I have a 04 Flhr with a carb.In a rush, I used a auto battery charger and after connected I hit the starter button. I lost power to the instrument panel. I checked the fuse -it was blown. every time I replace the fuse it now blows. what should I check first? Thanks

 

I've known a few folk that misused a battery charger and fried their starter, hence their fuse kept blowing when they attempted to start it. Also wiped out their speedo.

 

Which fuse?

 

I've been lucky enough to use a car charger with no issues. It wasn't one of the big ones though.

 

Ditto---have used car chargers for years and jumped my bike and trickle charged it and never a problem.

 

I use Pledge for all my electrical problems

 

If you connect or disconnect a battery charger from a battery on a motorcycle or a car while the charger is "On" it creates a voltage surge that can hit well over 10,000 volts. (If you saw a spark it was at least over 500-700 volts). The more the battery is discharged and/or the higher the battery charger setting, the more likely you are to create this voltage surge, and the higher the voltage of the surge will be. 9,999 times out of 10,000 nothing bad happens. This is because the voltage surge (like a wave in water) may dissipate enough by the time it gets to any sensitive electronics that no damage is done . . . but that one time in 10,000 . . . the devil has his due. Think about how many times you have ridden over broken glass (didn't see it in time, accident scene you had to ride through, whatever) . . . and didn't get a flat tire . . . and think about how many times you've probably ridden over broken glass and didn't even know about it, and didn't get a flat tire . . . doesn't mean you can't get a flat tire from broken glass . . . sometimes you're the winshield . . . and sometimes you're the bug. Sorry to hear that your speedometer took a hit.

 

speedo appears to be fried.- unplugged it no blown fuse -plug back in blow fuse

 

Figured you blew the speedo. I'd do a complete charging system test as well just to be certain your starter, VR, etc. is all set.

 

was the battery dead are just low?