Electrical Smoke

[Big D]

I went out to crank my 1800 a few days ago after it had been setting for about six months. I noticed the light was dim and when I went to crank it something popped and smoke started coming from under the seat area. I snatched the red wire that is connected to the battery which runs to the rear of the trike and the smoke quit. I took a chance and installed a new battery and everything is working with no known blown fuses.

My question is this, that smoke came from something somewhere shorting out, what could it have been? So far the only thing I haven't tried since the pop/smoke is the intercom but it lights up in the cluster. Thanks!

 

[1dn5up]

Could of been as simple as a lousy battery conection

 

[bikerbillone]

Should have been noticeable at the the battery connection.

 

[rhino 2]

The positive cable (red) might have been a little lose and arked when you hit the starter and the battery was undercharged! You say that you snatched the cable off! If it was tight you would have lifted the battery out pulling on-the cable .

 

[Ozarkryder]

Electrical Theory- The Importance of Smoke by Joseph Lucas

Electrical Theory- A Treatise on the Importance of Smoke

by Joseph Lucas (Prince of darkness)

All electrical components and wiring harnesses depend on proper circuit functioning, which is the transmission of charged ions by retention of the visible spectral manifestation known as "smoke". Smoke is the thing that makes electrical circuits work. Don't be fooled by scientists and engineers talking about excited electrons and the like. Smoke is the key to all things electrical

We know this to be true because every time one lets the smoke out of an electrical circuit, it stops working. This can be verified repeatedly through empirical testing. For example, if one places a large copper bar across the terminals of a battery, prodigious quantities of smoke are liberated and the battery shortly ceases to function. In addition, if one observes smoke escaping from an electrical component such as a Lucas voltage regulator, it will also be observed that the component no longer functions.

The logic is elementary and inescapable! The function of the wiring harness is to conduct the smoke from one device to another. When the wiring harness springs a leak and lets all the smoke out of the system, nothing works right afterward.

Sometimes you may miss the component releasing the smoke that makes your electrical system function correctly, but if you sniff around you can often find the faulty component by the undeniable and telltale smoke smell. Sometimes this is a better indicator than standard electrical tests performed with a volt-ohm meter.

In conclusion, the basic concept of transmission of electrical energy in the form of smoke provides a clear and logical explanation of the mysteries of electrical components and why they fail.

"A gentleman does not motor about after dark." - Joseph Lucas, 1842-1903



You must replace the smoke lost for the best electrical efficiency -

​

 

[GoldWingrGreg]

My question is this, that smoke came from something somewhere shorting out, what could it have been?

What kind of trike ???

 

[Big D]

What kind of trike ???

It is an 07 GW.

The red wire that I snatched off was not the battery terminal but rather the single wire running back to the rear wiring harness. It has a 15 amp inline fuse but wasn't blown. I think that wire powers the intercom because before I triked the bike there was a short wire with a fuse near the battery box which powered the intercom. Since the Road Smith conversion it was replaced with a longer version with the inline fuse.

I haven't had the opportunity to check everything since I installed the new battery because of my work schedule, but am hoping that none of the charging components are damage.

Thanks for everyone's input.

 

[GoldWingrGreg]

What kind of trike ???

It is an 07 GW.

Oh my !!!

 

[Gold Rush]

It is an 07 GW.

The red wire that I snatched off was not the battery terminal but rather the single wire running back to the rear wiring harness. It has a 15 amp inline fuse but wasn't blown. I think that wire powers the intercom because before I triked the bike there was a short wire with a fuse near the battery box which powered the intercom. Since the Road Smith conversion it was replaced with a longer version with the inline fuse.

I haven't had the opportunity to check everything since I installed the new battery because of my work schedule, but am hoping that none of the charging components are damage.

Thanks for everyone's input.

Does that red wire you mention look original Honda or aftermarket? I'm thinking it might be the HOT feed to a trailer connector. First rule in wiring battery power to a trailer is to make sure it goes through a fuse very soon after leaving the battery!!

A quick glance at my shop manual indicated the intercom system is handled by the audio unit which gets power from fuse 13 in the main fuse box.

If that is a battery feed you might want to check to see if it is pinched somewhere along the route and tie it securely out of harms way.. :xszpv: :xszpv:

 

[Big D]

Does that red wire you mention look original Honda or aftermarket? I'm thinking it might be the HOT feed to a trailer connector. First rule in wiring battery power to a trailer is to make sure it goes through a fuse very soon after leaving the battery!!

A quick glance at my shop manual indicated the intercom system is handled by the audio unit which gets power from fuse 13 in the main fuse box.

If that is a battery feed you might want to check to see if it is pinched somewhere along the route and tie it securely out of harms way.. :xszpv: :xszpv:

Does that red wire you mention look original Honda or aftermarket? I'm thinking it might be the HOT feed to a trailer connector. First rule in wiring battery power to a trailer is to make sure it goes through a fuse very soon after leaving the battery!!

A quick glance at my shop manual indicated the intercom system is handled by the audio unit which gets power from fuse 13 in the main fuse box.

If that is a battery feed you might want to check to see if it is pinched somewhere along the route and tie it securely out of harms way.. :xszpv: :xszpv:

Thanks!!

I will check that wire out ASAP.