the dreaded PO

[dpotter58]

You know, sometimes we go to do something with our bike and find something very wrong with a repair or modification and we disparage the P
My turn to rant; I was changing out fairings on one of my "f"s today and when I was taking the wiring off the radio, I verified the 14 gauge red was always hot, not just when the ignition was on and tosses it over the handle bar so it was out of the way. It made contact with the engine case and immediately smoked. And it kept on smoking. I grabbed it burnt my fingers and then grabbed the handle of a screwdriver and got it off the case. It took maybe 5 seconds.
The entire garage filled with smoke and I thought the place was going up. The PO had wired it directly to the stud the positive battery cable goes to. No effing fuse!!!!! The insulation burned of entire wire end to end before I could knock it off the engine case…. Do you know how far it is from that stud to the freaking auxiliary fuse??? It’s like 3 inches…. WTF????

[BA80]

First thing you ALWAYS do when repairing anything, especially ELECTRICAL STUFF is disconnect the battery Duwayne.

[dpotter58]

First thing you ALWAYS do when repairing anything, especially ELECTRICAL STUFF is disconnect the battery Duwayne.

Evidently not huh Greg?

[BA80]

LOL... Might be something to consider in the future When throwing "always hot" wires around.

[SFerinTEXAS]

I verified the 14 gauge red was always hot, not just when the ignition was on and tosses it over the handle bar so it was out of the way.

SO you knew it was hot??? Ummmm .

[cywelchjr]

Evidently not huh Greg?

First lesson in auto shop in high school was to disconnect the battery first thing before working on anything electrical on the vehicle. I've always assumed that applied to motocycles as well, and then just like you just gone ahead and ignored it. However, I treat every wire as if it's HOT and hooked directly to the positive terminal of the battery, and if I actually DO need to work on things where I might actually short something I DO disconnect the battery, just not every time (yes, I know I'm bad, and I have the knowledge, training and experience to know better, so I have NO excuse when I fry something ).

[BA80]

just not every time (yes, I know I'm bad, and I have the knowledge, training and experience to know better, so I have NO excuse when I fry something ).

Heh heh......yeah, but it's fun to give someone else a hard time about it aint it?

[geobiker]

Ouch! . . . how much is copper bringing a pound right now?

[crazy steve]

Yep, pretty much most of the factory smoke has been used up on that one...

[BA80]

You let the smoke out and it's all over.

[DGXSER]

I understand your frustration with the PO not fusing the power, I am still shocked and amazed at the fact the PO of Banshee had literally twisted the main fuse wires together without even a wire nut or electrical tape over them. Fusing that wire would have been so easy in so many ways.

You do have to admit, taking a wire you knew was hot and tossing it aside without covering the end or something, that was not the fault of the PO

[MaximPhil]

Hi Duwayne,
I am glad you did not get hurt and the bike did not burn to the ground.... as has happened to others.
Phil

[BA80]

Hi Duwayne,
I am glad you did not get hurt and the bike did not burn to the ground.... as has happened to others.
Phil

Razzkill.....

[DeanR]

Thanks for the reminder Duwayne.

[ddragon63]

ahhhh yes! I learned this one the hard way too... I was tightening the alternator belt on my first hot rod as a teenager and didn't unplug the battery. no cover on the hot plug on the back of the alternator, 9/16 craftsman wrench on bolt attached to block, other end to 12v stud on 1 wire alternator, wire went straight to a 800u optima.... I'm sure you all can imagine what happened next! I still have the wrench as a reminder, its got a hell of an arch gouge in it