Hitchcocks Forum

I have previously had a intermittent electrical problems with my 2005 electra x. Yesterday I rode it for around 50 miles round trip in quite heavy rain. The bike sat for a couple of hours after initial journey under cover and was then started and ridden home again in heavy rain. This morning the bike started and then failed to start a second time. I have no power to lights or ignition. The battery is new and charged , kicking out 13 volts and showing full on optimate. I noticed yesterday that the mass of electrics around the battery was quite exposed to rain getting in. I am wondering if this may be the problem or a fuse blown. Are these bike really that bad in wet weather?

No power at all to lights or ignition would more likely be a blown fuse. Easily checked.

Water in the electrics usually causes annoying, intermittant faults with random parts of the bike, not a total loss of everything.

I thought it may have been the water as myself and the bike had such a soaking of water yesterday. I have checked fuses near the battery. I imagine there are others hidden under the seat or in other random places. The electrics are a right old messy jumble, too much to fit into side panel neatly.

ISTRC that there are only the two under the left hand side panel. Did you get a workshop or owner's manual with the bike, Cov Lad?

A.

Yes Adrian, I have a manual, one thing I did notice was that the ignition key switch has four electrical connector but only two of these are used / connected to in the wiring loom - I thought perhaps the unit is used for other machines. I suspect the problem of no power lies beneath the petrol tank.

Possibly, also check the wiring loom around the headstock where it has to flex every time you move the handlebars. My old Electra's main lead from the battery to the ammeter snapped there after a few years.

A.

If your bike has the old glass type fuses I would be inclined ro replace them with a more modern blade fuse and holder, as I've found the old type unreliable and the cause of an intermittent breakdown on my original bullet when it was nearly new.

Thanks for the information- work means the bike stays in the garage for a couple of weeks now, I appreciate your help.