Normal to see 12v across fuse?

[pzkpfw]

Still trying to get my mates GN250 going properly...

Part 1:

I found there was 12v across the fuse holder. (With the fuse out and the key well and truely off).

One end of the fuse holder is basically a direct connection to the +ve terminal of the battery.

The other end of the fuse holder dissapears into the wiring loom

With the ignition off, I would have expected to see no voltage across the fuse holder. There's no clock or anything that needs to keep getting power so I don't get why there'd be an electrical connection.

And I'd have thought that the battery would slowly drain itself when the bike is not in use, if there's an electrical connection through the fuse, with the ignition key off.

Am I stupid? Any suggestions?

Part 2:

I stuck some old ZX10R indicators (just normal bulbs, not LED's) on the GN to replace the ones ripped off by the lowlife thieving scum.

With the bike started and the engine going the indiciators come on but don't flash.

I didn't check but I kind of assumed the 12v bulbs of the Kawasaki would just be fine on the GN.

Was I wrong about that and the bulbs need changing to a different wattage? Or is this a sign of further issues with the bike?

Thanks,

[vindy500]

Still trying to get my mates GN250 going properly...

Part 1:

I found there was 12v across the fuse holder. (With the fuse out and the key well and truely off).

One end of the fuse holder is basically a direct connection to the +ve terminal of the battery.

The other end of the fuse holder dissapears into the wiring loom

With the ignition off, I would have expected to see no voltage across the fuse holder. There's no clock or anything that needs to keep getting power so I don't get why there'd be an electrical connection.

And I'd have thought that the battery would slowly drain itself when the bike is not in use, if there's an electrical connection through the fuse, with the ignition key off.

Am I stupid? Any suggestions?

normal, theres always +12V on the positive terminal of the battery, if theres nothing on then if youre effectively just putting a multimeter over the battery (in a very long about way)

Dont know about why your indicators arent working though, perhaps there the wrong impedance?

[CookMySock]

I found there was 12v across the fuse holder. (With the fuse out and the key well and truely off)...With the ignition off, I would have expected to see no voltage across the fuse holder.

You're right. Fuse is blown or faulty.

And I'd have thought that the battery would slowly drain itself when the bike is not in use, if there's an electrical connection through the fuse, with the ignition key off.

If there is no electrical doo-dad switched on, there will be no current draw.

I stuck some old ZX10R indicators (just normal bulbs, not LED's) on the GN to replace the [standard] ones... With the bike started and the engine going the indiciators come on but don't flash.

I didn't check but I kind of assumed the 12v bulbs of the Kawasaki would just be fine on the GN. Was I wrong about that and the bulbs need changing to a different wattage? Or is this a sign of further issues with the bike?

Either you are correct (bulbs are the wrong wattage), or the flasher is stuffed.


Steve

[vindy500]

You're right. Fuse is blown or faulty.

Or as stated, out...

[pzkpfw]

Thanks everyone.

If there is no electrical doo-dad switched on, there will be no current draw.

What I don't get is why it shows a voltage at all. One end of the fuse holder is certainly connected to the +ve terminal of the battery, but the other end surely is not connected to anything, when the bike is "off"?

+12v -----[ empty fuse holder ]----- wiring loom
          |                   |
          |                   |
          +--- multimeter ----+

For the multimeter to show 12.54 volts, wouldn't that mean that the other end is earthed, somewhere?

The current flow might be so small that it doesn't matter, like how my own bike can keep it's clock running for a long while without draining my battery - but still, it'll worry me until I know why that 12.54 volts appears there. (e.g. for all I know it's some weird effect of the regulator/recitifer being in the circuit... ?)

Either you are correct (bulbs are the wrong wattage), or the flasher is stuffed.

Steve

Confirmed the bulbs in the ZX indicators are 21W just like the original GN ones on the front - and found the flasher unit and it said "2 x 21W + 5W", so now think the bulbs are OK.

Unplugging the flasher (it's a two-prong one) and connecting it directly to the battery through a spare (single) bulb I still got no flash (the light did light) - so I think yeah, that's a buggered flasher.

It might have taken a really hard knock when the battery was ripped out of the bike... (bastards!!!!).


Cheers,

[bogan]

+12v -----[ empty fuse holder ]----- wiring loom
          |                   |
          |                   |
          +--- multimeter ----+

For the multimeter to show 12.54 volts, wouldn't that mean that the other end is earthed, somewhere?

yip, try putting a low amp fuse in it to see if it blows, if not put a multimeter on current mode (my cheap dse one does 10A) across it and see how much current is being drawn.

[CookMySock]

Oh with the fuse out... Sorry I mis-read.

The internal resistance of parts of the bike will be much lower than the internal resistance of the meter, so you get a high-volts reading. Sorry, thats a bit complex to explain further. It's a common problem when reading volts on automotive gear using digital Hi-Z meters. It's one of the reasons why a test lamp is more useful than a meter, and indeed the test lamp is likely to give exactly the opposite indication than a Hi-Z multimeter.

Hehe did you get that?

Steve

[notme]

Still trying to get my mates GN250 going properly...

Part 1:

I found there was 12v across the fuse holder. (With the fuse out and the key well and truely off).

One end of the fuse holder is basically a direct connection to the +ve terminal of the battery.

The other end of the fuse holder dissapears into the wiring loom

With the ignition off, I would have expected to see no voltage across the fuse holder. There's no clock or anything that needs to keep getting power so I don't get why there'd be an electrical connection.

And I'd have thought that the battery would slowly drain itself when the bike is not in use, if there's an electrical connection through the fuse, with the ignition key off.

Am I stupid? Any suggestions?

Part 2:

I stuck some old ZX10R indicators (just normal bulbs, not LED's) on the GN to replace the ones ripped off by the lowlife thieving scum.

With the bike started and the engine going the indiciators come on but don't flash.

I didn't check but I kind of assumed the 12v bulbs of the Kawasaki would just be fine on the GN.

Was I wrong about that and the bulbs need changing to a different wattage? Or is this a sign of further issues with the bike?

Thanks,

For part one, you don't mention what problem you are trying to solve.... i.e. why are you looking across the empty fuse holder with a multimeter? If the fuse isn't blowing, put it back in and forget about it :-). If you have reason to suspect that something is draining the battery overnight, start measuring somethign that will help you, which is the standing current drawn by the bike when the ignition is off.

For part two, you aren't trying LED indicators or anything fancy, all you are doing is putting bulbs in just like the bike had when it came out of the factory. If they don't flash, change the flasher unit.

HTH