Repair-Chat
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Ian Soady¹ said :-
For my own part I've never had a problem even after leaving petrol in for 6 months or so. Maybe it's my ambient temperature (read cold) garage?
12/03/2026 15:34:03 UTC
Glyn said :-
There was still some small pieces of the silicon liner in the tank so I’m hoping that the Kreem liner will hold it in place. It seems I may have wasted £49 if I only intended to coat and prevent further rusting. The inside of the tank was in a terrible state when I started.
13/03/2026 16:11:40 UTC
Glyn said :-
There was still some small pieces of the silicon liner in the tank so I’m hoping that the Kreem liner will hold it in place. It seems I may have wasted £49 if I only intended to coat and prevent further rusting. The inside of the tank was in a terrible state when I started.
13/03/2026 16:11:41 UTC
Glyn said :-
The new battery arrived for the Triumph and so I was eager to start it and perform the full checks before presenting it for the MOT test. Battery duly connected and ignition key turned, CRACK!! The 30Amp main fuse blew instantly. It could be anywhere and manner of things as it’s all been apart over the last month. A resistance reading shows 12 Ohms to earth from the fuse to earth. I’m not sure what it’s supposed to be but that seems a little low. I’m doing some thinking about it at the moment but the only electrical thing I did was to remove and clean the alternator and replace the twin horns.
15/03/2026 10:57:32 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Alternator, reg/rec or a positive lead touching the frame would be favourite.
I hate electrotrickery.
Upt.
15/03/2026 12:36:54 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
I can't remember if it has been running at all Glyn. If so I would be suspecting the lead short issue. If it hasn't then could be any of Upt's suggestions. I find it useful to replace the fuse with a bulb and progressively disconnect things till the bulb goes out. But rereading your last point, it would be as well to check the alternator for a short. None of the 3 leads coming out of it should show a connection to earth.
15/03/2026 12:49:47 UTC
Glyn said :-
I don’t have any time today to check it out. However, if I remember rightly, the battery plus connects directly to the alternator without going through a fuse. I took a quick look at the wiring diagram which revealed that the horns, lights etc are switched through their earth return and not in the plus 12v feed. The old horns had 2 wire connectors whilst the new have a single with the earth being the body. This could hold the answer to the problem although, I suspect, the horns would have blasted loudly rather than the fuse rupture. It seems to me that switching the earths only permits the use of less fuses. When you have a fuse for everything, it’s much easier to trace a fault. The Triumph 30Amp fuse puts plus 12volts all around various electrical circuits not just one.
15/03/2026 14:46:23 UTC
Glyn said :-
Got it! It was the new horns. I’m afraid you folks didn’t have a chance to help me as it was on of those “man made faults” that, obviously, don’t comply with the usual rules of repair. I had (wrongly) assumed that the switch button on the handlebars was providing the plus 12v to the horns via the brown wires. I even checked it on the multimeter and found it switched on and off when the button was pressed. Therefore, I also assumed the black wires to the horn were the negatives and so earthed them to the frame. The truth is that the (earthed by me) black wires actually carried the plus 12v and the browns went off to the switch… pay attention young Glyn, assume nothing, Idiot boy!!
That “shunting the broken fuse with a 12v bulb” is a brilliant hack Ian, it saved the lives of several more 30Amp blade fuses.
15/03/2026 16:41:43 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
I think the horns on my Strom are wired in the same way Glyn. I think what you are saying is that they are basically always live and operating the switch completes the circuit. Or some'at like that.
Upt.
15/03/2026 16:52:53 UTC
Glyn said :-
That is exactly it Up’t. In the Triumph this permanent feed comes through black wires. I’m very old school where black was usually negative. I remember that Vauxhall cars started using black wires for positive 12v feeds which blew up many after market radio cassettes players.
15/03/2026 17:03:22 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Most horns these days are switched on the earth path. I think the theory is that there's less current in it. However, I've wired the horns on the B'Zuki with the switch in the live side as that was convenient. If I'd been feeling posh I'd have added a relay but hopefully am not using the horns that much.
15/03/2026 17:06:26 UTC
Glyn said :-
I rarely use horns myself, usually because, when an incident occurs, I’m so glad to have survived or the incident has passed and what’s the point. I prefer to use the barrage of expletives that cant be heard by the perpetrator. This method has served me well enough for years.
15/03/2026 17:12:00 UTC
Flyn said :-
Unfortunately this will mean that the two metal bodies of the twin horns will be sat at plus 12 volts. If I simply isolate the mounting brackets it will work but if I drop a spanner below the headlamp and it ends up between the horn and the frame, I will have a zapped fuse.
15/03/2026 20:30:14 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Flyn? I assume a mistype!
The twin horns I use are plastic bodied from ali express and cost around a fiver the pair. They're copies of Fiamma type but seem very well made and are loud. I find that a short blast on them often gets the attention of the car driver wondering whether to pull out....
If you want to keep what you've got then I would use a relay to switch the live feed.
https://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-twin-snail-horns.html?spm=a2g0o.productli...
16/03/2026 09:59:58 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
I think it's looking pretty good although the test ride will have to wait as the knee's still a bit iffy....
19/03/2026 14:54:49 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
and.....
19/03/2026 14:55:15 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
and.....
19/03/2026 14:55:36 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
The last picture actually made go "oooof!" out loud. Yeah, yeah I get it, that looks blummin' lovely that Ian.
19/03/2026 15:04:49 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Very nice Ian, can't wait to see Ed in the chair.
19/03/2026 16:19:14 UTC
nab301 said :-
That looks great Ian , I'm sure Ren could drop over and massage your knee for you , we need to know if the outfit performs as well as it looks!
Nigel
19/03/2026 17:56:23 UTC
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