Smoke a Rolling

[exquized1]

Yesterday my son and I was outside working on my bike. The battery was completely dry (only 2 months old). Yes I have an overcharging issue due to the fact of the PO bypassing the ignition switch. So I pulled out that battery and put in a new one again. I hit the start button my son said the brake light was on. turned over started then a pop and a lot of smoke came rolling out of under the gas tank. OH (*&*^9 I hurry and kill the bike pull the seat and gas tank to see nothing. All the fuses are fine and didn't see any wires damaged. Looks like I will be down for a while. Damn just when it is the best riding time. I am giong to rewire the beast with the wires sent to me by Chip. I am also getting a ignition switch so maybe this will not happen again.

[exquized1]

recharged the old battery and reinstalled it. hit the start button and she came alive. No smoke this time not even sure what happened last time. took her for a ride and took the tank off after I got back. No signs of any damage. this makes me wonder what was smoking so bad the last time?

[bikerphil]

smoke

Mabye the bottom side of the voltage regulator? Overcharging? I've seen car regulators fry from the back, but never one from an XS.

[trbig]

It's down further, but you might check the cable connection going to your starter. It could have been loose and arced there, and smoke rose to make it look like it came from under the seat?

[GNEPIG]

Maybe you have an XS model that was intended to be shipped to the UK.

Electrical Theory by Joseph Lucas:

Positive ground depends upon proper circuit functioning, the
transmission of negative ions by retention of the visible spectral
manifestation known as "smoke". Smoke is the thing that makes
electrical circuits work; we know this to be true because every time one lets the smoke out of the electrical system, it stops working.
This can be verified repeatedly through empirical testing.

When, for example, the smoke escapes from an electrical component (i.e., say, a Lucas voltage regulator), it will be observed that the component stops working. The function of the wire harness is to carry the smoke from one device to another; when the wire harness "springs a leak", and lets all the smoke out of the system, nothing works afterwards. Starter motors were frowned upon in British Automobiles for some time, largely because they consume large quantities of smoke, requiring very large wires.

It has been noted that Lucas components are possibly more prone to electrical leakage than Bosch or generic Japanese electrics. Experts point out that this is because Lucas is British and all things British leak. British engines leak oil, shock absorbers, hydraulic forks and disk brakes leak fluid, British tyres leak air and the British defense establishment leaks secrets...so, naturally, British electrics leak smoke.

[exquized1]

LOL but with the change of batteries the leak seamed to dissappear. Not sure whats up!

[skids]

Just for grins, try cleaning the contact of the vR with the frame where it mounts. It depends on a good fram ground to meter the voltage.

QUOTE]Originally posted by exquized1
LOL but with the change of batteries the leak seamed to dissappear. Not sure whats up! [/QUOTE]

[Da-Bubble]

Maybe it backfired thru the carb and that was the smoke. Did it smell like burning electrical?

[Crazcnuk]

Ah, Lucas, the Prince of Darkness...

[birch]

GNE, that was a brilliant piece of writing. I have it saved in a word document. It might be plagerized in the future!