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[cc.canada]

just some info on the battery tender harness its only designed as a battery charging point for the bikes battery on the 2014/ 2015 new touring models not as a power point for heated clothing or anything else it was designed as a power IN , it can fail and short out 

[Major Tom]

just some info on the battery tender harness its only designed as a battery charging point for the bikes battery on the 2014/ 2015 new touring models not as a power point for heated clothing or anything else it was designed as a power IN , it can fail and short out

Good information CC. I don't own any heated gear as I have considerable 'natural' heating.  However I have considered it for the BSR, so if we go that way I will go with either a packet battery pack or separate power source.

Cheers Tom

[stealth]

WARNING!!

If you locate the harness such that you can get it out of the notch, be careful. My dealer did that, and when I got home I found mine melted to the cross over exhaust pipe. A little longer and I could have fried the entire main harness as this new harness cable is part of that harness. HD, and I, did not want them to tear the bike apart and replace the main harness, so they cut the end off and spliced in a new one. I asked them to make sure it cannot reach the exhaust pipe. 

[J-Carr]

just some info on the battery tender harness its only designed as a battery charging point for the bikes battery on the 2014/ 2015 new touring models not as a power point for heated clothing or anything else it was designed as a power IN , it can fail and short out

I am not disputing you, but I am curious about this.  Electricity flows from the positive to the negative.  It can flow in either direction.  Although there are ways to prevent this, it would seem to be over-engineering the connection.  To simplify a factory hookup I could see adding the connecter wires into the harness, but why would they chance running it through the ECM or some other component that could be harmed by a draw in power?  I'd just add a second wire into the ground wire and the hot wire coming off the battery and it would be fine without any risk to any components and it would still function for those who have connectors for aux gear?

It seems very un-Harley like to invest extra time or money into engineering when its needed.  To do it when its counterproductive? 

[RGlideKid]

WARNING!!

If you locate the harness such that you can get it out of the notch, be careful. My dealer did that, and when I got home I found mine melted to the cross over exhaust pipe. A little longer and I could have fried the entire main harness as this new harness cable is part of that harness. HD, and I, did not want them to tear the bike apart and replace the main harness, so they cut the end off and spliced in a new one. I asked them to make sure it cannot reach the exhaust pipe.

Cable ties are a wonderful thing.  You may not like it being "semi-out in the open", but if you use it frequently, it's handier than a shirt pocket to have out.  I'd have to break two cable ties on the outside and one under the left side cover for it to be anywhere near a major heat source.
I may look one day at re-routing it to the right side of the bike if it'll reach that far, although coming out from a hole under the seat pan is a good way to hide it and make it relatively easy to get at.  I did that on my '11 RGU and it worked out fine there.  Hmmm.

[grc]

just some info on the battery tender harness its only designed as a battery charging point for the bikes battery on the 2014/ 2015 new touring models not as a power point for heated clothing or anything else it was designed as a power IN , it can fail and short out

I am not disputing you, but I am curious about this.  Electricity flows from the positive to the negative.  It can flow in either direction.  Although there are ways to prevent this, it would seem to be over-engineering the connection.  To simplify a factory hookup I could see adding the connecter wires into the harness, but why would they chance running it through the ECM or some other component that could be harmed by a draw in power?  I'd just add a second wire into the ground wire and the hot wire coming off the battery and it would be fine without any risk to any components and it would still function for those who have connectors for aux gear?

It seems very un-Harley like to invest extra time or money into engineering when its needed.  To do it when its counterproductive? 

Yup.  I'd like to see the actual wiring diagram before actually commenting on the post from cc.canada, but unless there is a diode or similar device between the battery positive terminal and that battery tender harness connector, there is no such thing as just a power IN thing.  But, the original tender harnesses were not intended to be a power point for accessories either.  I know that many people used them that way, but it wasn't the smartest or best solution.  I think what may have some people worried about with this new integrated harness is what would happen if you managed to damage the harness.  With the old setup, you could just buy another $12 harness and replace the one you damaged very easily.  If you find a way to destroy the harness on the late model bikes, such as the situation mentioned by stealth, repair would be a bit more involved.

My advice has always been to use the tender harness connector for battery charging, and to add a properly sized and protected power point for your plug in accessories.  I still think that's a good piece of advice.

JMHO - Jerry

[cc.canada]

I was told this from the warranty person at the dealer ship as he was told to him by the factory warranty team  about a other bike which shorted the main harness and burned up the main harness which had to be replaced and the circuit was not designed to handle the  load of any electric accessories but only a 2 amp battery tender charger there is no fuse on this line

[grc]

Like I said earlier, I'd have to see the actual wiring diagram to be sure, but I can't believe H-D would set this up with no circuit protection.  It's true that the HD-LAN bikes have fewer fuses and relays than previous models, but that doesn't mean there is no circuit protection.  That function is covered by the BCM for many items. 

The only reason I'm questioning what you were told, since I agree it should only be used for a battery tender, is that I'm so used to hearing BS from Harley dealerships that I tend to question anything one of them says.  The last people on earth I would blindly trust are the folks at your average Harley dealership.

Jerry

[kojak]

Every battery harness I have used has always had an inline fuse on the hot lead.

[grc]

Every battery harness I have used has always had an inline fuse on the hot lead.

Yes.  But those were the harnesses we bought and installed directly to the battery terminals.  These new ones are part of the bike's wiring harness, and there is no inline fuse.  When you put things in the vehicles standard wiring harness, there is no reason to put an inline fuse holder and fuse in the line because you would normally provide circuit protection the same way you do all the other wiring, in the fuse box or in the case of CAN bus in the BCM.  If Harley truly did not provide any sort of circuit protection for this built in tender connector, they are clueless.

Jerry