overlaoding circuit breaker
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Northern Ontario
overlaoding circuit breaker
Ok here's the situation. This problem just started in the past couple weeks, my bike will just quit and seems to be getting worse. Last year I changed every ciruit breaker there was on my bike including the main. Problem only occurs when I turn on light, it was occuring when I'd hit the low beam switch on the dash ( wired for low ) , low beam has hard bag lights and main rear running lites connected, as soon as I hit the switch bike would quit and after a minute power would come back and I could restart bike. Today while trouble shooting I'm finding if I turn on passing lites at handle bar switch it would quit after a bit and if I turned on hi-beam with passing lights bike would quit mutch quicker.
Is it possible the circuit breaker is defective and has became weak? I beleive its 15 amp. I should also add that I put a new H-4 Xenon Bulb for headlight over the winter.
If the breaker the lights are connected to kicks off can this kick off the main breaker as well? ( Obviously the main is kicking off because I loose ignition)
I did rewire last winter so that ignition switch would work as off / ignition/ lights/ acess.
Also on the newer bikes did Harley change the breakers to larger than 15 amp?
Thanks
Is it possible the circuit breaker is defective and has became weak? I beleive its 15 amp. I should also add that I put a new H-4 Xenon Bulb for headlight over the winter.
If the breaker the lights are connected to kicks off can this kick off the main breaker as well? ( Obviously the main is kicking off because I loose ignition)
I did rewire last winter so that ignition switch would work as off / ignition/ lights/ acess.
Also on the newer bikes did Harley change the breakers to larger than 15 amp?
Thanks
Last edited by RidemyEVO; Jun 14, 2011 at 08:13 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,198
Likes: 3,087
From: NW AR
The main breaker, between the battery and everything else, located under the seat, is a 30 amp. If you put a 15 amp in there, that could cause problems.
Now, you appear to have some non-standard "accessories" and wiring on there. I suggest, after confirming that the main breaker is a 30, that you disconnect the extra stuff one system at a time and see if that changes your problem.
Now, you appear to have some non-standard "accessories" and wiring on there. I suggest, after confirming that the main breaker is a 30, that you disconnect the extra stuff one system at a time and see if that changes your problem.
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,008
Likes: 6
From: Jax, FL
In 04 Harley moved to an inline fuse in place of the main circuit breaker. I replaced my 50 Amp main CB with a 40A inline fuse after having similar issues as you are having and have had no issues since. I would recommend starting there.
Road Master
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 817
Likes: 1
From: N.E. Ohio
Put an Amp meter in series to the battery. Turn on each item and see what it really is drawing. With all the junk parts out there ,maybe go buy a good breaker from Napa or somewhere it doesn't come in a Clamshell plastic package.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Northern Ontario
Hess it is absolutely for sure a 30 amp for the main under the right side cover, same place I replaced the relay and also wired in the starter relay.
Today was a lot hotter than we've normally been having and unfortuneatly I had to go downtown which was the first time the bike was acting up with the high beam on ( I normally run with hi-beam ). Before when it was acting up it only seemed to be with low beam and the extra lights I had circuited with it. I had thought maybe I had a short on one of the lights so I just didn't use low beam.I also checked handle bar switches for short to the bar but nothing. When bike is off but in lights position and hi-beam and passing lites on it kicks off and then resets. Tomorrow I plan on pulling the bat wing and trace the circuit wiring I did , disconnecting until it doesn't kick off. I think I should also go back to the stock headlite bulb as well.
Today was a lot hotter than we've normally been having and unfortuneatly I had to go downtown which was the first time the bike was acting up with the high beam on ( I normally run with hi-beam ). Before when it was acting up it only seemed to be with low beam and the extra lights I had circuited with it. I had thought maybe I had a short on one of the lights so I just didn't use low beam.I also checked handle bar switches for short to the bar but nothing. When bike is off but in lights position and hi-beam and passing lites on it kicks off and then resets. Tomorrow I plan on pulling the bat wing and trace the circuit wiring I did , disconnecting until it doesn't kick off. I think I should also go back to the stock headlite bulb as well.
Last edited by RidemyEVO; Jun 14, 2011 at 08:40 PM.
Thread Starter
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Northern Ontario
After tracing the wires to the breaker I do plan on getting a new 15 amp breaker and trying it.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Northern Ontario
Good point .
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Elite HDF Member
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From:
i have chicken lights on my rear crash bars just like yours. i run them on the accessory breaker.
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Thread Starter
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Northern Ontario
Ok so what I've done. I tried the original headlite bulb and no differnce, pulled bat wing and found the lite switch breaker ( very warm to the touch) I changed it with anither and same thing kicks out when I turn on too many lite things, found that I connected just the light switch blue wire and front fender tip lite to one side and the lite switch wire off ignition to the other and doesn't seem to be kicking out now. So now I gotta figure out what to do with all the orange wires I had connected 
which I'm thinking was overloading the 15 amp breaker.
So quick question while I study the wire diagram for 1990 flhtc which is what I rewired bike to rather than the 1989 flhtp , question is the circuit breakers have a short stud and a long stud, is it the long or the short the gets the ignition/lites/ assec wire?
which I'm thinking was overloading the 15 amp breaker. So quick question while I study the wire diagram for 1990 flhtc which is what I rewired bike to rather than the 1989 flhtp , question is the circuit breakers have a short stud and a long stud, is it the long or the short the gets the ignition/lites/ assec wire?
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
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From: Northern Ontario
Good point because right now the " chicken lights " and other rear set of lights are connected to my low beam toggle switch, I guess I should reroute the low beam to the handle bar switch and chicken lights to acces.