Smoke in the garage, wires melted...just because of new coils ?

[Guest]

Yesterday I finished the installation of the Dynatek 3.0 Ohms coils on my beloved GS1100GLZ. It was a replacement job of the old – but working – coils. As I wanted to upgrade and get safe for the future, I bought these Dynatek coils at Z1. Yeah yeah, I also liked the new colours that were now in reach: red or yellow spark plug wires instead of those black ones…(see older post)

I already had the coil relay modification done some months before, the bike ran great before I started the coil swap.

After having installed everything in what I would describe ‘the correct way’ (see procedure that I used below), I turned on the ignition key yesterday evening, only to find out that a lot of smoke started to come from under the gas tank and under the seat (battery area)…

and no fire extinguisher at hand…

The relay from the coil relay melted, the power wires connected to the new coils, some
power lines close to the battery…some other wire (existing wiring diagram) also melted from the heat of other wires… A TOTAL MESS

After having typed off some frustration to my friend Steve, I wasn’t able to sleep realizing that I killed my beloved bike (no, I never stay awake for my wife but my wife is not getting any better over age while the bike ran better these last months than ever before).

Installation procedure that I followed before ‘disaster hour’:

1) ground off of battery
2) + from battery (starter relay, trickle charger)
3) removal of spark plugs
4) removal of old coils
5) installation of new spark plugs
6) installation of new coils
7) I took the lower power connection onto the coils as ‘power from the coil relay’
8) I used the upper connection onto the coils as the ‘signal from the existing wiring diagram’
9) In order to attach the Dynatek coils to the frame, I used the inner hole from the two that are available on the coil as that hole was nicely aligned with the existing mount in the frame.

…after installation you already know what happened, almost burned down the whole barn…

So then, last night, I started wondering what might have happened and I remembered that the bolt connecting the coil to the frame was VERY close to the two screws where you need to attach the power lines to the coil.

VERY = 1 mm or even less

So the question is: does this seem to be a good reason (perhaps even an explanation) for what happened ?

I think: with the ignition key ON I powered the coil relay, thus powering the coils, that were SHORT with the frame and thus started burning wire ?

(thanks, Steve, for always listening to my offline frustration)

[mike_of_bbg]

That sounds like a very reasonable cause. Is your relay fed right from the battery? You need to have a fuse on that lead!

So what kind of damage are you left with? pics? Maybe you can grind a little metal off of the mounting bracket for more clearance?

[Tom R]

Did you manage to catch any of that smoke? You're gonna need another can of that to replace the stuff you lost.
Otherwise you can get some more wire and bullet connectors - doesn't sound fatal.

[gert du prez]

I will provide you with pictures tomorrow...disaster analysis is done this evening...

but before I head back home...

if this is truly the cause, will this have damaged the coils from an overload or so ? battery fried ? R/R ?

or is the weakest line the wire (in absence of a relay) and has the burnt wire 'saved' me from damage to the electronic devices ?

[Tom R]

I will provide you with pictures tomorrow...disaster analysis is done this evening...

but before I head back home...

if this is truly the cause, will this have damaged the coils from an overload or so ? battery fried ? R/R ?

or is the weakest line the wire (in absence of a relay) and has the burnt wire 'saved' me from damage to the electronic devices ?

Without seeing firsthand it's hard to know exactly what happened, but I don't think you damaged any of those components since they can all handle 12v. It sounds to me like a wire shorted out.
You might have to trace it through the harness as it could have melted the insulation on neighboring wires also.

[Rudeman]

Which coils did you use??

[gert du prez]

as promised, the pictures:

Dynatek green coils (I don't understand I'm the first to notice that the allignment with the existing holes in the frame is perfect, BUT causing a short--> what's your solution to this ?)

[gert du prez]

picture 2 included

[gert du prez]

picture 3 (melted wires)

[Mith]

I installed a pair of those coils on my 550L and noticed that clearance issue between the terminal and the factory standoff. I decided to replace the factory standoff with a nylon one so it wouldn't short out. I recall having to cut a piece of the mounting ear that's part of the frame to make clearance as well. I did this on my nephew's GS1100G as well because it was at risk of shorting out as well. Best thing to do would be to replace all the wiring that melted and replace the standoffs with non-conductive ones and when you have it back together, check your charging system to see if it's still ok.

[gert du prez]

I installed a pair of those coils on my 550L and noticed that clearance issue between the terminal and the factory standoff. I decided to replace the factory standoff with a nylon one so it wouldn't short out. I recall having to cut a piece of the mounting ear that's part of the frame to make clearance as well. I did this on my nephew's GS1100G as well because it was at risk of shorting out as well. Best thing to do would be to replace all the wiring that melted and replace the standoffs with non-conductive ones and when you have it back together, check your charging system to see if it's still ok.

and by any chance, there is a picture available ? I have never heard of 'non-conductive stand off'

[Agemax]

and by any chance, there is a picture available ? I have never heard of 'non-conductive stand off'

its just the metal spacers used to mount the coils. the ones that the cable connectors are touching. either use some plastic tubing instead of the metal ones, get some thinner wall spacers or wrap a bit of insulation tape round them

[mike_of_bbg]

Looking at the pics makes me wonder what ill effects it would have to drill parallel with the laminate and turn the coil 90 degrees so the terminals were on either side of the mount?

Definitely add a fuse on that relay lead.

[earlfor]

Just make a small L shaped adapter bracket and use the other mount holes on the end.

Earl

[gert du prez]

had a very interesting weekend, at least, that's my opinion (will buy my wife some flowers this evening to compensate for not 'participating' in family matters this weekend)...

BUT...

the bike is ALIVE again.

rewired everything regarding the coils (relay etc), extra voltage meter, horn relay,...

No device seemed to have suffered from the short I had last week.
R/R still works, battery was flat but trickle charged successfully...

I'm back...

and have learned a very valuable lesson...
thanks for all your support...