What the HELL happened? Update!

[Anonymous]

Remember the dead electrical system? I got it figured out, if not fixed yet. Thanks to those who pointed me at the main fuse. The fuse itself is OK, but the fuseblock/holder has a problem.

I started by checking for continuity on the main fuse, as suggested. As soon as I touched the main fuse with the probe, the headlight and everything else came on. I then figured I would wiggle the fuse to see if it was just corroded.

The hot end of the fuse was fine, but the system end was blistering hot. I am going to give the holder a good scrubbing with a brass or stainless brush to see if it is just corroded (doesn't look that bad, though), but I'm afraid I am going to end up digging into, or even replacing, the fuseblock.

At least I can ride it, as I know what to do if it happens again.

[Anonymous]

If the fuse housing or anything like that was hot, you should NOT run the bike and should go buy a new fuse holder and fuse. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. A hot wire indicates one of two things: overcurrent (but the fuse didn't blow, so that's not it) or broken conductors. Your connector wire is broken inside, causing arcing, like an arc welder. Very hot. And if you keep doing that, you will set your bike on fire at 75 MPH and may very well kill yourself.

Sorry to put it so strongly, but as King Arthur might say, "You're in grave peril."

Good luck.

Michael

[Anonymous]

Heat in an electrical system indicates resistance. The fuseholder should have very little resistance - in the milliohms. You can cleck the resistance through the hot end of the wire with a multimeter. Pull on the wire a bit and move it around to see if it is broken, You might also resolder the connections. Clean it like you said and if it still gets hot replace it.

[Anonymous]

Fear not mopolopo, I don't plan on riding it, as is (I'm a stickler for doing things right). It's not arcing, just high resistance. I touched it with a probe and it started working again, so it's not an internally broken wire (saw enough of those when I was chasing wires on 40ft flatbed semi-trailers to spot that),it's in the fuseholder/fuseblock. I think it the fuseholder itself is either not tight enough, has a bad crimp, corroded crimp, or cold solder joint. It's on the fused side of the block too, so the fuse will blow instead of it burning something up. If it was the hot side, I'd be REALLY worried. I need to check the fuse to see if some dork put too hot a fuse in it, too...didn't think of that until just now.

The point was that it stranded me away from home with no other transpo. Had I know then what I know now, I could have just wiggled that fuse and ridden it home, instead of having to call a co-worker for an unsuccessful jump-start, leaving it overnight, and then having to hot wire it with a piece of #12 flex wire left over from the three-phase wiring on the museum's big lathe to get back to the house where I could deduce what was wrong. Some others had mentioned that they had similar experiences, so I thought this might save somebody else a little trouble.

I'm going to pull off the fuseblock this weekend and see what the real trouble is. I'll just put a new (more likely junkyard) block on it if I have to.

[argonsagas]

Got milk?


No?


How about an X-acto set?

If you need to open the fuse box, get an X-acto set. Look at the box before beginning. Is it melted or is it normal? .


To open it, use the curved scrolling blade.....looks like 75% of an S


Stroke the box repeatedly along its seams until you get separation.

Split the box and write down location of EVERYTHING. DRAW IT!

You will almost certainly find very dirty connectors and this is what is causing your resistance, and higher amperage draw. Clean every connection.

Use a wire brush (preferably brass wires) to clean the contacts completely. You now need an electrically-inert coating. Ask at your local automotive store for one.

Coat the brass parts and reapply the connectors. Make certain all connecting blades fit in their marked positions. Close the fuse box carefully. Glue it shut and you are ready to re-install.

[Anonymous]

Thanks argon! I actually have about every tool know to man between my little home shop and the enormous collection of goodies at the museum. I'm sure I have an adequate edged weapon to wield on that fusebox. I also have some stuff to clean and prevent corrosion if the connectors turn out to be skanky. Would be really nice if I didn't have to resort to surgery. I HATE electrical problems.

[Anonymous]

OK, it's not as bad as I had feared, but it's as bad as I really expected. The whole problem was a broken fuseholder. The fused end of the holder was cracked and only held itself in place because it was in the block. When I pushed in on it to check it with the probe, it tightened up and made contact. Vibration has apparently fatigued the brass to the point of fracture.

I did not have to cut the box open. There are four toothed plastic pins that hold the back on. You only have to work them a little with a small screwdriver and they pop right out. Once I got the back off and could see the cracked part inside, I grabbed the broken side of the holder with needle nose pliers and it practically fell out of the holder. I'm out of commission until I can get this fixed.

NOW!! Anybody got an 80 850L parts bike with a good fuseblock? There are just two connections, a square plug and the hot wire, and it is off. The other option would be to run an inline fuseholder to replace the bad holder. That would mean kind funking up the system, though. I'd rather just put another block in it and be done with it.

[Anonymous]

Hehe. It's funny to think that I just had the fuse holder problem too. I didn't lose all power, but I burnt out two fuses realizing that my starter relay was shorting... But when I went to replace the fuse, I found that the holder was hot. I have merely an inline fuse, so I just went to the auto parts store and bought a 30A rated fuse holder and some bullet connectors. A couple crimps later I had a drop-in replacement.

Maybe everyone should check their fuse holder..?

Glad it's working out for you. Best of luck finding a replacement part. I saw in another post that you'd rather be skinned alive than fuss with electrics. I hope it doesn't come to that!!! 8)

Good luck!

Michael

[Anonymous]

If it's only one of the fuse holders and the rest of the block is okay, why don't you just buy an in-line fuse holder and by-pass the block for that one fuse. Seems to be the easiest fix to me.

[Anonymous]

I already have the new inline holder ($1.94 at Wal Mart). I guess I have been working on airplanes too long. I want it fixed RIGHT. The inline, to me just looks bad. I wouldn't buy a bike with an inline fuseholder spliced into the wiring harness to replace the broken main fuseholder (would indicate electrical problems immediately... we all know my feelings on electrical problems). I'm going to splice it just to get it running, but I'm also going to keep my eyes out for a new block, if I can possibly get one.

Mopolopo, my distaste of electrical problems comes from a 68 VW Bug, a 71 VW Squareback, a couple of Dodge vans, a 65 MGB (anybody need one?), and about a year stint as a truck mechanic, the majority of which I spent chasing bad grounds and broken wires on 40ft flatbed trailers. Man, I hated that crap. Gimme mechanical problems over electrical any day.

[Anonymous]

But now you work at a museum... so what do you do there? Curator of mechanical problems?

Michael

[Anonymous]

hahahah! Never thought of it that way, but you're not far from right! I supervise the restoration crew (all volunteers), I am the educational program creator/instructor (I am thus also the primary tour guide), retriever of any aircraft that will fit on a small trailer and/or pickup, crane operator, welder, carpenter, machinist, cashier/ticket clerk (Sunday only), I do the computers, I write the signage text for the exhibits, etc...etc...etc... my job basically defies definition. I never slow down, but I absolutely love it.

I did a LOT of the actual restoration work at first, but that is what the vlounteers really want to do, so now I let them work on the airplanes. I keep all the shop tools working and refurbish new ones that are given to us (I have assembled a KILLER machine shop). I also make any airplane parts that are missing. We buy almost nothing. I still get to help out on the planes when the volunteers get stumped or need extra hands, but I try to let them learn by doing, as I did.

Of all the things my job is, it is never boring. The best part is that I almost NEVER do the same thing two days in a row.

[argonsagas]

Glad to hear you got it resolved. I also agree with the appearance needs.....but I can accept a compromise in this case.

My GS1100GK HAD to had a transplant, but I could not buy a match for the regulator/rectifier, so I had to fake it with a Honda unit that is not even a close physical match.

It took some soldeering to make it work, 8O 8O and a some additional metal stays, but it works.......and it is still there

[redliner1973]

I am not for 100% sure, but I understand the regulator for a honda 450 will work and bolt right in place of the 'GK. the only things were the plug is different and an extra wire that must be hooked up to a 12v source when the ignition is on. :twisted: