Blowing fuses

[nickjones]

Need help, every time i replace the 30 amp main fuse it blows, what causingn be causing this problem.

[WingAdmin]

Need help, every time i replace the 30 amp main fuse it blows, what causingn be causing this problem.

Well, you've obviously got a short somewhere. Put a light bulb in place of the fuse, that way you won't keep blowing fuses, and the light bulb will tell you when you've found the short (it will light up when there is a short, and will go out/dim when you've fixed it).

We need some more information. Does it blow the instant you put it in, or do you have to switch the bike on first? Does it blow in ACC? ON? Park?

[MikeB]

Be really careful using the light bulb technique. You could end up melting some insulation on the wires that are shorted. If it is blowing a 30 amp fuse, you can do a lot of damage in a very short period of time.
Of course, that will help you find the short, you will be able to smell the plastic burning. Just don't leave that light in place of the fuse for very long.

[nickjones]

I'm going to recheck but it only blows if it's in neutral.

[WingAdmin]

Be really careful using the light bulb technique. You could end up melting some insulation on the wires that are shorted. If it is blowing a 30 amp fuse, you can do a lot of damage in a very short period of time.
Of course, that will help you find the short, you will be able to smell the plastic burning. Just don't leave that light in place of the fuse for very long.

The idea behind the light bulb is that it both indicates current flowing, and also limits the amount of current that can flow, to protect the wiring. Using a 15 watt bulb will limit the current to just a little bit more than one amp, and that's nowhere near enough to melt wiring. A smaller bulb (7 watt) works just as well, and limits current to around half an amp.

[patbrandon1]

I'm going to recheck but it only blows if it's in neutral.

Does it blow when you put it in neutral? Like as soon as you put it in neutral and the light comes on? When you turn the key on and if it is in gear not running, the neutral light would be off. But as soon as you would put it in neutral does it blow? That would narrow down the short to the neutral switch or light.

[nickjones]

Just as soon as put in the new fuse. Also where is neutral safety switch located on a 1984 goldwing interstate.

[patbrandon1]

Just as soon as put in the new fuse. Also where is neutral safety switch located on a 1984 goldwing interstate.

"The switch is located in the front engine/transmission cover. Is the replacement procedure essentially like replacing a water pump without actually replacing the pump itself ( I know the gaskets will need to be replaced)" This is a quote by willboy57 in the thread viewtopic.php?t=4859

"Have a look at viewtopic.php?f=11&t=275 - that's the 1100, but it's essentially the same, and that will give you a good idea of what you will be looking at." This is a quote by WingAdmin in this thread viewtopic.php?t=4859

I don't understand your answer about the neutral. Does the fuse still blow if you have the bike in gear (not neutral) when you turn the key on? If not, it could be wiring from the switch, or at the lamp socket.

BUT, I would start the electrical trouble shooting simple. You can pull all the fuses and see if it blows when all your fuses are out. If it doesn't, then replace them one by one and see when the main one does blow.

I know it is had to type what you are doing or thinking sometimes, I often get lost trying to explain things on a keyboard. But the more info you can provide us, the more we can help.

[nickjones]

Thank you so much look like this could be the problem.

[Goldwinger365]

Nickjones,don't know if you resolved this issue yet,but my 86 Aspencade did the same thing,it wound up being the stator shorted out, blowing fuses as soon as I put them in. Wound up going the Poor boy alternator conversion route,never had an electrical issue again.

[DenverWinger]

A short in the stator itself won't blow any fuses, but two (or more) shorted diodes in the rec/reg connected to the stator will. A single shorted diode won't blow fuse either (takes both a positive rail and a negative rail diode being shorted to blow fuses), but will toast the stator.

[Goldwinger365]

Mine was blowing fuses as soon as they hit the fuse block,until I cut the wires to stator( we're already hardwired and plug was deleted), when I did a running test on stator wires,stator was junk. So I naturally assumed stator was shorted out.

[DenverWinger]

Yup, probably had one blown diode that toasted the stator, and all that heat likely blew another diode and there goes your fuse!

[Goldwinger365]

When it happened,got it trailered back to house,started checking it over,first thing I found was my voltage regulator had vibrated loose from frame,couldn't transfer heat off it,was probably the beginning of the end....