Electrical nightmare

So... now that I'm generating electricity again I'm blowing my main fuse as soon as I start it. Could this be something I did wrong when I replaced the rectifier? Someone steer me in the right direction, I'm all out of smart ideas.
 
How do you know that its generating electricity, if it immediately blows a fuse? Does the 20 amp fuse blow immediately when you turn the key on, or does it wait until the engine starts and then blow?

Does your bike still have the original fuse panel, with the 4 glass fuses? I highly recommend you replace it with 4 blade type automotive fuse holders.
 
I had a bad rectifier that caused an equivalent of a dead short, blowing the main fuse, through the alternator's yellow wire to the starter safety relay as soon as I switched the key on.

I'm not saying it's likely to be your problem, but it is a possible scenario.
 
Forget about trying to make your trip. In doing so your are hoping it will be a quick fix which in turn means your not going to do a proper job and the chances are you'll be on the side of the road and blaming new parts or the bike when it is impatience.............

Your going nowhere fast.......Plenty of help but there is no cohesion on what your doing...........

we know nothing of the condition, how long it has been sitting, what or where it had been if it had or anything about the bike........

Your buying gear, removing and replacing without doing any testing of the loom. 17,000 miles on the clock means the bike has been used enough and that means the loom couplings/connectors are more than likely in need of a good going over.........check, clean, then check again, fix any cut or broken wires or corrosion on connectors.........make sure all earth/ground wires are removed and surfaces cleaned and have a good connection ............you do not need a charging system to check and clean all connections or even to get the bike running.............throwing parts and changing things takes you further away from the original problem because instead of solving the problem you now have no idea.

it seems to me you have a wiring problem in the loom, some lights working, others sometimes they do, then don't...............Start from one end of the bike and go through the whole loom between every connection and do a continuity test in every wire.............this will isolate switches and connectors, if the wires are good either side connect the switch/connectors, then test again..............Maybe a new loom could be in the works, but you won't know till you TEST and TEST and TEST.

There are some very knowledgeable people helping in this thread, you need to listen and answer any questions, if you don't answer them then the help will dry up. Yea some will stay and help but for the most part you will loose those that can help you the best.

You have come on here for help so help those that do by asking questions before buying parts or changing things around..............

help us to help you........
 
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The trip has long past. And I have been working through the connections as I have had time. I haven't thrown parts in with fingers crossed, I'm to cheep for that. The two parts I have replaced tested bad as I have worked my way threw the bike. If I'm forgetting to answer any questions my apologies, all the knowledgeable help of more then appreciated. Bike runs on points and has not been tampered with at all. All original parts until I have had this charging issue.
 
You really need to go through the whole wiring harness, cleaning all the connections and repairing any rubbed bare wires. These bikes pretty much require it. I did it to mine before I even started riding it. I found probably near a half dozen rubbed bare wires, shorts just waiting to happen. I've been rewarded with (knock on wood, lol) nearly a dozen years of trouble-free electrical operation. I've burned out a few light bulbs is all, but I think that's probably normal given the way this bike vibrates.
 
Mark Jensen.... quick question have you had the headlight bucket apart while this has been going on ?
or is it buttoned up as it originally was ?
this is important because many many times the wires in the headlight bucket get plugged in wrong
and it makes everything else work screwie ! to boot !
.....from what I get from re reading this thread again is that you've now replaced the rectifier, you are generating a magnetic field ( slap test)
your brushes are long enough to work....
but it blows the main 20amp fuze when you turn the key on....
is this about the low-down as to what has gone on ?
.....
Bob.......
 
Cut and paste from above:

How do you know that its generating electricity, if it immediately blows a fuse? Does the 20 amp fuse blow immediately when you turn the key on, or does it wait until the engine starts and then blow?

Does your bike still have the original fuse panel, with the 4 glass fuses? I highly recommend you replace it with 4 blade type automotive fuse holders.
 
Thank you gentleman for your continued interest. I did replace the old glass fuses. And the headlight has been off the entire time as I'm working through the wires. I know I'm generating because I unplugged the stator terminal and took a reading. I've looked over the entire wiring harnes and so no visable issues. Today I'm chasing the sky blue wire that goes to the neutral light from the stator harnes because that light as the head light are not working. I'm working of the wiring diagram below. Full disclosure, I can wrench on anything. But electrical typically goes over my head.
IMG_0415.JPG
image.jpg
 
Electrical work isn't that difficult but you have to be pretty methodical about it. You're not doing that. You were told what to do in the very first reply to this thread. As it is, you're just playing "whack-a-mole" and will probably continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Good luck with your project.
 
Mark, it seems like you have more than a few Gremlins. Have you gone through every connector on the bike? Clean, shiney, tight? Have you done continuity tests on every wire in the harness? With all those various intermittent problems, I'd concentrate on the common denominator first; the harness and all its connections.
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@DanielBlack, short answer no. I have tested the ones I have easy access to, others are completely buried. I just pulled the head light off and am about to test those. I'm a little concerned that I have a host of new issues after reinstalling a working rectifier. Do the three white wires coming off the rectifier and going to the stator need to be in a specific sequence?? The witting guide didn't say so.
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I have a multi meter from Harbor Fright, but have not done to much testing after the new rectifier has been installed. I really wanted to take this on vacation with me next week, not sure she will be trustworthy by then.
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Welp charged the battery, installed it, meter had it at 12.8. Started the bike let it warm up for a second, rev'd it up and the volts went down, let off the gas and it went back to 12.5. My concern is I have a more problems after installing the rectifier, I've lost continuity in my headlight, left blinker and neutral light, god knows what else,
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Luckily the previous owner didn't do anything to the bike. It only has about 17,000mi on it. I'm curently looking at a wiring diagram, and formularizing myself with it. I will definitely check the slip rings when I get back from vacation. God Bless America.
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2.5 OHM on the rotor, think I found the major problem gentlemen. I know I have a couple other bugs to stomp out, but found my major issue.
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Ordered rotor and puller from Mikes XS. Just put them in and still getting about 12.8 when rev'ed up. I know the rotor was no good and I know the rectifier was no good. I guess I need to keep crossing things off the list. Any suggestions on what I should be looking at next?
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Completely failed the slap test. I tested the rotor before it went in and it was good.
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So... now that I'm generating electricity again I'm blowing my main fuse as soon as I start it. Could this be something I did wrong when I replaced the rectifier? Someone steer me in the right direction, I'm all out of smart ideas.
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The trip has long past. And I have been working through the connections as I have had time. I haven't thrown parts in with fingers crossed, I'm to cheep for that. The two parts I have replaced tested bad as I have worked my way threw the bike. If I'm forgetting to answer any questions my apologies, all the knowledgeable help of more then appreciated. Bike runs on points and has not been tampered with at all. All original parts until I have had this charging issue.

Not trying to be a dick...............making the point..............following good advice is paramount to sorting out this issue...........repeatedly advice has been given on where to start.

By trying to fix the charging system and running power through the loom, (before doing a complete loom and switch analysis), it has highlighted the real problem. Where that is??????..........the biggest concern now is...........has this caused any wires to heat up and become brittle...........has this now exasperated the problem to now include other wires........................Loom............Continuity test without power turned on................

read through the highlighted comments.........look at the context of what i am saying........and think about it.
 
No it warms up first then blows. And like I said earlier I'm working threw the wires one at a time.... ruling things out.... being methodical... yes the bike is off as I'm doing this. Jeez guys. I was told what to do from the first reply... and I've been doing that, from the beginning, I guess I didn't make that clear. Are you all saying I should not have replaced the rotor that was reading 2.1ohms, or the rectifier that was green and also tested bad. Bolth things I found,..... working my way threw the wiring harnes? I don't mean to be a dick, but I'm not playing "whack a mole", I'm just new to this and was looking for a little guidance, and found it. I'll keep methodically working my way threw the bike, one loop at a time. Thanks again for all the help gentlemen.
 
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You need to isolate parts of the loads on the bike as a test.
Start with a fully charged battery.
Test #1; Unplug the regulator and then start the engine and see if the 20 amp fuse no longer blows.
if the fuse blows, replace with a new fuse, plug the regulator back in and try test #2

Test #2; Unplug the tail/brake light and leave it out. Start the engine and see if the 20 amp fuse blows.
 
You need to isolate parts of the loads on the bike as a test.
Start with a fully charged battery.
Test #1; Unplug the regulator and then start the engine and see if the 20 amp fuse no longer blows.
if the fuse blows, replace with a new fuse, plug the regulator back in and try test #2

Test #2; Unplug the tail/brake light and leave it out. Start the engine and see if the 20 amp fuse blows.
Unplugged the regulator and it didn't blow.
 
OK well progress is being made. Now that the fuse does not blow with the reg removed, means the short circuit is either in the regulator, the rotor or the associated wiring.
You can now remove the green wire from the left outer brush. Plug-in the regulator so it can be tested by itself. The charging system will not charge for this test, but the battery will send current to the regulator. Start the engine and see if the 20 amp fuse blows or not.
If the fuse blows, then you need a new regulator. If the fuse does not blow, then the rotor becomes the suspect. Do resistance checks of the rotor winding......................slip ring to slip ring, and slip ring to rotor frame.
 
Your brushes may be long enough but the springs may be weak. Springs get weak from being under tension more than age.
Weak springs won't push the brushes against the rotor very swell and cause a poor connection. New brushes are not that expensive.
Your headlight won't come on until you get the charging system working. The headlight gets power through the safety relay only while the engine is running. The safety relay gets tripped by power coming from the stator on the yellow wire. If the stator is not making power then none can go to the safety relay to trip it.
I agree with others that inspecting, cleaning and tightening every connection in your wiring is a good step. This can fix many problems.
I would suggest you get the charging system fixed first, then move on to other things.
The turn signals draw a lot of power, more than any other system. If any of those connections are poor then the signals won't work. They draw enough power they may not work well unless the engine is running and the charging system is making enough power to run them.
Leo
 
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