30 amp fuse failure

[al_roethlisberger]

I bet that's the way to go, as long as the circuit breaker doesn't melt too!!   <_>

[docc]

I bet that's the way to go, as long as the circuit breaker doesn't melt too!!   <_>

Al! Fueling my Guzzichondriosis since June 2002!

 

( So glad to see you back around, buddy!   )

[al_roethlisberger]

 

I bet that's the way to go, as long as the circuit breaker doesn't melt too!!   <_>

Al! Fueling my Guzzichondriosis since June 2002!

 

( So glad to see you back around, buddy!   )

 

 

Thanks, as you can see I check in about once a year... coincidentally around winter when I think I'm going to have time to service the bike for next year 

 

I'm actually more hopeful this year that I'll do so, as I may have some new riding buddies here at work for inspiration.

 

It's a bit sad to see the volume on the forum dropping so much over the last few years, but that's to be expected.  I'm seeing the same on a few other forums that are dedicated to older vehicles where just the die-hards hold on, and a few new owners meander through every so often.

 

What is upbeat though is all the new technologies available and distilled lessons-learned that we have now, and would have helped years ago 

[Gmc28]

So many good threads, so little time (until winter, when it’s “low season” for riding....

great read on the problem and solution noodling.  Great group!

i’ll only pitch in that I’ve found most of the same issues on other older Italian machines I’ve owned and/or worked on.  Often not able to say with 100% certainty what the real culprit is on such issues, but I eventually ended up doing a winter maintenance task on each bike where I’d do most of the basic (and sometimes not so basic) upgrades, including roadstercycle R/R, cleaning connections, removing and/or upgrading Luigi’s connectors, upgrading wire grade and sometimes gauge, di-electric grease all fittings, and usually either adding another ground strap and/or doing the hicap wiring kit.  

Is there a hicap kit available for these?  I can just look, but this group is too dialed in for me to want to do much of anything without checking with the forum 1st!

 

[docc]

I am not aware of any "hicap" (high capacity?) kits for the V11 electrical system.

What would that consist of?

[Gmc28]

Well, good question docc, in regard to the detail, as i’m Not actually sure if it’s a brand or just a descriptor, but I assume it’s a brand, as it’s always the same look to the kits I’ve purchased for various bikes.  But now I’m being lazy.... i’ll Do the quick research and circle back, since no one is saying “oh ya, we’ve all got those...”

in general, it’s just a larger gauge, higher quality cable/wire set for the primary cables for battery and starter.  Been very happy with them in the past on other bikes.  Made an obvious difference on my 99 ST4, where (Luigi’s) lousy grounding caused issues of various sorts despite clean, solid looking factory cables. I’ve used them on other bikes without any obviously noted improvement.

[Gmc28]

14 hours ago, docc said:

I am not aware of any "hicap" (high capacity?) kits for the V11 electrical system.

What would that consist of?

Just proves i’m Lazy.... found the motoelectric  site in about 12 seconds by just searching.  Anyway, here’s their site.  I will say I’ve been happy with their product when I’ve used them for older (uh, middle aged?) Ducati’s, like on the st4 and the 904 (Gran Canyon), but don’t know if it would be money well spent on the v11:

https://motolectric.com/makes/moto_guzzi.html

from the sounds of some of the issues, it MIGHT be of some value on the ground side of things, though most of the benefit usually comes from just having good clean connections.  But still, I love my toys, and there’s no downside mechanically to doing this minor mod, and a truly possible benefit, so i’ll Likely do it.

i will say that I picked up my 2nd lemans last night (love it, but more on that elsewhere/thread), and it does not have the hicap, and now that I think of it this “new” lemans without the hicap cranks slower than my other lemans which does have the hicap.  (So also note that I’ve just admitted my own laziness again, and answered my own question.... I forgot that Goldie (1st ‘02 lemans I have at home) has the hicap kit, as I recommended it to my friend some yrs ago, he had installed it, and later I bought the bike from him. Duh.)

so, i’ll Likely do the hicap kit this winter, and clean up all the connections, and do your described 30amp fuse upgrade.  So endeth my circular thinking/answering my own questions extravaganza... guess my lousy memory is just getting worse, but it still works when u let it warm up! 😎

[Tinus89]

 

After reading this thread, as a precaution, I also installed a large automotive fuse holder with a 30A fuse in 2017. The holder was good for up to 40A fuses.

In what I would call a routine check, I discovered this...
I'll have a look at regulator + main ground, and I am sure she is not overcharging. Also no auxillaries connected aside from a GPS... Any ideas for a solution? Airplane style circuit breaker? Higher rated fuse+holder?

[po18guy]

How do the wires themselves look? Would almost bet that it is a Chinese fuse holder. For some reason, their materials do not seem to be up to spec. Has anyone tried a Mosfet regulator? Over on the Kawi EX500 forum, they are the solution to fried rectifiers and cooked batteries. Even though Guzzi puts the rectifier (at least on my bike) right up front in the cooling air, they do need to shed a lot of heat. The Mosfet regulation seems to avoid that.

[docc]

1 hour ago, Tinus89 said:

 

After reading this thread, as a precaution, I also installed a large automotive fuse holder with a 30A fuse in 2017. The holder was good for up to 40A fuses.

In what I would call a routine check, I discovered this...
I'll have a look at regulator + main ground, and I am sure she is not overcharging. Also no auxillaries connected aside from a GPS... Any ideas for a solution? Airplane style circuit breaker? Higher rated fuse+holder?

Have you had an external charger hooked to the battery?

[gstallons]

Where did you buy the fuse holder ?

[Tinus89]

11 hours ago, docc said:

Have you had an external charger hooked to the battery?

I have, a Ctek XS 0.8, which only delivers 0.8A max...

12 hours ago, po18guy said:

How do the wires themselves look? Would almost bet that it is a Chinese fuse holder.

Wires are fine, it is really the contact between the fuse holder and fuse which get hot. The fuse itself was barely molten. I'm guessing it is Chinese, bought it at an automotive store. It is one of those watertight ones, which is nice, but also prevents any heat from escaping.

 

Could something like this work? Dutch website, sorry...

[Chuck]

I don't see why it wouldn't..

[po18guy]

7 hours ago, Tinus89 said:

I have, a Ctek XS 0.8, which only delivers 0.8A max...

Wires are fine, it is really the contact between the fuse holder and fuse which get hot. The fuse itself was barely molten. I'm guessing it is Chinese, bought it at an automotive store. It is one of those watertight ones, which is nice, but also prevents any heat from escaping.

 

Could something like this work? Dutch website, sorry...

While it would work, there is still the underlying problem of excess voltage or excess resistance. I forget if you have checked battery and alternator voltage/amperage? 

[Tinus89]

I have checked charging voltage (fine, 13.9v and fairly stable). Battery voltage is 12.7v with the ignition off. I have not yet done any other measurements, suggestions to what I should check?
Also cleaned the ground connections today (engine block+voltage regulator), the alternator connections and battery connections with Caig DeOxit.

Spoke to a friended electrical engineer. In his opinion, close to 30A  through the spade connectors of the fuse holder will generate some heat, especially if the connection is not properly maintained (guilty) and closed in into a watertight housing. His thought on the auto-reset fuse is that they generally do not like the amount of vibration a motorcycle gives, so he advised me to change the type of fuse holder for this design:

The fuse is bolted between the two connections (he didn't have a 30A one for me, he'll order it).
What do you people think?:)