[awsnap]

It's kind of weird. The fuses are after the switch....

It makes no difference if the fuse is located on the positive side of the circuit or the negative side of the circuit. There are 2 schools in the design of electronics (and consequent placement of fuses): Conventional Current Flow versus Electron Flow. Your schooling will dictate where you desire to place the fuses.
Regardless, the fuse is always rated at a lower current capacity than the circuit it is protecting... hence its purpose in life. (I could go on and on about electronics theory, but elect to STFU after I type the rest of this thread )

However, if the fuses are on the negative side of a working circuit, then using ground as a reference to look for voltage is incorrect because you will NEVER see voltage on the fuse housings using your multimeter... unless the fuse is blown (in which case you will see voltage on the upstream/positive portion of the circuit). In your case, you should see voltage on BOTH sides of these fuses using battery-positive as a reference since the circuit interruption is located somewhere else.

Quick check... instead of using ground as a reference, place your multimeter's red lead to battery positive, then check both sides of the fuse with the black lead. If you see a volt reading, then the fuse is located on the negative side of the circuit.
Knowing this makes a huge difference when troubleshooting electronics and could save you some time.

Once you have determined if the the fuses are on the positive or negative side of the circuit, you can work succesfully from f1 and f2 towards your problem area. Use the schematic awsnap supplied and work your way along each connection point.

All of the wires are color coded and using the schematic as a map find the point where your voltmeter changes. When your meter changes its voltage reading, then you have sucessfully isolated your problem... it is either a faulty component, a loose wire connection, or a broken wire.

The first thing I would do is take the headlights out and check for continuity using the ohm setting on your multimeter... no continuity = broken filament = broken circuit.


Yeah, I know that sounds condescending, but that is electronics 101, my friends.

All that and it doesn't apply. What a shame. I know you can put a fuse anywhere, it just typically doesn't go too far away from the battery. In this case it leaves the batter, travels to the handle bar, and back to the fuse box. It allows 8+ feet of wire to be shorted with no protection but the main 25A fuse. It's not about circuit analysis, it's about safe automotive wiring.

Also, in this case, it's after the switch, not the bulb so it would still be 12V+, not ground.

[awsnap]

Yeah!!! Is the problem now fixed?

[Chef]

Also, in this case, it's after the switch, not the bulb so it would still be 12V+, not ground.

Cheers!!!
I didn't trace the schematic 100% when I replied (12 hour shift prior to browsing).
I learned something new tonight (location of fuse in the circuit) and that is always beneficial. Thanks for that
I could argue your reasoning of the placement of fuses within a circuit and their proximity to a power source, (including wire-distance/length AND schematic locale) but that is beyond this forum.

My response that you just quoted was geared towards source, even though I quoted you.
He sounded like he needed a few tips in electronics troubleshooting... So when you say: All that and it doesn't apply. What a shame. you obviously didn't read my response from the viewpoint of the O.P. (source).
And yes, it does apply - What I wrote is the backbone of troubleshooting electronics.

Not to worry - the goal here is to assist source in his electrical troubleshooting. Afterall, it's all about him, not you and I; it is his thread.

Let us know how things work out, source !!

[awsnap]

I just said that it didn't apply because it wasn't the fuses. Good info, like I said. I do agree that a fuse will work no matter where it is along the path. BUT, for it to really do it's job on a bike or in a car it needs to protect the gear and the battery by being as close to (electrically) the battery as possible. What happens if one of the wires between the ignition (the power source for the switch (and lights)) and the fuse, some where along that path gets worn and stripped and contacts the frame and shorts? Well, the headlight fuses aren't going to be in the 'new' circuit. The main 25A fuse is going to have to blow. It just seemed like poor engineering to me, that's all. I wasn't refuting anything you said or taking it personally. I was trying to help source and most of what you said didn't apply directly to his problem, it was just some good info.

[source]

Yeah!!! Is the problem now fixed?

Sadly, the wife required "pay attention to me" time last night, delaying my troubleshooting until she finally passed out around midnight. By the time I found the problems I posted pictures of, it was 1:00am, so I haven't had time yet to try to repair/replace the wires. I'll try to see what I can do tonight.

I'm going to try to clean up that bypass that was done & I'm also going to buy a used full wire harness if I can get it cheap enough on ebay. I'm bidding on one now.

Thanks to everyone who has been participating in this thread by the way, especially chef & awsnap.

[awsnap]

I'm also going to buy a used full wire harness if I can get it cheap enough on ebay. I'm bidding on one now.

That'll be fun. OO, OO, OO, can I help? No thanks...

[source]

I'm also going to buy a used full wire harness if I can get it cheap enough on ebay. I'm bidding on one now.

That'll be fun. OO, OO, OO, can I help? No thanks...

I know it will suck, but no more than the idle problem I'm dealing with It would be nice to replace that fried connector.

[ironhorse]

Ought to see if your local friendly Pep Boys or AutoZone has a Weatherpack two-wire connector, which are similar to OEM weather-tight connectors. That would be quite a bit easier than a full harness.
Of course, if there are other "Easter eggs" of delight hidden in your current harness.....
Also put some dielectric grease on all the connectors you can reach. It will help keep the water out. It is sold in little packets or big tubes, depending on how much you want.
And look out for any of those cheap crimp-splice add-ons for a horn, etc., on that circuit. A high current draw would also cause the connector to burn. Or the wrong wattage headlight lamps, especially the new super-bright style. And they will burn up your switches.

[source]

Okay, turns out the fried connector and splices were too easy to be the answer

I removed the existing bypasses of the fried connector and re-did them with perfect splices & replaced another similar splice, but still no joy.

Additional info:

I originally used a basic circuit tester (light up pen with alligator clips) which as I said showed the low & high beams with no complete circuit at the fuse box and at the headlight connectors. Now that I have a multimeter, I show 11.58 volts at both of the fuses in the fuse box using my multimeter.
I completely took apart the high/low switch pod, but I’m still a bit fuzzy as to how to check for continuity & what the results I’m getting from the meter, or lack thereof, mean.
Here is the schematic for this bike. Its pretty similar to the one originally posted, but seems a bit easier:

[awsnap]

Depending on your DMM (digital multi-meter) you may have a continuity setting or you may only have a resistance setting. No worry. Cont gives you a tone to confirm. Usually there is a sound icon of some sort to signify this. If not, use resistance and you are looking for 0 ohms or near 0 for continuity or a clean electrical path.

[ironhorse]

OK - the white wire is the Low beam, yellow High beam, right. I think I was looking at the wrong connector.............
From looking at your pics, I would say that having the high AND low beams' pins burned up is not a corrosion problem in that connector. Something else is wrong so that it was pulling too much current on BOTH high and low rather than shorting in the connector and burning.
You never said if you checked that the bulbs were 'stock' wattage.
Also, did you replace the fuses with the same size fuse that was in there when you bought the bike, or with the fuse that SHOULD be there according to the schematic - 15A for high and low beams, 10A ignition, 15A signal, 10A tail/instruments? A common, misguided electrical troubleshooting "method" is to put a bigger fuse in the circuit until it stops burning out. This method leads to something else in the circuit burning up - wires, connectors, etc.
Check the other connectors. That black one under the yellow connector that's burned, first. It looks like it's the one the front brake switch goes through, and will have the orange power 'loop' for the lights. And check the one that the headlights, front turn signal, and sidelight are on. It has a loop for the blue/white to green/white low beam wire. That would be my "if the bike was stock" options.
Since the previous owners did surgery on the wiring already, look for any other splices or connections that don't look stock - like the two you already replaced.
Check for any connections/splices with wire colors that don't match - the previous owner might have tried to jump across circuits to get something to work.
Try to get everything put together as colse to the schematics as possible. Troubleshooting electrical is hard enough, let alone without knowing what the other guy did before you.
See if it has a stock horn, or at least that the horn (or horns if he put in a high-tone and low-tone) is wired up correctly - that's another part that uses lots of current when in operation.
And "continuity" just means that the circuit is continuous through the points you are testing. When you get a tone it is indicating that electricity will flow, no breaks in the circuit.

[Astro4x4]

Check the white connector closest to the headlamps, it's somewhere close to the back of the headlamp housing although I can't tell exact location because I have my bike apart still. If the yellow connector burnt, good chances the white one is now burnt. If you need any spots metered for reference, let me know, I have the fairings and dash off but the electrical is still intact and working.

a little later.....
OK so curiosity got the best of me. Try this and let us know. Put your black meter lead on the negative battery terminal and leave it there. With KEY ON, probe your fuses, you will see positive voltage on both sides of the headlamp fuses depending on the position of the dimmer switch. Check one, flip the switch and check the other, then we'll go from there.

[source]

Awesome, thanks you two. I'm at an amusement park with the kids right now. I'll try to make time tonight to check those things.

[Astro4x4]

If you are going to work on it tonight and have some questions or need something checked, shoot me a PM or post up. I'll be wrenching on mine tonight too and have the laptop in the garage.

[source]

If you are going to work on it tonight and have some questions or need something checked, shoot me a PM or post up. I'll be wrenching on mine tonight too and have the laptop in the garage.

Didn't get home until after midnight. Seriously frustrated. I'm spending tomorrow working on it all day whether the wife & kids like it or not

I also was able to get a complete wire harness for $65 on ebay, so if I can't track the problem down, I will fix it one way or another