Double check my wiring diagram please

[scottiemcdoogle]

Hey guys. I got my ironhead started but it blew the 15 amp fuse between battery positive and the ignition switch. Can y’all look over my wiring diagram? The switch is a momentary switch from lowbrow so I don’t have a start button. Thanks!

[TriNortchopz]

It looks good, nice and simple. Have you used the regulator before and just rewiring the bike in its latest chopper form?
How are the grounds? No wires or connections chafed or touching ground or touching each other? Regulator grounded? What is the state of charge for your battery? Did you check running at idle voltage,then again at about 2,500 RPM? What are your readings?
Did you check the regulator with your ohmmeter? Disconnect wires; put your test leads on the two wires, note reading ; then reverse test leads...what did you get - continuity one way and no continuity the other?
Some good reading here (did you get this link previously?):

IronMick’s Complete Guide to Troubleshooting Ironhead Electrical Problems

http://odenmotorshop.com/2013/12/ironmicks-complete-guide-to-troubleshooting-ironhead-electrical-problems/

and maybe somethin' here from 33 comments(including another wiring diagram in post #8):
2014 Thread: 1980 Ironhead charging system - help me figure this fucking problem out.

http://www.chopcult.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38107

[JBinNC]

Fifteen amp may not be big enough for a main fuse if you are pulling solenoid current through the ignition switch without a start relay. Try twenty amp, that should do it. It might take thirty.
You would be much better off with circuit breakers than fuses. Separating the ignition and lighting circuits on individual breakers per HD practice has advantages, you might want to rethink your wiring with that in mind.
Nothing wrong with your diagram as drawn, it will work, not ideal but simple.

Jim

[shovel625]

Hey guys. I got my ironhead started but it blew the 15 amp fuse between battery positive and the ignition switch. Can y’all look over my wiring diagram? The switch is a momentary switch from lowbrow so I don’t have a start button. Thanks!
[ATTACH=CONFIG]89890[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]89891[/ATTACH]

go up to a 30 amp fuse and let me know what happens

[shovel625]

Fifteen amp may not be big enough for a main fuse if you are pulling solenoid current through the ignition switch without a start relay. Try twenty amp, that should do it. It might take thirty.
You would be much better off with circuit breakers than fuses. Separating the ignition and lighting circuits on individual breakers per HD practice has advantages, you might want to rethink your wiring with that in mind.
Nothing wrong with your diagram as drawn, it will work, not ideal but simple.

Jim

I agree but to play devils advocate you have to get creative as far as where you can mount everything and still be hidden

[scottiemcdoogle]

It looks good, nice and simple. Have you used the regulator before and just rewiring the bike in its latest chopper form?
How are the grounds? No wires or connections chafed or touching ground or touching each other? Regulator grounded? What is the state of charge for your battery? Did you check running at idle voltage,then again at about 2,500 RPM? What are your readings?
Did you check the regulator with your ohmmeter? Disconnect wires; put your test leads on the two wires, note reading ; then reverse test leads...what did you get - continuity one way and no continuity the other?
Some good reading here (did you get this link previously?):

IronMick’s Complete Guide to Troubleshooting Ironhead Electrical Problems

http://odenmotorshop.com/2013/12/ironmicks-complete-guide-to-troubleshooting-ironhead-electrical-problems/

and maybe somethin' here from 33 comments(including another wiring diagram in post #8):
2014 Thread: 1980 Ironhead charging system - help me figure this fucking problem out.

http://www.chopcult.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38107

Yeah I only rode the bike a couple times before I tore it down, but it seemed to be working fine then. I rode about 60 miles total, and with about 3 weeks in between trips no problem.

It’s all brand new wiring except for the bigger gauge wires grounding the battery and going from the starter solenoid to battery postitve, those got reused but they look fine.

The only thing hooked up to the regulator is the A and F terminals coming from the regulator, so I guess it doesn’t have it’s own ground, should it?

The battery is brand new and I always charge it first to make sure that’s not my issue. I check the voltage on the battery at idle but I’ve just recently found out that they don’t necessarily charge at idle so I’ll check again at a higher rpm. I’ll check the regulator as well, I wasn’t sure how to test that so thank you for that info. And I did make sure to polarize the generator before I started. I’ll also swap out the 15amp fuse for a 30. I could only find one source on how to wire it like this without a relay or circuit breaker and he said 15 should be fine. Thank you guys.

[TriNortchopz]

Did you see the new thread bpeak posted this morning;may be helpful for ya:

Thread: Ironhead Chopper Wiring Diagram EXPLAINED

http://www.chopcult.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52686

[Tattooo]

Hey guys. I got my ironhead started but it blew the 15 amp fuse between battery positive and the ignition switch.

You say you got your bike started??? When and what were you doing when the fuse blew???

I bet you have a shorted wire....

[scottiemcdoogle]

You say you got your bike started??? When and what were you doing when the fuse blew???

I bet you have a shorted wire....

It was running for about 10 minutes, idle sounded good after it warmed up and I was able to push the choke in. I was ready to leave for a friends house and the bike just died. No lights or anything, battery tested at like 6 volts if I remember correctly.

[Tattooo]

It was running for about 10 minutes, idle sounded good after it warmed up and I was able to push the choke in. I was ready to leave for a friends house and the bike just died. No lights or anything, battery tested at like 6 volts if I remember correctly.

I think you have a bad battery and over charging problem myself......

[TriNortchopz]

Idle for 10 minutes with the choke on? is it a bit lean at idle? I think it just got tired of waiting for ya...good thing its not one of those new self driving bikes - it woulda left ya at home!
What were the results of your voltage and ohm meter tests?

[scottiemcdoogle]

Did you see the new thread bpeak posted this morning;may be helpful for ya:

Thread: Ironhead Chopper Wiring Diagram EXPLAINED
http://www.chopcult.com/forum/showthread.php?t=52686

That is awesome! Thank you Trinortchopz and bpeak!

[scottiemcdoogle]

Idle for 10 minutes with the choke on? is it a bit lean at idle? I think it just got tired of waiting for ya...good thing its not one of those new self driving bikes - it woulda left ya at home!
What were the results of your voltage and ohm meter tests?

I tested it at a higher rpm and got 13.11. So I took the bike down the street and back and got 13.29 I think, so it is charging. I read somewhere that they don't charge well (or at all) when sitting at idle so maybe that was my issue. I also figured out the fuse blew because of a connection i had for the taillights had bumped into the sissybar and shorted out.

Now I just need to tune the carb a little more because it dies with the choke off even when warmed up. And it seems to be running hot. My new exhaust pipes got super purple, more than I've ever seen. But I feel good! It's almost ridable.

[farmall]

Now I just need to tune the carb a little more because it dies with the choke off even when warmed up.

Is your carb freshly stripped and dipped? That's typical yard sitter behavior usually due to varnished low speed jet tho it can also be due to an air leak.

What carb and jets are you using? If the intake manifold has not been sealed recently it's wise to start with fresh seals and aircraft style clamps. Ensure you have a carb brace and that when you tighten that brace it puts no load on the carb/manifold assembly.

I'd charge and load test the battery off the bike. Definitely don't idle the engine as it won't charge and overheats engines. If you have a fan or blower you can get around the heat issue for test runs, but I'd still charge the battery off the bike.

[scottiemcdoogle]

Is your carb freshly stripped and dipped? That's typical yard sitter behavior usually due to varnished low speed jet tho it can also be due to an air leak.

What carb and jets are you using? If the intake manifold has not been sealed recently it's wise to start with fresh seals and aircraft style clamps. Ensure you have a carb brace and that when you tighten that brace it puts no load on the carb/manifold assembly.

I'd charge and load test the battery off the bike. Definitely don't idle the engine as it won't charge and overheats engines. If you have a fan or blower you can get around the heat issue for test runs, but I'd still charge the battery off the bike.

I opened it up but it was pretty clean so I didn't soak it in anything, just carb cleaner and a clean shop towel.

It's a CV carb and it had 45/170 when I opened it up, I've heard with an ironhead its good to have bigger jets so I went 45/180. I wanted to try 46 but I didn't have a skinny enough screw driver. I also replaced the needle with the bigger one from CVPerformance that only came on the 88 CV carbs.

The intake manifold is an adapter from killer motorcycle products that is jb welded onto the carb itself, although I don't have a support bracket for it but it feels pretty solid. I can go ahead and make one though.