Lost Electrical?

[jamezgreen]

Hello, newbie here. Had my 250 just a few months have just run into an interesting problem. Noticied today all devices on the left handlebar are dead (headlight, turn signals and horn) What could this be??. Battery seems fine holding 13V. Starts and runs fine, wiring looks good from what I can tell. Is there a fuse somewhere that might have tripped? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

James

[patrick_777]

Check all the fuses in the side and under the seat (just pull the box out directly to access them).

[jamezgreen]

Pulled off the seat and sure enough almost ALL the fuses were blown. I put in the spares turned the key on and...... they popped right away. Bummer. I have a little voltmeter, anyone have tips on what's next? Am I gonna have to go on an ugly hunt for a hidden short somewhere?

James

[alantf]

Hi there,
Try the obvious first. Go over the cable coming from the left switch, & see if there's any damage. Could be that the cable's been caught. Not saying that it IS the problem, just that it's a starting point. It once happened on a car of mine when the wiring harness got cut through where it passed the radiator, due to friction. :2tup:

[Sarris]

Check at the steering head on the left side. There is a square metal hoop that retains the wiring harness. It is a notorious chaffing point for the passing wires.

Mine was rubbing through, so I reinforced it with a black loom cover.

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by jamezgreen

Am I gonna have to go on an ugly hunt for a hidden short somewhere?

Good advice you got already so I'll just say it in a slightly different way.

The three things that are failing likely don't have anything in common EXCEPT at or near the left handle bar. The wires likely share a common sleeve going down to near the steering head and then branch out to the various destinations.

So it's likely that your search will only take you along 30 inches or so of wiring and most of it will be easy to see and get to. You might have to take the switch housing apart though. I think someone reported having a wire in there pinched to the bar; would seem a little strange to have 3 of them ALL pinched.......but I guess it is a little unusual regardless of where the short IS.

Good luck!

[Water Warrior 2]

Also check to see if the gas tank has been installed with any wiring caught under it and rubbed through at some point.

[5th_bike]

When I got my bike, a wire touched the cylinder head every now and then, blowing 2 fuses. I'd check under the tank first.

[jamezgreen]

Thanks for all the good feedback. I've searched all the wiring I can get to easily and don't see any wiring even remotely chaffed. It does travel right under the tank though. That's my next check. Need to find a 'how to' on the tank removal hopefully not to involved....

[mrlmd1]

Remove the seat, undo the screw holding down the rear end, slide it back and it comes right off. Takes 30 sec.
You may be able to look under it at the wiring without removing all the fuel petcock hoses if there's enough slack.