Help Troubleshooting Electrical Problem Please?
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 166
Likes: 1
Help Troubleshooting Electrical Problem Please?
Dont ask me how, but in all of the wiring and rewiring of lights on my bike I apparently didnt button up a zip tie to the right rear turn signal.
Tire slapped the wire and twisted it and caused a short.
I parked the bike and it wouldnt restart. As I looked over the bike I notice right rear turn is out and begin troubleshooting. It seems as though the freakin ALARM wont allow the bike to start because the lights are integrated...
Pass One:
a. checked all fuses in fuse box - none appear blown
b. plugged right taillight into the left side and it works
c. plugged the right into the left and it doesnt
d. both bulbs burn if plugged into either light socket as long as socket is plugged into the left receptical
This means its not the bulb, light housing, or the wiring to it from the tail light assembly.
Pass Two:
a. check all fuses in fuse box AGAIN
b. remove clip in HD run/turn/brake and restore to stock config
c. Replace the little circuit board that acts like a power distribution point for the rear end with brand new part same results as before.
This puts the problem on the other side of the taillight assembly right?
At this point there is the main power bundle of wires that runs up and under the seat and then under the tank.
Before I pull the tank and seat and tear into this any further... where does this lead? If I have eliminated the bulb, the housing, the power lead, the circuit board it plugs into, the run/turn/brake controller.... WTF could it be further upstream?
__________________
Tire slapped the wire and twisted it and caused a short.
I parked the bike and it wouldnt restart. As I looked over the bike I notice right rear turn is out and begin troubleshooting. It seems as though the freakin ALARM wont allow the bike to start because the lights are integrated...
Pass One:
a. checked all fuses in fuse box - none appear blown
b. plugged right taillight into the left side and it works
c. plugged the right into the left and it doesnt
d. both bulbs burn if plugged into either light socket as long as socket is plugged into the left receptical
This means its not the bulb, light housing, or the wiring to it from the tail light assembly.
Pass Two:
a. check all fuses in fuse box AGAIN
b. remove clip in HD run/turn/brake and restore to stock config
c. Replace the little circuit board that acts like a power distribution point for the rear end with brand new part same results as before.
This puts the problem on the other side of the taillight assembly right?
At this point there is the main power bundle of wires that runs up and under the seat and then under the tank.
Before I pull the tank and seat and tear into this any further... where does this lead? If I have eliminated the bulb, the housing, the power lead, the circuit board it plugs into, the run/turn/brake controller.... WTF could it be further upstream?
__________________
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 577
Likes: 0
From: Carrabelle, Fl
Not sure what bike you have, but maybe you need to cycle the ignition switch on/off several times to reset system?
Happened to me on a sporty with the tilt switch.
Check for codes listed in manual?
Happened to me on a sporty with the tilt switch.
Check for codes listed in manual?
May our Moderator Rest in Peace
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,386
Likes: 35
From: Rochester, NY
Ouch!!! This is may get ugly.
Do what sctusa said about turning it on an off a few times to reset things.
If that doesn't work try pulling off the positive lead from the battery, grab your service manual and head indoors to try to figure out where that line that got screwed up goes. Leave the bike disconnected over night if you can to make SURE its reset. Then reconnect things in the AM, try it out, if it works fine.
If not try to follow that wire wherever it goes to make sure that the tire didn't pull it or an adjacent one into a frame piece and cut the line insulation causing another short. Doing it that way may help you find a seemingly unrelated circuit that's also shorted and causing the problem.
Having a tire pull a line like that can also pull it out of the pin connector at the end or even break the conductor inside the insulation. So if you know where it goes you can disconnect it at both ends and use an ohm meter on each end to see if its broken or shorted to the frame somewhere you can't get to or see.
Good Luck and let us know what you find out.
Do what sctusa said about turning it on an off a few times to reset things.
If that doesn't work try pulling off the positive lead from the battery, grab your service manual and head indoors to try to figure out where that line that got screwed up goes. Leave the bike disconnected over night if you can to make SURE its reset. Then reconnect things in the AM, try it out, if it works fine.
If not try to follow that wire wherever it goes to make sure that the tire didn't pull it or an adjacent one into a frame piece and cut the line insulation causing another short. Doing it that way may help you find a seemingly unrelated circuit that's also shorted and causing the problem.
Having a tire pull a line like that can also pull it out of the pin connector at the end or even break the conductor inside the insulation. So if you know where it goes you can disconnect it at both ends and use an ohm meter on each end to see if its broken or shorted to the frame somewhere you can't get to or see.
Good Luck and let us know what you find out.
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 264
Likes: 2
From: Parker, CO
Electrical Troubleshooting
Its apparent that the light itself is working but you have an open circuit going to the right side. Do you have only one fuse feeding both left and right? If so, then you should have power feeding the circuit and it has to be an open between the fuse and the right side light assembly. If you pull the fuse the left side should also quit working. If you have separate fuses for each side, use a voltmeter to check for power on both sides of the fuse. Sometimes its hard to see were it blows open.
As already stated, the wire could be pulled in two pieces inside the insulation.
These are a bitch to figure out! At this point about all you can do is start to trace the wire. Feel of the wire and squeeze the insulation, looking for a gap in the copper wire under the insulation.
Its sounds like you have been doing some other work on the wiring. The starting problem could be somewhere else and not related to the light issue.
Good Luck!
As already stated, the wire could be pulled in two pieces inside the insulation.
These are a bitch to figure out! At this point about all you can do is start to trace the wire. Feel of the wire and squeeze the insulation, looking for a gap in the copper wire under the insulation.
Its sounds like you have been doing some other work on the wiring. The starting problem could be somewhere else and not related to the light issue.
Good Luck!
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 166
Likes: 1
because the alarm is so easy to reach and remove, right?
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Banned
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 17,265
Likes: 21
From: Los Angeles, CA
Take off run turn module completely and see what happens. I had a similar issue with my bike without the wire for the signals getting frayed and removed the module and all was well...Threw the module in the trash.
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