Short somewhere
Short somewhere
I'm getting frustrated beyond belief. I have a short somewhere in the bike that keeps popping my headlamp fuse. I have searched and searched and found what I thought was the culprit and repaired it but I still have the fuse getting blown.
It doesn't happen right away I am usually about 2/3 of the way to work on a 38 mile drive when it blows and the same on the way home too. What's strange is that I have not changed the load on the circuit at all. It is the same as it has been for years and never had a problem until now.
I have changed lamps that were in need of it and verified the others. I have opened the fairing and examined the wiring there. I pulled the front wheel off and found what I thought was the issue on the wiring to the front fender marker and repaired it. I have examined the wiring under the seat and in the trunk and found nothing.
On my way in to work this morning the fuse blew again. So where else is there? I am missing something. Anyone have additional ideas where to look?
It doesn't happen right away I am usually about 2/3 of the way to work on a 38 mile drive when it blows and the same on the way home too. What's strange is that I have not changed the load on the circuit at all. It is the same as it has been for years and never had a problem until now.
I have changed lamps that were in need of it and verified the others. I have opened the fairing and examined the wiring there. I pulled the front wheel off and found what I thought was the issue on the wiring to the front fender marker and repaired it. I have examined the wiring under the seat and in the trunk and found nothing.
On my way in to work this morning the fuse blew again. So where else is there? I am missing something. Anyone have additional ideas where to look?
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,616
Likes: 1,615
From: Eastern Ohio
I don't know what year or model we're talking about here (I'm on mobile site), but headlight, passing lamps, front running lights, rear running lights, are typically on the headlight circuit. You have wiring running to the hand controls, in the fairing, down the backbone under the tank, under the seat, under both fenders (guys have complained about rear tire rubbing through too), and to the tour pak, if you have one. You also need to look at the fuse. Is it blackened and the center look like it's splattered? If so that's a dead short. If it looks like it just kinda melted apart, that's an overload situation. If it happens after a certain time period, that indicates an overload. If you hit a bump and it pops, that's a short. I understand the frustration in finding electrical issues (I'm an electrician), just be persistent and diligent in your examination. Check where zip ties are around the wiring. Sometimes they're too tight and can cause a wire to chafe through. Good luck. Hope you find it.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 14,744
Likes: 402
From: Phoenix '53, '88, '09 Big Twins
You also need to look at the fuse. Is it blackened and the center look like it's splattered? If so that's a dead short. If it looks like it just kinda melted apart, that's an overload situation. If it happens after a certain time period, that indicates an overload. If you hit a bump and it pops, that's a short.
this is great advice and will help you determine the fault
don;t rule out a problem in a bulb- a filament which can touch a second filament ( run/stop or hi/low) can overload teh circuit
mike
Last edited by mkguitar; Jun 4, 2015 at 12:15 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 24,735
Likes: 9,245
From: Snow Hill, NC
Look closer at all the wires, you might have to open the main insulator wrap and look closer... sometimes it's hard to spot, look for discolorations of any kinds and like above said...FUSES...
I did not see specific mention of whether or not the OP checked the high beam switch wiring in the hand controls.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,392
Likes: 21
From: Delaware
Short somewhere
On my Road King I had a chafed wire between the passing lamp and the bracket it mounts to. Sometimes that wire gets nicked when the passing lamp is adjusted. It's a tough one to spot because it's up inside there, I had to feed the wire out a little.
Last edited by Loc_Tite; Jun 4, 2015 at 12:35 PM.
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