Hello,
I seem to have developed an electrical problem with my '61 Navigator. It seems to have developed a habit of blowing fuses. It has happened a couple of times now. What has also happened is that when the lights have been on, with the engine running, it has blown the bulbs of the lights that were on.
I'll give an example. Today, before I started my bike, I switch the ignition on and the ammeter showed there was plenty off charge. Everything looked fine so I started the bike, rode it about a mile and then parked up for a couple of hours while I visited a friend. When I came to ride away I turned the ignition - nothing. It was completely dead so I checked the fuse I'd placed about three inches away from the negative battery terminal. It had blown, so I changed the fuse and everything is working fine again, the ammeter was reading a strong charge.
The occasion the lights blew was different though. I switched on the ignition and the bike fired but at tickover it would stop. Eventually it picked up and started running properly. I put the lights on, everything was fine, I got fifty metres down the road, the engine spluttered and both the main front and rear light blew, I quickly switched to the pilot light and that blew but I managed to pull over, with the engine still running. I wasn't far from home so I managed to ride back slowly, and very carefully, without lights.
Does anyone have any idea what is causing the fuse and lights to blow. The wiring loom is a new one that has been fitted for about six months and it has been working fine until now. I've replaced the bulbs on numerous occasions so they aren't suspect. The battery has been charged but is not beyond suspicion. I checked anyvisibleconnections and they seemed ok. I'm wondering whether it could be thealternator. Any thoughts?
The big resistor or the ba…
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I agree with Lionel on thi…
I agree with Lionel on this one. In my case, it happened on a Bantam. One night, for the first time ever, I could see where I was going - for about 3 seconds until the bulb blew. I switched to what was rather ambitiously called main beam and got another 3 seconds of glorious light.If you can't find a loose connection, it might be what I had - a broken connection inside the battery to the plates. A quick check with a meter will show you if that is it.
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The big resistor or the battery has probably got a dodgy connection . All the alternator charge is going through the bulbs. It can happen if your battery terminal comes adrift and all your light are on - hacking across Dartmoor in the middle of the nighton a Dommiein my case! Suddenly everything goes pitch black, so you've either got your eyes closed or the bulbs have blown!
After I bought my first Navigator last year it started up first kick (After days of standing!) and when I turned the lights on, the bulbs blew! Lovely! It was daytime though so not quite so bad.
Cheers, Lionel