Mysterious melting alt connector..

[BA80]

I had the seat off my bike today because I had to fix a shock that had started leaking. Since I had fixed a melted alternator/regulator connecter last year I decided to go ahead and lift the tank and check that also. Good thing.

I discovered that it was about to do the same thing again. The connector was beginning to melt again in the same spot.



I noticed something else this time though. The wire was discolored on the harness side about 1/2 inch from the connector.



Upon closer inspection I saw that the wire had been somehow damaged and was barely connected inside the insulation. Mystery solved.

I'll cut it and repair it at the weak spot and that should resolve that and hopefully some of my crazy jumpy tach issue I've been fighting for a while.

[JeffH]

"good thing" indeed.

At first it looked to me like some re-entry burn after coming off those Rocky Mountain high thin atmosphere elevations. Like streaking across Kansas to Ivan's and getting intense low elevation dense atmosphere friction heating. Better check your thermal heat tiles up front on the fairing too.

Sure glad you saw that then saw the wire problem too. Good catch.

Jeff

[BA80]

Yeah, it could have been the re-entry or the friction from the high speed in the dense air, but, it was the wire.

After I repaired the one white wire I started it and the RED wire was getting hot so I fixed it too.

After that just the wires coming off the regulator were warming up which is pretty normal since the regulator gets pretty warm when it's working.

I'll check it again in a few weeks.

[motoman]

I had the seat off my bike today because I had to fix a shock that had started leaking. Since I had fixed a melted alternator/regulator connecter last year I decided to go ahead and lift the tank and check that also. Good thing.

I discovered that it was about to do the same thing again. The connector was beginning to melt again in the same spot.



I noticed something else this time though. The wire was discolored on the harness side about 1/2 inch from the connector.



Upon closer inspection I saw that the wire had been somehow damaged and was barely connected inside the insulation. Mystery solved.

I'll cut it and repair it at the weak spot and that should resolve that and hopefully some of my crazy jumpy tach issue I've been fighting for a while.

So see, knew at some point the notorious electrical issue was gonna at least nip back at you.
Glad you saw and were able to make necessary repairs..........otherwise, would of turned ugly for even more repairs as I'm sure you knew.

[BA80]

So see, knew at some point the notorious electrical issue was gonna at least nip back at you.

Yup, pretty safe bet with 35 year old wiring.

Where can I get replacement wire ends. That was the issue with the red wire, a poor connection between the wire and the end.

[MPittma100]

Hot Wire

Best fix may be to splice around the connector. Check your grounds too. I would suspect a problem there. A lot of current + a lot of resistance = a lot of heat.

[BA80]

Already checked all the grounds Mike, thanks. Looking for wire ends that'll fit in the OEM connectors. Would rather do it that way than cobble it up.

[bikerphil]

They are called open barrel terminals, Geezer has them or maybe you can find them local somewhere. Of course you will need an open barrel type crimper. Look on this page...

http://www.oregonmotorcycleparts.com/connectors.html

[BA80]

Thanks Phil, it's a starting point. I don't mind buying tools, I can always use them at work too.

[DiverRay]

Connectors from Geezer work VERY WELL! I've used them a LOT over the past few years, and never had a problem. I do have a tool I picked up from him, and it does work well.

[BA80]

Geezer still around?

[IanDMacDonald]

Yes, he's around. I email him every now & then about electrical stuff. If you want to upgrade, go with the GM Weatherpak connectors.

[XJOK2PLAY]

Wow, Greg!
That would have been double trouble if yours had went down along with Bohn's in Co.

Makes me wonder if it's corrosion issue that causes that, or the connector can't handle the ampacity?

Russ had recently replaced the entire connector with a proper new one on Bohn's, yet it not only fried it again, it burned one of the stator wires off the connector. Bohn mentioned he thought his had started charging wide open just before his voltmeter read 10 volts.

Interesting yours has burned the connection, too.
Bohn wants that harness, stator, and reg/rec off Harry's old MNS.
I just need to get by there and get it.
Bohn says just let him know what you want for all that.

[BA80]

Yes, he's around. I email him every now & then about electrical stuff. If you want to upgrade, go with the GM Weatherpak connectors.

As I said, I don't want to cobble it. I want to keep the stock connectors in case a component needs replacing on the road. OEM connectors will make it plug and play without a bunch of "upgrading" to make it fit.

Wow, Greg!
That would have been double trouble if yours had went down along with Bohn's in Co.

Makes me wonder if it's corrosion issue that causes that, or the connector can't handle the ampacity?

Russ had recently replaced the entire connector with a proper new one on Bohn's, yet it not only fried it again, it burned one of the stator wires off the connector. Bohn mentioned he thought his had started charging wide open just before his voltmeter read 10 volts.

Interesting yours has burned the connection, too.
Bohn wants that harness, stator, and reg/rec off Harry's old MNS.
I just need to get by there and get it.
Bohn says just let him know what you want for all that.

I cut out a piece of the wire and soldered in an undamaged section with the white wire. Did the same with the red one since it seemed the wire wasn't making a good connection inside the crimp in the wire end and when the other was fixed it got REAL hot when the alt was running. It all seems good for now.

Possibly it's the wire ends on Bohns bike too. It seems the one on my red wire was corroded inside the crimp.

[dbeardslee]

Yup, pretty safe bet with 35 year old wiring.

Where can I get replacement wire ends. That was the issue with the red wire, a poor connection between the wire and the end.

Might want to take a look at cycleterminal.com. They sell connector kits, and with all the work you do on these old machines, it might be the best way to go. I have two of their kits - 2.3mm and 6.3mm, IIRC - and that gives you just about every connector you're likely to need. And the kits come with a little tool to release wires from connectors, which comes in handy.