Electrical Trouble!

[DanM]

Just added the Flanders handlebars to my bike, changing out the brake lines and throttle/clutch cables with stainless while I was at it. Problem starts here! The first time I turned the ignition key on everything lit up like it is supposed to. Turned over the ignition and the ignition fuse blew, everything went dark. Replaced the ignition fuse, but cannot get power back to anything on the bike. I have checked the battery, power to the ignition switch, resistance across the ignition switch and every fuse on the bike, but I am at a loss as to what to check next. Any help out there?

[bkuhr]

I usually find when a high load worked for just a second and quits, then nothing works, even low loads- then the issue is at the battery connections.

 

Typically take the connections apart, find and clean corrosion, and put back together, low lows will work again. Then you can determine if you still have issue with high loads such as cranking.

[Flyinfool]

:sign yeah that:

 

OR

 

Did you pinch a wire while moving things around durring the handle bar change?

 

Is there still enough slack in all of the wires to allow full lock to lock movement of the steering without pulling or pinching a wire?

[dingy]

Also check the main 30amp fuse. Located on left side of bike at battery box. Part of starter solenoid. There is an active fuse and a spare one.

 

Gary

[DanM]

Battery posts look great, good voltage at ignition switch. Thanks for your input!

[DanM]

All the fuses are good. Thanks for your input!

[DanM]

I did check for pinched wires and have found none. Thanks for the reply!

[oconeedan]

It sounds like you have a short somewhere, and likely only where you did the work. Bad connections usually won't blow fuses.

 

If you know how to use a meter, check for a short...I would start with something in the handlebar area...brake light circuit, cruise control, turn signals, or horn.

If you don't know how to use a meter, try pulling fuses for horn, turn signals, brake light, and cruise control (all of them). Replace main fuse and turn bike on. If it does not blow, you are narrowing it down. Then add one fuse, turn bike back on. Keep going until it blows the main fuse, and you found it.

 

Someone please correct me if I am wrong. I am pretty good with electrical problems but have not had my Yamaha long enough to "work on it".

Dan

[djh3]

So you did locate and check the main fuse that is almost under the bike on the left side as you sit on it?

[dingy]

It might be helpful if you described how to find a short with a meter. Not sure how to do this myself.

 

Gary

 

It sounds like you have a short somewhere, and likely only where you did the work. Bad connections usually won't blow fuses.

 

If you know how to use a meter, check for a short...I would start with something in the handlebar area...brake light circuit, cruise control, turn signals, or horn.

If you don't know how to use a meter, try pulling fuses for horn, turn signals, brake light, and cruise control (all of them). Replace main fuse and turn bike on. If it does not blow, you are narrowing it down. Then add one fuse, turn bike back on. Keep going until it blows the main fuse, and you found it.

 

Someone please correct me if I am wrong. I am pretty good with electrical problems but have not had my Yamaha long enough to "work on it".

Dan

[oconeedan]

Gary, reading a meter is not something that can be taught in short message. But if you are interested, buy an inexpensive one and start learning, it is a diagnostic tool that can be carried over from your bike to your car, and home.

To be brief, you put the meter in "ohms", or "resistance" setting. Test with one probe to a wire in the circuit you are testing, the other to chassis ground (like your handlebar or frame). If it reads near zero (less than 100 ohms), then you may have found the circuit. If you find a reading less than 2.o, then you have surely found a problem. The lower the resistance (measured in ohms), the closer to a short. If you measure from the end of a wire, to the other end, it would read 0.0 ohms, indicating it is a short, or straight wire. If you measure from the end of that wire, to nothing else, it will read infinity ohms, indicating an open circuit (meaning no connection at all).

I could show you more in 20 minutes, than I could type in a day.

SO...find a friend near you that can use a meter, and learn. It is a skill that is very useful. You don't have to have an expensive meter to find a problem or diagnose problems.

I would suggest that you don't test household electricity without a small amount of training, it doesn't take much AC voltage to kill you. Please don't take that the wrong way.

Dan

[DanM]

I have a meter, which is how I was able to prove the ignition switch good. I have checked all of the fuses, including the main. I have power to, and through the ignition switch, but it obviously isn't making it where it needs to go. Wiring at the handlebars looks fine. The ignition fuse blew once, was replaced, then nothing. Appreciate your input!

[oconeedan]

So when you say nothing, you mean no lights at all? Are you getting any lights on the dash? Recheck main fuse like dinghy suggested.

Looking at the wiring diagram, if you said the ignition fuse blew once, that indicates a problem in the coils or ignitor.

If you remove the ignition fuse, try again, and everything lights up (bike won't start with fuse pulled). Then put fuse back in, try to start bike, if it blows again, it sounds like an ignition circuit problem.