main circuit breaker
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Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
From: NJ
I just charged the battery over night and have 12v at the battery, yes
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
From: NJ
As I rode, after about 3 hours of riding the speedometer would just drop down to 0 and the odometer would turn off, obviously wasn't getting enough power. Idk what else it would be other than the negative screw coming off and preventing the battery from recharging
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Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
From: NJ
ok I'll check the manual how to check them. And if those come back strong? I just want to make sure the main circuit breaker is working also. In that block, there's two studs with one wire going to each and I put the black wire on the frame and the red wire to each stud separately and nothing responds though.
Am I testing the wrong spot?
Am I testing the wrong spot?
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 970
Likes: 19
From: Philippines
Matt K,
You neglected to state year, model and if your running EFI however I can determine that your bike is 06 or earlier. The breaker you're looking at is 30 amps and serves only one purpose. The starter draws massive amps from the battery. Should the starter fail, the breaker would prevent excessive amps from transferring into the electrical system. Inside these breakers is a thin metal strip that bends due to heat when excessive amps are passed through it. The bending of this metal breaks the circuit. Once the metal cools, contact is again made. These breakers are not water tight and often corrode. I replace mine every 2 years and carry a spare in my saddlebag. In 07 Harley eliminated this breaker and replaced it with a 40 amp Maxi Fuse.
Two wires are connected to one terminal of the breaker (Regulator output and Ignition Switch). On the other terminal is a wire leading to the starter where it connects with the positive battery terminal cable. When the bike is running, voltage from the regulator passes through the breaker and leads back to the battery charging it. A simple test to determine if the breaker is "Closed" is to measure the voltage at the battery when the bike is running.
You neglected to state year, model and if your running EFI however I can determine that your bike is 06 or earlier. The breaker you're looking at is 30 amps and serves only one purpose. The starter draws massive amps from the battery. Should the starter fail, the breaker would prevent excessive amps from transferring into the electrical system. Inside these breakers is a thin metal strip that bends due to heat when excessive amps are passed through it. The bending of this metal breaks the circuit. Once the metal cools, contact is again made. These breakers are not water tight and often corrode. I replace mine every 2 years and carry a spare in my saddlebag. In 07 Harley eliminated this breaker and replaced it with a 40 amp Maxi Fuse.
Two wires are connected to one terminal of the breaker (Regulator output and Ignition Switch). On the other terminal is a wire leading to the starter where it connects with the positive battery terminal cable. When the bike is running, voltage from the regulator passes through the breaker and leads back to the battery charging it. A simple test to determine if the breaker is "Closed" is to measure the voltage at the battery when the bike is running.
Thread Starter
|
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
From: NJ
Matt K,
You neglected to state year, model and if your running EFI however I can determine that your bike is 06 or earlier. The breaker you're looking at is 30 amps and serves only one purpose. The starter draws massive amps from the battery. Should the starter fail, the breaker would prevent excessive amps from transferring into the electrical system. Inside these breakers is a thin metal strip that bends due to heat when excessive amps are passed through it. The bending of this metal breaks the circuit. Once the metal cools, contact is again made. These breakers are not water tight and often corrode. I replace mine every 2 years and carry a spare in my saddlebag. In 07 Harley eliminated this breaker and replaced it with a 40 amp Maxi Fuse.
Two wires are connected to one terminal of the breaker (Regulator output and Ignition Switch). On the other terminal is a wire leading to the starter where it connects with the positive battery terminal cable. When the bike is running, voltage from the regulator passes through the breaker and leads back to the battery charging it. A simple test to determine if the breaker is "Closed" is to measure the voltage at the battery when the bike is running.
You neglected to state year, model and if your running EFI however I can determine that your bike is 06 or earlier. The breaker you're looking at is 30 amps and serves only one purpose. The starter draws massive amps from the battery. Should the starter fail, the breaker would prevent excessive amps from transferring into the electrical system. Inside these breakers is a thin metal strip that bends due to heat when excessive amps are passed through it. The bending of this metal breaks the circuit. Once the metal cools, contact is again made. These breakers are not water tight and often corrode. I replace mine every 2 years and carry a spare in my saddlebag. In 07 Harley eliminated this breaker and replaced it with a 40 amp Maxi Fuse.
Two wires are connected to one terminal of the breaker (Regulator output and Ignition Switch). On the other terminal is a wire leading to the starter where it connects with the positive battery terminal cable. When the bike is running, voltage from the regulator passes through the breaker and leads back to the battery charging it. A simple test to determine if the breaker is "Closed" is to measure the voltage at the battery when the bike is running.
This test to see if the breaker is "closed" is to measure voltage at the battery when the bike is running. While running it is supposed to be at 14.4 volts correct? If the breaker is closed, what would the voltage read?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 21,174
Likes: 12,742
From: South Carolina
The starter is before the circuit breaker, on the supply side.
The circuit breaker is not in the starting circuit.
No starter draws power through a circuit breaker.
Last edited by Dan89FLSTC; Jun 13, 2014 at 04:53 AM.
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From: Honah Lee
Older ones are behind the rear splash shield. Second down(white plug) is alarm/signal lights (TSSM) and loose black clip and two clip pocket is for the optional siren.
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Sep 14, 2018 at 11:07 AM.
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 970
Likes: 19
From: Philippines
I live and ride in a very wet climate. Many bikes in my area fail due to this breaker corroding and preventing voltage from transferring from the regulator back to the battery thus failing to charge it. Trust me when I say that I've done extensive research on this breaker, it's function and purpose.
The electrical diagram posted by Matt K is out of focus and is easy to misread. The breaker is 30 amp! Below are two attachments. (1) the electrical specification sheet taken from a 99 Softail service manual identifying the breaker rating and (2) a photo of the breaker with it's cover removed.
As I previously stated, the purpose of this breaker is to prevent excessive amps from entering the electrical system should the starter fail and draw excessive amps from the battery when starting the bike. Through this breaker also travels the voltage from the regulator back to the battery at a terminal on the starter where both the positive battery cable and breaker wire connect. Since the breaker and battery are both connected together at a terminal post on the starter the breaker is, by default, part of the starting circuit.
Many of us in my area replace this breaker with one designed for marine use.
The electrical diagram posted by Matt K is out of focus and is easy to misread. The breaker is 30 amp! Below are two attachments. (1) the electrical specification sheet taken from a 99 Softail service manual identifying the breaker rating and (2) a photo of the breaker with it's cover removed.
As I previously stated, the purpose of this breaker is to prevent excessive amps from entering the electrical system should the starter fail and draw excessive amps from the battery when starting the bike. Through this breaker also travels the voltage from the regulator back to the battery at a terminal on the starter where both the positive battery cable and breaker wire connect. Since the breaker and battery are both connected together at a terminal post on the starter the breaker is, by default, part of the starting circuit.
Many of us in my area replace this breaker with one designed for marine use.
Last edited by olongapo1; Jun 13, 2014 at 05:44 PM.