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Changing 30 amp dogbone to a newer blade fuse

Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 1:32 pm
by Neil
I'm sure this has been done many times by some good members. The process below is just one way to change to a newer type main 30 amp fuse.

EDIT - Switching to a mini 12 volt 30 amp circuit breaker. Will fit in the same housing as the mini fuse.

Purchased an inline mini blade fuse holder from an auto parts store, I think it was Autozone. Price was around $3.00.

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Removed the starter solenoid which has the dogbone fuse holder attached to it from the bike to make it easier to work on. Remove the screws and lay dogbone aside.

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Start to prep the fuse housing to accept the wiring for the new mini fuse holder. You still want the lid to close after installing the mini fuse holder wiring. Start out with a 1/4" drilled hole.

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I found it easier to work with the wires if I continued the holes into a slot.

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Lay out the wiring over the old dogbone location, mark and then cut your wires to length. Then prep for installation of wire ends with a hole big enough to accomidate the old dogbone screws. Cut the correct size shrink boot and slide onto the wires prior to attaching the wire ends.

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Before making the crimp on the wire ends remove the plastic sleeve (made without but these were all I had) and then prepare the wire end for soldering after the crimp is made. There are more ways to prep for soldering than I'm going to go into here. My way is to rough up the wire end where I intend to solder using a small metal file. Then I crimp the wire more for holding purposes than any other reason.

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One other thing I do when soldering is to use solder that does not contain any additives. I add a bit of solder flux to both ends of whatever is being joined together and have never had one come apart.

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Slide up the shrink boot as far as it will go (there is some shrinkage) onto the wire end. Use a mild heat source, preferably something without a flame and shrink the material around the wire and wire end.

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Install the wire ends onto the location where the dogbone used to be using the screws that were holding the old dogbone, install your new mini 30 amp fuse into the proper location and close the cover and re-install onto the bike.

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Once the solenoid is installed back into it's original location I used a plastic tye wrap to secure the mini fuse holder in place. Wasn't necessary to use the tye wrap but as rcmatt007 pointed out to me .... I have OCD :IDTS:

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This was all done in 09 and is still working fine. The only thing I would do differently is get one that has a spot for a spare fuse built into the housing.

Re: Changing 30 amp dogbone to a newer blade fuse

Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 1:34 pm
by CYBORG
another solution is installing a self resetting circuit breaker. i use them instead of fuses, and never have to worry about replacing fuses

Re: Changing 30 amp dogbone to a newer blade fuse

Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 1:51 pm
by Mrirbic71
Thanks for the class,I'm going to use it for my "home work" this weekend...

Re: Changing 30 amp dogbone to a newer blade fuse

Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 2:31 pm
by roncar
I would suggest, like any other pressure fit electrical connection, a little dielectric grease. This was installed in 2007 and fried in 2012.

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Re: Changing 30 amp dogbone to a newer blade fuse

Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 3:37 pm
by Neil
CYBORG wrote:another solution is installing a self resetting circuit breaker. i use them instead of fuses, and never have to worry about replacing fuses
Roncar wrote:I would suggest, like any other pressure fit electrical connection, a little dielectric grease. This was installed in 2007 and fried in 2012.
Good point CYBORG. Ordering the below 30 amp 12 volt circuit breaker as a replacement to the fuse. Will fit in the same space and should also eliminate the blown and damaged fuse that Roncar had.

Re: Changing 30 amp dogbone to a newer blade fuse

Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 3:53 pm
by roncar
Neil wrote:should also eliminate the blown and damaged fuse that Roncar had.
I'd still use dielectric grease on the connections. My bike had a CB when I got it and the heat from corrosion was causing the CB to trip, so I replaced it with the new fuse/holder. I suspect there is nothing wrong with the CB, I still have it in the shop....somewhere.

Three times sitting at a light, bike dies, push to side of the road, CB cools down and resets, good again for a while. I just got aggravated with it and put a fuse in. Was fine for ~ 5 years after that. I however didn't grease it to keep the moisture out. It is now. I'll let you know if it last's longer (may take a while. :lol: )

Oh, and actually that fuse is not blown. Heated to the point of melting the connection.

Re: Changing 30 amp dogbone to a newer blade fuse

Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 6:48 pm
by Roady
That's excellent, Neil.

Looks like I have my weekend homework mapped out now.

Re: Changing 30 amp dogbone to a newer blade fuse

Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2012 12:34 am
by IndianaJohn
I just picked up one of those fuse holders to go on my Wing. When I looked at my fuse a while back, it just fell apart in my hand! Time for an upgrade before it goes back on the road next year. While I'm at it I plan to clean and grease all the connections I can get to as well. As they say, an ounce of prevention..........

Re: Changing 30 amp dogbone to a newer blade fuse

Posted: Sat Jun 08, 2013 9:33 pm
by Lefty
XLNT thanks for sharing this good information. The photos certainly helped me to understand. i know nothing about dielectric grease. Would that have prevented that fuse from frying and how so?

Re: Changing 30 amp dogbone to a newer blade fuse

Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2013 2:01 am
by Recycled Roadkill
Lefty wrote:XLNT thanks for sharing this good information. The photos certainly helped me to understand. i know nothing about dielectric grease. Would that have prevented that fuse from frying and how so?
To my knowledge dielelectric grease is electrically insulating and helps to prevent connections from oxidizing. So, if corrosion was present when the fuse fried, it probably would have done the trick had it been applied prior to the connections cooking.
Anyway, the 30 amp blade fuses are available at any auto parts store but you'd be hard pressed to find a replacement dogbone fuse quickly if you didn't have a spare along with you.

Re: Changing 30 amp dogbone to a newer blade fuse

Posted: Sun Jun 09, 2013 8:50 am
by Lefty
Thanks Bob. I will consider buying two more spare dog bones at a buck a piece just because it is better to have a sufficiency of fuses. I do like the 30 amp or circuit breaker fix but am not wishing to drill and solder for a $1 part. I admire the inventivness and capablilities of the members on this board. Ask anything about a early Goldwing and great answers come forth.

Re: Changing 30 amp dogbone to a newer blade fuse

Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2020 8:19 am
by geofd
yeh i know rewiring is the way to go but I'm not that confident in doing that the other lasted a long time I'm guessing the relay is brand new so .....is it possible to put a slight bend i one or both legs so it wouldn't move thanks....just not ready to make a big mistake and frying the wiring if that happens i couldn't afford to fix

Re: Changing 30 amp dogbone to a newer blade fuse

Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2020 8:26 am
by geofd
Neil wrote: Tue Nov 13, 2012 3:37 pm
CYBORG wrote:another solution is installing a self resetting circuit breaker. i use them instead of fuses, and never have to worry about replacing fuses
Roncar wrote:I would suggest, like any other pressure fit electrical connection, a little dielectric grease. This was installed in 2007 and fried in 2012.
Good point CYBORG. Ordering the below 30 amp 12 volt circuit breaker as a replacement to the fuse. Will fit in the same space and should also eliminate the blown and damaged fuse that Roncar had.
.

who makes it .....i know you said circuit breaker ....just don't know who makes it

Re: Changing 30 amp dogbone to a newer blade fuses

Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2020 9:22 am
by Rat
Try a PM to Neil .... he may not be watching this thread .... it’s 7 years old.

Gord anim-cheers1

Re: Changing 30 amp dogbone to a newer blade fuse

Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2020 9:26 am
by CYBORG
geofd wrote: Sun Oct 25, 2020 8:26 am
Neil wrote: Tue Nov 13, 2012 3:37 pm
CYBORG wrote:another solution is installing a self resetting circuit breaker. i use them instead of fuses, and never have to worry about replacing fuses
Roncar wrote:I would suggest, like any other pressure fit electrical connection, a little dielectric grease. This was installed in 2007 and fried in 2012.
Good point CYBORG. Ordering the below 30 amp 12 volt circuit breaker as a replacement to the fuse. Will fit in the same space and should also eliminate the blown and damaged fuse that Roncar had.
.

who makes it .....i know you said circuit breaker ....just don't know who makes it
Most automotive stores sell them. Or ofcourse, there is always AMOZON