[volusiaguy]

I put 23 string leds on the bike 3 years ago...built in resistor 12 volt blue lights from ebay and they worked great...until I started having battery issues. Never had a problem before, but I replaced the cheap Pep Boys battery with a gel one a couple weeks back and three days later the damn thing wouldn't start, so I cut the power and ground wires to the leds, charged the battery up, and two weeks have gone by and the battery starts her up good as new. The lights are getting old and a couple of the wires under the fender were a little worn, but wouldn't the switch keep the wires from draining the battery? I'm thinking I may pull all the lights and re-do them at some point but wrap them in electrical tape to make them more weather-proof next time. I have a positive and a negative wire through a switch and I've tapped into the main wires with the piggyback connectors to the individual led strings.

Any thoughts?

 

[Studly]

It does sound like there is a short somewhere in the wiring to the LED. Are you sure it's not the switch itself?

 

[Boxwrench]

switches can go bad. you can inspect the wires for worn insulation and fix any you may find too.

 

[tim44]

The leds are isolated from the battery by the switch. So I would think that your problem would be in the wiring to the switch. IMHO.

 

[shooterrex]

I had some Ebay LED's for a while. The heat off the bike melted the insulation on some of the wiring. They lasted a year or so. I just cut them off the other day. Did you have your switch on the positive side of the loop or negative side of the loop? Sounds like the problem might be the switch though.

Ride Safe,
Rex

 

[Boxwrench]

Iteresting to note that our bike are hot on the negitive side of the circuit. and you use the positive side to shut off. read that some where.

 

[volusiaguy]

The switch was my thought after I posted this since nothing else made sense. I'll take a look at it. I just pulled the wires at the battery and tucked them, so it won't be that big a deal to see. I need to replace the neutral switch too.....can tell the bike is 7 years old with a few miles on it...time to do some of the little stuff, I guess. Thanks. I'll keep ya posted.

 

[Studly]

...can tell the bike is 7 years old with a few miles on it...time to do some of the little stuff, I guess.

I know what you mean. I've been working on mine and removing stuff that has never been off. Finding all sorts of little things that need a good cleaning and a little TLC. Hope you find that short soon. 8)

 

[volusiaguy]

...can tell the bike is 7 years old with a few miles on it...time to do some of the little stuff, I guess.

I know what you mean. I've been working on mine and removing stuff that has never been off. Finding all sorts of little things that need a good cleaning and a little TLC. Hope you find that short soon. 8)

I'm going to find time to really go over it before the Ronnie Rally. The new battery is working great now that I've cut the power to the LED's, so they were leaking somewhere. Wrapping them and the wires in electrical tape or shrinkwrap first would have been a good idea way back when....I may try to touch them up or I may just pull 'em all and get over it...LOL Today I clean the garage to make room to work...next week I tear into it and finish up the stuff that needs to be done....a couple of weeks of testing..final touch ups...and then I'm outta here for Nevada..