Electrical Problem
Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,109
Likes: 89
From: Tampa, FL
Electrical Problem
I'm hoping to see if anyone has an idea what might be going on with my wiring.
Background.
I replaced my bars and installed the HD lighted mirrors. Everything was working fine for a few days. Then one day i went to ride and the headlight and front and rear auxiliary runinglights wouldn't work.
Checked the fuse in the main housing. Yep, fuse for lighting blown. So I am thinking "easy fix". I changed the fuse and turned the key, and 'pop', fuse blew immediately and no lights again.
So...
I have the service manuarl, so i pulled out all of the schematics, checked all of the connections and checked for frayed/exposed wires in the handlebars, housings, and down into the frame. No fraying or exposed wires, no bad connections.
Next thought...
I pulled the headlight housing and unpluged the headlight and replaced fuse again. Good news/Bad news... I turn the key, and now the aux lights come on and the fuse is good. So diagnosis 'problem in headlight wiring only.
Questions? I do not have the supplemental electrical manual, so i am not sure which of the lines coming from the frame tube are from the light? Is there another pin set at the batery? I am hoping i dont have to tear the bike apart and pull the pins and pull the headlight wiring, but it looks like that may be the case.
Any suggestions?
Anyone have the supplemental electrical/wiring manual?
I hate electrical and wiring!
.
Background.
I replaced my bars and installed the HD lighted mirrors. Everything was working fine for a few days. Then one day i went to ride and the headlight and front and rear auxiliary runinglights wouldn't work.
Checked the fuse in the main housing. Yep, fuse for lighting blown. So I am thinking "easy fix". I changed the fuse and turned the key, and 'pop', fuse blew immediately and no lights again.
So...
I have the service manuarl, so i pulled out all of the schematics, checked all of the connections and checked for frayed/exposed wires in the handlebars, housings, and down into the frame. No fraying or exposed wires, no bad connections.
Next thought...
I pulled the headlight housing and unpluged the headlight and replaced fuse again. Good news/Bad news... I turn the key, and now the aux lights come on and the fuse is good. So diagnosis 'problem in headlight wiring only.
Questions? I do not have the supplemental electrical manual, so i am not sure which of the lines coming from the frame tube are from the light? Is there another pin set at the batery? I am hoping i dont have to tear the bike apart and pull the pins and pull the headlight wiring, but it looks like that may be the case.
Any suggestions?
Anyone have the supplemental electrical/wiring manual?
I hate electrical and wiring!
.
i would bet you have a groudned wire. prob pinched under the controls. may also be a wire in the bars, did you internally wire them yourself or is that the stock job? check the edges on the holes in the bars they should be glass smooooth or they will wear into the wires and cause what you are having
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 25,292
Likes: 2,427
From: Eastern NE
Wiring's definitely tricky devil & agree w/JRK...something's grounding/shorting somwhere (obviously). Have you meter/tested things out...? Also, just to rule-out one item, make sure battery connections are tight.
Thread Starter
|
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,109
Likes: 89
From: Tampa, FL
i would bet you have a groudned wire. prob pinched under the controls. may also be a wire in the bars, did you internally wire them yourself or is that the stock job? check the edges on the holes in the bars they should be glass smooooth or they will wear into the wires and cause what you are having
Thanks for the advice.
Yes they are internal and i wired them myself. I didn't even think about the sharp edges since all the casings lookd good. There are sharp edges, and if it comes to pulling the wires I will grind down the sharp edges (14" Burly Gorrilla Apes, i would have thought they would do a better job on theat).
I was thinking a ground as well. and i do have the schematics. At the point of entry and exit on the bars everything looks intact.
Wiring's definitely tricky devil & agree w/JRK...something's grounding/shorting somwhere (obviously). Have you meter/tested things out...? Also, just to rule-out one item, make sure battery connections are tight.
I did check the battery connections as well and they are nice and tight with good connection. I do have a meter and can check connections individually as well. Was hoping to start testing and the most logical point. Sucks to have the bike down for a headlight not working.
.
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 750
Likes: 0
From: Quebec, Canada
When I did bars it did the samething to me.
When I soldered the wires it made a spike and it when thru the shrink tubes.
It is definitively a grounded wire
When I soldered the wires it made a spike and it when thru the shrink tubes.
It is definitively a grounded wire
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 3,949
Likes: 150
From: South of Mordor
I had a sproblem much like yours. It came down to a wire that was pinched when the button housings where tightened down an went away when they were loosened.
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Club Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 10,815
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From: Virginia
Yep I always have wiring problems when I mess with the damn handlebar controls. Pisses me off so I try to never mess with them if I can avoid it.
When we switched out the bars I kept having electrical issues. I'd tighten the controls down and it would be fine a day or two then the headlight and turn signals would act screwier than Oprah after a case of Krispy Kreme doughnuts. I'd loosen the controls up and it would be fine.
Finally ended up wrapping the wires up to the bars tight with electrical tape then putting the controls on over top so you couldn't see the taped bars and no more problems after that... well until something happens and I have to take the controls off again.
When we switched out the bars I kept having electrical issues. I'd tighten the controls down and it would be fine a day or two then the headlight and turn signals would act screwier than Oprah after a case of Krispy Kreme doughnuts. I'd loosen the controls up and it would be fine.
Finally ended up wrapping the wires up to the bars tight with electrical tape then putting the controls on over top so you couldn't see the taped bars and no more problems after that... well until something happens and I have to take the controls off again.
Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,109
Likes: 89
From: Tampa, FL
Thanks for all the help guys. I worked late last night and didnt have time to check anything new out.
tonight i am going to start first with the headlight harness, ill take a close lok at that and maybe even disassemble it to check the wires inthere. Nex unfortunately will be pulling the bar wires and checking everything there.
I did loosen the swithc housings and checked the wires in there. But after they checked out i did tighten them back up. I like the idea of taping those wires to the bar though. seems like a good idea.
.
tonight i am going to start first with the headlight harness, ill take a close lok at that and maybe even disassemble it to check the wires inthere. Nex unfortunately will be pulling the bar wires and checking everything there.
I did loosen the swithc housings and checked the wires in there. But after they checked out i did tighten them back up. I like the idea of taping those wires to the bar though. seems like a good idea.
.
