Topic: Electric Bummerland

[thelowmax]

Ok. So I'm riding down the street and the lights go out on the bike, and it dies. One of my fuses has blown.  The bike won't start or even light up. I then (accidentally) touch the old blown fuse to both the 7A and 15A fuse holder. The whole bike lit up and the key wasn't even in it. I started it and rode home. At home I replaced the fuse and it worked fine. The next day, while on the highway, it died again. This time the fuse was not blown. I found a bottle cap and wedged it in-between the fuses and it lit up, started and I made it home again. Now it won't light at all. Anybody have an idea what's going on?

[DJ_AX]

Bummerland indeed. You've strengthened the weak link (the fuse) so now the next weakest link will fry... probably the wires where they we're shorting out somewhere else on the bike...

[Spanner 1]

Learn.... do a search about cleaning-up the fuse holders. Know that shiny, clean electrical connections on your bike is vital to it's running with reliability 

[lostmykeys]

 Thats a good way to set your bike on fire or worse set your bike on fire whith you on it.

[bollingball]

Take the two screws out holding the fuse block off and look at the back of the fuse panel. Why not do away with the fuses and use 3 bottle caps when they melt you will be able to find the problem JK

Ken

[madmtnmotors]

Thats a good way to set your bike on fire or worse set your bike on fire whith you on it.

You can also wrap the blown fuses with aluminum foil for the same effect. 

DJ_AX is right, you may have very well burned out the next weakest link since that's what happens when bypassing the fuse. Could be a connector, a section of wire, a switch contact, etc. Now the fun begins, which means tracing out the circuits with a multimeter to find the failed link. Electrical problems are a process of elimination that often requires determining what it's NOT.

[trueblue]

Electrical problems are a process of elimination that often requires determining what it's NOT.

not to mention patience and a cool head.

[thelowmax]

Thanks guys.  Yeah I know about the potential fire hazards. The potential for further damage was only surpassed by my need to get home. (boy, that bottle cap did get hot) Unfortunately, now I'm home with a burned out... what is burned out?  I had a feeling that my bike was going to need a thorough going over prior to the meltdown. Now I'm sure.

So, how does one locate an electrical issue like this? Is there tried and true step by step process or do I just go through everything one at a time? Or are those the same thing?

[thelowmax]

Thats a good way to set your bike on fire or worse set your bike on fire whith you on it.

Thanks. I don't want to get hurt but how will I cook the steaks tin foiled to the engine to well done?

[Sniper X]

You can start by looking at a schematic of where the wores go, and what they do. The process is one of logic and elimination. Start with cleaning all the fuse holders and contacts and such like suggested, then look for a short where there is w hot wire with some insulation rubbed off that is contacting the frame somewhere. There it something grounding somewhere casuing this problem. I figure it is some hot wire that is hot when the lights are on under the seat because the seat is usually the culprit for squishing then shorting a hot wire. Mine (on the 1973 TX650 Yamaha) turned out to be the wire going to the taillight and it only shorted out at night after I would turn the light on and sat on the seat just right. I changed out at least 50 friggin fuses till I happened to find it one night while moving some stuff roudn under the seat and just happened to short it and saw a spark! I fixed that wire and never had a problem again.

[Sniper X]

BTW oddly enough, my kill switch is really a kill switch on my 1973 CB350F as in it kills the bike and blows a fuse so i have to replace the fuse before I can start it again. Soo, the kill switch must do a direct short to ground which I'll have to find....