weeks and I got nothin, no lights - no power of any kind and no radio. I saw in tech support about the ignition and wire connection burning up and shorting out so I pulled tank off and checked it. Looks fine, also noticed that all that had a ignition problem that their radio still worked. So am wondering if anyone has any ideas before I start removing ignition- Ive looked around for any obvious melted wire connections and no luck so far. gonna do a more thurall search before changing the ignition tho. And yes the battery is fully charged hehe Thanx for any help or ideas

[LilBeaver]

Did you check the main 30A fuse?

 

It is located behind the plate that the passenger's left ankle would be right next to. I found it to be a little bit difficult to get to/find, but it is there.

 

I would check that first. Then let us know and we can go from there.

 

You are correct in the statement of the radio still working if the ignition switch goes (in most peoples cases) since the contacts for the 'on' position are separate from the contacts used in the 'ACC' position... but it still could be the ignition switch. You said it 'looked fine' did you check for continuity with a meter?

 

Good luck!

[RedRider]

Just a couple of quick thoughts.

 

Is the Kill switch on? If so, check for continuity in this. Also, there is a sidestand safety switch. Check continuity on that. Fuses?

 

Check the easy stuff first. Good luck.

 

RR

[Hazenson]

Thank you! The main fuse was blown, also one in the lil fuse box was blown- the one marked backup. Changed them both and all power seems to be back. Now im wondering why? When I first went to start it, the battery was completly drained, had no juice whatsoever. So I took the battery out of my other bike and put the charger to it anyway just to make sure it was fully charged. Maybe the battery was just old, ( like I said been 2 or 3 weeks since I had even started it) and maybe I blew the fuse putting in other battery. Gonna put it back together and keep a close eye on it and see if any problems.

Thank you again

[LilBeaver]

Hopefully it is just an old fuse that gave up and nothing more serious. Something you may want to check is the wires that come through the fork area up to the lights. I know those are a real common set to wear. I don't know that it would blow your main fuse (since it seems to me that it ought to blow the headlamp fuse, if anything) but nevertheless you could check those for worn insulation causing a short to ground. And also the main grounding point on the bike - down by the horn there is a bolt with a wire lead leaving it going up to the battery; check that for any sign of corrosion (again, I do not know that this could be a cause the main fuse to go but grounding things can show some fishy behavior).

 

PS, I keep a full set of backup fuses with me - just in case it happens on the road so I can at least get home.

 

Oh yea, and if you have a driver's backrest, double check to make sure that the wires under where that mounts are not being pinched.

[Hazenson]

I did notice some other wires that need some attention, a ground wire that you mentioned that goes down near the horn, is one. Gonna take and go thru em all this winter with a fine tooth comb. Hopefully I wont have any problems tho till then.