Gents,
I'm in need of some assistance.
I'm in Stugis enjoying the riding...until the fuse for the tail/brake light blows. I've replaced the fuse, checked the brake and all is well. As soon as i start the bike and apply the brake, it blows. I've checked connections in the headlight bucket and fender connection...nothing obvious.
Any suggestions are appreciated.
Disconnect the wires at the front brake light switch and check to see if it stills blows the fuse. Check the wires at the front brake switch CAREFULLY, I know I have pinched them once or twice when I reassembled the switch housing after lubing the throttle cables....
Thanks for the replies.
Here is what i found this morning.
Turned key on...lights ok
Started bike, without touching the brake...fuse blown within a few seconds.
Disconnected rear lights at the fender...fuse blown as soon as ignition is turned on.
Going to get more fuses.
Spent a few hours connecting and disconnecting wires on the tail/brake light circuit...no luck. It blows the fuse as soon as the ignition is turned on. Feels like I'm chasing my tail.
I guess there will be no riding at night.
Never been tampered with...or it doesn't look that way.
Thanks for the reply.
ok so let us see if we are on the right page:
You have checked the wires like Troll suggested,
You have disconnected the wires at the fender, fuse still blows;
So has to be a ground someplace in the section between the battery and the harness. I can not think of anything else.
Yes it seems as though we're on the same page.
Strange problem...could be anywhere from the rear fender connection to the headlight bucket.
But what has me really confused is how progressive it is. Yesterday it was fine until i engaged either brake. Then the fuse would blow.
This morning it was fine until i started the engine. Then the fuse would blow.
Now the fuse blows when i turn the ignition on.
Thanks for the reply.
sounds like you have a wire pinched-- as it gets more pinched, the draw gets higher, which blows the fuse quicker. Try moving your wires around everywhere you can get to them, to see if you can wiggle some place away from where ever it is shorting out. If you had a volt meter, you could check it with the meter intermittently after wiggling instead of sacrificing another fuse each time.
That makes sense.
10 fuses lol...will look again in the morning.
Thanks for the reply.
I don't believe Drifters can be hot-wired, something to do with a resistor in the switch block and the CPU detects if this has been bypassed and won't fire the plugs.
Think I read it on this forum.
Quote from: drifter-paul on August 09, 2016, 02:44:15 AM
I don't believe Drifters can be hot-wired, something to do with a resistor in the switch block and the CPU detects if this has been bypassed and won't fire the plugs.
Think I read it on this forum.
Ok...thanks
Tj find a local place that sells fuses and buy a whole hockey sock full of them and help stimulate the US economy. They might need a lot of help once the wall is built. Oh crap hope you are home before the wall is built. We will not be letting a lot of people in once it goes up.
You might also try removing the bulbs from the circuit that's blowing and use an ohm-meter to trace that there's no continuity to ground on the hot side. Isolate each length of wire to do this. Also, it could even be a shorted light socket.
Check the area on the right frame down tube with all the wiring bundled together. Possible pinch point.
Quote from: DC on August 09, 2016, 11:09:45 AM
You might also try removing the bulbs from the circuit that's blowing and use an ohm-meter to trace that there's no continuity to ground on the hot side. Isolate each length of wire to do this. Also, it could even be a shorted light socket.
I think a shorted light socket is a definite potential issue. I know I had that issue.
Quote from: Zoar on August 09, 2016, 12:23:35 PM
I think a shorted light socket is a definite potential issue. I know I had that issue.
It can't be the rear because when I disconnect the rear lights at the fender the fuse still blows.
The 2 running lights in the turn signal housing have been disconnected. That power and ground are in the headlight bucket, used for the light bar and those connections are good. I even disconnected the light bar and the fuse still blows.
A pinched wire makes the most sense to me. Couldn't find it this morning...will look again tonight.
Thanks for replying.
Quote from: tj on August 09, 2016, 13:06:00 PM
It can't be the rear because when I disconnect the rear lights at the fender the fuse still blows.
The 2 running lights in the turn signal housing have been disconnected. That power and ground are in the headlight bucket, used for the light bar and those connections are good. I even disconnected the light bar and the fuse still blows.
A pinched wire makes the most sense to me. Couldn't find it this morning...will look again tonight.
Thanks for replying.
Yes by disconnecting the light socket you eliminated that fair and square.
Looks like grounded /pinched wire. I hate those. I have a similar situation happening in another application. Hard to find.
Quote from: Troll on August 09, 2016, 12:05:34 PM
Check the area on the right frame down tube with all the wiring bundled together. Possible pinch point.
Looks ok there...nothing obvious.
Thanks for replying.
Checked junction box the other morning, nothing obvious there.
Thanks for the reply.
Gents thanks for all the replies!
We're heading home now. I will sort it out when i get home and post what i found.
By the way the drifter was a hit at the rally...lots of great feedback.
Cheers
Quote from: tj on August 10, 2016, 22:11:28 PM
Gents thanks for all the replies!
We're heading home now. I will sort it out when i get home and post what i found.
By the way the drifter was a hit at the rally...lots of great feedback.
Cheers
They were just humoring you. I bet they had someone sew up a Drifter Voodo Doll and some long needles..... ;)
Just funnin' ya.
Yes, the Drifter does get a lot of admiration everywhere it goes.
I hope you get things sorted out on this tj, once you get home.
ok so you trailer ed from Waterloo down? So was not an issue to go home then just rotten you could not really ride down there....
Ok gents, arrived home safe and sound. 6000kms round trip!
I found the issue...the power wire going to the headlight bucket was pinched. Wish I would have found it sooner. Easy fix. Did some rewiring anyway.
Quote from: CDNRatMan on August 11, 2016, 13:02:41 PM
ok so you trailer ed from Waterloo down? So was not an issue to go home then just rotten you could not really ride down there....
lol...trailer, no. had to get one of those "i rode mine" stickers for my lid!
thanks again to everyone who replied!
cheers.
Glad to hear that you made it back safe and found the problem. Any pics of the Drifter loaded up for the trip?
ok so you are on my list now as a non trailer boy....lol........
so you are home and the problem is solved, where did you cross the line coming back? I crossed over at Pembina just south of Winnipeg and it was super easy. Really nice people to deal with.
Quote from: tj on August 15, 2016, 16:33:31 PM
Ok gents, arrived home safe and sound. 6000kms round trip!
I found the issue...the power wire going to the headlight bucket was pinched. Wish I would have found it sooner. Easy fix. Did some rewiring anyway.
lol...trailer, no. had to get one of those "i rode mine" stickers for my lid!
thanks again to everyone who replied!
cheers.
Great news, TJ. Can you share with us exactly what was pinching the wire? Might be good for someone to learn the easy way... ;D
Quote from: Old Drifter on August 15, 2016, 18:00:47 PM
Glad to hear that you made it back safe and found the problem. Any pics of the Drifter loaded up for the trip?
that's loaded up for 10 days lol...
i didn't pack much. laundry was available at the hotel. so i brought enough underwear, socks and t-shirts for 5 days. 1 pr of jeans and rain gear.
kinda of a funny story at the hotel housekeeping decided to throw out my dirty laundry (it was in a clear bag on the floor). they found it the next day and laundered it for me.
Quote from: CDNRatMan on August 15, 2016, 18:23:03 PM
ok so you are on my list now as a non trailer boy....lol........
so you are home and the problem is solved, where did you cross the line coming back? I crossed over at Pembina just south of Winnipeg and it was super easy. Really nice people to deal with.
we crossed both times at Port Huron/Sarnia...no issues.
Quote from: tj on August 16, 2016, 08:14:26 AM
at the hotel housekeeping decided to throw out my dirty laundry.
That's the fastest way to keep stuff clean... ;)
Quote from: greenbarn on August 15, 2016, 20:33:37 PM
Great news, TJ. Can you share with us exactly what was pinching the wire? Might be good for someone to learn the easy way... ;D
The headlight bucket was rubbing against the inbound power wire for the driving lights. it was on the same circuit as the running/tail circuit.
I've changed the wiring around a bit. The driving lights are now on the acc circuit attached to a toggle switch. The acc circuit is always "on". The indian light is on the running/tail circuit with it's 1st connection on an independent lower rated fuse.
Hope that's helpful to someone.
Great to know this. Glad you finally got it worked out.
Quote from: tj on August 16, 2016, 08:14:26 AM
that's loaded up for 10 days lol...
i didn't pack much. laundry was available at the hotel. so i brought enough underwear, socks and t-shirts for 5 days. 1 pr of jeans and rain gear.
kinda of a funny story at the hotel housekeeping decided to throw out my dirty laundry (it was in a clear bag on the floor). they found it the next day and laundered it for me.
Wow, you do travel light! I'm used to having two saddlebags and a trunk and still think I'm forgetting something...LOL.