i keep blowing fuses!

Ok 2 days after i got my bike running it blew 2 fuses in the pannel under the left side cover. Its 3 fuses in a small box. The top two are the ones that keep poping. Its a white wire and red wire i believe. Idk what they go to and i dont have a service manuel. Any help would be great. The bike is a 1982 kz750 ltd.

Cheers
Jason

The Dreaded Shorting/Intermittent Electrical Problem!


Here is the most basic method I know(Taken from www.kzrider.com by member Patton)

1. Charge your battery and have it load tested if you can. The floating ball hydrometer can be used to check the specific gravity of the charged cells in the battery.

2. Disconnect the Black lead from the (-) Battery terminal... or Red from the (+) Battery terminal, it does not matter which one. Just 1, not both!

3. Connect one of the following test setups in series with the Battery terminal and lead:
3.1 A 12 V light bulb,
3.2 A 12 V test light,
3.3 A 12 V test buzzer or,
3.4 A 12 V horn... you get the idea.

4. With the Ignition Switch OFF, go through your harness and wiggle the wires while looking/listening for the test setup to go on/start buzzing.

5.With the Ignition Switch ON, repeat the test except this time the looking/listening for the test setup to go off/stop buzzing.

6. Be prepared to open the Ignition switch and check/test for solder joint failure and or circuit board micro breaks (don't ask how I know this ).

7. Be prepared to pull the wires out of the Head Light to test for failures at or near the grommet.

8. Be prepared to open the harness at or near the Steering Neck for failures. This is where wires tend to exhibit fatigue due to repetitive movement.

9. Be prepared to open the left and right switch gear to search for rust and or broken parts. CAUTION: watch out for flying springs, ball bearings and stuff. Do indoors on White sheet (again don't ask ).

10. Be prepared to follow the heavy gauge wire from the Starter Solenoid (Relay) to the starter for bare wire exposure. Especially near bends and grommets.

11. If you can reproduce the fault symptom your are pretty much home free. Be prepare to find and repair/replace any internal wire breaks, insulation break downs, exposed wires, rubber grommet failures, etc. Often, shrink tubing will solve the problem temporarily until something better can be done.

12. I use a very good electrical contact cleaner/preservative called De-oxit made by Caig Labs in San Diego Ca. Their website is www.deoxit.com It can be purchased at Radio Shack and any other electronic supply store. I use it on all of my motorcycle’s electrical connectors , in my home entertainment center’s stereo patch cords and cordless phones charging cradles.

Here's wiring diagrams for several years, and shop manual information:
kz.bike-night.com/manual.html

On my bike the white and white/red stripe(from memory) are the main fuse and is a 20 amp the other two are lighting and other stuff both 10 amp. The fuse box itself is a common problem . Lots of us change out the old glass fuses to a blade style fuse block. It seems to solve alot of electrical issues. My bike is a kz1000 so Im not sure if yours is the same.

Chris

Go here, www.kzrider.com/filebase/cat_view/102-1982 , this is the File Base here and will have the wiring diagram for your model. Which you should include in your posts and if you go into your profile, and add your info into your signature. Then it will be in future and past posts.

Thank god i found this forum. You guys rock. I will add the link to my signature. Tomorrow let the diagnosis begin!!!.... Freaking great.... Thanks y'all

Cheers
Jason

Dont forget to check your grounds too.

went riding yesterday morning pulled up behind a guy noticed my headlight wasn't working
check my fuse blown put another in Blew immediately put a 30 Amp in blew the main

same problem I had fixed earlier when I put my fuse panel in. High beam shorting out at
the handlebar switch. wire was originally pinched from PO i repaired it with elect. tape but
obviously not well enough.

only blows when the I switch to high beams. definately check the wiring around the HB switches especially if there has been a handlebar swap.

Hey ramtough, i never thought of that. Ive had my bars off about 5 times now trying to fab up new ones maybe thats it. It does seem to blow when i hit the turn signal but not all the time. Thanks guys

Oh also i forgot to add wheb the fuses blow i loose all power. Engine shuts off and everything. I dont know if that makes a dififference at all.

Would battery acid spilling on this thing cause my problem? Im pointing at that aluminum finned thing.

probably not if it's blowing when you hit the turn signal it's in that circuit. you have a dead short does it blow if you turn signal on left or right or either? unplug flasher and try it, make sure you have plenty of fuses and try unpluging flasher if it blows plug flasher back in then unplug turn signals one at a time trying it each time. until all are unplugged. if it still blows plug em all back in the remove swith housing from handlebar and try it again

I just tried every cimbination of turn signals, high beams, breaks, horn. Every button i could hit at once and nothing blew. And i cant see any broken wires or rubbed through wires. The battery isnt over charging. Im stumped at the moment. And i really dont want to have to pull the main harness apart cuz its wrapped tight.