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Red Key Lite stays on

I just don't want this to happen again. I ride my bike to work all the time, and even in the rain. I was looking and saw some spray stuff that was used to spray on electrical plugs and such to keep out moister and water. It was some kind of coating that you spray on the connectors.
 
Well just wanted to give y'all a heads up on my electrical problem. On my way home, I decided to stop by Wal-Mart to pick up some q-tips to help clean some stuff.

So while i was there I did run across this stuff:
41ZDRIzNu8L._SS500_.jpg

I also had some compressed air in 3 cans, and the kids hair dryer. (You know they loved that.) I used it to clean some of the connections, and then right after that I used the hair dryer on high heat to dry the connector out. I pretty much disconnected every single connection that I could get my hands on and clean them. Even the main harness connector and every connector under the outer fairing. I could not get the speedometer or tack connector. Was not sure how they come off. So I was down to my last 15 amp fuse, and said it was now or never. So far so good. It worked. I put everything back together and she lite up the dash just like before.

I took her for a quick ride and everything stayed lite just like normal. So now the real test will be in the morning. Hopefully she will be ok. Man I bet I spent 3 1/2 hours out there pulling apart connectors can cleaning them out.

I think it might had been under the outer fairing. I will never never never again spray water on the fairing or anywhere else around the handle bar switches. I might just get some silicon and put around the seams of the right switch.

I will let you know what happens in the morning. Thanks you for all your help.
 
Good Deal,.. Way to hang in there. It gives you great satisfaction when you over come a problem, and whip it !! :D
 
I am now going to get some of that grease for electrical systems and put on all the connections. Question I have is how do you apply this grease. Do you apply it to the male connector or the female connector, and how much of the grease do you apply to the connectors. What about the light gray connectors. They look to be waterproof already. They have the orange rubber insert on the female connector. Do I have to apply that electrical grease to those connectors?
 
Just fill the female end plug it back to gether wipe off what runs out your done.
Nothing is waterproof.

Thanks Smitty901,

I will do that. I hear ya nothing is waterproof. Man I don't even know how many connectors I unplugged last night. Feels like 1000. How is the world do you know what goes where on these bikes. Man there must me 100 miles of wire on these bikes. Actually I was scared to death to even touch anything. Man I didn't want to unplug something and the plug it back in to find another problem. I come from the old saying "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Know what I mean?
 
Well here it is. I feel like I finally did it. Man it sure feels good to be able to do this yourself, and save money. But then again I would have had to spend money at the dealer ship. I did use up alot of mini 15 amp fuse, but hey I did it. I also got some of the electrical grease and I greased all the connectors under the front fairing. Man it was a job trying to get to the oil and air temp gauges. But I did it. I did notice a few things while I was under there that did concern me. When I first got the bike, I had the Oil and Air temp gauges installed. Well according to the Service Manual, the orange wire is on the left side of the light and the black is on the left.

Well I noticed that on these two gauges the wires were backwards. So I swapped them around to match the wire digram in the service manual. I don't know if that would make any difference, but now it looks like the book.

So I never did find which connector was causing the short and blowing the fuse, but I did all the connectors. I FEEL GOOD NOW. I really have to thank all you guys for all your info and help. No question in my mind that this is the best service forum on the internet for HDs.

Thanks Guys
MERRY CHRISTMAS and GOD BLESS all of you.
 
And yet, another 'one' is born. :D The people on this site are awesome with their help & knowledge. Just as a fair warning, since you now think of how much $$ you saved by doing it yourself, it's now going to be, since I saved money doing this myself, I can now go buy this. :D But in the end, you will feel so much better about your bike & know that every thing is done correctly, you will need to reward yourself & your bike. :s

Thanks for sharing your experience here.
 
CRC contact cleaner probably is okay for cleaner, but do check the label for ingredients. If petroleum distillates are not used, it is probably fine...the dielectric grease is "inert" in that it is neither conductive or insulative...it just "displaces moisture and keeps oxygen from contacts...TLYLB ya done good, enjoy the ride and now you know why most of us use no water heavy water spray above the side covers, keeping it away from the instument panel, controls, starter, areas where bearings are located.
 
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