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Dominator electrical failure

Submitted by christopher_hughes on Thu, 15/03/2012
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Heavy Twins

Hi, I have just returned from a lovely problem-freespringtime run and decided to resite the horn/dipswitch. Now,the horn and lights do not work, nor the ammeter when ignition is turned on, everything electrical has packed up.I charged the battery, checked all visible connectors, changed the fuse but all to no avail. The bike has a Boyer Power Box and one of the Boyer Inductive Discharge systems. There are no lights visibleon the Powerbox so it has no power to it. I cannot work out what Ihave down when moving the switch which must have been the precipitating cause. Please do not make me get my Bonnie out and ride that instead, I have only just stopped telling my Triumph friends how great the Dommie is !!

Submitted by chris_edwards on Thu, 15/03/2012

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ok well when you moved the switch you probebly dameged a wire if it is a old loom on the bike it might of fracturd one of the wires

Submitted by christopher_hughes on Thu, 15/03/2012

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Hi, I thought that but the switch and wiring are new so I think it must be something else. The switch terminals are all good. Thanks for your reply.

Submitted by chris_edwards on Thu, 15/03/2012

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ok if the dommi is runing posetive earth try running a wire from the - on the battery to the ammeter if that gives you your powwer back then you no were the falt is

Submitted by gordon_johnston on Sat, 17/03/2012

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Get a cheap multimeter. Check your battery voltage. Check that the fuse is OK. If not, you have a dead short somewhere, probably in the switch you moved. Really, with a multimeter you can easily check voltages and resistances along the wiring. It is all quite logical and simple. If you are really clueless about how to do it, why not invest in the Haynes Motorcycle Electrics manual? Is there someone locally who can go over the basic with you? SO much easier than trying to spell it out on the forum.

Submitted by christopher_hughes on Sat, 17/03/2012

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Hi Gordon, redundancyfunds, alas, do not stretch to buying anything at the moment. However, I ran a wire from the live side of the battery to the ammeter and the lights etcworked. I hadrewired the switchbeforehand so the switch cannot be the culprit. Have you any idea what to do next. Thanks for your time, Chris.

Submitted by chris_edwards on Sat, 17/03/2012

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ok then there is a falut betwen the live side of the battery and the ignition switch and the ignition switch and the ameterso trace the wire from the ameter to the ignition switch and replace it if nececery and the ignition switch to the battery and check that wire you can do that by using a spare bit of wire as you did to the ameter if there is still a problem then it will be uin the ignition switch if it is the prs8 switch that you have then it can be split and cleand faily easaly as its usualy durty contacts

Submitted by christopher_hughes on Sat, 17/03/2012

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Sorted!! It turned out to be the actual fuse holder thatwas faulty. I took it apart and cleaned the contacts but no improvement so as a last attempt I bypassed the fuse holder and hey presto, normal service. I seem to remember having a similar problem on a T100 years ago.The problem gave all the signs of a fuse failure but with the fuses not blowing I suppose it was obviously the fuse holder. Many thanks to all fellow members who replied.

Submitted by gordon_johnston on Sat, 17/03/2012

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Hi Chris, electrical problems are always such fun... Pleased you found out the problem. Might still be worth investing in a multimeter - you can get one for less than a fiver. I have had my cheapie one for many years now and it has repaid itself many times over. Even just to be able to check a light bulb is handy. Gordon.

 


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