BDM harness PDM wiring knowledge

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moesterman

Member
Just completed installing my harness today. Went through things three times and looked like all was a go. Before I tied everything down I turned the ignition on, nothing, then smoke rolled from under the coil/ignition cover--I mean rolling. I killed the ignition and pulled the cover and the black/orange wire to the ignition switch is smoked in a 2" length. It heated right where the wire runs through the wire clamp and the connection that leads to the backbone and MH. Nothing else that I could locate was even warm or damaged including the key switch. It was isolated to the short section of wire--I hope. Should I anticpate other damage? Obviously, I will repalce the key switch and the two conductor wire from the MH to the switch. Biggest concern is what happened? Anyone have a clue to where I went wrong? I have not checked the fuse box yet to see if anything fused. Is their anyway to test the system now that I have the wire removed/disconnected from the MH. The only damage I can find is to the section of wire from the MH to the switch at the connector on the switch side.
 
erldawg

erldawg

Guru
Obviously a dead short to ground to smoke a wire. I would review wiring diagram and trace wires back to find the short.

Is it possible the wire was pinched in the clamp or possible you bared a wire pulling the new harness through the backbone.
 
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moesterman

Member
I did purchase it at BDPP several months ago. I did not realize tech support was still an option. I will give them a call tomorrow. I am about ready to attempt to locate a repair shop but very limited for BD in Iowa. Thanks for the heads-up. Al
 
RADAMS445

RADAMS445

RADICAL
I would say Earl is right on the money... Instant light ups are a dead short. Should be simple to trace with a schematic. Start by checking fuses and links. The volt and ohm meter is your best tool right now!
 
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moesterman

Member
I do not believe there was any damage to the MH in the backbone. I wrapped it in painters tape and it sild right in. I just staggered the the connections when I wrapped it and left a tail on the tip to grab. I have a feeling this is going to be a real pain considering I am not all that savy with this stuff. I my have to start looking for a shop but here in Iowa very limited when it comes to customs or BDM.
 
erldawg

erldawg

Guru
If you have an ohm meter check each wire going to the switch and see which one has 0 ohms to ground or very low resistance. Then trace it back from there to find the short. My guess is the black/orange wire is shorted to ground somewhere...


Also look at the wires where they connect to the switch and make sure none are touching ground
 
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DRBarnhart

DRBarnhart

Insert title here...
moesterman said:
I my have to start looking for a shop but here in Iowa very limited when it comes to customs or BDM.
Click to expand...
You don't have a friend that's somewhat competent with a multimeter? He doesn't have to know shit about motorcycles he just needs to be able to follow a relatively simple wiring diagram and use a meter!

Dennis
 
Raywood

Raywood

The Pirate
Staff member
Calendar Participant
Troop Supporter
Where are you located? Mine went in like flint and I think like Earl stated you must have missed a ground wire or something. The wiring diagram is pretty good that comes with the kit
 
JeffM

JeffM

Active Member
Sad to hear not all is going as planned, i don't know how they get the smoke in those plastic covers, but it always comes out when i play with electrics as well so don't think your the only one.
I have been waiting for 4 weeks for my new LH flasher circuit board and managed to fry that yesterday....................smoke everywhere.
Good luck

Jeffm
 
Fibersnake

Fibersnake

Banjo Playing PsychoBilly
If you look on the wiring diagram the orange goes back to the PDM and into a 2 amp fuse. Not sure of the details but do recall on mine that a 2 amp fused was not to be used for certain situation. May have been something different but do not recall something alone the lines of a 2 amp fues. Also (and it may be tied into same thing), if you were not using the Medalion speedometer that there was a red/white wire that provides constant power that needed to be secured (may be what is tied into 2 amp fuse)

Did you see thge part in the instruction about the 2amp fuse and if so did it say to remove such from the holder. If so, did you remove such?

Looking at the diagram, that orange the PDM side may be tied into another feed from the pdm and only be used in certain situation like maybe EFI or iar compressor or something. Not sure but do know on mine that the 2 amp fuse was to be removed and not used and the only 2am fuse I see on wiring diagrm is tied to the orange igntion wire going to coming from PDM to ignition switch. Recommend you go back a reread that section if it is in yours and if you have a fuse in the 2 amp make sure it not supposed to be removed.

Fix the wire and go from there. My guess is that you had the fuse in the little fuse holder, and when the switch was turned on got extra a short or high amps than should for that is not used in your situation.

I could them confuse though and unfrotunately I am not in front of mine to verify nor do I have my drawing and installation in front of me either. But there was for sure on a fuse. Wish I could help more, but other than that it does sound like it got shorted some way or a wire got corssed somoe where.


Let me know what you find out
 
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Fibersnake

Fibersnake

Banjo Playing PsychoBilly
If I recall right-(make sure you verify everything though) in my post on thread #4 in the top picture near middle is a decent pciture of the little fuse holder. If I recall this fuse which was 2 amp on mine was removed.

http://www.bigdogbiker.com/forums/how/30621-2005-pdm-install.html

Hopefully someone like Raywood may be able to verify.

Double check to see if your is same situation and maybe forgot that removal of that fuse.
 
Moespeeds

Moespeeds

Well-Known Member
Never wrap your wires in painters tape dude, it absorbs and holds moisture. Electrical tape is for electrical, painters tape is for painting.
 
Fibersnake

Fibersnake

Banjo Playing PsychoBilly
Moe is right by the way, good advice for all to adhere to.

Mosterman, also disconnect the battery and go over the wires to from PDM and ground and make sure-triple check to make sure you didn't land one on the wrong post.

As you can see in thread 5 on second picture black is not always ground (or at least on mine), just suggestion but if yours was like mine, make sure your did get one in the wrong place and thus got a hard short due to possibly such.

http://www.bigdogbiker.com/forums/how/30621-2005-pdm-install.html
 
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moesterman

Member
Thanks and I understand the painters tape issue but only used it on the top end of the MH while puling it though the backbone. I then removed all of it. It worked well with no sticky residue after it was removed.

Fibersnake or anyone who knows it was not real clear to me (color code, both leads are black) for wiring the HIC. I'm at work now and do not remember exactly but I believe one had a 1/4" ring terminal connector and the other was smaller, possibly 1/8" ring connector. Which is the poss? Also, the heavy black wire that runs along the right lower frame rail with a ring connector I believe is for the VR. Where is the best place to connect it?
 
Fibersnake

Fibersnake

Banjo Playing PsychoBilly
moesterman,

If you go to the PDM install and look at post #5 again, http://www.bigdogbiker.com/forums/how/30621-2005-pdm-install.html on the lower picture, you should see a bunch of wires. Mainly red but there is two black wires there, both with yellow eyelets on them and if I recall they all had small eyelets. You see where they are going to the red insulated block. That is a terminal block on the load side of the 40 amp fuse.

One of the black wire goes back to the 2 amp fuse for the constant power (not used on mine for it is used on with the medalion Odometer) you should be able to trace it by hand or eye. The other (if not mistaken goes back to the HCI positive. Now if you look on the schematic it shows that wire as red, however I am pretty sure that it is a red wire with black heat shrink over it. Look at the picture real close and in mine you will see the red between the black heat shrink and the yellow terminal. The white wire that is in the picture to the terminal block (if not mistaken i s going back to horn relay FYI.

I would verify everything with the battery disconnected, but as you can see in the picture could be easy to get the ones coming off the HCI switched, especially if they are both black ( or appear to be).

On the one for the VR, I assume you are talking about the extra loose wire. In my case I did not use that for my VR has a very good ground. That is there to insure a good ground on the VR mount to the frame. The VR is grounded at the mount but sometimes it is not the best especially since there may be paint or something. Double check that, but if it the extra wire, should only be to provide a postive ground from the VR mounting stud to frame (if needed). The wires from the VR for regulation should be going to a JST connector which plugs into the Main Harness.

Un hook the battery and go back and check all those wires, then check them again, may be that you did get the HCI feed on wrong connection and if so, good chance when you hit the kety switch and sent poiwer, that is where you got the hard short. If so, hopefully nothing burn up on the HCI and just mater of correcting and fixing the wire to the key switch.

Do you have some that is pretty good with electrical that can possibly help you?

If not just and I know that I said this already, double/triple/quadripple check all the connectors and makes sure something is not landed wrong. If in doubt, get picture and post them and set back and someone will try to help.

Good luck
 
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moesterman

Member
To all that have been soooo helpful, I truly appreciate it. Especially Fibersnake who has spent allot of time trying to educate this old guy. With that said, I just spoke to Dave at BDPP who knew immediately what my problem is/was. That had a bad run of relays in the PDM so they incorporated a 2amp fuse to protect the "ignition wire". He indicated if faulty it will start at the ignition and burn towards the MH unless it fails as my did. In any case, also indicated my confusion with the connections on the HCI are from the conflict with the instructions. The schematic contradicted the instructions.

I have to pull my PDM and forward it to BDPP to have it modified and the new leads fabricated. He took the time to go over my install and it appears all was correct and it would have failed again as soon as I turned the key on. That would have been frustrating!!! I never would have figured this one out. In any case, I will get it back together and hope for the best and let ya know.

BTW, this problem is with the older harnesses, they have corrected the problem. I purchased mine some time ago and waited for winter here in Iowa to get-rrr-done.

Thanks again, AL
 
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