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How to ruin a battery quick

Started by 73440, July 10, 2018, 07:20:13 PM

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73440

Installed new battery in the Harley, rode about 8 miles then engine starts sputtering and feel heat on my leg.
Look down and the battery is on fire , stop and use my hand and shirt to put out the fire .
Neighbor lends garden hose to insulate the bare ground cable .
I figure the bare negative cable was touching the battery hold down strap.
Guess time to use an insulated negative cable .
And then I stumble and knock the headlights and bezels and trim, I caught the grill ,  that are in the grill on the hood onto the concrete floor , ugh . All good , no damage !

Cuda Cody


1 Wild R/T

Sounds like a bad day... Sucks...

That bare ground cable can lay on the battery hold down with no effect... It bolts to the frame of the bike... The frame & all metal parts that aren't isolated from it are equal to the ground voltage....  The positive cable grounding out would be a problem but I think your charging system has gone full charge & melted you battery.....


71-440

Ouch!

Sounds like something that would happen to me....
Joe

73440

Quote from: 1 Wild R/T on July 10, 2018, 07:31:35 PM
Sounds like a bad day... Sucks...

That bare ground cable can lay on the battery hold down with no effect... It bolts to the frame of the bike... The frame & all metal parts that aren't isolated from it are equal to the ground voltage....  The positive cable grounding out would be a problem but I think your charging system has gone full charge & melted you battery.....

Now you have me thinking, never had a problem with the bare negative cable touching the strap, .
when installing the battery today , I did spark a couple times when the wrench tighten on the positive cable touched metal , maybe that did something.
Thanks @1 WildR/T

1 Wild R/T

Looks like a fairly vintage bike?  Is that an old school voltage regulator below & behind the battery?   If so pull the cover off & see if the points might have welded themselves closed......

73440

Yes, 1973, generator with Bosxh mechanical regulator, yes the ground wire from the battery to the VR was completely burnt away, .
I will open the VR .


1 Wild R/T


73440

Both sets of points are free.
Although the top set do not have much clearance.
I have been wanting to change to alternator and electronic regulator , be a good time to do now.
Thanks for the info,I was thinking completely in the opposite direction.


1 Wild R/T

Probably a good plan though honestly it looks like your generator was able to push enough current to melt the battery so maybe just getting a electronic regulator & fix the wiring and see how it works....

BIGSHCLUNK

We had a similar experience with a battery in my skid steer once..... not good.  :bricks:


73440

I wish I had checked the voltage after starting the bike , should have flashed the generator VR also.
The headlight and tailights were a lot brighter than normal.