Blown fuse help

[Jet86]

This just now happen, i started the bike and let it warm up while going over my quik check list, brake light headlight the basic stuff, every thing was fine then about three blocks down the road my temp gauge go's all the way to the right side i actually watched it, so i pull over and notice i have no neutral light or brake light. everything else working fine and i can turn it off and start it back up just fine so i found  the blow fuse and put in a new one and soon as i turn the key on i hear it pop. so why is it blowing the fuse all the sudden??? i never had any Electrical problems.

it's the 10amp Horn fuse that keeps blowing

[DaveO430]

I am usually pretty good at electrical problems but with the wiring diagram in the manual on these things it's pretty tough. The fuse supplies the horns, brake lights and gauges as best I can tell so if it blew the fuse without using the brakes it is probably in the horn or gauge circuit. The horns are hot all times (key on) and the switch provides ground so if you disconnect the horns and the short goes away it's a bad horn. Next place to go would be the main wiring connector to the fairing, disconnect it and if it still blows the fuse the problem is somewhere in the main harness. The wiring to the front or rear brake light switches could be shorted to ground somewhere also.

[Jet86]

also the RPM Gauge stopped working, i will try what you said in the morning and report back what i find or don't find. i have the J Box on my counter and will look it over tonight.

Thanks

[Daytona_Mike]

If you have a digital meter that has the diode tester (usually it beeps or give a tone)
You can hook that to one side of the fuse (fuse removed). The side that does not have 12volts on it, the other side to ground.
Now if you have a short it should be giving a continuous tone. Start looking by tracing wires down or shake wires or disconnect wires . When you hear the tone stop you found the short.

[GeeBeav]

Don't know if the Conc and ZL are the same, but on the ZL, the horn fuse supplies excitation current to the alternator rotor. If the rotor's shorted, or marginal, that fuse will blow. I can walk you thru checking rotor resistance if you like. Of course, there's a bunch of other stuff on that fuse too, so . . .

[Jet86]

ok i just unhooked the smaller red connector under the left-side fairing and the fuse did not blow this time and my rpm gauge brake light are working again but soon as i hook that back up and turn the key on POP.

[Jet86]

where do i disconnect the horn? is there an easy way because the horn looks like a real PITA to get to. it's getting dark and with no garage and light i had to stop for now and will get back to it in the morning.

[MAN OF BLUES]

whoa...
 YOU GOT PEOPLE TELLING YOU TO DO THIS, AND DO THAT WITHOUT ANY CLUE ABOUT YOUR SETUP.... might want to explain what you got going on, kinda like ; first, was it running correctly last time, time before, and the time before that, when you started and rode the thing? and exactly when was that? did it sit in a barn with mice chewing on wires? or was it normally a daily rider/
there seems to be a bunch of experts that wanna cut teeth directing you to start ripping into it.....simple s#i+ happens...so lets take baby steps and start some realistic dialog on what you changed, and what took place....ok? did you spray it down? massive rainstorm? did you add ANY electrical farkles? has this ever occured before?
man, you hve to be a freakin genious to diagnose this stuff from afar, and I ain't seeing any genious questions being asked yet...just saying.
sorry, just asking questions instead of sending you on a freaking goosechase........
 

[Jet86]

MOB you might want to read my first post again, but no i don't have any electrical farkles other than T-crow's stick coils, I ride this bike 2-3 times a week year round, never had any electrical problems in the 3+ years i'v owned it.
on the other hand yes Guilty as Charged, it's been a long time so three days ago i took her to the car wash and sprayed her down (While Running) I have rode it twice since then about 200 miles on 85F days.
she sits under a car-port with walls on each side so basically no rain ever touches her.
i just put in new spark plugs two weeks ago and she is running Awesome. its amazing what new plugs can do.

[Daytona_Mike]

smaller red connector?
How about a picture?

[DaveO430]

Best I can tell from the pitiful wiring diagram there is a connector to the horns and turn signals, one to the reserve lighting device and one to the headlight/dash. What is not working with the one in question disconnected should narrow it down some.

[Jet86]

Yes i hope this Narrow's it down, Here is some pix, sorry for the poor quality images but this $hit for a camera is all i have. i took a few pix with it plugged in and a few with it unplugged. on my bike 86 A1 California Model there is two Red plugs covered by a big rubber boot to keep them protected, I just pushed the rubber boot up so i could get to them.

[Jet86]

pix

[Jet86]

This is all i have for a meter and i really don't know how to use it other then checking the battery.

[Jet86]

The smaller red plug is the one in question, with it unplugged i have these items back working and the fuse does Not blow, RPM Gauge - Temp Gauge - Brake-light and i'm not sure what else, 'but' without it plugged in i have other items not working witch is to be expected, these are front blinkers don't work but rear ones do but they flash really fast, again i'm not sure what else, i guess that plug also operates the flasher. i traced the wires from under the seat to the rear tail light and there was no frayed wires, it looks good from the seat to the rear. i haven't taken the tank off yet but that might be next. I Really do need to go slow here and take my time as mob said, baby steps. if i don't i will only make it worse. My number one question is: With that connecter unplugged witch one do i choose to follow first.

[T Cro ®]

..... My number one question is: With that connecter unplugged witch one do i choose to follow first.

My money is on the horn being shorted out; when a bike horn shorts out it will feed (+) to ground and result is a constantly blown fuse even if your not using the horn.

Black with White stripe goes through the switch and is negative (-)
Brown with White stripe is the hot (+)

[Jet86]

That sounds like a good place to start because i have been using the horn a lot to scare away birds and squirrels among other things that like to fly-jump in front of me.

Ok so where do i disconnect the horn from, do i open up the switch and disconnect? or disconnect the wires from the horn witch looks like a pita to get to but i might be able to stick a screw driver threw the vent and push the connectors off, i can see them its just a matter if reaching them.

[Daytona_Mike]

Take the windshield off is the way I know to get to the horns. Once the windshield is off there is one screw in the middle behind and windshield, you will see it once the windshield is off and then the 4 screws (2 in each faring pocket) and the dash/hood  that goes  around the gauges  comes off. Be careful with the plugs for the clock. There are two connectors to unplug there.

[Jet86]

I Have the rifle system and was trying to avoid that nightmare, last time and only time i took that off i lost them hard to find little nuts on the back side of the refile base witch is a pain to reach, i did find replacements but they are hard to get to. i was trying to avoid messing with the instruments to cause i have never been there done that. 

[snarf]

The easiest way to find the problem is to replace the fuse with a chunk of wire.  Once you find where the smoke is coming from you have found the problem.
OK not a lot of help, but it made me feel better.  I hope you figure this out.