Topic: Nothing like blowing the main... found the problem

[grumpy]

So I'm on the FWY in the far left lane surrounded by rush hour idiots, hit the turn signal, and poof - no electrical.
That was fun.
At least I'm awake now.

Now I have to figure out what's going on. Gotta love electrical gremlins.

 

[bozo4onion]

And buy new underwear too.

[grumpy]

actually I was puckered pretty tightly - kept things from leaking out.

[nokrome]

i hear ya man, same thing happened to me about a year ago,
  replaced the fuse and havnt had any problems since
     gotta love old bikes

[Skonnie Boy]

Same thing happened to me on the Eisenhower about a year ago.  Nothing like trying to kickstart a bike while coasting at 30mph.  Finally converted to blade fuses, the newer (and longer) glass tube fuses wouldn't seat correctly in the old holder.

[grumpy]

My blinkers no longer blink... something fried  

I really hope I can get home from work tonight.

[Gonzowerke]

Check the holder too. When it happened to me, the plastic melted and the clips spread out, the plastic cooled, and they wouldn't hold the fuse. I ended up stealing a breadtie at a 7-11(Hey, you do what you have to on the road!)Stripping the plastic off the wire, and wrapping the clip ends to hold the fuse.

[Ayrity]

my bike's fuse block looked like this when I got it. then converted to weatherproof blade fuses. Havnt had a problem in a long time with the fuses.

[BlindJoe]

My blinkers no longer blink... something fried  

I really hope I can get home from work tonight.

check your relay

[grumpy]

check your relay

Yep - first on the check list.

It's a modern Bosch unit, though. Installed it when I switched to LED running lights. Weird...

[asom]

same thing happened to me last week.  I didn't figure out the problem and Nikkisix drove 30 plus miles and trailored it home.  Found out about 30 mins after getting home and grabbing the meter, blown fuse looked good to the eye.  I felt like such a dumba--.  Lesson learned, always check the fuses...not by sight, and be sure and have good friends and a great forum to reach out to...

battery wouldn't charge either so I put on a new rectifier hopefully that will fix the problem.

[vorhese]

I blew a piston on my RD350 on the Bay Bridge about 500 yards from Treasure Island in the left lane. I had to first coast to the right without hitting any of the frantically honking cars. There's no emergency lane on the bridge. There's a 6" curb I got on top of and push my bike the 500 yards to Treasure Island screaming obscenities. I somehow made it without being destroyed. And then I was stranded for 3 hours waiting on a tow truck.  It was the first date with my now wife and she thought I blew our date off.

[grumpy]

I blew a piston on my RD350 on the Bay Bridge about 500 yards from Treasure Island in the left lane. [/img]

Oh Sh!t!!!  The BB is scary enough in a car!


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So I think I found the problem:
The flasher unit reads 0ohms across the leads.
Turn on the flasher and get instant ground.

Anyone know where I can get a good flasher that'll work with LEDs ?

[ChortlingSandcaster]

Can you check the LED mfg's web site, maybe this is a 'known issue' with their LEDs, you wouldn't think so, LEDs are low power but......worth a check.   Might even call or email their tech support and tell them your bike is an 'oldie but goodie' as most LEDs get put on newer bikes.  They may not ever have heard from a customer who's put them on a bike and it may help other vintage bikers if it's a problem.
G'luck to you...

[FargoFour]

On my 750K1 I started blowing fuses when ever I turned the right turn signal off. (I know, so don't turn right). Ended up being the turn switch. Took the left control housing apart and cleaned up the switch and no more blown fuse!

Plus with the K1 there's only one fuse so EVERY THING dies.

bud.

[bistromath]

Can you check the LED mfg's web site, maybe this is a 'known issue' with their LEDs, you wouldn't think so, LEDs are low power but......worth a check.   Might even call or email their tech support and tell them your bike is an 'oldie but goodie' as most LEDs get put on newer bikes.  They may not ever have heard from a customer who's put them on a bike and it may help other vintage bikers if it's a problem.
G'luck to you...

Hehe. It's a pretty well-known issue with ALL LEDs. The older flashers work using a bimetallic strip which heats up from the current passing through it, which then breaks the connection when it bends. Upon cooling, it bends back. LEDs don't use enough current to trigger the older flashers, so they just stay turned on.

Any electronic flasher from a more modern motorcycle or car will work. Search the archives for specific recommendations, but pretty much anything will do. You can run either a 2-terminal flasher (drops right in) or a 3-terminal flasher (separate ground wire, easy to hook up).