#5 fuse , ignition instruments keeps blowing

[ChadHarlan]

I have a 2013 Explorer that has been sitting in the garage for a few months. Put a new battery in and nothing . Checked the fuse for ignition and intruments and it was blown. As soon as the spades of new fuse touches it blows. Took positive lead off the battery and installed new fuse. When the positive touches the battery fuse blows instantly. Was fine last time I had it out . I did wash it while new battery was charging. Am I missing something obvious?

[CaptainTrips]

Originally Posted by ChadHarlan

I have a 2013 Explorer that has been sitting in the garage for a few months. Put a new battery in and nothing . Checked the fuse for ignition and intruments and it was blown. As soon as the spades of new fuse touches it blows. Took positive lead off the battery and installed new fuse. When the positive touches the battery fuse blows instantly. Was fine last time I had it out . I did wash it while new battery was charging. Am I missing something obvious?

Did a rodent get at the wiring and chew the insulation while the bike was sitting?

[Benchmark]

Originally Posted by ChadHarlan

Put a new battery in and nothing . Checked the fuse for ignition and intruments and it was blown. As soon as the spades of new fuse touches it blows. Took positive lead off the battery and installed new fuse. When the positive touches the battery fuse blows instantly. Was fine last time I had it out . I did wash it while new battery was charging. Am I missing something obvious?

Sorry but can we also eliminate that the NEW battery has the POS and NEG in the same place as the old and that it is connected the correct way around? It has happened before where the battery polarity is connected the wrong way around and that would instantly blow the fuse.

[ChadHarlan]

Traced all wires. None seemed nibbled or out of place. Unplugged display and stopped blowing the fuse. Only tach side blows, display side does not. Have inside trying to dry out. Took back off and no smells of burn on marks on the board. Hoping all is ok with it.

[CaptainTrips]

Originally Posted by ChadHarlan

Traced all wires. None seemed nibbled or out of place. Unplugged display and stopped blowing the fuse. Only tach side blows, display side does not. Have inside trying to dry out. Took back off and no smells of burn on marks on the board. Hoping all is ok with it.

Was the bike washed with a power washer?

[NiK]

Good question!
Water ingress in the dash sounds more and more the best hypothesis...

[ChadHarlan]

No. Mostly just sprayed off with garden hose. Sprayer was on shower setting. Not even full blast. That's mostly why I'm so surprised about the situation.

[T800XC]

It could be something as simple as a faulty component on the PCB inside the instrument assembly and may just be coincidence that it happened after you washed the bike.

You've already narrowed it down to one of the connectors on the back, if I understand your comment about tacho vs display correctly. I'd now take a close look at the wiring diagram to look for the most likely culprit and trace this on the PCB.