Burned connection

Richard tea

Started the bike today to give it the once over. Its about 4 days since I started it. As I was oiling the chain I noticed smoke coming from under the seat. It turns out the connected going to my Reg/Rec got fried. Anybody know why this happened? Im thinking I didnt give it time to warm up before putting it into 1st gear to oil chain and the choke was on??? Its not an expensive fix but I could be a while finding a new connector and re-soldering the wires.

BrokenArrows

Richard tea wrote: »

Started the bike today to give it the once over. Its about 4 days since I started it. As I was oiling the chain I noticed smoke coming from under the seat. It turns out the connected going to my Reg/Rec got fried. Anybody know why this happened? Im thinking I didnt give it time to warm up before putting it into 1st gear to oil chain and the choke was on??? Its not an expensive fix but I could be a while finding a new connector and re-soldering the wires.

That would have nothing to do with letting the bike warm up.
Burning a wire like that would indicate too much current was flowing for the wire to handle so it heated to the point of burning the plastic off.
As to what caused that I don't know.

spiggotpaddy

Sounds like your regrec aint regging or reccing.
New reg/rec.

Richard tea

spiggotpaddy wrote: »

Sounds like your regrec aint regging or reccing.
New reg/rec.

I replaced it with a mosfet type with the last year. I chance just replacing the wiring and connector again and then take readings with the multimetre

spiggotpaddy

Richard tea wrote: »

I replaced it with a mosfet type with the last year. I chance just replacing the wiring and connector again and then take readings with the multimetre

Yeah, but it could be intermittent. Did your battery get hot?

Richard tea

spiggotpaddy wrote: »

Yeah, but it could be intermittent. Did your battery get hot?

I didnt check battery temp. I noticed the smoke about 30 sec after starting the bike. What gauge wire should the 3 yellow wires going from the alternator to the reg/rec be? Its a cb400 1994 incase it helps

CJhaughey

Its not the wire, it will be the connector.
When they age and get corroded the resistance builds up in them and they get hot and result in the type of damage seen here.
I would replace it with a good quality waterproof connector the type that has the little rubber grommets that cover the wire as it enters the plug.
http://www.easternbeaver.com/Main/Elec__Products/Connectors/Sealed/Metri-Pack/metri-pack.html
You need a 3 wire connector for your application.

Actually most older bikes should have them replaced or at least undone and lightly sand the terminals and then use some silicone dielectric grease on them as they are rejoined.

Richard tea

CJhaughey wrote: »

Its not the wire, it will be the connector.
When they age and get corroded the resistance builds up in them and they get hot and result in the type of damage seen here.
I would replace it with a good quality waterproof connector the type that has the little rubber grommets that cover the wire as it enters the plug.
http://www.easternbeaver.com/Main/Elec__Products/Connectors/Sealed/Metri-Pack/metri-pack.html
You need a 3 wire connector for your application.

Actually most older bikes should have them replaced or at least undone and lightly sand the terminals and then use some silicone dielectric grease on them as they are rejoined.

Thanks CJ. Also what gauge wire should i get?

CJhaughey

Richard tea wrote: »

Thanks CJ. Also what gauge wire should i get?

I wouldn't replace the wire, it looks OK, just strip it back and fit the new connector to the old wire.

Hotblack Desiato

The wire looks a bit on the spindly side to me but it's hard to tell from the photo.

Richard tea

New water proof 3 way connector and electrical grease should arrive by friday. Ill know come saturday if I need more wire

gctest50

The green earth wire & terminal could do with a tidy up

Richard tea

I git a 3 way waterproof connector and silicone grease. Never used the grease before Do I just rub it into all metal connecting parts???

CJhaughey

Richard tea wrote: »

I git a 3 way waterproof connector and silicone grease. Never used the grease before Do I just rub it into all metal connecting parts???

Just the terminals inside the plug, use a cotton bud for ease of application.
Do this last.
Make sure the wires are crimped well on the terminals they carry a lot of current and need to be good connections.
If the crimping isn't 100% think about running a little solder into the joint to make the connection good.
Too much solder can stiffen the wire causing it to fracture over time.

Richard tea

Thanks CJ. Ill attempt it this evening

Richard tea

Jobs done. I can safely say I hate crimping and stripping wire. I could have done with a bigger connector but the one I got done the job. I checked reading from the multimeter and all fine at the end.

I have needed wire a few times now to repair the bike. I usually strip wire from an old cable but I would rather buy in a small roll of wire for these jobs. How do I go about finding out what thickness or gauge wire mostly covers my bike?

CJhaughey

Richard tea wrote: »

Jobs done. I can safely say I hate crimping and stripping wire. I could have done with a bigger connector but the one I got done the job. I checked reading from the multimeter and all fine at the end.

I have needed wire a few times now to repair the bike. I usually strip wire from an old cable but I would rather buy in a small roll of wire for these jobs. How do I go about finding out what thickness or gauge wire mostly covers my bike?

Usually .75mm or 1.5mm on bikes aside from the starter motor
Motor factors have 1.5mm stuff usually in red and black but Louis have a ful range of colours if you need them.
https://www.louis.de/en/produkte/electrics-supplies/472
Pretty decent selection of connectors as well. Basic but fairly cheap.
I hate the new Louis website though!

Canis Lupus

I think it might have been said elsewhere as well but for the love of jebus manually spin the wheel. Don't oil a chain with the bike in gear.

Graphic!!!

LINK