New battery, new relay, no power

[rmcgruder]

But I still can not get power to my bike unless I hot wire it. I purchased two relays from Goldwngdocs, they came in today and nothing. This problem started after I arrived in Indiana, started out no blinkers and horn, changed the fuse. Started the bike up to go to dinner with my mother and six blocks down the road the ENTIRE BIKE DIED...NOTHING NO POWER NO NOTHING!!! HAD TO PUSH THIS BIG SUCKER SIX BLOCKS...LOL!!!!!! Anyway, my brother and I got to work on it and thought it was a rely...of which I did not have an extra. My brother and I went and got some wire, and regenerating fuse, and a toggle switch. With the help of a multimeter we found the hot and the ground and stuck the wire into the bike....HEY!!!! WE GOT POWER....HAD TO RIDE THE BIKE LIKE THAT FOR 487 MILES. Got home ordered the relays and put them in, NOTHING, NO POWER NO NOTHING!!!! What could be the problem...need help!!

[newday777]

What year is your bike????

Have you tested the BAS per the service manual?

[thebruce]

I'm not gonna be a pile of help because I am not as familiar with these bikes as some folks here.

You should probably be more specific as to which relays you changed, and where you stuck that wire to get it all to turn on.

If I were going in blind I'd make sure the battery/starter solenoid connections were clean and tight and that the ignition switch assembly was working correctly.

On my '91 the BAS would keep the bike from starting, but I still had lights/sound.

[rmcgruder]

Well my bike is a 1992 gl1500A, it does have 110K on it, I'm the new owner I have put 800 miles on it. Ok the only way for me to be more specific is just simply tell my story. Took off on my trip to Indiana from Illinois roughly 200 miles one way. The Bike did great until I hit the town of my destination, out of the blue I had no turn signles and no horn, no display on dash but had warning light, Got to my Mothers home, let the bike cool down while I visited. Went out to service ther bike, found a 20amp fuse blown in the horn and turn slot of the fuse box, it states on the fuse cover that a 15am fuse is suppost to go there. I didn't have an additional 20amp fuse, so I put a 15 in. The 15amp blew as soon as I turned the key, so I had a 40amp fuse and put that in there and everything came on and I started the bike and road for six block and the shout completly down. Push the bike back to my Mothers home and my brother and I went to troubleshootin the bike. Now the 40amp fuse didn't blow, the bike just shut down completly. Took the 40amp fuse out of the bike and put another 15amp in there, nothing, pressed on my relays nothing. I didn't take a multimetter with me so I manuely inspected the relays. The prongs on the 20A Tail (main) looked a little rough. So I decided this must be the one, my brother and I came up with a way to simulate a relay, by simply building a switch. Flip the switch and the bike came back to life, even today if I hoo the switch, which I refure to as hotwiring the bike. The bike will spring to like, but without horn or turn signles. Purched the Goldwingdocs relays pop it in (the same position) and nothing.

Well I tried to ad photos to this posting but it didn't work.

[newday777]

Your images didn't load.

You have a dead short somewhere that is causing your shutdown. The alternator cannot keep up and that is why the gauges shut down first before the bike died on you.

The bigger fuses that were put in, are a bad thing. Fuse sizes are put in to protect the wiring from overload. You now probably have burnt wires and and connector pins and you have to closely inspect each connector pin and wires in the harnesses of the bike from the overloaded circuits. No one can pin point your problem from a distance. It is a hands on only search and find, eliminate the cause, then repair properly.

[newday777]

You will need a 12 volt test light and a multimeter to track down your problems.

[rmcgruder]

So why would the bike run with adding a switch if that much damage was done? I'm thinking the ignition to relay, just to narrow the search. What do you guys think?

[newday777]

So why would the bike run with adding a switch if that much damage was done? I'm thinking the ignition to relay, just to narrow the search. What do you guys think?

Remove the relay box and look at the back of it. You will probably find burnt wire from one of the legs of the relay in question. That burnt wire is bypassed by your gerryrig.

[thebruce]

I'm with 777 on the 40A fuse being a bad thing. I play with electricity for a living and that is a recipe for a fire, if not worse.

What was an overloaded circuit that blew the oversized 20A fuse had 6 blocks @40A to melt down and probably damage several other wires over the length of it.

I've seen this, I've done this, you don't want this.

Bypassing the relay with wire-and-switch and having it run would lead me to believe the +12 coil side of the relay circuit needs to be followed back to wherever it is shorted. Easier said than done, I'm sure.

[rmcgruder]

I also agree with 777, great advice!!!! I'm about to head out to start the troubleshooting, I thank you all for your help. Going to continue on this subject until I fix my bike once and for all. The bike bearly ran when I got it and with the help of all the member of GoldwingDocs, the Bike took me 487miles with no problem except the one I created. Thank Guys!!!!!!!!!!

[rmcgruder]

Well guys once again I am on the road. Im going to tell it like it is....I got on my knees and prayed to Jesus saying "Lord if there is anyone one out there that can fix my bike please bring them into my life. If not Lord please guide me to the problem"? After chatting with you guys about the problem I went out to start troubleshooting. First thing to do is disconnect the battery before taking the relay and fuse box off to check the wires behind. As I was disconnecting the battery I looked over and it said Fuse setting on top of a cylinoide I think it is. Well let me check that, pulled it out and it was blown. 30a fuse, got another fuse out of my fuse kit that came in from Amazon today and changed it..The bike fired right up, blinkers working, horn working, no ring of fire, but thats another issue. THANK YOU LORD, THANK YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!

[newday777]

Fuse setting on top of a cylinoide??

[newday777]

Fuse setting on top of a cylinoide??

Solenoid???

[rmcgruder]

Boy did I spell that wrong and didn't even notice...lol It is a gold, cylinder and set right next to the battery.. Might be another type of Relay.

[newday777]

Boy did I spell that wrong and didn't even notice...lol It is a gold, cylinder and set right next to the battery.. Might be another type of Relay.

Starter relay

[Elmobile]

Yes, starter relay A. Just replaced mine

[Swagonmaster]

Ok, it runs but why did the fuses blow in the first place? There is still some diagnosis needing to be done.

[prb00a]

Had 1990 GL1500 Se with chronic no power/no start and blown fuses.
Troubleshooting costs $$$ in fuses. Finally picked up a resettable fuse tester for about $27.
Turned out to be an intermittent wire short supplying power to the front wheel running lights.

[rmcgruder]

I just found the same problem! My actual issue was bear wires touching the frame of the bike right above the right side of the battery. Just finished fixing that issue, it was bad. Also installed a second fuse box in the rear truck, just finished that project yesterday. The bike was still having problem with lights and found a short in the right front ring of fire. Here's what I am doing in the next few weeks, cant believe the price they want for LED's for the front wheel, so I am going to build my own. I already have the wheele covers with my old right of fire, already ripped off on light strip and the other I left on until the new weather proof LEDS come in from Amazon.

[Swagonmaster]

TWO shorts, man you were having fun! Fortunately it sounds like the smoke didn't come out of anything real serious. You said something about doing your own ring of fire lighting and I realized that our rv has what's called a scare light along the top edge of the body under the awning and that is a
12 volt weather proof led light strip that can come in various colors....hum.

[rmcgruder]

I have weather proof LED'S just under my seat for show, going to order more of them and simply clue them to the front wheel cover, just as these companies do then charge you thru the teeth for it!! I can do it for a fraction of the cost. just LED'S WRAPED AROUND PLASTIC. Now I'm having problems with my headlight not working, worked last night and now nothing.