New to the forum and HD Motorcycles in general. I bought a Fatboy from a friend after 40 years of riding Crotch Rockets and found myself enjoying the hell out of it. Unfortunately, it hasn't really been the best user experience though, as I've had it break down on 3 of the last 20 rides. Its gone through 2 batteries (1 actually melted the solder off the positive battery post and dripped down to the bottom of the battery pan making a connection) replaced battery which seemed to solve the issue for a few weeks, but then the bike quit in mid ride 200 miles from home. Got it stopped, took seat off and battery was almost boiling.....was so hot I almost couldn't take it out of the bike with gloves on. (Speedo still showed 90kph which is how fast I was going when it died) Replaced voltage regulator and battery and got it running again...but bike died before I could ride. Took it to the shop where they again replaced the voltage regulator and I managed to ride the bike home. I noted that my speedo still was showing 90 kph and later that my turn signals and horn were also not working. Once home I checked the fuses and found 2 blown... replaced and instantly the ACC fuse blows as soon as I turn the ignition on. I tried looking for shorts and unhooked the ignition module, tail wiring harness, instrument cluster and headlamp and it STILL blows fuse as soon as I turn on ignition.



This is the back where I assume a wire is missing (look closely at the white spot)

Front of fuse showing how clip dosnt appear to be on left of the middle fuse. Thats the Battery fuse. One that blows is directly above (ACC) and blows as soon as ignition switch is turned so I assume maybe its shorting inside) Note that the pic is upside down as to how it would attach on bike, so ACC fuse is usually below the Battery fuse not above when you take the cover off the fuse panel.


So after pulling my hair out, I finally took a closer look at the fuse panel. This is where my question should have probably started.... I noticed that the fuse for the battery appeared on only have one silver clip (not the proper term, but the part where the fuse itself would make contact with the wire is what I mean) So I removed the fuse panel and found a small piece of electric tape loosely wrapped around the wires inside the plastic loom they usually reside in. Thought that was odd, but couldn't find any reason for it to be there so I looked at the underside of the fuse panel and noticed that the battery fuse only has 1 wire running to one side.....First question is ....Is that normal (makes no sense to me to have a fuse that only has a wire connected to one side unless its terminated internally somehow).... Also....if you look closely at the pics I attached, there is a white spot on the back of the fuse panel with a hole in it that LOOKS like there used to be a wire in it, but if so, I cant find it in the wiring harness underneath.

I really don't want to have to keep replacing parts that aren't solving the issue, but not sure where to look.

In a nutshell..... My speedo dosnt work at all....before this it worked intermittently so I first tried cleaning speed sensor which worked for about 15 mins. Turn signals stopped working. Then I had battery die, and replaced with a new one..... when that died, I replaced it and the voltage regulator..... Bike started and ran for a bit, but before I could even ride, died with a dead battery. Took to shop and they replaced voltage regulator again and I managed to ride it home, but still have no speedo, signals, horn or brake lights (the latter is all I really care about as riding in a world with distracted cell phone users is bad enough when they KNOW you are slowing down)

Thanks for any help in advance.....sorry about the long winded question, but thought Id try and provide as much detail as possible to help those of you that actually have a clue as to what the problem might be

 

This is what in a nutshell is...

Those devices are all powered by the Accessory circuit, it is an Orange/White wire.

What is telling you there is a Battery fuse?

That bike has a 30 amp main breaker, and 4 fuses:
Ignition
Lights
Accessory
Instrument

 

Thanks for the reply

The fuse cover itself lists it as such..... right above the ACC fuse in the center row

it goes like this according to the diagram on the box:

Blank - Blank - Gauges
Blank - Battery - Ignition
Blank -Accessory - Lights

with 15 amp fuses in all 5 slots not listed as blank according to the Orange sticker on the fuse panel cover

 

I don`t see a battery fuse shown in the wiring diagram.

 

Nor did I which is why I came here to ask.....Seems odd to list it on cover and have a 15 amp fuse if its not needed. Something is obviously shorting someplace, and I thought that this might be the culprit if the missing pin from the battery fuse is somehow touching the ACC fuse lead

 

Maybe that cover is used across several models...

I don`t see a battery fuse on a Softail until 2003 or thereabouts.

I suggest you start at the Accessory circuit, check for damage behind the fuse panes, then follow the wire (Orange/White).

You said that you disconnected the harness that runs back to the tail light and the fuse still blows, so you have eliminated that rear harness as an issue.

Try disconnecting the connectors for the Turn Signal module, speedometer, headlight, see if the fuse blows.

 

• Thanks.... It is still blowing fuses with those disconnected, so I'll leave the fuse out of the battery circuit, and start tracing the orange/white wire and see if I can't find a short someplace in the main harness

 

There isn't a second terminal on the fuse marked battery just a power input.

 

Ya, I'm guessing someone put the wrong cover on it at the shop or something where there might have be more then one sitting around, but its always had a 15 AMP fuse in it since I've owned it, so I assumed it was a working fuse. I'll go on the assumption its not the issue and check the wires themselves once the rain stops Thanks for the reply

 

OK.... I think I may have it sorted.....Thanks to Dan89FLSTC for the suggestions of what to test on the Orange/white wire.

I had hooked up a Multimeter to that wire at the fuse panel and was getting continuity with ground so I knew that was why it was blowing fuses. I unhooked everything I could find on the wiring harness and still there was a ground issue. Took everything off the bars and looked for pinched wires, pulled the tank to check for any harness wear I couldn't see, checked all the bulbs in every light and sockets. Nothing seemed to make a difference so I was about to start cutting open the harness at any suspected chafe points when the weather got bad and I had to give up for the day

The following day I went out with the intent of checking every inch of that Orange/White wire, so I cut away 3 of the cable ties behind where the battery would go to give me better access. Once I had that open, I could see where the wire ran and noticed it split in 2 directions with one running along the tank and the other back towards the plug for the lights on the rear fender. Tracing other orange/white wires I noticed one going down behind the oil tank towards the rear wheel.

Its here that I have to point out that it was my own stupidity in not finding the issue earlier. Dan89FLSTC clearly stated for me to check the Turn Signal Module, and I even replied saying I had..... but that's because I had lurked around and heard people referring to TSSM modules and for some reason I thought it was half of my ignition module because up until yesterday I couldn't find the damn thing anywhere on my bike. I had opened the back of the fender behind the Ignition Module expecting to find it when told I had to remove the fender cover and saw nothing but tire (and a chance to make sure the wire wasn't rubbing on the rear harness)

But luck was on my side, when I dropped the brass washer off the battery terminal and had to try and find it. While laying on my back I noticed 2 bolts at the bottom of the bike that secured a piece of plastic to the lower inside of the rear wheel and had that Eureka moment when I removed the bolts and slid it down to uncover the main fuse, Turn Signal module and bank sensor. I actually thought it was going to be the speed sensor connector, but as soon as I unplugged the Turn Signal Module, I lost continuity on the Multimeter and knew I'd found the short.

Put the bike back together without the TSM and it started right up, reset my speedo to zero for the first time in 6 months instead of showing the last speed I was riding when it shut down, horn worked, brake light worked and bike idled a lot better then it had with short. Everything seems to work except turn signals of course, so gonna order a replacement unit in the morning and a LED Headlight since my high beams gone in the original one and hopefully enjoy a worry free summer where I can put some real miles on the bike without having to worry about getting home

Thanks to all for the help, and Dan89FLSTC for the solution. Hopefully my stupidity saves someone else a headache trying to sort out a similar issue in the future. If for some reason, a new TSM dosnt fix the issue, I'll come back and update on what does, but I'm fairly confident this is going to sort my issue for which I'm extremely grateful.