Perfect day to ride into work - had everything all loaded up at 5.45, finishing my coffee, turned over the bike and - sploot! - no headlight and no running lights. My knowledge of electrical gremlins is close to nil, so I'll ask this dumb question: Do fuses sometimes blow "just because"? Or could I have a short somewhere in that circuit? (although it was just fine when I rode last week and I haven't wrenched on that bike in the interim) Will check it when I get home tonight, but thought I'd see if anyone has some "don't worry" advice. :hitanykey
turned over the bike and - sploot! - no headlight and no running lights. My knowledge of electrical gremlins is close to nil, so I'll ask this dumb question: Do fuses sometimes blow "just because"?
I know even less than you about electronics. But I do know this: when I laid my bike down a couple of years ago, I couldn't even get any electrical response at all when I turned the key. The bike was 100% dead. It turned out that the simple replacing of one fusemade the whole electrical system come alive, and enabled me to ride my damaged bike home. So, I think checking your fuses would be test #1.
My experience with fuses comes from my work with highly automated robotic systems, not motrcycles.
We see fuses blow on a somewhat regular bases. Maybe once every couple of months. I would say that 50% of the time, there is no noticeable reason why they blew. This is not a direct comparison because my robot has over 100 different types of fuses and only certains ones ever go bad. Plus this system is on a totally different type of power.
However, fuses are cheap, buy a bunch and replace them first before doing anything else. If they blow again, then start with the electrical trouble shooting.
I'm pretty sure it's one of the 20 amp ones. I blew mine when messing with rear directionals. Sorry tho, can't remember which one it is. Yes, they can just blow after a long time. It doesn't necessarily mean you have a problem. Good luck.
Oops.. I don't think it was a 30 that I replaced. Must have been a 10. Sorry, my forgetter is apparently running top notch.... unless a PO replaced that one before with a 20. I better check cause I thought I remember it being blue. Definitely want to have the correct in there tho.
did you try wiggling the ignition key slightly back and forth? My ignition is extremely worn and I can put it in the wrong spot and the bike will run with no lights, or tach. I need to replace it because it will shut the bike off at random times when running down the highway. Or at stop lights. It's really embarasing too.
Turned out that Doc was on the money. Hit the starter button (inside the RH control) with CRC, buttoned it up, and no more starting by engaging the clutch! I didn't see it on the schematic, but I guess there's a relay that shuts down that particular circuit (headlamp, running lights, headlamp indicator, horn, etc.) when the starter button is engaged. Opened the circuit with the CRC and all's well. :smiley_th:
Good you found the gremlin and zapped it with a little shpray. All's well that ends well I once heard someone say. :smiley_th
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