Need some electrical help..........

[DragonRider]

Having an electrical problem on my 93 Venture trike. Went out to start it and low battery. Hooked up my battery booster to start it. When I did the bike started cranking by itself without the key. Then I noticed my computer wasnt showing anything, fuel, battery nothing, it was illuminated only, tach wasnt working, turn signals werent working, no horn, no brake lights. I found a blown fuse for the signals but when I replaced it, it would blow as soon as I turned the key on. Also the hot wire leading to my fuse block was getting hot. I noticed when I disconnected the battery I would get a small spark, which I believe is indicating I have a short some where, but where should I start. Should I dissconnect all my asscessories from the battery and start from scratch?

 

 

[videoarizona]

1st guess would be the start switch is dirty and sticking... That would explain the auto crank all by itself.

Lots of electrical stuff goes through that switch. Spray some contact cleaner for a temp fix...

 

2nd guess is I had a horn wire grounding... Blowing the signal fuse. So yes... Look for a wire grounding.

[Woody]

what circuit does the blown fuse circuit feed?

[MiCarl]

Several things:

 

 

1. The audio system will draw a small amount of power with the key off, maybe enough to see a small spark when you connect the battery.
   
2. The most likely reason for it to crank with the key off is a stuck starter solenoid.
   
3. Disconnecting everything and adding back one at a time is about the best method to track down problems of the sort you're experiencing.
   

 

I would start by fully charging the battery (trying to use a boost box with the tight space available will just slow you down).

 

I would disconnect any aftermarket accessory connected to the battery and pull all the fuses. Unplug the starter relay from the wiring harness. If you don't know where/what the starter relay is you can follow the heavier battery (+) lead to it. It's got a pig tail with 2 wires that connect to the wiring harness.

 

Connect your charged battery. If you get a shower of sparks and the engine cranks you know the starter relay is bad. If you don't get sparks or cranking check the battery with a multi-meter to make sure the battery isn't dead. If you've got 12V or more and it's not cranking you can move on.

 

Plug the starter relay into the harness. If it starts cranking you've got a major wiring issue. You'll have to start pulling things apart looking for burned or melted wiring.

 

Install the main fuse if you pulled it (odds are you didn't, it's not in that box on top of the air cleaner). Install the ignition fuse.If it cranks without pushing the start button you need to investigate the start button and its wires for a short.

 

Now try the start button. I think it should crank (I don't have my books and diagrams anymore to confirm, but I'm fairly confident). If it cranks you're in good shape so far. If it's not cranking check the ignition and main fuse. Also throw your meter on the battery and make sure its showing more than 10 volts while attempting to crank. If it spent time deeply discharged it may be shot.

 

If everything so far is working start adding fuses back one at a time (save the signals for last). Each time you add a fuse make sure it still cranks and that whatever the fuse supplies works. Also check that everything previously connected works properly.

 

When you get to a fuse that blows or causes other problems you have an idea which system you need to investigate.

[Patch]

Several things:

 

 

1. The audio system will draw a small amount of power with the key off, maybe enough to see a small spark when you connect the battery.
   
2. The most likely reason for it to crank with the key off is a stuck starter solenoid.
   
3. Disconnecting everything and adding back one at a time is about the best method to track down problems of the sort you're experiencing.
   

 

I would start by fully charging the battery (trying to use a boost box with the tight space available will just slow you down).

 

I would disconnect any aftermarket accessory connected to the battery and pull all the fuses. Unplug the starter relay from the wiring harness. If you don't know where/what the starter relay is you can follow the heavier battery (+) lead to it. It's got a pig tail with 2 wires that connect to the wiring harness.

 

Connect your charged battery. If you get a shower of sparks and the engine cranks you know the starter relay is bad. If you don't get sparks or cranking check the battery with a multi-meter to make sure the battery isn't dead. If you've got 12V or more and it's not cranking you can move on.

 

Plug the starter relay into the harness. If it starts cranking you've got a major wiring issue. You'll have to start pulling things apart looking for burned or melted wiring.

 

Install the main fuse if you pulled it (odds are you didn't, it's not in that box on top of the air cleaner). Install the ignition fuse.If it cranks without pushing the start button you need to investigate the start button and its wires for a short.

 

Now try the start button. I think it should crank (I don't have my books and diagrams anymore to confirm, but I'm fairly confident). If it cranks you're in good shape so far. If it's not cranking check the ignition and main fuse. Also throw your meter on the battery and make sure its showing more than 10 volts while attempting to crank. If it spent time deeply discharged it may be shot.

 

If everything so far is working start adding fuses back one at a time (save the signals for last). Each time you add a fuse make sure it still cranks and that whatever the fuse supplies works. Also check that everything previously connected works properly.

 

When you get to a fuse that blows or causes other problems you have an idea which system you need to investigate.

 

 

Yup solid post!

[midnightventure]

I would pull the starter relay and check to see if it is showing closed all the time just because it is a simple thing to do. See if most of the rest of the problems correct themselves. Having a fully charged battery would be a good idea before trying to figure anything out. When my wife's Mustang's battery gets low the radio starts playing on it's own.

[Flyinfool]

Another thing to watch out for. Some boost starters put out a very high voltage when boosting but not cranking. I have seen some at over 25V. This is not good for anything on the bike. A dead car battery can put enough load on the boos to pull the voltage down to an safe level. A small bike battery can not.

[uncledj]

Another thing to watch out for. Some boost starters put out a very high voltage when boosting but not cranking. I have seen some at over 25V. This is not good for anything on the bike. A dead car battery can put enough load on the boos to pull the voltage down to an safe level. A small bike battery can not.

 

Boost starters???

Enlighten me....

[DragonRider]

Went back and disconnected everything. Replaced the blown fuse and bingo everything was working again. Reattached all the accessory wiring to the aux. blocks installed on top of the air cleaner( Skydocs fuse block setup) and everything worked as it should and no blown fuse. So I guess I had a few too many attached to the battery which really isnt the right way to do it. But after beingg a member here since 2004 I am still learning the right way to do things on these bikes. Thanks for all the input, our members are the greatest.

 

 

Several things:

 

 

1. The audio system will draw a small amount of power with the key off, maybe enough to see a small spark when you connect the battery.
   
2. The most likely reason for it to crank with the key off is a stuck starter solenoid.
   
3. Disconnecting everything and adding back one at a time is about the best method to track down problems of the sort you're experiencing.
   

 

I would start by fully charging the battery (trying to use a boost box with the tight space available will just slow you down).

 

I would disconnect any aftermarket accessory connected to the battery and pull all the fuses. Unplug the starter relay from the wiring harness. If you don't know where/what the starter relay is you can follow the heavier battery (+) lead to it. It's got a pig tail with 2 wires that connect to the wiring harness.

 

Connect your charged battery. If you get a shower of sparks and the engine cranks you know the starter relay is bad. If you don't get sparks or cranking check the battery with a multi-meter to make sure the battery isn't dead. If you've got 12V or more and it's not cranking you can move on.

 

Plug the starter relay into the harness. If it starts cranking you've got a major wiring issue. You'll have to start pulling things apart looking for burned or melted wiring.

 

Install the main fuse if you pulled it (odds are you didn't, it's not in that box on top of the air cleaner). Install the ignition fuse.If it cranks without pushing the start button you need to investigate the start button and its wires for a short.

 

Now try the start button. I think it should crank (I don't have my books and diagrams anymore to confirm, but I'm fairly confident). If it cranks you're in good shape so far. If it's not cranking check the ignition and main fuse. Also throw your meter on the battery and make sure its showing more than 10 volts while attempting to crank. If it spent time deeply discharged it may be shot.

 

If everything so far is working start adding fuses back one at a time (save the signals for last). Each time you add a fuse make sure it still cranks and that whatever the fuse supplies works. Also check that everything previously connected works properly.

 

When you get to a fuse that blows or causes other problems you have an idea which system you need to investigate.

[Marcarl]

Boost starters???

Enlighten me....

I would think it indicates one of them there boost starters,, oh wait, that term was already used,,, so maybe a booster pack, or power pack,,, or something likeathat., Some may call it a thingamajiggy, or whatsucalit.

[RDawson]

I would think it indicates one of them there boost starters,, oh wait, that term was already used,,, so maybe a booster pack, or power pack,,, or something likeathat., Some may call it a thingamajiggy, or whatsucalit.

Round these parts it's a jump box.

[Flyinfool]

Boost starter referring to one of the battery chargers that has an engine start function that can supply 50 or more amps so that you do not have to wait for the battery to charge, the charger can supply the amps to crank the engine. The problem is they supply a much higher voltage to get the amps up there and the small electrical systems in our bikes can not handle all that power.

[uncledj]

AH.....Yes

I thought you were referring to some sort of a special starter......some sort of special starter Yammy was putting on it's bikes that I'd never heard of.

I DO have a boost starter on my old 6 volt backhoe, in the form of a 12 volt battery.....cranks it over like it's on turbo boost.