UPDATE on elec gremlins

[Hocky]

UPDATE: couldn't find my original post. ELECTRICAL ISSUE:

2003GL1800 w/ 2004 Roadsmith Kit no added elec access since 2016

Recently had bike apart to repair reverse, reverse module motor & cables replaced. All was well until a no start & no elec power at all occurred, battery, relays, fuses all good.

After flat bedded to shop it started immediately. Took it home, next day no start-no elec power, battery tested (questionable) & replaced, flat bedded to shop, it started immediately, I left it at the shop.

FINDINGS:no elec power to anything but when checking (+) batt termto accessory or anyattached chrome, it showed3-4 volts running thru, battery still showed 12.7 volts(+ to – terminal)?? Butagain, no power to anything.

*** When 3-4 volts show at shell or chrome of the accessory the bike (nopower) to anything won't start.

UPDATE:Fuse box removed, all clean & tight. Fuel tank removed & main ground cleaned & tightened, some corrosion showed but not much.

NOW IT STARTS AGAIN?

Anysuggestions would be appreciated.

[Jack Klarich]

A fully charged battery means nothing unless ALL connections are known to be clean and tight

I would guess you lost power temporary thru corrosion and loose connections

This is a hard lesson for us all, we tend to take this for granted

Best of luck to you this season

[Hocky]

Thanks very much for keeping in touch. Yea, major ground bus under fuel tank baffles had some corrosion. Dash & more plastic plus tank had to come off. Well it is a 2003 even if it only has 18K on the clock. But I have a great story since the 1st flat-bed had to come to the Cemetery between Military Funerals.........

Thx again, be safe out there!

[Jack Klarich]

If you have skills, add another ground cable from the battery to the frame, get the frame scraped to bare metal and use 1 of these ground washers

[Hocky]

Newest (sad) Update:

---

Hi, well bikes home again. I was testing the little fused harness attached to the battery when I felt a small jolt of electricity when my knee touched a chrome cover at the bottom of the bike? Thought it was a mosquito bite so I checked further to find there is continuity thru the chrome attached to the bike and the positive terminal. Doesn't seem right? Previous owner added accessory lights to existing wiring. Several 18 or 20 ga wires. All the accessories are attached to the fuse box. Only the battery maintainer is attached directly to the battery. ??? Here we go again!

[Gold Rush]

Newest (sad) Update:

---

Hi, well bikes home again. I was testing the little fused harness attached to the battery when I felt a small jolt of electricity when my knee touched a chrome cover at the bottom of the bike? Thought it was a mosquito bite so I checked further to find there is continuity thru the chrome attached to the bike and the positive terminal. Doesn't seem right? Previous owner added accessory lights to existing wiring. Several 18 or 20 ga wires. All the accessories are attached to the fuse box. Only the battery maintainer is attached directly to the battery. ??? Here we go again!

Not surprising at all. The Chrome is probably at ground (negative) potential so you were in essence touching the negative and positive battery terminals and the same time. Could get a little tingle doing that..

[MDO]

Newest (sad) Update:

---

Hi, well bikes home again. I was testing the little fused harness attached to the battery when I felt a small jolt of electricity when my knee touched a chrome cover at the bottom of the bike? Thought it was a mosquito bite so I checked further to find there is continuity thru the chrome attached to the bike and the positive terminal. Doesn't seem right? Previous owner added accessory lights to existing wiring. Several 18 or 20 ga wires. All the accessories are attached to the fuse box. Only the battery maintainer is attached directly to the battery. ??? Here we go again!

You have a short to ground. Somewhere a positive (+ red) connection is shorting out. Check all your positive connections.

If you don't see anything obvious, start with your main one from the battery & isolate the rest, then you can add them one at a time. A good place to start would be the non-factory stuff you said the other guy added.

[Jack Klarich]

Sounds like you became the earth ground

Try the added battery ground, see how that works

You should not get a shock from your bike

Electricity is a funny animal

My dad, taught me most of my early mechanical skills, First lesson Yup The Battery and grounds

He always said, if you don't have good grounds ALL bets are off

I have seen some strange things happen because of bad or corroded grounds

Best of luck, I will be watching and try to help if I can

[Sidecarbill]

Sounds normal to me everything thats touching the frame is grounded. Whats the problem you were trying to find at that time?

[Jack Klarich]

You have a short to ground. Somewhere a positive (+ red) connection is shorting out. Check all your positive connections.

If you don't see anything obvious, start with your main one from the battery & isolate the rest, then you can add them one at a time. A good place to start would be the non-factory stuff you said the other guy added.

Michael has good info here, I would add Pull the fuses 1 at a time and or circuit breaklers, this may narrow down your search to a single circuit being the problem

[Sidecarbill]

Its normal you can't short positive to ground without blowing a fuse or smokin a wire.

[Jack Klarich]

Its normal you can't short positive to ground without blowing a fuse or smokin a wire.

Most often yeah, it can depend on the load of the circuit

Some things run in the background with less than battery voltage But your are correct on a Dead Short Sparks Should fly or wires will smoke and start a fire Some times I hate chasing lectric problems it can be a real PIT- you know what

Seems to me there was a 3-4 volt draw before on this bike I am wondering if maybe it is tied to a radio ( memory or clock- presets in the memory) maybe something new recently wired in?

[Hocky]

Thanks all! Isolate is the best logical step. Will do. At least it's running good & strong.

[Hocky]

Finally, all is good. Happy again! Found a bare wire touching the accessory chrome! TIME TO RIDE! Thanks everyone for the advice and staying with my adventure!

[David357]

Finally, all is good. Happy again! Found a bare wire touching the accessory chrome! TIME TO RIDE! Thanks everyone for the advice and staying with my adventure!

Great thread Hocky and everyone who participated.

I am glad that everything has worked out for you.

Now its time to enjoy the ride.

[Jack Klarich]

Good deal, you stuck with it and got it done

[TwoBye]

Glad you got it figured out. I have a very good friend who is a retired master technician and absolutely loves electrical problems and I have yet to see him work on one that took longer than 15 minutes to locate and have a solution worked out. He wired up all my accessories and fused every one. He also wired up my custom made rear bumper which has lots of LED lights and a "wing" in the center which is a running light, a brake light and turn signals. Probably used 30' of wire in just that bumper but it has been on now for several years and everything still functions as it did on day one.

[Jack Klarich]

The can bus systems are going to pose new problems IMO running lower voltage signals

Get your volt and ohm meters revved up

[hogcowboy]

I hate electrical gremlins. Certainly glad you found yours and wasn't something major.

[Hocky]

Good to have these in common with you!

American Legion Rider Post 277 Boca Raton & Florida Patriot Guard Rider

Thanks, safe rides!!!!!!!