Add on electrical problem

[Michvalk]

I have a lighter wired in to use for GPS and phone charger. It is a standard bike style with waterproof lighter cap. I also have a Bad Boy horn, and a set of Elcheapo Walmart driving lights. These are both wired through seperate relays. I ran the lighter straight to the batt. power and ground with a fuze. The relays are from the hot lead, and grounded to the frame. I trigger the horn with the horn wire, and trigger the driving lights with the acc. lead. Everything has worked fine until today. I used the lighter, and it didn't work. I assumed the fuze blew. It didn't. But my driving lights quit working, as did my horn. In investigating, I discovered my driving lights comming on when I turned the key off. So I pulled the wire going to the light relay, and they went out. I got my wire tester, and put to goound and stuck it into the acc outlet. The radio came on with the key off. After going through all the connections, I discovered the lighter pushed in but not hot. The power lead shows power, and it did not blow the fuze. The horn started working when I pulled the lighter. So basically, without the lighter pushed in, everything works. Push it in and the electrics go goofy. I can't find any shortsor bad wires, so is it the socket for the lighter, or the lighter it's self. ANY insight would be helpful. Ya, I know, don't use the lighter

[Hoser]

I think the heat element in the lighter shorted out, try another.  Hoser

[Daniel Meyer]

Loose ground cable(s) at the battery?

[Challenger]

+1 What Daniel said: it sounds like a ground problem.

[Michvalk]

Loose ground cable(s) at the battery?

I checked the ground where they connect to the frame and they were tight. Never give the battery ground for the lighter a thought. What is throwing me is the fact the lighter never blew the fuze. and I could hear other relays clicking when lights were going on and off with pushing the lighter in and out. The bike starts great no matter what. I'll check that ground

[GJS]

I think you answered your own question.
With the lighter pushed in, your f 'ed.
Take it out your fine.

Your element is bad, but not a dead short, or your fuse would go.

Hoser had it right.

Try your car lighter.

Cheers,

Glenn

[salty1]

Sounds like Hoser might be right. Is there continuity across the plug in? 

[valky1500]

My thoughts are to use the ground at the battery for all add-ons with their own relay circuits.

[valky1500]

My thoughts are to use the ground at the battery for all add-ons with their own relay and fused circuits.

Or you risk the chance of a short somewhere else.

[Ricky-D]

Bad battery!  Time for a new one!

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[Michvalk]

Bad battery!  Time for a new one!

***

Battery load tests good. Have removed the lighter plug and have had no more problems. Think it's time for a power port

[salty1]

Good to hear of no more problems. I have had good luck using a couple of these on my bike. The price is right. 

http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-081-0069-8-Cigarette-Disconnect/dp/B0041CDPQO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1343934146&sr=8-2&keywords=battery+tender+accessories