Blowing Fuses

[Aus_X]

I know that this is going to sound like a familar question and I have searched through the forum to find a similar question but, I can't find the same isssue.

Bike: 2005 S2R 800

I took off the rear of the monster to respray a rusting reflector.  This morning, I head to work, get out of the driveway and see that the guages are dead so, I turn around and head home.  I check he fuses and see that the standard 15 amp indicator, lights, etc fuse has blown.  I take of the seat and check all the wires and one feels loose so I push it in and everything seems fine.  I pop in a new fuse and as soon as I turn the key to ON the fuse blows.  I redo all the connection under the seat the were modified due to a tail chop and the fuse blows again. 
After a long time spent pulling on different wires all over the bike to see if anything is loose or any wires are exposed, I see that there is a small cut in the insulation that surround the tail and indicator wires under the seat, it ust have been pinched over time.  I wrap some electrical tape around the exposed wire and put in a new fuse and it blows again.

I disconnect the rear indicators and tail light an still the fuse blows.  I disconnect the headlight and the fuse lows, I disconnect the guages and the fuse blows.

I used a multimeter to check the continuity between the indicators and the headlight and to see that everything is connected and that there's no wires shorting on something.

Now I don't really know much about multimeters so continuity is about all I know how to check.  What else should I be checking and how else should I use my Multimeter to check for problems.

It's been an expensive year for my Duc, new clutch, service, new chain and sprocket and now it looks like I'm going to have to spend more money to get this checked out. 

Any help that anyone can give for me to identify this electrical problem would be really appreciated.

Thanks.

[Aus_X]

No one has any ideas?

[Speeddog]

Coulda sworn I replied to this thread. 

Anyway, check for continuity from the positive wires to ground for all of the stuff supplied by that fuse.

For example, the yellow wire on the taillight, check for continuity to ground.

[Aus_X]

Sorry I'm a little short on electronics knowledge.
So, should I have continutiy between say the positive for the indicator and the ground to the engine?
Can I use the ground that ends at the rear wiring harness connector?
If not, what ground wire should I use to check for continuity from the indicator or any other positive on that fuse line? 


Thanks.

[Howie]

Sorry I'm a little short on electronics knowledge.
So, should I have continutiy between say the positive for the indicator and the ground to the engine?
Can I use the ground that ends at the rear wiring harness connector?
If not, what ground wire should I use to check for continuity from the indicator or any other positive on that fuse line? 


Thanks.

If you are blowing fuses you have...um...unwanted continuity or another problem , such as a motor that id drawing too much amperage.  There are two types of shorts, short to ground and short circuit.  A short to ground means the current is going to ground without sufficient resistance.  A short circuit is two circuits are joined by wires touching each other. 

The easiest method to find a short that you aren't able to find is to rig a self resetting circuit breaker of the same rating so you can attach it where the fuse is.  This will keep you from going through a ton of fuses.  Now, at the fuse box, disconnect each wire, one at a time, until the circuit breaker stops clicking off.  Now you know which circuit(s) are giving you the problem.  Reconnect that wire and in a logical sequence go through that circuit eliminating each component and wire until you find the problem.  You will want a wiring diagram to help you through this problem.

Since all was good until you messed with the tail, my guess is you have a pinched wire back there Recheck before going crazy.

Needless to say, Speeddog's method is good too.  Just make sure the circuit is not powered up.

[Aus_X]

Thanks for the reply.  I have a wiring diagram and the workshop manual.
What I'll do is disconnect the the rear wiring harness, the headlight connector, the Instrument panel connector and see if the fuse still blows.
I take it that I can use a tail unit positive wire and any ground (such as the frame) to check for continuity to ground?

[Aus_X]

Just thought that I'd give an update.
I disconnected the rear wiring harness and the gauges lit up and the headlight was on.  I then realised that the only wires that I'd missed testing were the number plate light for which I have never touched the wiring.
I was getting some rather high continuity readings when checking the wires to the number plate light so I peeled back the insulation for the wires near the bulb and there was the problem, both wire were exposed.

Thanks Howie and Speeddog for your help in pointing me in the right direction.

To good points come out of this though, 1 was that I finally had a reason to by a multimeter and 2 is that I now know the bikes electrics a lot better.

[Speeddog]

Glad you got it sorted.