I'm having trouble with my accessory switches. OK here's the deal the three switches on the handlebars are hooked up to relays. Now there are four relays under the seat, one is M (master) then #1, #2 and #3. The number one switch is hooked up to my lower driving fog lights, #2 is hooked up to my lights on the saddlebags and back of pass footboard, and three was empty. Well I hooked up #3 to my Light ring around the rotor. So here's the problem the two worked before and now none of them work. I used an ohm meter and have power from the switches to each relay, and also used a jumper wire and there is power to each set of lights. Each relay has a inline fuse also and none of them have blown. So my next question is what do I do next, and where do I look for the problem? Any help would be greatly apperciated, Scott.
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Scott J. Koehn 04 Ultra Classic

 

Did you check your ground/grounds?

 

+1 on the ground for the light ring.

 

So you say there is power to each set of lights and yet they don't light up? It must be the ground or bad bulbs.

 

Each relay should have a constant power that is likely on a loop from one relay to the next and possibly on a single fuse from source. This should be equally true for the grounds on all three relays. The switches trigger one relay at a time allowing power to go to the specific accessory.

The accessories should be grounded individually and not in any way part of the gang of relays. If the triggers are all functioning and the relays are all outputting voltage then the problem has to be a ground issue at the accessory or a power problem between the relay and the accessory providing the accessory is known to be serviceable.

 

Well each one has constant power according to the ohm meter. I'm not sure as to where they are grounded to or what terminal they are grounded from the relay, unless your meaning the ligths themselfs being grounded. Well I'm gonna check the grounds tommorrow . If it's any help the relays aer as follows, the master one is a 30v 40a and the other three are 12v 30a. Not sure if that matters or not.

 

How do I check the grounds? I have a multimeter and have no idea how to use it. I would like to check the ground wires and other wires for shorts as well, any electrical experts here willing to give that advise on how to do that and what settings I need to use on the multimeter?

 

You can't check for voltage on the Ohm scale. To checK voltage, ensure leads are connected to com (blacK) and the correct voltage input ot, usually different than the connection for Amps (current) Select a correct scale larger than your expected result, you can always switch to a lower scale for a better reading after . The ohms scale has a small internal battery that shows a full scale deflection when the lead tips are placed together. Some analog mters need this shorting of the leads on ohms to set the FSD (full scale to zero) digital meters do not need this. Battery voltages should be measured using the DC scale typically shown with a dashed line with a solid line graphic or DC, Battery voltswil range from 12 to almost 14 volts so select say the 20 volt DC scale. AC volts shown by the sine wave graphic or AC will not be of much use to you. Ground will be metered on the Ohms scale, the closer to zero the better, if your pinkies are on the leads, your body resistance will show up depending on how much your sweating. .

 

Ok Hogginit, Thanks. Gonna try it tommorrow and do some tests.