Boneheaded move...
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 6,185
Likes: 2,134
From: W. Texas
I've had a set of what I'd call baby jumper cables. Smaller clamps and a smaller gauge wire. I could use my bike to jump another bike.
Have hooked them up to a bike with no battery to see if things worked and even started a couple of them. Was looking to buy them.
Could use a vehicle, just best to not have the vehicle running.
You might rig up some cables to see if the rest of the bike is still OK.
Real good chance it took out a breaker or fuse and the battery is a toss up as to it's condition now
Good Luck WP
Have hooked them up to a bike with no battery to see if things worked and even started a couple of them. Was looking to buy them.
Could use a vehicle, just best to not have the vehicle running.
You might rig up some cables to see if the rest of the bike is still OK.
Real good chance it took out a breaker or fuse and the battery is a toss up as to it's condition now
Good Luck WP
Last edited by WP50; Oct 1, 2016 at 09:51 AM.
Thread Starter
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,663
Likes: 713
From: DFW
Battery cables - can you please explain this to me.
Please explain the, "start with a volt meter at the positive terminal and start tracing."
Main fuse was blown- replaced, and got headlight to work. Starter relay tested, clicked and resistance shown to be ok. Checked resistance for the 4 15A fuses next to starter relay = good. Compared to Buss fuse pack I have (3 different ones) and resistance was equal.
Last edited by GREENOHAWK69; Oct 5, 2016 at 04:04 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,199
Likes: 3,087
From: NW AR
Battery cables: The cables that hook your battery to the rest of the bike. They are likely fried. One or both.
Fuses should have almost no resistance.
Put the black lead of your volt meter on a good known ground point. With the meter set to about a 20V scale, take the red lead and start poking things. Battery +, main fuse, both sides, starter terminal, etc. Full battery voltage should be at all those points.
Fuses should have almost no resistance.
Put the black lead of your volt meter on a good known ground point. With the meter set to about a 20V scale, take the red lead and start poking things. Battery +, main fuse, both sides, starter terminal, etc. Full battery voltage should be at all those points.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 768
Likes: 55
From: chico
Being human we make mistakes. I make it a practice to use red electrician's tape and red lacquer to code the positive terminal and cable / and code the negative terminal similarly with green or white...on every bike I own - cars too. OP is lucky the battery did not explode... Mistakes happen. I learned from mine, and was lucky, so far anyway.
Good that he's ok.
Good that he's ok.
Thread Starter
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,663
Likes: 713
From: DFW
Battery cables: The cables that hook your battery to the rest of the bike. They are likely fried. One or both.
Fuses should have almost no resistance.
Put the black lead of your volt meter on a good known ground point. With the meter set to about a 20V scale, take the red lead and start poking things. Battery +, main fuse, both sides, starter terminal, etc. Full battery voltage should be at all those points.
Fuses should have almost no resistance.
Put the black lead of your volt meter on a good known ground point. With the meter set to about a 20V scale, take the red lead and start poking things. Battery +, main fuse, both sides, starter terminal, etc. Full battery voltage should be at all those points.
What else should I be checking?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,199
Likes: 3,087
From: NW AR
Do you have the wiring diagram for your bike? Get that and start at the battery and go towards, say, the taillight and with the key on, eventually you will find a point where the +12v stops. Or start at the taillight and work your way towards the battery.
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,005
Likes: 103
From: Ghent NY
Being human we make mistakes. I make it a practice to use red electrician's tape and red lacquer to code the positive terminal and cable / and code the negative terminal similarly with green or white...on every bike I own - cars too. OP is lucky the battery did not explode... Mistakes happen. I learned from mine, and was lucky, so far anyway.
Good that he's ok.
Good that he's ok.
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2006
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Likes: 713
From: DFW
Yes, from the manual. Will do.