Electrical Question

[CATPower]

I just got my 99RSV and the oil, water and overdrive light do not come on when I turn on the ignition.... is that normal ?

Also the 15amp light fuse gets very very hot should I install a slave relay and relays for the extra lights ?

Thanks

[bongobobny]

No idiot lights when you key on with RSV. Just how hot is the 15 amp fuse?? Too hot to touch??

 

If there was a short I would expect the fuse to just plain blow out...

 

Yes, it is a good idea to have the aux lighting on a relay if nothing else to protect the switch that you are using to turn them on and off.

[Flyinfool]

Fuses should not get hot.

Make sure the the connections are all good.

Check not just the fuse to the fuse contacts, but also the wires to the fuse contacts.

Bad connections can get hot, fuses should not.

[CATPower]

Fuse gets very hot. I checked wires ect could not find a short ... pulling a lot of amps for the headlight and driving lights ect.

[MikeWa]

Fuses should not get hot. They should blow first. Are the wires feeding the fuse getting hot? If not the connections at the fuse may be corroded. Clean them and see what happens. If the wires are getting hot replace the fuse with one that works. Then reduce the load to the circuit. Relays are a good possibility.

 

Mike

[dingy]

A fuse will get hot when it has a current flow near its rating. The way a fuse opens is that current flow through the fusible link heats the link to its melting temperature, the link then transitions from a solid matter to a liquid state. The link in a low amperage fuse like the kind used in motorcycles is a much smaller cross section than the wires feeding it, this smaller cross section area is a focal point for the electrical current to cause heat generation. If the fuse is operating just a few percentage points below its current threshold it will get hot. This temperature will be hundreds degrees, but it is not quite at the melting point of the fuse link.

 

Another characteristic of fuses is that they will not open the instant a slight over current is applied. A standard fuse may require twice its rated current to open in one second, a fast-blow fuse may require twice its rated current to blow in 0.1 seconds, and a slow-blow fuse may require twice its rated current for tens of seconds to blow.

 

I would suspect the 15 amp circuit you are having a hot fuse in is drawing very near its capacity. If you have a meter that is capable of measuring 20 amps, you can pull the fuse from its holder and put meter probes in place of fuse contacts to see what circuit amperage is. Then, you can disconnect downstream loads on the circuit to find one that is drawing excessive current. Driving/Fog and head lights are high current loads. Also any type of heated wearing gear would be a source of high current. If you eliminate all the known loads on a circuit and still see current draw, there is a possibility of worn insulation on a wire causing an unintended path around the load, commonly called a "short".

 

There are many other styles of fuses that work on the principal of melting a pellet of plastic material, which triggers a spring loaded mechanism to open the circuit. The company I work for makes over a million of these types of fuses a day. They are found in most household appliances like coffee pots, blenders, mixers etc. These fuses work at the melting point of plastic and other materials to liquify the pellet. The melting point of these materails can be much lower than a metal type glass tube or ATC type fuse.

 

Gary

[CATPower]

Thanks for the replys

I checked Amps 14.5... on a 15amp fuse, also have a voltage drop from batterie to front fairing of 1.2 volt. If I go around ignition switch with relays on bigger wire .2 volt.

Connectors, Switch and fuse at 140 degF when going around room temp 65 deg F.

Will go with relays for main power to cowling and lights to take the amps of the ignition switch and the 16 gage feed wire.

[GeorgeS]

Thats about 180 WATTS of power Draw.

 

there is something wrong " down line " from that Fuse. I would suggest you Pull Out the Head light Bulb.

 

Also, if that Fuse, is feeding power to " ANY, Add On " After Market Lighting equipment, DISCONNECT IT!!!

There is Something wrong !!! A High Resistance, to Ground someplace.

 

If Added lighthing, , Check For TWISTED together Splices, Wrapped with Black Tape, which " HAVE NOT " Been properly Soldered!!

 

Somplace you Have a High Resistance connection to Ground!!!

 

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Start by Removeing ALL, light bulbs, then check current draw, then RE - Install bulbs one at a time !!

[CATPower]

Thanks for the reply

It adds up quick

 

55 headlight

60 passing lights

21 tail light brake

5 tail light/plate

5 brake LED wing (extra)

8 front marker lights

4 front marker LED (extra)

42 blinker not 4way 4way 84watt

10 indicater lights

________________

 

210 Watt on a 16 gage wire through the ignition switch just on the light side

[dingy]

Thanks for the reply

It adds up quick

 

55 headlight

60 passing lights

21 tail light brake

5 tail light/plate

5 brake LED wing (extra)

8 front marker lights

4 front marker LED (extra)

42 blinker not 4way 4way 84watt

10 indicater lights

________________

 

210 Watt on a 16 gage wire through the ignition switch just on the light side

 

 

That would explain the high amperage on the fuse. Surprised that the switch is getting that hot though.

 

I suggest you split the loads on this fuse into 3 circuits. Keep headlights & driving lights on separate fuses, so if you lose one circuit, you still have some lighting. Same with rear end lighting.

 

Gary

[CATPower]

Going with 3 relays and 3 fuse's