electrial short to frame HELP
Thread Starter
|
Novice
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
electrial short to frame HELP
OK here it goes I have a heritage softail 2006 I took off the ground to the Battery, and with a volt tester I put the ground on the tester to the battery, and the red lead from the tester to the frame and got a reading of 11.7 volts. tell me thats not common. I took all the fuses out and relays out. OR does this tell me my startyer has a short??????? HELP
Club Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 145,895
Likes: 821
From: 40 miles Northeast of Indy..
I'd love to help,, But I am a Millwright/Sheetmetal/Welder.... by trade....
Soooo as one of the Electricians at work once said.... Call me a real Electricians when he got way over his head.
..
Soooo as one of the Electricians at work once said.... Call me a real Electricians when he got way over his head.
..
Tourer
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 453
Likes: 0
From: Clarkston
Doesn't sound like a short. A short would read little to know voltage, volt meters read a difference of potential so if it was shorted you would have no difference of potential. 11.7 volts sounds low to me though, what does the voltage measure when you go from the positive to the negative terminals of you batteries?
Thread Starter
|
Novice
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
The only thing hook up is the starter I disconnected the hot wire from the starter to the electrical
Trending Topics
Tourer
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 453
Likes: 0
From: Clarkston
Do a resistance check from negative to positive. If you get little to no resistance, it's shorted. A lot of resistance it's not shorted. If you have a digital meter it'll probably read OL or something along those lines if it's not shorted. If its analog then likely get full scale.
Checking resistance is a better way of checking for shorts than checking voltage.
Out of curiosity why are you checking all of this anyways? Will your bike not start? If that's the issue and your meter indicates its not shorted check the voltage when your trying to crank it over. If it drops a lot it's possible your battery might be dead.
Checking resistance is a better way of checking for shorts than checking voltage.
Out of curiosity why are you checking all of this anyways? Will your bike not start? If that's the issue and your meter indicates its not shorted check the voltage when your trying to crank it over. If it drops a lot it's possible your battery might be dead.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider
Verdad Gallardo
The Best and Worst Harley-Davidson Moves of 2025
Verdad Gallardo
Tourer
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 453
Likes: 0
From: Clarkston
Ok, re read your posts. I misread it the 1st time. This is a dumb question but when you took the black lead to the battery did you go to the positive terminal or negative?
If positive then you likely are reading the correct voltage, if negative then I would think you have a short somewhere. But with a short you should be killing your battery fairly quickly.
Do the resistance checks with the battery completely disconnected and for from the positive lead of the bike to the negative lead of the back and report back. In other words go black to black and red to red on meter and bike.
If positive then you likely are reading the correct voltage, if negative then I would think you have a short somewhere. But with a short you should be killing your battery fairly quickly.
Do the resistance checks with the battery completely disconnected and for from the positive lead of the bike to the negative lead of the back and report back. In other words go black to black and red to red on meter and bike.
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 727
Likes: 1
From: Silverdale, WA
Your starter is not in the circuit until the starter relay is shut to start the bike, so it isn't your starter (and the starter will read as a short since it is a load). The starter relay isn't in the circuit until the start button is pushed, so it isn't the relay. The only time I have seen this is when there is a short in the alternator or shorted component in the reg/rectifier. Still wondering what symptom you are troubleshooting.