Help: main 30amp fuse keeps blowing

[maczone]

Can anyone help?

After a long good days touring with my xj600n (95) engine running sweet but hot, I ended the day going through Inverness city center at peak traffic time (bad mistake), suddenly the bike's power cut out, no lights or any life at all.
I could just get a smell of burning plastic/rubber, and when I checked the fuse box the 30amp fuse was blown, I replaced it with the spare which blow straight away.
I managed to get the bike to a family members garage and checked the wires close to the bottom of the engine (left side), there was some signs of heat damage on the 3 paired wired looms as well as oil splatter.
I cleaned and re taped the 3 separate pairs of wires but the 30amp fuse still keeps blowing.
Don't know what to try next? I don't have to be back home until next week (wed/Thurs) and I don't want to leave the bike here, I would prefer to ride it home again.
Does anyone know what is causing this problem? or know what to try next?

Any constructive help ASAP!

[bobh]

Get a multi meter (even a cheap one will do) and try to trace the short to earth. I've voted for wires, but some one else thinks rectifier - could be either, really.

[sparky392]

First of all you need to discover what circuits that fuse controls, I have lent my Haynes manual out so can't help with that, but in Haynes manual are very easy to understand diagrams giving wire colours and where they go. Disconnect each component in turn to find out which one is blowing fuse. If none stop the fuse blowing then wiring is shorting to earth, you then need to find which one. Best way is to disconnect component you are testing and with multimeter check for continuity to earth. Hope that helps, message me if you need further assistance

[sparky392]

mate has just dropped manual off, Fuse only supplies rectifier, find rectifier and remove plug, check terminals aren't green and manky which suggests water ingress into rectifier, if clean and with rectifier disconnected see if fuse still blows, if not replace rectifier, if it still blows then wiring to rectifier is shorting to ground somewhere

[maczone]

Thanks Sparky!
I had a look at the rectifier wires and they look OK, so I unplugged and took off the rectifier and It has blown!
A hole on the back and showing signs of burning/scorching, so I just sent for a replacement but I will check the other wires leading to the rectifier just in case there was a shorted wire which caused the rectifier to blow.
Thanks for the help identifying the rectifier being directly linked to the 30amp fuse.

Kenny

PS. I will try and get a picture of the blown rectifier posted here for future reference

[Sean]

Check the leads running from the fuse to the rectifier - undo the loom if you have to. My D9 was doing exactly the same a month ago and it turned out to be in the wiring...

[maczone]

I will check the wiring.

here's a picture of the back of the rectifier

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[maczone]

Has anyone else had this problem?
The Rectifier was bought 2 years ago from Scooter-Assassins.com via eBay
it was about £35 I think (cheep Taiwan copy)
but the one I have on order was £49.90 including postage
they say its made in the same factory as the original, I'll reserve judgment.

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[maczone]

got delivery of new rectifier today, tested that the fuse didn't blow before plugging it in!
Fitted new rectifier and all is well, everything working as it should.
I don't know if the old rectifier was a bad one or was it the ruff roads (after the bad winter) that shaking the f**k out of my bike?

[sparky392]

glad you got it sorted