Blowing fuses and strange electrical gremlins

[Guest]

It started a few weeks ago, I was coming home from work on the freeway, downshifted to make a pass and suddenly my dash lights went out. No tail light, signals or dash lights but my headlight is still on and the bike is running. I make it close to home and pull off to check the fuse box. The accessory fuse is blown. I replace it with one of the stock spares and still nada, no signals, etc.

When I'm almost home all of the sudden the lights come back on and stay on for a few blocks then they cut out again. I replace the fuse with a new one and everything comes back on. I checked every connection and wire and nothing was burnt or frayed.

Now a couple days ago, I finished my carbs and went to take the bike for a test ride. It ran just fine doing the carb sync... I take off and make it a block where I slow down for a stop sign and I lose all power. I pull off to the side, the main fuse is blown. I replace it and continue around the block, I stop at another stop sign with no issue. I'm heading up the hill coming to another sign and it loses power again. I replace the blown main fuse again and make it home with no issue.

What the heck? I don't think it's tied to the signals or tail light directly because I can test them as much as I want and it doesn't blow anything but it'll just do it randomly. Why when it first had issues, why did it have no power with a new (spare in the fuse box) then it came on again, and then blew? The fuse box has clean connections and no cracks. I did put in new signals recently but I checked those wires and they're good. My compufire isn't over charging. I checked all the grounds and they're good. I swear I've checked every wire and connection multiple times and nothing is jumping out at me.

Any ideas?

[Toasty]

I managed to find a bad connector (wire nearly pulled out of a crimp) and fixed that. I took it for a ride and it didn't blow the main fuse right away but it popped the signal fuse again. I already checked the hand controls but there's something funky... I just need to follow the Orange/green wire and find it...

[daturat100r]

spent my whole wednesday pulling my gs apart trying to track short,exactly the same as yours,finally found it .had bolted horn back on and the live feed to the hornwas rubbing on frame and chaffer thru insulation around the terminal.Power is fed to accessories full time and the button or switch just completes the circuit.Twisted horn around in its mounts and a bit of amalgamating tape to replace insulation and all good.Just have to be more careful bolting things back together and not be in such a hurry when a woman invites you out.LOL

[Eli69]

the tail light wires on some L's go under the rear fender. the tire may rub on them and cause an intermittent short. i'd check that.

[Toasty]

I checked those and they're good. I may have found the culprit but it doesn't make much sense.

In the headlight bucket connected to one of the plugs (red, orange, grey and brown wires) there's a little blue plastic bridge. It was clamped onto the red and brown wires and the metal teeth bite into the wires and bridge them together. I remember seeing it loose and open when I first opened the headlight (after the freeway fuse problem) so I took it off.

I tried to put it back on and clamp it to see if that's the issue but when I do the rear tail light is constantly on... Even with the key turned off. What the heck? How is this thing supposed to be put on?

Here's the pics, ignore the greasy hands lol

[Eric]

I have no idea why anyone would bridge those two wires. That looks to be the wiring going to the ignition switch. The red would be unswitched power coming from the battery and the brown is the taillight (for the parking light position on the switch). My guess is that a PO installed an accessory to one of the wires, and it has since been removed. If that bridge came in contact with a ground, it would blow a fuse. If it were me, I'd remove it and wrap the wires in electrical tape, than see if everything functions normally.