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[Jon Seddon]

I'm starting to get depressed.

Fuse number 3 the Accessory fuse keeps blowing on my FLHTCUSE4 (Big Bertha).  It's been in the dealer twice now, the first time for a week and the second time for just under 3 weeks.

Went to pick it up yesterday, drove 3 miles down the road and it blew again!!

The problem is it can go for upto 700 miles without blowing.

In just under 4 months the dealer has had it for nearly a month.

Any ideas what I should do?  I'm losing confidence in the bike and the dealer's ability to find the fault.

Jon

[sadunbar]

I'm starting to get depressed.

Fuse number 3 the Accessory fuse keeps blowing on my FLHTCUSE4 (Big Bertha).  It's been in the dealer twice now, the first time for a week and the second time for just under 3 weeks.

Went to pick it up yesterday, drove 3 miles down the road and it blew again!!

The problem is it can go for upto 700 miles without blowing.

In just under 4 months the dealer has had it for nearly a month.

Any ideas what I should do?  I'm losing confidence in the bike and the dealer's ability to find the fault.

Jon

Do you have any options as to where you take the bike?  Any other dealer choices?  This dealer could not possibly have worked on your bike for this length of time.  It seems more likely your bike sat idle for much of this down time.  The entire bike could have beer rewired several times over in a months time.  I would suggest you are not getting a competent effort to resolve the problem from your dealer...

[hard10]

Jon, what else have you installed? Did you change any of the lighting? Did you add a turn-brake-stop kit? Put in any LED's? Add a GPS? I put a Kuryakn part in that kept blowing fuses on me.

[Jon Seddon]

Jon, what else have you installed? Did you change any of the lighting? Did you add a turn-brake-stop kit? Put in any LED's? Add a GPS? I put a Kuryakn part in that kept blowing fuses on me.

Nope - the dealer installed the Garmin wiring, but I think that's on another circuit.  My Autocom was on that circuit, but it isn't anymore. No other electrical bits installed but the PCV.

Jon

[Jon Seddon]

Do you have any options as to where you take the bike?  Any other dealer choices?  This dealer could not possibly have worked on your bike for this length of time.  It seems more likely your bike sat idle for much of this down time.  The entire bike could have beer rewired several times over in a months time.  I would suggest you are not getting a competent effort to resolve the problem from your dealer...

The problem is it doesn't blow every time you ride the bike - at first it was after hundreds of miles, yesterday for me it was after 3 miles, but the dealer had ridden it to and from work for a few days without the fuse blowing.

I can't tell how good the dealer is, although the first time he had it in he didn't tighten up the seat bolt or clip the left pannier electrics in correctly causing bolt loss and my alarm to kick off whilst on a tour.

This is Harley's flagship model, at what point do I say take it back however much I love her.

Jon

[sadunbar]

Nope - the dealer installed the Garmin wiring, but I think that's on another circuit.  My Autocom was on that circuit, but it isn't anymore. No other electrical bits installed but the PCV.

Jon

My Garmin is wired into the accessory circuit....

[Jon Seddon]

My Garmin is wired into the accessory circuit....

My Garmin is powered on a live circuit, so it goes on without the ignition being on and when the fuse goes it keeps going (dealer installed - not me)

[hard10]

Try a bigger fuse and see what melts?

[Twolanerider]

Completely wild assed guess here.  The dealer rode it (supposedly) and never got a fuse to blow.  You ride it and it happened almost immediately.

Is your ass larger than his?

Or....

Has any of the harness under the seat shifted (or been added) to where the saddle has compressed a spot?  Not at all likely.  But it does happen.  And it might vary with rider weight.

[Gone Fishin']

# 3 is the P & A fuse (15A). It's replacement sits in slot #21. The fuses can be replaced without any tools in about four minutes. I know you probably know this, and it does not cure the symptom. But you should always have a roadworthy bike, nevertheless.
Now, if nothing has been wired into that circuit, how do you know the fuse blows? May that be a lead to the culprit? Good luck!

Ride safely,
Louis

[Boss Man]

Try a bigger fuse and see what melts?

As strange as this sounds it is one of the acceptable ways to find a hard to find short. I have done it after spending countless hours of searching for a short and it works. The danger is what else will burn up before you find it!   

[Jon Seddon]

Completely wild assed guess here.  The dealer rode it (supposedly) and never got a fuse to blow.  You ride it and it happened almost immediately.

Is your ass larger than his?

Or....

Has any of the harness under the seat shifted (or been added) to where the saddle has compressed a spot?  Not at all likely.  But it does happen.  And it might vary with rider weight.

No  - the dealer has got a bigger ass than me and he got the fuse to blow whilst he had it.  It just doesn't blow consistantly.

[Jon Seddon]

# 3 is the P & A fuse (15A). It's replacement sits in slot #21. The fuses can be replaced without any tools in about four minutes. I know you probably know this, and it does not cure the symptom. But you should always have a roadworthy bike, nevertheless.
Now, if nothing has been wired into that circuit, how do you know the fuse blows? May that be a lead to the culprit? Good luck!

Ride safely,
Louis

I know because my indicators stop working, however, my rear light,  horn and passing lights are on the same circuit.

Wouldn't be good to lose your rear light in the dark at speed on the motorway (highway/autoroute).

[Jon Seddon]

As strange as this sounds it is one of the acceptable ways to find a hard to find short. I have done it after spending countless hours of searching for a short and it works. The danger is what else will burn up before you find it!   

Not a bad idea, but I'd prefer the dealer to set Bertha on fire whilst she's under warranty rather than me!!

[Jon Seddon]

# 3 is the P & A fuse (15A). It's replacement sits in slot #21. The fuses can be replaced without any tools in about four minutes. I know you probably know this, and it does not cure the symptom. But you should always have a roadworthy bike, nevertheless.
Now, if nothing has been wired into that circuit, how do you know the fuse blows? May that be a lead to the culprit? Good luck!

Ride safely,
Louis

It's not ideal to be crouching by the side of the road with my mini screwdriver taking the pannier off to get access to the fuses.