I know the nail thing isn't such a good idea these days, but back in the day this worked great. (We're talking mid 60s to 70s) so we all know how that stuff was built. A little bit of an over voltage on the lighting system wasn't much to deal with since there were no electronics in the system back then.

hondabuster's solution sounded very good and I agree that putting in a large fuse (or nail) could expose some electronic component to more voltage than it can handle.

Something more in my field on a similar topic: It takes a static shock of about 3000 volts for a human to feel the shock, it takes a static shock of just 300 volts to damage an electronic component (such as a motherboard, RAM or video card) so before you handle computer parts be sure to ground yourself out so you don't have a static charge.

 

OR... Leave the battery cables connected, and instead of using an ohm meter, take a bulb, soldier 2 wires to it (1 to the base and 1 to the contact terminal), remove the fuze, insert the wires into the slots where the fuze was, and leave the ignition turned OFF. Jiggle the wiring, and when the bulb lights, you have found your short.

This may be easier if you don't have a patient helper to watch the ohm meter.

(You could even use a small horn in place of the bulb.)

 

A nail is a little much, for testing purposes just put in a heavier fuse, if it's a 10a try a 15 a 15 use a 20 etc. That way if the draw is extreme it will hopefully still pop the fuse instead of melting a wire, of course if you let the wire melt it might be simpler to fined (but I wouldn't recomend that).
How about directly under the fuse box / holder have you removed it an looked underneath it? May be a wire has been pinched there or some mud or moisture is shoring accross.

 

Where is the fuse box? I only know of the two fuses under the seat.
Maybe I'm way off. this is a DS650.

(or maybe I just forgot where it was) doh!
-T

 

My bad, I am NOT familior with the DS but usually there is some type of holder or bracket holding the fuse holder in place, I thought perhaps directly below the area the fueses plug into.

One other thing I've done in the past to help waterproof/dustproof my connections; on my quads is to pull appart every connecter that will come apart and put just a tiny coating of dielectric grease on every connection. It helps prevent currosion and is made specifically for this purpose and can be purchased at any autoparts store.

 

When I looked @ the service manual, it says that those two connections (left side & right side) ARE the fuse boxes. If it is doing it when you are turning left, then I would try w/ your DS running but sitting still & turn handlebars to extreme left. Follow the wires & wiggle & see if you can get it to do it sitting still but cranked to the left. check everywhere that there seems to be a tight stretch on the wire loom. (Don't overlook up underneath the dashboard where those lights attach. I have found that some of the handlebar wiring can stretch pretty tight on an extreme turn & could pull something loose enough to short out.

Good luck (BTW, how did you get it to keep it running for the last year????)

KenS

 

Sadly enough, it's been sitting since last october (2004) when I last rode it. I hadn't had time to get out and ride on the dirt much.

It's seen a few blasts around the neighborhood at night, but...never a problem with the fuse.
It's blowing a lot more now so...hopefully it will be easier to find.

I'll check it out this week with the ideas above. Cross my fingers.
-T