Electrical gremlin
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Road Warrior
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,760
Likes: 210
From: Manila, Philippines
Electrical gremlin
Hi all,
I had my bike (2007 FXDC) shipped from Singapore to Philippines. Worked fin in Singers but was in storage for 3 months. When arrived in Phils, the turn signal lights, brake lights and consol didnt work. The headlight worked and it started.
I had a shop go over the connectors. The front signals were a mess, someone spliced together 3 small sections just twisting and electrical tape. I had them take the front turns off as not necessary in Phils (anything goes). The problem seemed solved, but after a few weeks, the consol and brake light/rear turn signals go off and on, so I think its a connector issue but hard to pin down. I could just take off the brake lights/rear turn signals as no one bothers to watch out for bikers anyway. But I sometimes get caught out at night. (Many people dont drive with lights on in the Philippines as they think it burns out the light bulbs too quickly).
Any other thoughts on where to look? Also, there are no Harley dealers in Philippines so using a local shop run by Americans. But they dont get many newer models. Waiting on rest of my shipment to arrive which has the owners manual somewhere in it.
Thanks,
Don
I had my bike (2007 FXDC) shipped from Singapore to Philippines. Worked fin in Singers but was in storage for 3 months. When arrived in Phils, the turn signal lights, brake lights and consol didnt work. The headlight worked and it started.
I had a shop go over the connectors. The front signals were a mess, someone spliced together 3 small sections just twisting and electrical tape. I had them take the front turns off as not necessary in Phils (anything goes). The problem seemed solved, but after a few weeks, the consol and brake light/rear turn signals go off and on, so I think its a connector issue but hard to pin down. I could just take off the brake lights/rear turn signals as no one bothers to watch out for bikers anyway. But I sometimes get caught out at night. (Many people dont drive with lights on in the Philippines as they think it burns out the light bulbs too quickly).
Any other thoughts on where to look? Also, there are no Harley dealers in Philippines so using a local shop run by Americans. But they dont get many newer models. Waiting on rest of my shipment to arrive which has the owners manual somewhere in it.
Thanks,
Don
I presume you checked the fuses. My take is that water has got into the wiring and has corroded at a junction causing your intermittent failures. If you have an ohmmeter, trace your lines (check the manual for wiring traces) to find which one(s) is/are the problem.
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,760
Likes: 210
From: Manila, Philippines
Originally Posted by rjsimm
ons;8186876
ons;8186876
I presume you checked the fuses. My take is that water has got into the wiring and has corroded at a junction causing your intermittent failures. If you have an ohmmeter, trace your lines (check the manual for wiring traces) to find which one(s) is/are the problem.
Thanks.
Don
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,062
Likes: 2
From: Southwest OHIO
yup, i'd start at the battery and trace it all the way to computer and through to each component. i hate diagnosing electrical problems... the slightest amount of voltage drop can have you chasing in many different directions...
on an interesting note. we had an electirc forklift that would run with the battery disconnected from from unit. positive and negative voltage was being transfered from the battery to the frame and meeting in the drive motor. it was the weirdest thing i've ever seen!!!
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Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,760
Likes: 210
From: Manila, Philippines
Well after spending half the day chasing wires, turns out the switch on the center consol had gotten corroded. That's what living in the tropics does to electrics. Cleaned it up an added some electrical grease and all is good. And he only charged an hour at ph 1500 about $45.
Thanks all
Don
Thanks all
Don
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