Touring Models Road King, Road King Custom, Road King Classic, Road Glide, Street Glide, Electra Glide, Electra Glide Classic, and Electra Glide Ultra Classic bikes.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Battery tender lead not working... Easy fix

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Nov 21, 2015 | 08:29 PM
  #1  
sonar_chris's Avatar
sonar_chris
Thread Starter
|
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,780
Likes: 5
From: San Diego
Default Battery tender lead not working... Easy fix

So just getting back from deployment a couple of weeks ago, my battery was dead when the movers delivered my bike to the house. Well my buddy tried hooking up my battery tender and it wouldn't work. So I finally got around to looking at it today and to my surprise, the 2014 (and above I assume) touring bikes have the battery tender harness wired into the bikes electrical system.

I was expecting to find the pigtail screwed to the battery terminals like my last 2 bikes, with a fuse in line on the pig tail. Well that wasn't the case. So out comes the manual, and for the life of me, I couldn't find what I was looking for. So I figured that the fuse for the pigtail had to be in the left side fuse block but I didn't know which one. Out comes the colt meter to do a continuity check. By the way, it's been a while since I had to change a fuse so I was a little surprised to find exposed metal studs on the back side of the fuse for easy no removal testing of fuses. Well I found that the P&A 20amp fuse was blow. I replaced it with the spare located in the fuse block and all was good again. So if your battery tender isn't working, check the P&A fuse.
 
Reply
Old Nov 21, 2015 | 08:31 PM
  #2  
From_Behind's Avatar
From_Behind
Club Member
Veteran: Marine Corps
10 Year Member
Liked
Community Favorite
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 6,386
Likes: 900
From: Columbus, Ohio
Riders Club Member
Default

You're ahead of the game already. A lot of dealers employees don't even know that the Rushmore bikes have a Tender lead pre-installed!
 
Reply
Old Nov 22, 2015 | 01:35 AM
  #3  
mkguitar's Avatar
mkguitar
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 14,744
Likes: 402
From: Phoenix '53, '88, '09 Big Twins
Default

examine the blowed fuse.

if the fuse material is blowed and spattered with black carbon traces, that indicates at some time there was a short circuit. ( and you need to be aware that there may be a rubbed through wire somewhere on that circuit)

if the material has merely sagged and parted, that is the result of an overload.

replacement fuses are available with an led which will light up if the fuse blows...pretty handy

mike
 
Reply
Old Nov 22, 2015 | 09:29 AM
  #4  
sonar_chris's Avatar
sonar_chris
Thread Starter
|
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,780
Likes: 5
From: San Diego
Default

I think the problem was that my wife plugged in the battery tender to the wall outlet first then into the bike causing the short. I've had it plugged in all day with no problems.
 
Reply
Old Nov 22, 2015 | 10:24 AM
  #5  
Lowcountry Joe's Avatar
Lowcountry Joe
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,928
Likes: 69
From: Near Myrtle Beach, SC
Default

Originally Posted by sonar_chris
I think the problem was that my wife plugged in the battery tender to the wall outlet first then into the bike causing the short. I've had it plugged in all day with no problems.
I doubt that caused the blown fuse...assuming you have a quality tender. I do that all the time with my Schumacher tender. I agree with a previous post that a blown 20 amp fuse is nothing to dismiss. Something pulled a lot of current through that circuit for that fuse to blow, so if I were you, I would be looking for the culprit.
 
Reply
Old Nov 22, 2015 | 02:44 PM
  #6  
seniorsuperglideE8's Avatar
seniorsuperglideE8
Supporter
Veteran: Navy
15 Year Member
Liked
Community Favorite
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 15,788
Likes: 5,621
From: along the shore of Mishigami
Supporter
Default

Good find there (senior) Sonar Chris, beginning to wonder if my 2013 Road Glide Ultra is the same, wired in the system. Right now it's a bit cool out in garaged to go exploring under the seat (30*). By the way thanks for your service in the USN.
 
Reply
Old Nov 22, 2015 | 02:57 PM
  #7  
bdtaylor1979's Avatar
bdtaylor1979
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 5,132
Likes: 228
From: Garland, TX
Default

Thank you for your service ! Glad you got it figured out.
 
Reply
Old Nov 22, 2015 | 03:02 PM
  #8  
motolocopat's Avatar
motolocopat
Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 689
Likes: 6
From: Glen Rose TX
Default

The Buddy might have gotten something crossed and blown the fuse.
If it didn't blow again and charged OK I'd spend my time riding around the new home area with the wifey while I at home before chasing some maybe gremiln..
 
Reply
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-3

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Nov 22, 2015 | 03:23 PM
  #9  
zoozoo's Avatar
zoozoo
Seasoned HDF Member
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 20,880
Likes: 33,829
Default

The dealer never told me my limited came with the harness and I never thought about it until I got home. I was pissed I didn't take the one I had on the 2010 Ultra off before trading. The next day I was looking all over the bike trying to familiarize myself with what and where everything was on the Limited and found the harness all snuggled up under the left side cover.
 
Reply
Old Nov 22, 2015 | 03:32 PM
  #10  
mkguitar's Avatar
mkguitar
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 14,744
Likes: 402
From: Phoenix '53, '88, '09 Big Twins
Default

Originally Posted by zoozoo
The dealer never told me....
RTFM !


I had a pal who owned a bike 4 years before he found out it was a 5 speed tranny..... 4 years of 4th gear until the day he asked me to have a look at his bike....at least he didn;t put diesel in- like another pal.





Mike
 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:49 AM.

story-0
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson built its reputation on nostalgia, but every so often, the company took a hard left turn into the future.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-20 11:18:19


VIEW MORE
story-1
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-2
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-3
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-4
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-5
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-6
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-7
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE