I own a 2000 vulcan drifter and was trying to trace blicker wires with a voltage meter. I touched a wire with it and it sparked so now no power to lights exept brakes when key is turned to auxiliary. I hear no clicking or cranking when I try to start it. So now I'm dead in the water. Can anyone help me nobody in my area is willing to do the repairs
Check your fuses...always a good place to start
What did you have the meter set on? It should not have caused a spark or dead short.
I was tracing blicker wires with a power probe voltage tester and heared a spark so now no lights nor will it start. No mechanic in my area is willing to repair electrical system
Have you checked the main fuse?
Do you have the wiring diagram?
My fuses aren't blown and the meter is the kind you would connect to the battery and beeps green for negative. Red for positive
Have you checked the main 30A fuse?
I cannot find anything in the manual about will not start due to electrical issues. So will keep looking.
I did check the main fuse it look intack but I also noticed that the headlight fuse was melted but not blown before this happened . Which was replaced
At this point, I personally would be tempted to replace all the fuses, not that many of them and they are not that dear, just to be sure you have good ones.
I am talking about the ones in the fuse box, there is only eight of them in there and it would be a start point. Then I would check the bike for any inline fuses. You don't know when someone has added something.
Wish I knew more to help you.
No I don't that's why I was tracing wirers with the meter
Let' start at the beginning. What ere you trying to find, and what wasn't working before you started? Did you check the battery voltage at the battery? This is a pretty simple electrical system, compared to a 1500, so there are only going to be a few places to worry about. The fuse box AND the main fuse are going to have to be examined not just visually, but with your meter to determine if anything that burned open. Ratman has a complete wiring diagram for an 800 if he could post that in large format, we can get started. I guess I'm really surprised that people who call themselves "mechanics" in New Jersey are afraid of electricity...
Troll, once I am home after work I'll post the wiring diagram for you.
First you really need a circuit diagram, second you need a $10 DIGITAL Multimeter from harbor freight..
If you were tracing the wires with the engine off you are probably very lucky in this case, the noise you heard was almost certainly a spark as the probe shorted 12v to the frame..
From your description of the fault, no lights and it won't start I am going to guess that as far as electricity is concerned you have none at all..If this is the case there is only one place to look and that is the main fuse..
You have a VN800 and I don't have the circuit for that bike but on most bikes the main fuse is located near or attached to the starter solenoid..the solenoid is usually under the seat near to the battery and is found by tracing the thick lead from the battery which goes straight to it...The fuse is usually about 30 amp and is usually tucked down beside the battery or solenoid.
John.
The main fuse is under the seat next to the battery. I'll be posting the main wiring diagram in about 2 hours once I am home.
ok here is the diagram
I've been looking at the wiring diagram posted by Ratman, and all you are going to need, at this point, is a simple 12v test light to trouble shoot your problems. Pull the fuse box cover off and the main fuse cover (it's in the starter relay) and check BOTH sides of each fuse with the test light. These are simple ATC fuses like you find in most cars, so if there is power on both sides, they are good, if there is power on only one side, they are open. I'm pretty sure from your description, you have smoked the main fuse, or perhaps the 10A ign. fuse...Ratman was kind enough to email me a .pdf of his manual, so now I have one for an 800.
I just got a multimeter from harbor freight. Hoping that this will help me locate the problem
ok I know I am getting old, this question is in 2 places, I know I posted the pictures in here once I came home....lol...
Troll your most welcome and now you can help more people, even us 800 riders....lol.....
Ok. now you can measure voltages and resistance, and check for continuity...CHECK ALL THE FUSES FIRST!!!
So now you have a meter..here's how to use it.
Voltage..
Before using the meter on anything that has a battery set the meter to dc volts.. this is very important because it only takes a fraction of a second to blow up your meter..
With a digital meter it is not important which way the meter leads are connected when measuring voltage, if they are the wrong way round the meter will simply read - volts.
you can measure voltage to any point on the bike by connecting one of the leads (usually the black one to the metal of the frame or engine or negative pole of the battery.
Resistance or Ohms..
Do not use this setting on anything that is still connected to the bike until you fully understand what you are doing... this is the reason you only paid $10 for your meter..
Remove the fuse or item you are going to test..set the meter to Ohms or Resistance..if you have more than one range of Ohms set the meter to Ohms x1... lay the fuse on a piece of wood, plastic or other non conductive material and touch both leads together..note the reading.. now measure across the fuse..the reading should be almost the same..if it is replace the fuse and remove the next one to test.. do not remove more than one fuse at a time because they may be different ratings.
John.
Ok now the bike starts but no lights in rear and only head light turns on in the front. Very fustrating. What am I missing?
I just noticed when I start the bike now the tail fuse keeps blowing out. What should I b looking for
ok was looking for pictures and info was going to suggest to check all the fuses once more. If your fuse keeps blowing there is a short in the wiring someplace. Someplace the wire is touching metal, need to check along the lines to see if there is a break or something wrong.
Thank you ratman it seems as if my juction box is missing a wire according to the diagram. The diagram. Shows 8 lines and mine seem to have 7 lines.now I'm really confused
I would need to go and look at mine now, but I was trying to show you the actual fuses and what they are for.
But if you are blowing the fuse for the taillight when you turn on the bike? Or when you use the brake? If it blows as soon as you start it I would say a break or short in the wiring, but Troll or someone with more electrical knowledge will be able to help you out.
don't worry about "missing" wires from the junction box. It made it all these years with out any problems. Start by disconnecting the plug for the rear fender harness. If the fuse doesn't blow, then the problem is in the harness to the rear fender or the tail lamp itself. If it still blows, pop out the headlight and disconnect the front running lights. As I remember, you said you were chasing some kind of issue with the turn signals when you had this all happen...
take the tail light bulb out and see if any water has discolored the fitting, then with the bulb out see if the fuse still blows..if it does check what else is not working and all you have to do is look closely at anything thet doesn't work with that fuse out.
John.
Ok I completely disconnected the rear lights all together. Checked all the connections in the headlight and all seems ok. As soon as I turn the key the tail fuse still blows. Not sure what else to do
Not necessarily a connection. bare wire somewhere.
I took my junction box apart and discovered. A melted solder over some chipped area.
Is there a way to show pic of what I'm talking about?
I'm wondering if this is my issue.
when you take a picture of the place resize it to a decent size like 900 x ? and at the bottom of the response box see the "Attachments and other options"
it will allow you to browse and put your picture there for us to see.
Sounds like a good candidate for being responsible for your problems...
You should be able to see it bottom left side
this is the spot correct.
posting pictures is not that hard is it.....
is there some way Troll to test this or have it tested?
Yes sir that's the spot.and Here is the plug for that spot.notice the top of the top Brown wire. It was melted.
overheated wire connection and a melted solder joint...what does the other side of the circuit board look like?
Do you think this is repairable or do I have to replace it
those are all diodes. do you have a good multimeter that can check diodes?
I have one of those cheap ones from harbor freight
should work. the diodes only pass current in one direction. if they are either open (no current will pass) or shorted (pass current in either direction), they need to be replaced. Judging by what I see from the picture, the diode in question has turned itself into a piece of wire. If your meter has a diode check setting, then use that. That setting will take into account the current needed to forward bias the diode...
It reads 001 in both directions is that good? Replace what exactly? The board or the whole junction box.
I also would like to thank everyone for all your help. Without all your help I would have lost my mind by now.
No, that's not good. it should read only in one direction. Replacing the diode might be a bit of an issue...a look on eBay for a vn800 junction box might be in order...otherwise, a new one from the dealer or a parts distributor...here's a bunch of listings: http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xvn800+junction+box&_nkw=vn800+junction+box&_sacat=0
The part number tag on the box should lead you to the correct one. Check the wire connected to that circuit CAREFULLY to be sure it's not shorted somewhere...
I'll order a junction box and post back my results. Thanks again All
Hold on a minute..
the black tube things are diodes, probably 1n4006 or BY126/7 but I think the other things are fuses..so..
if you are measuring a fuse with the meter set to ohms/resistance then 001 shows the fuse is good, however if you are measuring one of the black tube things with the white stripe at the end then 001 shows a short circuit which is bad..
I do notice some fine cracks around the solder joints which should be resoldered these are sometimes called dry joints, but if you were measuring a fuse then I don't think the junction box is your problem...The badly soldered joint that you are looking at is the result of someone else doing a botched repair and unless the track has lifted away from the board is not the cause of your problem..
Look at reply number 15 from ratman, it shows the circuit for your junction box, continue using the meter set to ohms to test all the fuses until you get to the one that doesn't read 001 and that will be where the fault is..fuse number 9 is the indicator lights and I think number 3 is the ignition fuse..remove the main fuse under the seat and check that with your meter, it should also read 001.
John.
Thanx John I'll test it again once I have time and repost the results
Hello everyone. Ok I tested it again all my fuse areas reads 001 and the diode areas reads in the 600's only in one direction. So is this good or should I bite the bullet and buy a new one or is my problem elsewhere ?
Personally, I would resolder that hot spot on the board, and look over the wiring harness carefully for a spot where the wires have been damaged. If the diodes check, and the fuses are good, then the issue is somewhere else. The circuit that is giving trouble only has a few loads on it, so tracing that should be pretty easy.
As I'm looking at the diagram the wire that over heated looks like it my be the ignition switch. Could the switch blow out the tail fuse?
ok, I've looked at this a little more thoroughly and based on all your information I have come to a few conclusions...The circuit board is probably ok..The burnt parts are caused by the relay above the burn marks..As the relay contacts open and close they cause a spark to jump the gap, this gradually burns the contacts causing them to continuously arc..but none of the relays are connected to the rear light fuse...At some time it would be prudent to buy another relay and fit it to the circuit board..Any soldering should be left to a professional, electronics engineer, tv engineer, who will have good soldering/desoldering equipment and know how to use it..
The fuse blowing for the rear lights is probably another matter, you give me the impression that you have disconnected all the rear lights by unplugging the five pin connector and that the taillight fuse still blows..this is fuse number four...and the path from that fuse runs seems to run through the ignition switch and plenty of other places..I can't tell the color of the wire from the circuit on post #15 because the writing is not clear, but you can follow it from the circuit board to wherever it goes and if possible disconnect it until the fuse no longer blows..If you find the wire is visible where it passes over bare metal look closely for damaged insulation and if you find any then that will be the fault.
John.
If you look at the picture after the circuit board pictures is the wire in question which is Brown.
The taillight fuse which you are quoting as the one that blows is fuse No 4..I dont think the wire coming from the fuse is the wire that is burning up..the brown wire is the common supply for fuses 2,3,4,6 and 9..the load side of the taillight fuse is colored red with a black stripe...you should be able to trace the track from the blown fuse, one side will go to the brown wire, the other side will go to the red/black wire..If you are blowing fuse number 4 you have to follow the red/black wire until you come to the place where it shorts to the ground..if you are blowing a different fuse we have to start again.
Looking at the picture of the plug/wires the color of the wire may be red blue..it's marked as r/bl so it could be either..
John.