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[REGGAB]

First, I ain't blamin' anyone 'cept me for this problem.  This is my fault.  I'm posting because I need help figuring this out.  Nuff said 'bout that.   

This morning I was loading Thumper into my trailer.  Ken (Hogbreath) noticed my inner fairing cigarette lighter laying on the floor of my trailer.  When it was reinstalled into the receptacle, the receptacle gave way into the inner fairing.  OK, I'll deal with it when I get home.  Probably came loose and a collar fell off.  Finished loading Thumper and went down to the lodge to say goodbye to everyone.
Was down at the lodge, and thought I'd take a peek at Bob's (Tbone) lighter and see what I thought may have fallen off.  Can't tell.  Bob said the area around his lighter receptacle was discolored; it sure was.  Bob powers his ZUMO through a cigarette lighter plug.  I powered mine by soldering the wires to the back of the cigarette lighter............so Bob, being that the area around your lighter is discolored, and if anyone else discovers discoloration around the lighter, you may want to read on.
Renea and I said our goodbyes..........and I HATE goodbyes............and got on the road.  We got home about an hour ago.  We unloaded everything, and I went to lookin' at Thump.  Hmmmmmmm.  Oh Chit!
Pulled the fairing and the lighter receptacle had melted plastic in it like this.

[REGGAB]

And the hole in the inner fairing looks like this.

[REGGAB]

And this.

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And the postive lead looks like this.

[REGGAB]

No blown fuses.  Ground lead is fine.  Garage door opener works fine.  No other apparent damage.  Can't understand why a fuse didn't blow.....is a 2A inline for the ZUMO......and why it melted like this.

I think I can figure out how to get the lighter reinstalled and still look and work normal, but I need help selecting an alternate power point/source for the ZUMO.

Please Help!!!!!

Thanks.

[Chief]

Damn Henry, that stinks. I don't believe that was a short. I'm thinking your lighter was in and stuck that way and just heated up long enough to melt its way loose.

Sure was great meeting you at CHL.

[REGGAB]

Damn Henry, that stinks. I don't believe that was a short. I'm thinking your lighter was in and stuck that way and just heated up long enough to melt its way loose.

Sure was great meeting you at CHL.

Yessir, it really stinks, Chuck.  I can make that lighter go back in, but it is going to look like poopie when I do.  The hole is wallowed (read:  melted) out larger than the diameter of the receptacle.  Shimming from the finished side would work, but there isn't anything left on the inside to grab.  So, I have three possible courses of action to fix the lighter challenge:

1)  Build up the inside with epoxy, grind/sand to shape and refit the receptacle.  Would likely call for shooting new paint.  NOPE!!!
2)  Buy a new inner fairing.  NOPE!!!
3)  Heck, I don't smoke!  What do I need the thing for anyway?  Find someway to plug the hole so it looks sporty.  YEP!!!

Chuck, you bring up a valid observation.  I'm not the only one powering my GPS from the cigarette lighter, BUT I don't know of anyone who attached the GPS power wires to the power terminals for the cigarette lighter.  I'll dig in the schematics for the bike and hunt info on current draw for the ZUMO and see if there might have been an overload other than that which you described..............but I sure could use some advice from those "in the know" on Harley-Davidson electricals.  I'm a pretty good spark chaser............but if I'm missing something, I'd like to know about it.   

Great to meet you as well, Chuck.  Please give our best to the lovely Pinkie, and we can't wait to see y'all again.

HML

[Fired00d]

Henry,
Sorry to see that this happened. I read this earlier while at work and had me wondering all day about mine, then when I got home of course I forgot to look at mine right away. After your most recent post reminded me I went to take a look at my plug to see if if I had any damage. I'm not using the hard wire like you, but just use a plug to fit in place of the regular cigarette lighter. So far (knock on wood) mine is doing fine. I had noticed a while back that it had loosened up and I was getting some static when listening to music, but I unplugged it and stuck my hand in the socket and tightened it back up. I believe what caused it initially to loosen up was the power plug for the Zumo twisting while inserted so I adjusted the way I ran the wire to eliminate movement in the socket.

I'm wondering like Chief if maybe it was a malfunction of the cigarette lighter plug getting stuck. You'd think if it was a short of some kind then the fuse would have blown before it heated up enough to melt like that. Good luck in finding a solution/fix to this, knowing how you are about your scooter I know it will be right and better then it was before.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[REGGAB]

Henry,
Sorry to see that this happened. I read this earlier while at work and had me wondering all day about mine, then when I got home of course I forgot to look at mine right away. After your most recent post reminded me I went to take a look at my plug to see if if I had any damage. I'm not using the hard wire like you, but just use a plug to fit in place of the regular cigarette lighter. So far (knock on wood) mine is doing fine. I had noticed a while back that it had loosened up and I was getting some static when listening to music, but I unplugged it and stuck my hand in the socket and tightened it back up. I believe what caused it initially to loosen up was the power plug for the Zumo twisting while inserted so I adjusted the way I ran the wire to eliminate movement in the socket.

I'm wondering like Chief if maybe it was a malfunction of the cigarette lighter plug getting stuck. You'd think if it was a short of some kind then the fuse would have blown before it heated up enough to melt like that. Good luck in finding a solution/fix to this, knowing how you are about your scooter I know it will be right and better then it was before.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

Yeah Gary, I'm just sick over this..........SICK!!  And I gotta go to work tomorrow!!!!!  OK, now I'm whining.   
I've entertained the idea of the lighter getting stuck, but I don't know how that would have happened.  I've punched it once, just to see if it worked.  It did, I thought it was cool.....not literally  , and put it back in, never to touch it again even after I did the ZUMO install.  For all I know, I've been riding around for two weeks with a melted plug rattling around in there.  The ZUMO has worked great since day one, and despite a few MapSource planning challenges on my part, it worked as advertised all weekend.  So I don't know what the heck happened.  What I do know is I'm a bit skittish to leave it wired as is............and I won't do that if I nix the lighter.  I'll solder splice the hot and ground wires and insulate with fusion tape.........BUT..........is that good enough?  Is it drawing too much current from that circuit?  Hopefully schematic research and ZUMO current draw information will answer my question and cure the skittishness.  I think it will fly if I rewire, but..........I'm not 100% sure, especially since Bob's inner fairing is discolored around his lighter receptacle.  If it wasn't for that, heck I'd rewire right now, tonight, find a suitable plug for the inner fairing, and charge on.  We'll see.

Experts, please help!  Thanks.   

HML

[Chief]

Yeah Gary, I'm just sick over this..........SICK!!  And I gotta go to work tomorrow!!!!!  OK, now I'm whining.   
I've entertained the idea of the lighter getting stuck, but I don't know how that would have happened.  I've punched it once, just to see if it worked.  It did, I thought it was cool.....not literally  , and put it back in, never to touch it again even after I did the ZUMO install.  For all I know, I've been riding around for two weeks with a melted plug rattling around in there.  The ZUMO has worked great since day one, and despite a few MapSource planning challenges on my part, it worked as advertised all weekend.  So I don't know what the heck happened.  What I do know is I'm a bit skittish to leave it wired as is............and I won't do that if I nix the lighter.  I'll solder splice the hot and ground wires and insulate with fusion tape.........BUT..........is that good enough?  Is it drawing too much current from that circuit?  Hopefully schematic research and ZUMO current draw information will answer my question and cure the skittishness.  I think it will fly if I rewire, but..........I'm not 100% sure, especially since Bob's inner fairing is discolored around his lighter receptacle.  If it wasn't for that, heck I'd rewire right now, tonight, find a suitable plug for the inner fairing, and charge on.  We'll see.

Experts, please help!  Thanks.   

HML

Henry,

I don't think the way you had your Zumo wired in has anything to do with the failure. That little 2A fuse could no way in heck pull enough juice to melt the fairing while not melting the insulation on the tiny little wires going to the unit. The only thing that makes sense is an energized lighter baking the lighter and all the plastic.

If the lighter still works, make it fail and see how hot the case gets. That just has to be it. I'd stake my reputation as a possum catcher on it. 

[Tbone]

Yeah Gary, I'm just sick over this..........SICK!!  And I gotta go to work tomorrow!!!!!  OK, now I'm whining.   
I've entertained the idea of the lighter getting stuck, but I don't know how that would have happened.  I've punched it once, just to see if it worked.  It did, I thought it was cool.....not literally  , and put it back in, never to touch it again even after I did the ZUMO install.  For all I know, I've been riding around for two weeks with a melted plug rattling around in there.  The ZUMO has worked great since day one, and despite a few MapSource planning challenges on my part, it worked as advertised all weekend.  So I don't know what the heck happened.  What I do know is I'm a bit skittish to leave it wired as is............and I won't do that if I nix the lighter.  I'll solder splice the hot and ground wires and insulate with fusion tape.........BUT..........is that good enough?  Is it drawing too much current from that circuit?  Hopefully schematic research and ZUMO current draw information will answer my question and cure the skittishness.  I think it will fly if I rewire, but..........I'm not 100% sure, especially since Bob's inner fairing is discolored around his lighter receptacle.  If it wasn't for that, heck I'd rewire right now, tonight, find a suitable plug for the inner fairing, and charge on.  We'll see.

Experts, please help!  Thanks.   

HML

Henry, I sure hope you figure it out soon before mine falls out.    I have no idea where to even start.  I'd take it to the dealer to have them check it, but we all know how that would go... don't use it for the Zumo.  I'm with Chuck, I can't imagine a 2 amp fuse allowing anything to get hot enough to do that kind of damage.   

Bob

[REGGAB]

Henry,

I don't think the way you had your Zumo wired in has anything to do with the failure. That little 2A fuse could no way in heck pull enough juice to melt the fairing while not melting the insulation on the tiny little wires going to the unit. The only thing that makes sense is an energized lighter baking the lighter and all the plastic.

If the lighter still works, make it fail and see how hot the case gets. That just has to be it. I'd stake my reputation as a possum catcher on it. 

Chuck, I think your possum catchin' rep will remain intact regardless of how the gremlins do their thing.    Seriously.  I'm gettin' it.  I'll give that a try.  Part of the troubleshooting process (for me, anyway) is duplication of the conditions, which caused the failure.  I gotta figure out what the conditions are first........at that means figuring out how the lighter got engaged.

Thinking about revising my COA list and revisiting the first COA.  There might be a way to do it without jackin' up the paint on the inner fairing.  Blue painters tape and fiberglass.  Need to ponder this one...................and figure out how that lighter acted up like it did.

[REGGAB]

Henry, I sure hope you figure it out soon before mine falls out.    I have no idea where to even start.  I'd take it to the dealer to have them check it, but we all know how that would go... don't use it for the Zumo.  I'm with Chuck, I can't imagine a 2 amp fuse allowing anything to get hot enough to do that kind of damage.   

Bob

Mornin' Bob,
I think, even if I decide to reinstall the lighter, it won't be powered.  I don't need it, and the more I think about it, I don't want to trust it again.  I feel fortunate the bike didn't burn down.  I'm thinking I'm going to revise the wiring, leave the ZUMO powered, build up the lighter mounting point with epoxy and fiberglass and remount it unpowered.  I've thought about getting some terminal blocks for the wiring just to keep everything neat.  We'll see how it goes.  Sorry buddy, but I gotta bail on the lighter.  The "What-If" scenarios and this recent close call are all the wake-up call I need.

[Tbone]

Mornin' Bob,
I think, even if I decide to reinstall the lighter, it won't be powered.  I don't need it, and the more I think about it, I don't want to trust it again.  I feel fortunate the bike didn't burn down.  I'm thinking I'm going to revise the wiring, leave the ZUMO powered, build up the lighter mounting point with epoxy and fiberglass and remount it unpowered.  I've thought about getting some terminal blocks for the wiring just to keep everything neat.  We'll see how it goes.  Sorry buddy, but I gotta bail on the lighter.  The "What-If" scenarios and this recent close call are all the wake-up call I need.

Mornin' Henry,
I hope you find a way to get the repair made and back the way you want it.  It really sucks that happened! I'll have to get mine checked for sure.
Bob

[HogBreath]

Henry,

Whenever you were loading the bike, I saw the lighter on the trailer floor and pushed it in the socket. It didn't feel right then. It was as if the part of the lighter mounted in the fairing was loose, and too far inward. Whenever I pushed the lighter in, it went in too far, and thge rubber cup around it folded outward. I remember I couldn't even hardly grab the end of the lighter as it was too far inside. It's  very possible it was engaged into the socket. I remember saying..Henry--that's not right, you better check it out. You were busy strapping the bike down. Did you ever dis-enegage it?

Damn man, that sucks! Sort of scary it could have melted the whole fairing off! Looks to me like the lighter had to still be engaged. It shouldn't be hot unless the keyswitch is on though.