Electrical malfunction after short - is there a Main Fuse?

[BertRemington]

I don't understand how you accomplished this short

I looked at the Big Bike 41-162 trailer harness and I'm really impressed on how you managed to damage your Spyder electronics.

The BB harness taps into the left and right rear light assemblies using 5-pin SuperSeal connectors. You can't screw those up.

The BB harness gets its power from the Spyder via a 15amp fuse. I'm not sure where the connections were made but the picture shows ring terminals so I assume you didn't have to tap into any existing wiring.

That leaves the five trailer side wires. If you shorted any of them the BB 15amp fuse should have failed not a Spyder fuse. Unless unless...

Check LHS F7 (10amp); RHS F1 (15amp); RHS J4 (30amp)

PS a small LED flashlight is really helpful working in that frunk space.

 

[BertRemington]

Maybe the problem is Big Bike...maybe not

After some research it appears that maybe Big Bike/Show Chrome might have had some electronics failures. So undo the two 5-pin SuperSeal connectors, check the fuses specified above and then see if your Spyder is fully functional.

If your trailer has LED lights, change the BB 15amp fuse to 5amp otherwise 10amp.

Then one at a time, with the trailer disconnected, install the 5-pin SuperSeal connectors and see if the tail, brake and turn lights work.

Then connect the trailer and see if the tail, brake and turn lights work.

Since you didn't mention the BB 5-to-4 wire adapter, I assume you have a 5-wire trailer (Amber turn signals) -- is this correct? If you have a 4-wire trailer are you using the 5-to-4 wire adapter?

And apparently the two ring terminals fasten directly to the battery. Did you do that? Or did you connect them somewhere else?

 

[turbineman]

"If memory serves me, it was the trailer "running light" wire that I grounded (connected to common)."

If you shorted the trailer side of the Big Bike harness it would not cause problems on the Spyder side unless you wired the Big Bike wrong.

So let's assume you shorted the Spyder side. Here's how the lights work:

* Tail lights -- illuminated when Ignition is ON

* Brake lights -- illuminated when brake pedal pushed even if Ignition is OFF

* Turn lights -- illuminated only when Ignition is ON unless in Hazard Flash mode

So the first item to check is the Tail lights fuse then the Brake lights fuse. If either failed check the upstream fuses too.

Questions --

1. Why were you fooling around with the wiring while the Ignition was ON or the brake pedal pushed?

2. Did you have the trailer connected when you grounded the wire?

3. Something about your installation process isn't making sense. Were you following the Big Bike installation instructions?

Question responses:
1. With the ignition ON, and the trailer wiring was connected, I was verifying the trailer lights were working properly.
2. Yes, the trailer was connected. I was checking the right side running light on the trailer, and shorted the two wires at the running light.
3 Before I connected the trailer plug, everything was working properly on the Spyder side.

 

[Joel The Biker]

Have you tried disconnecting and then reconnecting the battery in the spyder? It could reset circuit breakers, if any. Just an easy thing to try. Also try the horn and hazard lights. These should both work with the key off. Your symptoms lean towards a dead battery or maybe a bad relay for the main power(R3 in left fuse box).

 

[turbineman]

After some research it appears that maybe Big Bike/Show Chrome might have had some electronics failures. So undo the two 5-pin SuperSeal connectors, check the fuses specified above and then see if your Spyder is fully functional.

If your trailer has LED lights, change the BB 15amp fuse to 5amp otherwise 10amp.

Then one at a time, with the trailer disconnected, install the 5-pin SuperSeal connectors and see if the tail, brake and turn lights work.

Then connect the trailer and see if the tail, brake and turn lights work.

Since you didn't mention the BB 5-to-4 wire adapter, I assume you have a 5-wire trailer (Amber turn signals) -- is this correct? If you have a 4-wire trailer are you using the 5-to-4 wire adapter?

And apparently the two ring terminals fasten directly to the battery. Did you do that? Or did you connect them somewhere else?

Yes, the Big Bike power and ground wires are connected directly to the battery
All was working properly at the output of the harness before I connected the trailer.
The trailer has 5 wires, same has the Big Bike harness.

With the trailer disconnected, the Spyder ignition will not turn on. When I turn the key to the ON position, the front panel lights will flicker on and off, then the panel goes dark.
The various gauges will bounce up and down a few times, then stop. Really strange.

What is your recommendation for a good shop manual?

Thanks for the feedback, much appreciated.

 

[Joel The Biker]

Sounds like low battery.

 

[Paddy4810]

or bad battery connections

 

[Rizz]

Sounds like a dirty connection at the battery terminals or a discharged battery

 

[BertRemington]

I concur -- start with the batterry

As Turbine stated the Big Bike power is connected directly to the battery with two ring terminals. And with a 2015 RT the battery should have been replaced at least once. Arizona is usually a friendly climate for vehicle electronics but checking, cleaning and tightening terminals is a good start. And all the symptoms with the trailer disconnected really point to a battery problem.

WRT service manual Search is your friend. You will be buying an electronic version because you can't afford a paper version (they're several $100s but I have a 2014 if you want to waste your money).

 

[turbineman]

As Turbine stated the Big Bike power is connected directly to the battery with two ring terminals. And with a 2015 RT the battery should have been replaced at least once. Arizona is usually a friendly climate for vehicle electronics but checking, cleaning and tightening terminals is a good start. And all the symptoms with the trailer disconnected really point to a battery problem.

WRT service manual Search is your friend. You will be buying an electronic version because you can't afford a paper version (they're several $100s but I have a 2014 if you want to waste your money).

OK, more input. The R3 relay (main accessories and engine), left side of the Frunk, often chatters when the key is turned to the ON position.

I disconnected and reconnected the battery terminals. Then, when the key was "first" turned to the ON position, all panel lights lit up and gauges worked. The horn also worked.
Then, when I pushed the start button, everything went dead (all lights and gauges off).
I then turned the key OFF, waited a bit, and turned it back ON. Nothing! Dead! S**T!
All this time I had a Battery Tender connected to the battery, showing a charging voltage of 13+.
I disconnected the Battery Tender, battery voltage initially remained at 13+.
I then turn the key to the ON position; same issue, no lights or gauges.
I then checked the battery voltage (with the Tender still disconnected), and it show only 10.3 VDC. Hmm?

As suggested above, maybe it is a battery issue.
Maybe the temporary shorted wires in the trailer damaged one of more cells in the battery?
Thanks to those who suggested the battery!

Guess I will get a new battery and see if that solves the issue.
I will repost when the new battery is in.

PS: Who is a good source for Spyder batteries?

Thanks again to everyone who commented, much appreciated.
This is a great site.

 

[Isopedella]

There is a bunch of fuses and the battery in the front trunk.
Its under the insert.



4 push pins to remove on my F 3.
I would check the battery terminals.
Thats remove. Clean and ensure they are bright, not forgetting to do the same with battery terminals.
Then refit.
Just nipped up and not rocket arm torque.



Then fit to a battery maintainer to fully charge the battery.

There is also a bunch of fuses under the covers above the battery.
Take your time.
Inspect carefully.
Visually and you could pick a cheap multi-meter and work through them.

 

[EdMat]

Since you have never posted a battery voltage I would first check that. Sounds low or poor connection at some point.

I see now that you did. Thought I had read them all but didn't make it to page 2. I think when you solve your low voltage problem you will have fixed the rest. Good luck.

 

[fatboy]

ed he did 10.3 please read the post

 

[Piratezz]

The spyders are notoriously hungry for electrical power, when you switch the ignition on, several systems kick in, they stay alive for just 30 minutes after you shut ignition off, so if you repeat this several times, without starting and running the bike, for atleast half an hour, your battery is drained, tender does not substitute, for loss of power, merely tops up, and that at a slow rate,
You might try your car battery, hook up with good cables, no need for the car to run, I think that would solve the problem, when making new connection, use starwashers on the battery.

When I read this thread, I don't think it's a fuse, but battery related...

 

[turbineman]

The spyders are notoriously hungry for electrical power, when you switch the ignition on, several systems kick in, they stay alive for just 30 minutes after you shut ignition off, so if you repeat this several times, without starting and running the bike, for atleast half an hour, your battery is drained, tender does not substitute, for loss of power, merely tops up, and that at a slow rate,
You might try your car battery, hook up with good cables, no need for the car to run, I think that would solve the problem, when making new connection, use starwashers on the battery.

When I read this thread, I don't think it's a fuse, but battery related...

You are right about the battery being the possible culprit. Other folks suggested this also.
After more battery checks, it was determined the battery was not holding a 12+ VDC charge, dropping to 10+ after the battery tender was disconnected. Apparently 10+ VDC is not sufficient to turn the electrical system on, and to start the Spyder.
Hind sight being what it is, I should have done a load check on the battery sooner.

Maybe the temporary trailer short damaged one of more of the battery cells?
It is the original battery, thus its eventual failure may have just happened at this time.
I have ordered a new battery.

Thanks to all for your input.
Much appreciated.

 

[RayBJ]

they stay alive for just 30 minutes after you shut ignition off

30 SECONDS. Should not be enough to cause the battery to drain unless it's already toast.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

I disconnected and reconnected the battery terminals. Then, when the key was "first" turned to the ON position, all panel lights lit up and gauges worked. The horn also worked.
Then, when I pushed the start button, everything went dead (all lights and gauges off).

That is the #1 key indicator the battery is shot. When the voltage drops below 10.5 the system shuts down, totally. The heavy draw from the starter will easily drag a shot battery down below 10.5 when you hit the start button.

 

[stevencovert]

If utterly dead, I did see this happen before. Locate the two fuse boxes in the front trunk - if you have the insert unzip it. Pop off both caps. I forget which side has it, but there is a large 60Amp fuse in the charging circuit that blew on a friends bike when they shorted an LED strip to ground. At least at this point the battery is right there under the fuses (two screws) to clip a test light to (the ground) and test both sides of the fuses with the key on (one side always 12V, if the other side is NOT 12V pull fuse and check it. If I did it right here is a link my F3 shop manual so you can look at which fuse(s) say control the dash power, etc.:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-80VxCQQToOS6xhBc8iqwjKEO3sBvUGR/view?usp=sharing