Just full of questions tonight

[lonestarmedic]

Ok - next projects. I need to chase down 2 electrical items. One looks straight forward. I have a bad connection between the fuse panel and the gauge cluster. Wiggle the fusebox and the computer monitor and the tach. go in and out. Number 2 is a parasitic drain on the battery. I charged the new battery on a slow charge. Checked the status and all good. I then turned off the bike and didn't do anything except turn it on to accessory 4 times in 2 days long enough to check the PSI in the front shocks. Maybe 30 seconds each time. Today I had to give her a boost.

Last on my list looks to be cleaning the gas tank. Turned from reserve to on the other day. After jumping today, cranked several times with no vroom. Turned the tank to reserve and she fired up after 3 stabs of the starter.

 

J. B.

[1BigDog]

Good luck with the electrical trace. I've been pulling my hair out trying to track down a drain on my battery too. Tomorrow i'll try and figure out how to do a voltage drop test on all the connections with my digital multi meter.

[BuddyRich]

Hey, JB, Nice ridin with you today. Forgot to mention. Be sure to check the back side of the fuse box for any corrosion or looseness on the fuse connectors.

[muffinman]

Jb the fuse panels on these bikes is a weak point You should replace it soon to avoid problems. The parasitic drain is most likely the battery sensor. I have had to replace them on a few bikes for the same problem.as for the tank problem I leave all 3 of my bikes on reserve all the time.If you want to know how to remove the tank let me know and I will tell you.

Jeff

[lonestarmedic]

Muffinman - the bike arrived to me with a resistor instead of a battery sensor. The resistor is connected to the top screw in the fusebox. I believe this is the accessory screw. Should be off when key is off. I

agree that the stock fuse panel is not good. Cover is warped and the fuse holders seem to be loose. I will be examining an alternative. I did see an ATC holder someplace that would fit. However it needed to be put on the air cleaner due to heighth.

 

J. B.

[Squeeze]

Someone, maybe GeorgeS, has made a Writeup for replacing the Fuse Panel. Take a look in the 1Gen Library here.

[Guest ReinyRooster]

There are at least a few of us that have replaced the fuse bock already. I had a battery drain many years ago that drove me nuts ( OK, it was a short drive!) until I figured out it was the plunger on the trunk light switch that was broken and keeping the trunk light on.

[muffinman]

Jb the only things other than a trunk light that have a constant supply of power from the factory is the Radio and the clock.That is what I would start with I have seen a bad amp on more than one occasion Try unplugging the Radio harness in the left fairing and give it a try to see if that is where the problem is.

 

 

Have you done an amp draw test yet?

Have you elliminated it being a bad battery?

 

Jeff

[lonestarmedic]

Jeff-

The battery is new and has a good charge. Volt drop on start is ok. Trunk light is disconnected. Didn't know radio had keep alive. I am going to hook an ammeter across and give it a check tonight. Figure to pull fuses and watch the meter. I saw the fuseblock at Buckeye. I am ordering one tonight. If I lengthen the wires I can place it on top of the air cleaner lid. Figure to solder an extension harness and run it along side the battery. Haven't inspected the small ATC fuse block behind the battery yet. Also suppose I need to chase down the master fuse and check for the usual corrosion and breaks. The gauge cluster going off and on may give me a place to start. Thanks for the hint on the amp and trunk light.

 

J. B.

[Squeeze]

Hi,

 

first of all, try to quantify the Draw by hooking the Ampmeter between Battery ground and Ground Lead Wire.

 

If i calculated right, you might see a Draw of 0.5 Amps to 0.8 Amps.

 

Then, hook the Ground back in Place and take the Fuses out, one after another and connect the Ampmeter to the now open Post. You could find either one Circuit which draws almost all of the Current or two, probably 3 Circuits are effected.

 

Once you found the suspected Circuits it should be easier to track down the Culprit further.

[Yammer Dan]

There are at least a few of us that have replaced the fuse bock already. I had a battery drain many years ago that drove me nuts ( OK, it was a short drive!) until I figured out it was the plunger on the trunk light switch that was broken and keeping the trunk light on.

 

How did you get in there to find out???

[Cutty]

With the battery fully charged, do a load test with an auto battery tester 10 to 15 seconds. Even Sears say Die Hard not never die, lots of bad new batteries.

[Guest ReinyRooster]

Yammer.......I kidnapped an Elf at Christmas and tucked him in the trunk!:rotf: