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Author Message   Mobuellin Posted on Sunday, December 11, 2011 - 11:45 pm:        Ok, long story short: I was in a hurry and not paying attention while I was trying to jump off my dead battery and I attached the jumper cables in reverse to my bike. (I placed the negative clamp to the postive [red] terminal and the positive clamp to the grounded bolt on the frame). Yep, I'm an idiot, I know. Anyway, I reversed the clamps as soon as I realized my mistake but now the bike isn't getting any power from the charged (running) vehicle. Ok, give it to me straight. How much damage did I do? Is it as simple as a blown fuse or ruined battery or am I looking at some major electrical replacements here? Thanks for any help/info provided.   Reepicheep Posted on Monday, December 12, 2011 - 07:36 am:        I'm guessing there is a fusable link somewhere that is now a fused gap. Probably not in the fuse box, probably elsewhere. If nobody knows where it is, I can check my XB12X service manual later today.   Blake Posted on Monday, December 12, 2011 - 09:18 am:        I'm con-fused. What is a "fusable link" and what is a "fused gap"? I know what a fuse is and what a blown fuse is. Not sure of the meaning of "fusable link" and "fused gap." Are you saying there is a part of the circuit that is now open (like a blown fuse) or a part that is now permanently fused closed (shorted) but should not be?   Harleyelf Posted on Monday, December 12, 2011 - 09:35 am:        Get your multimeter out. First step is to see if you blew a cell in the old battery. Remove it from the circuit. That's right, disconnect both cables and attach your car battery with car-type battery cables (under $5 at your local car parts store), and see if it starts. If not, follow the current. See if your relays have power, see if your fuses have power, see if your ignition switch has power, see if your coil has power with the switch on. If the answer is yes, yes, yes, no then look to your kill switch. Fusable links are on car battery cables, they are like in-line fuses on the smaller wire, the one not going to the starter. Your bike didn't have one. You probably don't have a salvageable battery, either. Interstate makes a fine AGM replacement, sells for about a hundred bucks.   Reepicheep Posted on Monday, December 12, 2011 - 10:29 am:        For the fusable link, instead of a fuse in the fuse box, its a separate location down in the chassis somewhere. I know a UJM I owned had one, and most cars I have owned have had them. I'm wondering if there is one tucked away on a Buell somewhere. When it was reverse jumped, one wire was on the chassis... so I was picturing some kind of "fuse to ground" blown. I could be dreaming though.   Mobuellin Posted on Saturday, March 30, 2013 - 06:34 pm:        So I had some major changes in my life (moved across the country, switched jobs, etc.) so I haven't had much time to sort this issue out. I purchased a brand new battery, installed it, turned the key and nothing. I don't get the gauge sweep, lights don't illuminate, etc. So now I'm back to testing if I'm getting power to the relays and fuses. Problem is, I don't have much experience with electronics so not sure how to do this as Harleyelf suggests. What kind of equipment do I need to buy (voltmeter, ohmmeter?). Hope to get this sorted out soon because the recent nice weather here in NC is beckoning me to come out and ride.   Harleyelf Posted on Saturday, March 30, 2013 - 06:59 pm:        You can get a good solid-state multimeter from Harbor Freight for about four bucks. A fusable link is a deliberately weak link in the wire that carries the power to your fusebox. A fused gap is what you have after it blows out. Check your fuses first. Then check to see if you have power to the fuses and relays. Then replace the relays. Use the voltmeter setting first, then disconnect the battery and use the ohmmeter setting so see if the wires from the battery to the fusebox have continuity. Then see if the issue is the switch itself by shorting it out. I'm guessing that your issue is the connection to the main ground wire from the frame. Very little else can make you have no response to turning the switch on with a new battery and good fuses.   Mobuellin Posted on Saturday, March 30, 2013 - 07:13 pm:        Ok, thanks Harleyelf. I'll pick up a multimeter this weekend and see what I can do following your instructions. Who knows, I might learn something that saves my ass in the future.   Mobuellin Posted on Wednesday, April 03, 2013 - 04:57 pm:        Yay!! It turns out my 15 amp key switch fuse was blown. I swapped it out with the spare fuse from the second row and suddenly I had full power when I turn my key. Problem now is it cranks but won't start. The bike has been sitting for >1 year so apart from adding fresh fuel, should I replace the spark plugs or anything else to help getting it going? Ever use any of those fuel injector cleaner products like Sea Foam or Marvel Mystery Oil?   Harleyelf Posted on Wednesday, April 03, 2013 - 05:04 pm:        Sea Foam is good stuff. Check to see that you have spark before tearing into your fuel delivery system. A quick squirt of starting fluid (careful, it is SEAL SOLVENT) will show injector issues; if it sputters and dies after the juicing, check fuel pressure and add Sea Foam to the gas. Change the fuel out for fresh, too.

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