Blowing fuses need help.

[Tinkerbell]

I have a 2020 Tao Tao Rhino that has been a workhorse until a couple of weeks ago. I had problems with a fuel filter dissolving (Amazon special) and clogging one of the carb jets. This was the original carb, so I just changed it out for an aftermarket VM 26 PZ30 30 mm carb and a new fuel filter. It ran great until this last weekend. We were riding a county road at a higher speed and it started running a bit rough. I limped back to my place and it kept running a bit rough at higher speeds. Then the fuse blew. I replaced the fuse, drove back to the barn, fuse blew again (the head lights were not on, it was daylight).



I let it cool, put a new fuse in it, started right up, i drove around a few minutes at a low speed, no problem. Parked it. it started again the next day. Now if I ride it for a few minutes, I notice the reverse/neutral lights quit working, it starts running a bit rougher, and then the fuse blows and it dies.

I can see no melted wires, no pinched wires, no bare wires, no indication of a short anywhere. The red reverse light has been intermittent for a while. It first started going out last winter while i was pushing snow off the road. I thought it was a connection issue but now it seems to be connected to the fuse blown and I can find nothing wrong.

Do I just start spending money and replace these lights or is this a sign of something else I'm missing?


Note: all the electrics on this ATV are factory original...so 2 years old with at least an hour, maybe 2 hours of riding every day on average. I use this ATV on the farm to get around and short trips.

I do have a performance CDI and new spark plug etc. Id prefer the ATV was running before I started adding those things to it.

[buzz]

Hello something is shorting out,start unplugging light or other switches until you find problem, best of luck.

[david3921]

The reverse and neutral light wires each go into a two prong plugs. If you follow it further, they both go to a six prong plug that only uses two of the outlets for each of these lights. The six prong plug goes to the engine. This plug is for a gear display but the Rhino is set up to use only two (R and N) out of the six (1,2,3,4, R, and N) that could be displayed. Ok, what's all this mean...well the output of the gear selector has opposite polarity. There is a positive wire that supplies power to the lights and all of the gear selector wires are negative. You might be blowing the fuse because the positive wire along the path is grounding out. Search the path of the wires from the lights that do not go to the six prong plug. It might not be what's causing the blown fuse but the lights going on and off might be a clue.

[Tinkerbell]

I found the problem..... the brake switch wires were pinched and shorting---seems weird, but makes sense. Brake switch is shot. I actually am surprised looking at that switch how it even started.

Also had what i think is a loose connection in the harness itself (I may have caused this trying to move things around).


Just bought a new harness and am going to change it out, with CDI upgrade, new brake switch, lights etc.

[Tinkerbell]

I am just replacing all of the wires in this Tao Tao, there were enough cracked/exposed wires, that I think that needs to be done but this wiring harness is giving me fits.

It has a "larger" 4 pin connector for the keyswitch and I cannot find a key switch that matches this 4 pin connector. Does anyone have any suggestions? I can change the connector out if I can find just the wiring harness connector too that matches the keyswitch.

[Tinkerbell]

I just realized I didnt say where I got the wiring harness from. I ordered it from Partskit, with a new key switch, but they connectors do not match. I thought the simplest thing would be find a keyswitch with a matching connector, but I cant seem to find one anywhere.

[Oldenslow]

Chinese electrics are poor indeed, but fortunately usually inexpensive. Make the most of your replacement harness by being very careful in routing and securing it. You will thank yourself later.

[david3921]

Pretty sure this is the one that fits my 2016 Rhino;

vmcchineseparts.com/collections/atv-ignition-key-switches/products/chinese-atv-ignition-key-switch-version-4

Edit: I'm on a tablet so sometimes links don't paste correctly. Just copy and paste to address bar.

[Tinkerbell]

Originally Posted by david3921

Pretty sure this is the one that fits my 2016 Rhino;

vmcchineseparts.com/collections/atv-ignition-key-switches/products/chinese-atv-ignition-key-switch-version-4

Edit: I'm on a tablet so sometimes links don't paste correctly. Just copy and paste to address bar.

I think that is the one i have ordered now. It is not the one partskit says goes with the wiring harness for a Rhino. It also doesnt match a couple of others that supposedly fit the Rhino.

[Tinkerbell]

Originally Posted by Oldenslow

Chinese electrics are poor indeed, but fortunately usually inexpensive. Make the most of your replacement harness by being very careful in routing and securing it. You will thank yourself later.

The price has been the saving grace. I'm 4 switches deep and I dont think I've spent 30 dollars yet, thank goodness.

[david3921]

Originally Posted by Tinkerbell

I think that is the one i have ordered now. It is not the one partskit says goes with the wiring harness for a Rhino. It also doesnt match a couple of others that supposedly fit the Rhino.

I went to the website and checked my past orders (I'd forgotten that I created an account). I did order this one and it's working fine. I had to replace the original switch as the end where the wiring comes out fell apart. It cost just under $10 with shipping last September when I ordered it. I've been very happy with the service from VMC. They don't always have what I need but what I do order gets to me pretty quickly.