What did you do to your FJR today?

[ionbeam]

Removing the main fuse shouldn't have 'reset' anything electrical. Even with the main fuse removed the ABS motor, ABS solenoid and the radiator fan relay are still powered. The ECU and meter assembly will lose things like the clock and the trip odometer.

Removing the fuse wiped the contacts on the fuse and its socket. Therein was the problem.

Yes, probably. I moved a lot of wires and connectors around when I put in the new battery, I just want to make sure I didn't pinch, damage or partly separate other wires and connectors. I had to unplug and plug the main fuse on my '04 a couple of times due to voltage drop, I want to just make sure (paranoid, obsessively sure) that I didn't compromise anything else while I was in there.

...This is an important concept in the design of relays and electrical switches. Switch contacts deliberately slide to self-clean.

...Folklore dictates one use "di-electric grease" on everything. I strongly disagree. "Di-electric" is engineer-speak for "insulator"...

Yes, self wiping contacts.

Di-electric grease -- You and I from the same page we are singing. (Phrase that my manufacturing manager used to say to me when we agree). I have made several long verbose soap box rants on this topic.

[wheatonFJR]

wow. a whole volt of drop from a dirty connector.

[ionbeam]

wow. a whole volt of drop from a dirty connector.

Hold on to your shorts here. Hmm, perhaps a bad use of that phrase given that we are actually talking about some level of opens.

I have measured the running current on my '04 as ~26 amps using my amp probe. At 14.2 volts that's 370 watts.

If there is 26 amps @ 14.2 volts going to the main fuse, and the main fuse has 0.04 Ω of resistance caused by corrosion it will drop slightly over 1 volt.

[wheatonFJR]

wow. a whole volt of drop from a dirty connector.

Hold on to your shorts here. Hmm, perhaps a bad use of that phrase given that we are actually talking about some level of opens.

I have measured the running current on my '04 as ~26 amps using my amp probe. At 14.2 volts that's 370 watts.

If there is 26 amps @ 14.2 volts going to the main fuse, and the main fuse has 0.04 Ω of resistance caused by corrosion it will drop slightly over 1 volt.

Sure. Dazzle me with electrical equations during a discussion electrically related.

Holding onto my shorts here Boss!

[ionbeam]

I suppose that while I've got the main fuse out I could take a quick reading of the system current for a Gen III.

[mcatrophy]

Dielectric grease or so-called conductive grease. Makes not a blind bit of difference in this application.

I once googled the conductivity of conductive grease, I can’t remember the exact figure, but it was thousands of times less conductive than copper, so still effectively an insulator. The slightest film of either between the two parts of the connector will prevent any significant current flow.

The current only flows where there is metal-to-metal contact. The grease is there to prevent corrosion of the metal surface, nothing more.

[N4HHE]

Dielectric grease or so-called conductive grease. Makes not a blind bit of difference in this application.

Di-electric grease is non-conductive. By definition. By its name. Can usually get away with it because the costing between contacts is on the order of 0.00001” thick.

Di-electric is the physical measure of a substance’s electrical isolation properties.

The conductive treatments are not very conductive either, but enough.

[mcatrophy]

Has anyone ever reported using grease, of any type, causing a connector problem on their motorcycle?

[FJRoss]

Has anyone ever reported using grease, of any type, causing a connector problem on their motorcycle?

Thank you.

[N4HHE]

Has anyone ever reported using grease, of any type, causing a connector problem on their motorcycle?

Yes. I have had to clean junk somebody applied to dirtbike connectors in order to get a brake light to work.

[Blueridgerider]

Just got back from a week long trip with a good friend. Rode the Back of The Dragon in Virginia, one of the many places we went including the Gap, Smoky Mtn. National Park etc. Their claim to fame for those that don't know is 32 miles and 438 curves. They built a huge store in Tazewell at the the end, or beginning depending on which way you start the loop. "If You Build It They Will Come" Great trip, perfect cool weather. Gotta love 65-70 degree sunny days. Anyway thought I would share a couple photos.

[wheatonFJR]

I love 16. I love getting to 16. I love the roads and scenery around 16. If they start attracting traffic, I will love it less. Sounds like you had an awesome day.

[mcatrophy]

Has anyone ever reported using grease, of any type, causing a connector problem on their motorcycle?

Yes. I have had to clean junk somebody applied to dirtbike connectors in order to get a brake light to work.

Ah, but was it ordinary junk or di-electric junk?

[Blueridgerider]

I love 16. I love getting to 16. I love the roads and scenery around 16. If they start attracting traffic, I will love it less. Sounds like you had an awesome day.

Thanks Wheaton, it was a great day and week with no rain. 16 is truly a gem as you said surrounded by so many great roads. Having lived in Va most of my life those were the roads I went to often with an occasional WNC trip. Now living in SC its flipped being in the Upstate its out to WNC but have been going back to Va lately. For anyone that has never ventured out that way it would make for a great week long trip. We never had a single car in front of the whole way until we got into Tazewell but 16 was a mess in spots with sand and gravel in many places and the road needs paving as do most roads this time of year. That's a big draw and money maker for those folks and am sure they will have it spruced up before long. Looking forward to heading back there soon.

[N4HHE]

Has anyone ever reported using grease, of any type, causing a connector problem on their motorcycle?

Yes. I have had to clean junk somebody applied to dirtbike connectors in order to get a brake light to work.

Ah, but was it ordinary junk or di-electric junk?

They didn't leave the unused container on the motorcycle for one to know. Quite frankly it doesn't matter. Di-electric is a measure of electrical isolation, of resistance to arcing. This stuff made dirt stick and formed a layer between the contacts. Used on the bulb socket too. Probably brought the surrounding dirt to the contacts.

[extrememarine]

Helped a fellow rider change tires, service forks and flush brake & clutch fluid. First time I'd seen a set of Gen 3 (2013) forks apart. Everything went smooth - so smooth we forgot to take any pictures!

[Hppants]

Pleased to read (from Alan) that the voltage reading on the radar detector is very accurate. I've often wondered about possible voltage drop in the accessory circuit.

[ionbeam]

Pleased to read (from Alan) that the voltage reading on the radar detector is very accurate. I've often wondered about possible voltage drop in the accessory circuit.

My old, beat up Escort Red Line #1 reads 14.1 volts and my DMM reads 14.1. Replacement Red Line #2 reads between 13.0 and 13.5 when my DMM reads 14.1 volts. On my '04 where voltage was important I used an ignition switched relay for my Datel meter and my radar detector. I bring a direct battery + connection to the relay contact and the output of the relay goes directly to the Datel and radar detector. I use any ignition switched power line to energize the relay. On my '15 I have been using the socket in the glove box which is powered directly from the Auxiliary DC power fuse and there is nothing else on the circuit. It isn't perfect but it's acceptable. I have a SAE pigtail directly to the battery that I use when I need to know true battery voltage.

I wanted to measure the current profile of a running Gen III just out of curiosity but it was a FAIL. I thought it would be handy to use a clamp on amp probe on a main fuse wire but it turned out that I couldn't get the two wires separated far enough for the probe to work. Mebby next time I have access to a battery wire -- say in 5 - 10 years from now.

[N4HHE]

Pleased to read (from Alan) that the voltage reading on the radar detector is very accurate. I've often wondered about possible voltage drop in the accessory circuit.

There can be no voltage drop without current flow.
The radar detector draws current. That current and the wire size + length determines voltage drop.

[Hppants]

Is it possible that the voltmeter on the detector is reading the power circuit coming into the detector, and not considering the draw from the detector?

An old escort is what I use. It gets power from the accessory fuse block, so the wires involved include round tripping twice from the battery.